The Philippine government is pressing start on a deeper push into the global video game economy.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has signed a new partnership with the Game Developers Association of the Philippines (GDAP) aimed at giving the country’s growing game development sector a bigger stage and a larger slice of a multibillion-dollar global market.
The agreement was formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding signed on March 9 at the DTI headquarters in Makati City. The partnership links government support with industry expertise to accelerate growth in the country’s digital creative sector.
The collaboration will be carried out through the Philippine Creative Industries Development Council Secretariat under the DTI Competitiveness and Innovation Group.
The initiative focuses on promoting Philippine-made games, strengthening the talent pipeline, and encouraging innovation across studios and independent developers. Planned programs include industry events, developer training, capacity-building activities, international market access opportunities, and platforms that will showcase local titles.
Globally, the video game industry generates more than USD180 billion in annual revenue and continues to expand as mobile gaming, esports, and digital distribution drive demand across North America, Europe, and Asia.
The partnership also supports the Philippine Creative Industries Development Act and complements the DTI’s flagship Malikhaing Pinoy Program, which aims to expand the country’s creative economy.
DTI officials say closer collaboration with industry players is key to unlocking the sector’s growth potential and helping Filipino developers compete globally.
“By strengthening collaboration between government and industry, we create more opportunities for studios to grow, for creators to innovate, and for new talent to emerge,” said Assistant Secretary Nylah Rizza D. Bautista.
GDAP president James Ronald Lo said the group sees the DTI as a critical partner in opening new opportunities for Filipino developers.
The broader goal is to build a stronger ecosystem that links studios, developers, and academic institutions while raising the global visibility of Philippine game creators.
