Manila, Philippines — On 24 June 2025, the Department of Trade and Industry’s Foreign Trade Service Corps (DTI-FTSC), in partnership with the DTI-Creative Industries Development Office (DTI-CIDO), conducted a benchmarking visit to the historic First United Building (FUB) in Escolta, Manila to explore creative placemaking as a strategy for heritage revitalization.

Facilitated by FUB Managing Director Robby Sylianteng, the activity featured a walk-through of the building’s thriving creative spaces, insights exchange from curators and tenants, and an open forum on inclusive and sustainable development—while tackling the history, transition, and the development of the facility through time. The site visit highlighted successful local initiatives that integrate culture, creativity, and commerce to breathe new life into heritage sites.

During the exclusive tour, the DTI team visited the FUB Community Museum, a curated museum which showcases the rich architectural and commercial history of Escolta; HUB Make Lab, a creative enterprise incubator for artists and makers; and 98B COLLABoratory, an artist collective that has become a cultural anchor in the area.

The First United Building’s transformation into a vibrant creative hub illustrates the power of adaptive reuse and cultural programming in driving innovation, tourism, and community development.

The visit provided DTI with first-hand exposure to grassroots creative efforts that merge heritage preservation with entrepreneurship. It also opened opportunities for future collaboration through the DTI’s Philippine Trade and Investment Centers (PTICs) abroad, facilitating cultural exchange and expanded market access for Filipino creatives. ♦

Date of Release: 02 July 2025