The future of Philippine design is no longer just a vision. It is already taking shape in our classrooms.
Since 1991, the Benilde Industrial Design (ID) program has prepared students to meet the country’s growing need for creative professionals across both manufacturing and service sectors. While employment remains a traditional path, many graduates are now creating their own ventures, launching innovations, and influencing industries on their own terms.
In my experience, four essential pillars shape the next generation of Filipino designers: institution, industry, inspiration, and initiative.
The first pillar, institution, refers to how education is structured and delivered. When we revised the BS in Industrial Design curriculum, we brought together alumni, faculty, students, and respected design leaders like Kenneth Cobonpue. Together, we shaped a program designed to meet international standards and regional demands. A mentee, John Dence Flores, developed a compact drying system that now benefits farmers in Aklan—all while still completing his degree. During the height of the pandemic, the ID community designed and distributed over 11,000 face shields to frontliners. These efforts reflect a deep culture of service rooted in the program.
The second is industry. Beyond the typical internship, students engage in real-world collaborations. They have repurposed McDonald’s furniture into classroom pieces, developed sustainable packaging for MSMEs with Prestige Paper Products and Fedrigoni Italy, designed efficient airbus interiors with Collins Aerospace, and partnered with the Design Center of the Philippines. These experiences provide practical exposure that prepares students for the demands of the field.
The third is inspiration. Sometimes, one story can change a life. Alumna Selena Placino discovered industrial design after reading about Kenneth Cobonpue. Today, she runs her own studio and has developed patented products like the Taho! Bench and items for Chicco. Amy Nayve, another alumna, turned her love for paper into Pumapapel Crafts, now a leading name in paper engineering.
Lastly, initiative is that inner drive to move forward despite obstacles. World-renowned Gabriel Lichauco, a Benilde ID graduate from the 90s, now leads Openstudio and showcases Filipino design globally. His story of resilience reminds us what it means to persist with purpose.
With the Philippine Design Policy soon to be implemented, we are reminded that kapwa, our shared sense of humanity, must be the foundation for how we teach, design, and build. The future of Philippine design is already here, shaped by the next generation of creators and thinkers learning to design with purpose, to design like no other.
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