 What is Filipino design? Or is there one at all? The question of Filipino design has much to do with the question of Filipino identity. And, again, it begs the question, is there one at all? Or we may be prompted to ask, is there really a need for any? In this tightly integrated world where everyone can, when sheer will to do it, communicate with anyone in real time anywhere in the world? So, can we leapfrog from wrestling with this issue of Filipino identity to embracing an international global identity instead? To many, this might be a trivial question since we, in the Philippines, is an open society and their ubiquitous signs of global integration. Yet, to many, failure to define or develop one will lead to disenfranchisement, social chaos, cultural dissolution, and economic despair. Far-fetched? I will not venture in directly addressing the issue of Filipino identity, but will endeavor to show how Filipino design is one window where we can catch a glimpse of it. There are free agencies that I would like to focus on in the way that they are engaged in undertaking design-related activities in our country. These are education, the industry, and the state. Forming our cultural mindset start in the way we are taught in schools, but the elementary and school curricula do not provide the platform to discuss the multicultural characteristics of the Philippines and the arts and artifacts that signify this. There is very little or no opportunity to create or participate in creative work or develop styles and techniques in enhancing existing artistic and design endeavors. The K-12 program, notwithstanding its art and humanities track, does not offer this opportunity either, but it is more directed to training in employable skill sets rather than creative development. These conditions provide a narrow perspective of the arts and culture of the different linguistic and cultural groups that determine the Filipino. They do not offer the opportunities inspiring and developing the artistic and designing skills of the youth. In this fine area, the empowering quality of education does not contribute to their participation in criticizing the built environment, including its attendant furnishings, accessories, and means of conveyances. Does the learning environment foster problem-based learning or collaborative work? Does it engage the students to work with the community in solving community problems? The lack of this deterred them from critical and to be engaged in creative problem-solving examples. With the gypsy, the interior space simulates communal interaction. Good, including the collection of fares facilitated by the exchange of coins perhaps or bills. But does anyone question comfort levels or the tweak up audio that's really searing to the ears or the acrid diesel smell or the acrid diesel fumes? Sidewalks and walkways, for instance. If they're even present, these sidewalks and walkways, for instance, if they're even present, does anyone resent its sequestration by private homeowners or its abject and maintained state? This state is a large stake in education, but I would like to touch on state policies that are partial to economics apart from its educational policies. I would like to cite state policies that influence design training and practices. Let's start with postwar Philippines. Postwar Philippines saw the unrestricted influx of American products following the implementation of the Bell Trade Act, also known as the Philippine Trade Act. This did not help develop local goods since it restricted the Philippines from creating products that compete with important American goods. In reaction to the marginalization of Filipino business, the administration of President Carlos Garcia in the late 1950s implemented the Filipino First Policy that provided preferential treatment for Filipino businesses, products and services. This led to the growth of manufacturing sector with industries in import substitution creating new jobs and training in new skills. This would have been a strong driver for design development, but this growth trajectory was fueled by dependence on imported raw and semi-processed materials. With the decontrol of the Philippine Peso exchange rate, manufacturing became too expensive and by the 1970s, industrial production took a nosedive. Foreign debt mounted and unpaid debt had to be paid with debt, paid with much higher rates. So industrial projects such as the illegal steel and the lesaldi steel rolling mills had to be aborted. The Marcos administration removed heavy industries in its priorities plan and gave emphasis to labor-intensive export-oriented industries. This is also known as the LIEO Industries. By 1979, all major Asian countries have developed their basic industry, but the Philippines had none. And so noting that the Philippines can move forward without developing its basic industry sector, the Marcos administration proposed 11 major projects in the areas of manufacturing, agriculture, and power generation, but hostage by world bank debt and its influence on national policy, these were not pursued. The policy of creating labor-intensive products for the export market continues to this day. However, an opportunity for a design-led development strategy may still be forthcoming. The latest State Act, which is the enactment of the Design Act or the Design Competitiveness Act of 2013, also known as the Republic Act 10557, states, and I will read, it is the declared policy of the state to enhance the competitiveness and innovation of Philippine products, create market-responsive design services while advocating for economic and environmental sustainability. The state shall also endeavor to promote the economy and society driven by design and creativity, responsive to our fast-changing times and reflective of the Filipino culture and identity, currently advocating the protection of intellectual property rights to these ideas and innovations. Big words on how to make this real. This is your challenge now. And so, perhaps you could take a look again at our educational system and we could see that cultural practices, the arts and artifacts that are produced out of these practices must be studied by all Filipino students. They must be provided with creative environment where they can express and they could practice their own crafts. They must learn how to work in communal projects among persons of different persuasions. To expand their knowledge and interest in many facets of life, they must be involved in community projects. They had to immerse themselves in working with communities and in so doing this is the only way that they could actually learn. Knowing and practicing are the only means of empowering them to be engaged in design issues and be equipped to creatively solve problems affecting their communities and larger environments. Producers of creative works must be familiar with indigenous and foreign technologies as tools for creative thinking, concepts can materialize without the necessary tools that will be aids in their creation. Students must develop creative thrust fueled by research. This is the only way a culture of innovative designers can flourish. On the side of the industries, industries must be developed so that there will be a mechanism that will feed the manufacturing train. In industries, even the metals, plastics and textiles, manufacturing of products for the local and export market will not grow. In fact, it will diminish as it is diminishing now, right now. We will still be import dependent and design will not thrive in this environment. These industries must be driven by sustainable technologies. If we say sustainable technologies, then easily be derailed by external market forces since sustainable technologies may be both appropriate and bleeding edge since we're talking here of a sustainable technology in the sense that it greatly depends on human resources in operating these technologies. Then there's the cultural scene. The Philippines does not lack cultural events. They do not lack festivals. We do not have the earth of this since we are so much in love with fun and we project in these events multiracial and multicultural diversity of the Filipino. What lacks perhaps are events that are integrative and collaborative. What lacks perhaps are events that are integrative and collaborative so that incrementally of fusion may arise that a greater set of stakeholders can open up to. There are inspirational references to Filipino culture and this must be preserved. But their distinctiveness is also the source of segmentation in the identity part of the issue. And that's the question. Is there a Filipino design? I believe there are Filipino designs and they are still or they may still be attributed to particular segments of the social cultural scene. But in knowing the roots of Filipino culture in collaborating in a communal effort to solve common problems in working within the Filipino cultural context and in pursuing research-led research practice. This may not even be an issue. Filipino design will emerge. I am certain it will be distinct and it will reflect the interweaving of the fabric of Filipino culture. And finally it will be our proud contribution to the international global culture.