Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 1986 
Introduced by HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. VINCENZO 
RENATO LUIGI R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. HORIBATA, AND 
HON. TERRY L. RIDON 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Philippines is globally known for its diverse culture, rich history, and talented 
individuals in the fields of visual arts, performing arts, film and media arts, literary arts, design 
and fashion, and animation. One of the most iconic works that resonate worldwide is 
Spoliarium by Juan Luna, which depicted the suffering of Filipinos under Spanish colonial rule. 
Another is the classic novel Noli Me Tangere by Jose Rizal, which portrayed the injustices 
endured by Filipinos during the same period. These masterpieces reflect Filipino life: our 
traditions, culture, lifestyle, and aspirations. 
Today, the Philippine High School for the Arts in Mt. Makiling, Laguna, remains the 
country’s premier institution for artistically gifted students. Its curriculum focuses on dance, 
music, theater arts, visual arts, and creative writing. According to the United Nations 
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, arts education enhances not only intellectual 
development but also mental well-being. It serves as a meaningful outlet for self-expression, 
reduces stress, boosts cognitive function and self-esteem, and contributes to a learner’s 
holistic growth. In line with this, the proposed Special Program in the Creative Arts (SPCA) for 
junior and senior high school seeks to replicate and expand access to quality creative arts 
education across the country. 
This bill aims to preserve our culture and heritage, strengthen the country’s creative 
arts sector, and nurture young Filipino talents by developing a curriculum tailored to specific 
artistic disciplines and delivered by competent mentors and instructors. The SPCA shall be 
managed by a multi-agency council under the Department of Education, which shall ensure 
the effective integration of the specialized curriculum and encourage educational institutions 
to offer full scholarships and training opportunities to qualified learners. 
This is a refiled bill from the 19th Congress, which was approved on third reading by 
the House of Representatives and transmitted to the Senate.  
Thus, in light of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE 
July 16, 2025
11:25 am


HON. VINCENZO RENATO LUIGI R. VILLAFUERTE 
HON. TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. HORIBATA 
HON. TERRY L. RIDON 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 1986 
Introduced by HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. VINCENZO 
RENATO LUIGI R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. HORIBATA, AND 
HON. TERRY L. RIDON 
AN ACT STRENGTHENING THE SPECIAL PROGRAM IN CREATIVE ARTS FOR 
JUNIOR AND SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Special Program in the Creative 
Arts Act.”  
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-
building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social 
well-being. Moreover, the government is committed to fulfill its constitutional mandate to foster 
the preservation, enrichment, and dynamic evolution of a Filipino national culture based on 
the principle of unity in diversity in a climate of free artistic and intellectual expression and to 
place arts, design and other intellectual creative creation under the patronage of the State. 
To this end, the State shall promote creative arts education, encourage arts programs, 
support national art competitions, and strengthen education for the development of creative 
industries. The State shall provide adequate training for students with artistic abilities, with the 
end in view of producing world-class artists with firm academic foundation and strong patriotic 
ideals. 
SECTION 3. Objective. – The Special Program in the Creative Arts (SPCA) is hereby 
strengthened to provide a continuing source of artists of excellence and leaders in the 
preservation and promotion of culture, arts, and the creative industry in the Philippines. 
Admitted students shall be trained under a special curriculum oriented in the fields of 
architecture and allied arts, cinema, dance, dramatic arts, literary arts, music, visual arts, 
design, digital fabrication and new media, along with financial literacy, entrepreneurship skills, 
and basic knowledge on intellectual property rights, with the end in view of providing quality 
education to students while giving way to opportunities for a sustainable profession. 
SECTION 4. The SPCA Council. – The SPCA Council, herein referred to as the Council, is 
hereby created which shall be under the administrative supervision of the Department of 
Education (DepEd), and composed of seven (7) members, namely: (1) Secretary of the 
DepEd, as Chairperson; (2) Chairperson of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts 
(NCCA), as Vice-Chairperson; (3) Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI); 
(4) President of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP); (5) Chairperson of the
Commission on Higher Education (CHED); (6) Executive Director of the Philippine Creative


 
Industries Development Council (PCIDC); and (7) President of the Creative Economy Council 
of the Philippines (CECP).  
Members may designate a representative who shall be of rank no lower than that of 
an Undersecretary.  
Members of the Council shall serve without compensation but shall be entitled to 
reimbursement for expenses related to their participation in the official activities of the Council, 
in accordance with pertinent laws, rules and regulations. 
The Council shall regularly meet at least once every quarter of the academic year. The 
Chairperson or a majority of the Council's members may call a special meeting whenever 
necessary.  
A meeting may be conducted virtually only in circumstances when meeting in person 
is impossible or impractical and all the Council members are able to communicate adequately 
during the meeting. 
SECTION 5. Duties and Functions of the Council. – The Council shall have the following 
duties and functions: 
(a) Periodically consult with various creative industries to ensure that the programs, 
curriculum, courses, and other activities of the SPCA respond to the current and future 
trends to secure opportunities for the commercial success of SPCA graduates; 
 
(b) Guarantee that the curriculum in the SPCA shall be in accordance with the qualification 
levels in terms of the three (3) Philippine Qualifications Framework domains: 
knowledge, skills, and values; application; and degree of independence; 
 
