A survey led by a national music institution, which tapped 700 respondents from different professions formed FGD’s (focus group discussions), revealed that 50% of Filipinos in the music industry earn less than ₱20,000.
61.1% of Filipinos employed in the music industry are identified as college degree holders and freelancers. They also shared that they have other sources of income besides producing, writing, and creating music.
Dr. Maria Alexandra Chua, an alumna of University of Santo Tomas and a musicologist noted, “Local artists would always have to go through what we normally identify as “sariling sikap,” that is, without any government intervention and support in its music training, marketing and promotion.” She was the project leader of Musika Pilipinas Project which was supported financially by the Department of Science and Technology-National Research Council of the Philippines (DOST-NRCP). The project sought to determine the Philippine music market, its issues and create work-arounds to address it.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that the gross value added (GVA) of creative industry-related activities increased from ₱1.61 trillion in 2022 to ₱1.72 trillion in 2023. The music sector contributes only 8.8% to the creative industry, amounting to Php18.1 billion.
Dr. Chua continued to call for action and suggested a ‘centralized music coordinating council’ to resolve conflicts within the industry. She also sees that intellectual property rights protection in the country should be improved. She also noted that industry is inclusive to anyone or any institution within the borders that is in a musical and creative pursuit.
“To put it simply, as long as they are creating, producing, reproducing, distributing, or consuming music within the Philippines or producing music while representing the Philippines and from whose activities the Philippine economy benefits (e.g., overseas Filipino musicians who send remittances), they are part of the music industry of this country,” she said.
DOST-NRCP and other organizations alike continue their advocacy to champion and support individuals in the Philippine music industry.
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