Design Center of the Philippines, Rhea Matute, Design Fair Pasay City, Philippine design festival, Mix of Everything
Design Week Philippines (DWP) is celebrating its 15th year with the theme "Sama All," kicking off October 10 at the Likhang Filipino Exhibition Halls in Pasay City in what organizers describe as the festival's most expansive edition yet.
Organized by the Design Center of the Philippines, DWP 2026 brings together designers, artisans, entrepreneurs, students, cultural workers, communities, and policymakers through talks, workshops, exhibitions, tours, performances, pop-ups, and other design-led experiences nationwide. The festival's peak event, the Design Fair, runs from October 15 to 18, gathering designers, design advocates, brands, and creative entrepreneurs alongside the public in a showcase of products and ideas.
This year's theme draws from the Filipino expression "sana all," reframed as an invitation to actively participate in shaping better futures through design, rather than simply wishing for them. "We reimagined it as Sama All to move from simply wishing for a better future to coming together to actively design it," said Rhea Matute, Executive Director of the Design Center of the Philippines.
Beyond the Design Fair, DWP unfolds through a growing network of partner-led events across the country, organized around four formats: Design Talks, Design Tours, Design Workshops, and Design ATBP., an open platform for exhibitions, performances, and experimental formats. In La Union, for instance, Hiraya Collective for the Blind is holding "Hear and Touch the Sky: A Multisensory Star Party and Space Accessibility Program," letting participants experience space and astronomy through touch, smell, and taste.
DWP's partner network has grown significantly in recent years, from 110 partner organizations in 2024 to 221 in 2025, while the number of Design Week events nationwide grew from 121 to 176 over the same period.
Other partners cited the collaborative spirit behind the festival. "Combining different perspectives turns individual effort into a real community impact," said Karl Adrian Aguro, Design Director of Uncurated Studio and organizer of the Oro Design Conference in Cagayan de Oro. Vivita Philippines Creative Director and Design Week Baguio organizer Candy Alipio added that this year's edition is "working with new partners and including more fields of design" for Baguio City locals.
Design Week Philippines 2026 runs through its nationwide partner events in the weeks surrounding the Design Fair, inviting the public to explore how design shapes everyday life.
Having attended the media briefing for this year's festival, it was refreshing to get a sneak peek at the sheer range of design coming from different parts of the Philippines — distinct creatives, themes, concepts, and ideas all under one roof. Beyond the visual appeal, it's a reminder of what good design can do for enterprises, brands, and their stakeholders when creativity is given room to lead.
From "Sana All" to "Sama All"! 🎨✨ Design Week Philippines celebrates its 15th anniversary with its most expansive nationwide lineup yet!
Organized by the Design Center of the Philippines, DWP 2026 kicks off at the Likhang Filipino Exhibition Halls in Pasay City, with the main Design Fair running from October 15–18.
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