Buoyed by outsourced demand for content creation services from countries like the US and Japan, the Philippine animation industry has come a long way since the 1970s. Now as the Animation Council of the Philippines, Inc. (ACPI) lends its support to the 10th e-Services Global Sourcing Conference and Exhibition, a government-led ICT/BPO trade platform in the Philippines, it does so in a bid to carve a niche for the Filipino brand of animation through advocating Creative Process Outsourcing (CPO).
e-Services is an annual trade show and conference that gathers together the best and the brightest ICT/BPO industry movers and thought-leaders under one high-class venue. Organized by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), an attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry, e-Services partner agencies include the Board of Investments (BOI), the Foreign Trade Service Corps (FTSC), the Regional Operations and Development Group (RODG), and the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT).
Long held as a premier destination for voice-based BPO, the drive towards the recognition of CPO stems from the desire of the local industry for non-voice leadership expertise. “I (am) personally advocating to the various agencies like BPAP, DTI, and DFA that the Philippines should claim CPO… given the Filipinos’ inherent talent in designing anything from print animation to product modeling,” said ACPI President Weng Bagadion, who works towards the consolidation of the creative industries under one umbrella organization.
Under CPO would fall the animation and game development industries, music and sound engineering, advertising, film, industrial design, architecture, comics, photography, publishing, and even those that fall under corporate communication such as writing and conceptualization.
Animation has been an enduring highlight for e-Services visitors under its Creative Services Session Track, even bagging the e-Services Awards 2009 Special Citation for Milestone Achievement in Philippine Animation Industry for the film “Dayo”, released by ACPI’s Cutting Edge Productions.
Lower costs, consistent quality and speed in delivering output, English proficiency, and the ability to comprehend concepts and storylines are among the strengths of the local industry that provides 5000 jobs to local animators, as well as generating $110M worth of revenues for 2008.
Such milestones serve to boost ACPI towards reaching greater heights. “We want our own brand of animation,” said Bagadion. “If one is familiar with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the Filipino industry has matured to a point where we are now seeking for self-actualization.”
Founded in 2000, ACPI is a 40-member non-profit organization that specializes in full 2D and 3D animation as well as pre and post production services that include layouting, web design, and mobile applications. In collaboration with educational institutions like the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), it also provides e-Learning modules, training regulations, and assessment tools for schools that want to provide animation training.
Catch more of ACPI and Creative Process Outsourcing on the 10th e-Services set on 8-9 February 2010 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, Philippines.
e-Services 2010 is also supported by the Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPAP), the Philippine Software Industry Association (PSIA), the Contact Center Association of the Philippines (CCAP), the Medical Transcription Industry Association of the Philippines, Inc. (MTIAPI), and the Game Developers Association of the Philippines (GDAP).
