De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) continues to strengthen its collaboration with government institutions in advancing creative and industry-relevant education through a meeting with the Design Center of the Philippines, an attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). The meeting took place on July 8, 2024, at the Hub of Innovation for Inclusion (HiFi) office.
Representing Benilde were School of Environment and Design (SED) Dean Harvey Vasquez, HiFi’s Paul Pajo and Alex Abear, and from the Center for External Linkages (CEL), Director Sherlo Reyes and Linkages Specialist Paula Roxas. The Design Center delegation presented its proposal for Benilde to become a key academic partner in the development of the Philippine Skills Framework (PSF) for Design—a national initiative aimed at mapping the essential competencies and pathways that define the country’s creative industries.
Under this collaboration, Benilde’s faculty will take part as researchers, contributing expertise in design education, innovation, and industry engagement. The discussion also identified Design Thinking as another potential area of collaboration, highlighting its significance in fostering human-centered, innovative approaches to problem-solving.
To formalize the partnership, both parties agreed to craft a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that would define a five-year framework of cooperation, covering joint projects on the PSF, Design Thinking, and related initiatives. A separate Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) will also be developed to detail the specific commitments and deliverables for the PSF project and subsequent undertakings.
The meeting further clarified that the DTI encompasses multiple sub-agencies, each with distinct mandates and project scopes. As such, both sides agreed to identify and map out the relevant DTI sub-agencies with which Benilde can partner, ensuring that collaborations align with the appropriate project stages and objectives.
This emerging partnership between Benilde and the DTI Design Center underscores a shared vision—to strengthen the Philippine design ecosystem through education, research, and innovation. By contributing to national frameworks such as the PSF, Benilde continues to affirm its role as a creative hub and thought leader, bridging academia, industry, and government toward a more inclusive and globally competitive design future.