(c) Design and implement plans, programs, and activities that will encourage experienced 
and well-established talented artists to mentor the learners under the SPCA; 
 
(d) Provide guidance on the career path of the SPCA learners through the conduct of 
programs and activities apprising the learners of the opportunities, including those in 
higher education, and the state of the various creative industries; 
 
(e) Urge higher education institutions to offer programs for scholarships and grants in 
creative arts courses, and inform the schools with SPCA of such programs; 
 
(f) Encourage various creative industries to employ graduates of the SPCA through 
information campaigns and different programs that shall showcase their talents and 
abilities; 
 
(g) Maintain a pool of instructors composed of experts in various creative arts domains 
who are willing to teach the SPCA learners and assign them to various schools with 
SPCA; 
 
(h) Call on the local government units (LGUs), their respective local school boards and 
other agencies, especially where the schools with SPCA are located, for assistance, 
coordination and collaboration for alignment, synchronicity, and complementarity of 
plans, resources and efforts of the schools and the pertinent LGUs; and 
 
(i) Other duties and functions that may be necessary or incidental for the effective 
implementation of this Act. 


 
SECTION 6. Roles of Government Agencies. – To achieve the objectives of this Act, the 
following government agencies shall carry out their respective roles: 
(a) DepEd – The DepEd shall formulate the academic curriculum to ensure that learners 
under the SPCA possess the knowledge and competencies that can lead to a 
successful professional career and to be eligible for higher education in the event that 
graduates choose the pathway. It shall set the standards in the selection or 
qualification of schools with SPCA, and shall appoint and designate the qualified 
instructors who shall train the learners in accordance with the curriculum set by the 
NCCA and the CCP. 
 
(b) NCCA and CCP – The NCCA and the CCP shall formulate the creative arts curriculum 
for the SPCA to train the learners and hone their skills and abilities to achieve their full 
potential. They shall provide the qualifications of instructors for the effective 
implementation of this Act. 
 
(c) DTI, CECP, and PCIDC – The DTI, CECP, and PCIDC shall advocate for the 
employment of SPCA graduates by linking the schools with SPCA with different 
creative industries for work immersion and eventual job posts. They shall further 
conduct programs and activities in schools with SPCA to inform the learners of the 
current and future trends they may engage in for their careers in creative arts. 
 
(d) CHED - The CHED shall promote the further studies of SPCA graduates by constantly 
ensuring that its policies, standards, and guidelines for college courses in creative arts 
are responsive to the current and future trends and urging higher education institutions 
to provide scholarships and grants. 
SECTION 7. Partnerships with the Private Sector. – The DepEd and the schools with SPCA 
may enter into agreements with the private sector for the training and development of the skills 
and talents of its SPCA learners. 
SECTION 8. Hiring of Special Instructors for SPCA. – Notwithstanding the relevant 
provisions of Republic Act No. 7836, as amended by Republic Act No. 9293, otherwise known 
as the "Philippine Teachers Professionalization Act of 1994", the DepEd shall hire and retain 
experts in the various creative arts domains, without the additional requirements of completing 
teaching units and passing the board exam for teachers, to teach the pertinent subjects in the 
curriculum: Provided, That they shall teach only the subjects of their expertise: Provided, 
further, That they satisfy the qualification standards set by the DepEd, NCCA and CCP: 
Provided, finally, That they shall receive salaries and benefits befitting their status, distinctions, 
and achievements. 
SECTION 9. Tax Exemptions. – The importation of equipment relating to creative industry, 
books, art related supplies, musical instruments, materials and goods, including those donated 
to the SPCA shall, upon certification by the DepEd be exempt from customs duties in 
accordance with the provisions of Republic Act No. 10863, otherwise known as the "Customs 
Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA)": Provided, That these are of international standards and 
are not available from local manufacturers: Provided, further, That the importation shall only 
be in such numbers as may be required in the development programs and/or training of the 
students: Provided, finally, That all importations shall be made in the name of SPCA as 
recipient and shall be immediately registered in the name of SPCA. 
SECTION 10. Tax Exemption on Donations. – All grants, bequests, endowments, donations 
and contributions made to the SPCA, to be used actually, directly and exclusively by the SPCA 
shall be exempt from donor's tax and the same shall be considered as allowable deduction 


 
from gross income for purposes of computing the taxable income of the donor in accordance 
with the provisions of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended. 
SECTION 11. Appropriations. – The Secretary of the DepEd shall include in the 
Department's program the implementation of this Act, the funding of which shall be included 
in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
SECTION 12. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The DepEd shall, in consultation with 
the NCCA, CCP, DTI, CHED, PCIDC, and CECP, promulgate not later than thirty (30) days 
upon the effectivity of this Act, the rules and regulations for its effective implementation: 
Provided, That the failure to promulgate the rules and regulations shall not prevent the 
implementation of this Act upon its effectivity. 
SECTION 13. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the other provisions not so declared shall remain in force and effect. 
SECTION 14. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, orders, and rules and regulations 
contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or amended 
accordingly. 
SECTION 15. Effectivity. – Notwithstanding the non-issuance of the implementing rules and 
regulations, this Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official 
Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
Approved,