Dumaguete City, the capital of Negros Oriental province in the Philippines, is set to host a series of events aimed at upskilling creative industry professionals and expanding their opportunities in the international market.

Nymfa Virtucio, regional director of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Negros Oriental, announced on Monday that the initiative is a collaborative effort between the city government, the DTI, and Beetzee Inc., a leading local creative company.

“We are very excited that Dumaguete City has been granted a fund of Php 1.2 million for the Lunsod Lunsad initiative as part of the DTI headquarters’ Malikhain Pinoy program,” said Virtucio.

Chamberlain Gebara, CEO of Beetzee, said the upcoming events, which will take place over the next few weeks, will feature training, competitions, and networking opportunities for local creatives, unlocking the immense potential of the sector.

Lunsod Lunsad consists of three major events starting on November 16th. These include ALI: Artistic Leap Initiative, Creative Konnect Expo, and Beetzee Best Songwriter Season 3: Band Camp Featuring Willfreedo.

“These events will celebrate and elevate the creative talents of Dumaguete and the Philippines, showcasing the incredible potential of our arts community,” said Gebara.

The ALI workshop will run from November 16th to 17th and will feature experts in photography, video production, and graphic design.

Creative Konnect is a three-day expo from November 22nd to 24th, showcasing Dumaguete's artists and groups with live performances.

The Lunsod Lunsad program will conclude with the Beetzee Best Songwriter Season 3: Band Camp from December 13th to 15th.

Gebara said the three-day music event will showcase the songwriting talents from across the Philippines, with Visayas and Mindanao's renowned band Willfreedo mentoring the participating bands and performing on the final day.

All events will be held at various locations in the city, and registration is now open.

Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo expressed full support for the program, saying that the city government is committed to making Dumaguete the next creative city in Asia by 2030.