Digital: “How Are Creatives Coping?”, Asks the Creative Economy Council of the Philippines as it Invites the Community to Share their Stories

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MANILA, PHILIPPINES — The Creative Economy Council of the Philippines is checking in with the rest of the community by encouraging them to share their personal coping stories to CECP. Shedding light on the realities that the most vulnerable individuals and sectors in the creative world is currently facing in light of this pandemic, the initiative aims to focus on what they truly need at this time, and find ways to help.

In a letter authored by CECP President and Founder Paolo Mercado, he highlighted the effects of community quarantine and the virus to the creative industry: film productions have ceased, theatre productions have been disrupted, and thousands of daily wage earners in these crafts have been left without their means to get by.

Mercado is encouraging creatives from any field to share their stories with the board or via personal message to paolo.mercado@creative-economy.ph, in order to find the best ways to support them.

Read his full letter below:

To Filipino Creatives & Creators.

We are nearing the end of the second week of this unprecedented lockdown due to COVID-19. Personal lives and businesses all over the country have been disrupted. Manufacturing & construction are disrupted by work-from-home and social distancing orders. The service sector is likewise disrupted for the same reason, with only a few businesses such as BPOs, Banks & Food Supply allowed to operate.

As CECP, the question that is foremost in my mind is HOW ARE CREATIVES COPING with this lockdown? Is creative work more vulnerable or more resilient during this period of home quarantine and working from home?

There are sectors such as TV and advertising film production that have stopped shooting during this period. For salaried workers, they are still (for now) being paid, but the ones who are paid per shoot day have no source of income.

Performing Arts productions have all been severely disrupted as shows are cancelled and as most performers are paid per rehearsal & performance day, then there is no source of income.

On the other spectrum, digital freelancers for digital design services, especially those on overseas freelance platforms, are theoretically more resilient (but is this the case?). Advertising concept development work continues, but production has stopped.

Still there may be a few others who are reinventing their business model to not only survive, but potentially thrive during this period. Certainly there are very inspiring cases of artists sharing their gifts via live FB concerts to uplift our spirits and raise funds for frontline workers.

But these are just my observations from my limited POV. I would therefore like to reach out to Filipino creative workers and creative business leaders to share your stories of how you are affected by this lockdown and how you are coping.

Whether you are an individual freelancers, content creator, artist, designer, an employee in a creative firm, or running your own creative business, please share your story by commenting on this post. If you prefer you can also send me your story directly via paolo.mercado@creative-economy.ph.

My intent is to compile & share your stories to get an understanding of the most vulnerable creatives in our community (and how can we help them), while also highlighting unique ways people are surviving and thriving during these times as a way perhaps for others to learn from what you are doing.

Many thanks in advance for your contribution.

Keep Safe. Keep Sane. Keep Creating!

Paolo Mercado
President & Founder
Creative Economy Council of the Philippines