Cebu, Philippines, September 28, 2022 – While the Philippine Creative Industry is already a major player in outsourcing internationally, the potential in original content is the necessary next step seeing the massive demand for different voices from all over the world.

The Creative Content Creators’ Association of the Philippines (SIKAP) believes that the Philippines is a rich resource of stories and talent that can generate for our country a wealth of Intellectual Property that can manifest unmatched business potential and revenue in original creative content.

An organization of top caliber Filipino individuals from the Animation, Game Design, Comic Book, Literary, and Music industries, SIKAP came together to give back to local creators what experience and know-how they gleaned navigating the international markets on their own. It all starts with a new and exciting opportunity to learn about developing, showcasing, and marketing original Filipino content.

AYO 2022, envisioned to be the Philippines’ First Original Content Market by 2024, is a four-day event which will be held on October 7 & 8 (hybrid) and October 14 & 15 (online).

Its 2-day face to face conference (streamed online via Airmeets) at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel in Lahug will feature key speakers who will share with up-and-coming creators from Cebu and the Visayas knowledge about creatorship and the industry at large. Headlining Day 1 are: SIKAP members Marla Rausch, CEO of US and Manila-based motion capture studio Animation Vertigo; Ria Lu, writer, game development veteran, and Studio Director at Laguna Games MNL; illustrator, animator, and Creative Director Karla Circe; game development industry champion, chief of Taktyl Studios and current GDAP president James Lo; plus celebrated filmmaker Sari Dalena. In addition, luminaries from the Cebu creative and business communities are also expected to engage the event goers in lively, future-forward discussion.

Award-winning creators and producers Cris Dumlao, Keith Sicat, and Mookie Tamara, lead interactive talks and workshops on day 2 plus prominent Intellectual Property professionals take the stage for a discussion on protection and rights. 

For its online component, AYO boasts of an international lineup of creative champions who will guide participants in storytelling, pitching, polishing, even financing and promotions of original work. Logging in are SIKAP core member and Writer & Director Real-time Filmmaker Micah Fernandez; Alec Sokolow –  Oscar nominated screenwriter (Toy Story), producer, & director; international entertainment communications, PR, and publicity leader Marcin J. Sobczak (Loving Vincent & Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry); plus SIKAP Board of Advisors Singaporean film producer Gin Kai Chan; producer, director, and investment specialist Vinci Roxas. Rounding off AYO 2022’s stellar roster are SIKAP Senior Advisor animation producer, developer, and writer Eric Calderon; speculative fiction novelist, editor, multiple international literary and Palanca awardee Dean Francis Alfar; and acclaimed Disney writer Mikki Crisostomo.

Co-presented by the DICT; in partnership with DTI R-7; alongside our trade partner the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, SIKAP aims to make AYO our creative content market par excellence, showcasing the Philippines to the world.

For more information, like and subscribe to SIKAP’s Facebook page at facebook.com/creativecontentcreatorsassociationofthephils or go to their website at https://www.sikapphilippines.org.

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