Artisans find new home at Likhang Filipino
A stone’s throw from the Cultural Center of the Philippines along Roxas Boulevard stands a long- idle property that has been given a new mandate.
Called Likhang Filipino, the 21,000-square-meter site has been reopened as an all-year exhibition and retail space for Filipino-made products, housing the work of homegrown artisans and designers.
Inside the complex are six galleries showcasing Filipino-made goods across home and lifestyle, fashion and accessories, traditional arts and crafts, food and beverages and wellness.
Built primarily to support Filipino products in going global, the project is managed by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), the export promotion arm of the Department of Trade and Industry and is funded by the Office of the President. Open to both retail and wholesale buyers, it was developed as a more permanent marketplace than the seasonal trade shows.
For CITEM, the project represents a shift in how the country presents its industries.
“It also marks the new phase in our commitment to strengthen and promote the country’s export industry,” says CITEM executive director Leah Ocampo. “We once again present to the world the best of what the Philippines has to offer, all in one place.”
‘Rebirth’
The land that the Likhang Filipino occupies carries a long and changing past.
It sits at the former site of the PhilTrade Center, built in 1979 on the initiative of former first lady Imelda Marcos, whose pavilions were designed to echo the traditional bahay kubo (nipa hut).
Over time, however, the complex had turned into an antique market and, eventually, a row of restaurants catering to Philippine offshore gaming operators, before those businesses were shut down following an all-out ban directed by President Marcos.
Against this backdrop, CITEM describes the reopening of the project on Jan. 15 as a “rebirth,” restoring the site to its earlier role as a cultural and trade space.
The reopening was attended by President Marcos, first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, former first lady Imelda Marcos and several Cabinet officials, including Trade Secretary Cristina Roque, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. and Education Secretary Sonny Angara.
From baskets to fine art
Inside, Likhang Filipino houses more than 2,000 products from roughly 200 exhibitors, about 70 percent of whom come from the regions, Ocampo says.
Rather than presenting these products in conventional retail stalls, the organizers spread them across six galleries designed to function as curated art spaces. Artists Tony Gonzales, Ito Kish and Al Caronan worked with the Design Center of the Philippines (DCP) to shape the galleries.
“This whole physical space, this fervor to advance the genius of the Filipino, is a resonance from what we have already established,” says National Commission for Culture and the Arts Chair Eric Zerrudo. “We’re continuing this and we know we can reach farther than this.”
Gallery 1 serves as a design library, tracing 50 years of Philippine design through furniture, graphics and housewares, alongside special exhibits. Its current installation features art chair pieces inspired by the “New Buri” works of National Artist Arturo Luz, founder of the design center.
Gallery 2 focuses on traditional arts and crafts, displaying art and antiques, handwoven looms, chests and trunks, baskets, wood carvings, musical instruments and ethnic accessories.
Fashion takes center stage at Gallery 3, which showcases bespoke clothing, footwear, bags, jewelry and accessories.
Gallery 4 shifts attention to the home, featuring indoor and outdoor furniture, tabletop, bar and kitchen goods, beddings, pillows and accessories, as well as rugs and lighting products.
At the far end of the complex are galleries dedicated to home and holiday decor and gifts, including fine art and edible goods, as well as a section for wellness, food and health products.
Beyond exhibition and retail, the site also includes a multifunction facility for exhibitions, retail and incubation. The DCP also envisions a packaging and labeling studio laboratory to help smaller enterprises refine their products.
“Our artisans really need marketing and promotion and we will also be giving a lot of assistance in product development,” Ocampo says. “Product development should be constant.”
Looking ahead
Even as the physical space is still settling into operation, those behind Likhang Filipino are already looking to expand its reach.
Trade Assistant Secretary Al Valenciano says the long-term goal is to establish a strong digital presence for Likhang Filipino by creating an online platform that allows businesses to reach buyers beyond the limits of brick-and-mortar retail.
It is also being positioned as a future venue for Manila Fame, a home, fashion and lifestyle trade show. It also aims to host IFEX Philippines, a trade show for food, beverages and ingredients. These are currently being staged at the World Trade Center.
Likhang Filipino is also poised to be a regular stop for ministers and government officials visiting the country for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit that the Philippines is hosting in 2026.
But for now, exhibitors are taking stock of their newfound home in Likhang Filipino. It opened to the public on Jan. 20 and now operates from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.
******
Get real-time news updates: inqnews.net/inqviber
