The DCI was mandated to promote, develop, expand, regulate and control of foreign and domestic trade and industry, as well as tourism.

To have closer supervision and to ensure more effective delivery of services, President Ferdinand E. Marcos issued Presidential Decree (PD) 189 on May 11, 1973, creating the Department of Tourism to handle all tourism-related matters.

[6] On June 2, 1975, the Department of Trade was created under PD 721 to pursue efforts of the government toward strengthening the country's socio-economic development, particularly in the area of commercial activities.

[7] A key strategy of the new department was vigorous export promotion to generate much needed foreign exchange.

In the early 1980s, this goal of national economic development required the need to hew industrial promotion efforts with the expansion of Philippine trade overseas.

11904), the DTI partnered with the FDCP per the MoU which launched the 2024 “Lunsod Lunsad” and “Boosting Competitive and Creative Cities” through the Malikhaing Pinoy Program.