NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
Second Regular Session 
)
SENATE
s.No. 2429
of 
tt: it:
23 AUG 30 PA‘40
Introduced by Senator Loren B. Legarda
AN ACT
AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7743, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS "AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CONGRESSIONAL, CITY AND 
MUNICIPAL LIBRARIES AND BARANGAY READING CENTERS 
THROUGHOUT THE PHILIPPINES," AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Republic Act No. 7743 was enacted to boost the moral and intellectual 
capabilities of Filipinos by raising literacy levels and underscoring education's vital 
role in nation-building. This shall be accomplished through the establishment of 
public libraries and reading centers in every local government unit. The law provides 
that the number of these facilities should correspond to the number of barangays, 
municipalities, cities, provinces, or congressional districts in the nation. Nonetheless, 
official 2023 statistics from the National Library of the Philippines show that the 
country currently only possesses a mere 1,640 public libraries. This figure is notably 
inadequate compared to the abundance of barangays, municipalities, cities, provinces, 
or congressional districts in the country.
The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the requirement 
to furnish accessible learning resources to educators and students. A report from 
UNICEF published in December 2022 found that there is a need to include digital 
learning in national policies and plans, increase resources for digital learning, and 
blend the education of children with technology, among others.


There is an urgent necessity to ensure that the country's public libraries and 
reading centers are adequately prepared to address the escalating challenges within 
the education sector. Consequently, there is a need to equip public libraries with 
modern computer and electronic library equipment in order to ensure that Filipinos 
have access to a wide variety of up-to-date learning materials.
The measure aims to amend Republic Act No. 7743, also recognized as the "Law 
for Establishing Congressional, City and Municipal Libraries and Barangay Reading 
Centers across the Philippines, Allocating the Required Finances, and for Other 
Objectives" through making certain that all public libraries align with the needs of an 
interconnected and globalized Filipino society. In addition, the proposed legislation 
secures the funding necessary for implementation and calls for annual increments 
until all cities and municipalities have access to full electronic library facilities. 
Furthermore, the measure mandates that the development councils of each city or 
municipality ensure that their library centers and/or reading centers are equipped 
with the latest technological equipment required for the provision of efficient 
electronic library services.
In view of the foregoing, the early passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
LOREN LEGARDA


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
Second Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S. No. 2429
'Hi J 0? t; ,' ^
23 MIG 30 P4-40
RECEiV-
Introduced by Senator Loren B. Legarda
AN ACT
AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7743, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS "AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CONGRESSIONAL, CITY AND 
MUNICIPAL LIBRARIES AND BARANGAY READING CENTERS 
THROUGHOUT THE PHILIPPINES," AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled:
1 
Section 1. Section 2 of Republic Act No. 7743 is hereby amended to read as
2 
follows:
3 
"Sec. 2. Establishment of Public Libraries and Reading Centers. - The National
4 
Library in coordination with the Department of Interior and Local Government
5 
(DILG) shall undertake the establishment of additional public libraries to serve all
6 
congressional districts, cities and municipalities in the Philippines and reading centers
7 
in every barangay except in cities or municipalities where there are existing public
8 
libraries or barangays where there are existing reading centers: Provided, That the
9 
establishment of such libraries and reading centers shall be based on the development
10 
program of the National Library BASED ON THE LATEST COMPUTER AND
11 
ELECTRONIC LIBRARY TECHNOLOGY in coordination with the development
12 
council of each city or municipality under Sec. 106 of the Local Government Code and
13 
in the case of the barangay reading centers, in coordination with the respective
14 
barangay councils: Provided, further. That where these public libraries and reading
15 
centers already exist, the National Library shall continue to upgrade facilities thereof
16 
[.] WITH COMPLETE STANDARD SETS OF BOOKS AND OTHER MATERIALS


1 
AS PROVIDED UNDER SEC. 3 OF THIS ACT AS WELL AS THE LATEST
2 
ELECTRONIC LIBRARY SYSTEM USING COMPUTERS FOR STORING,
3 
CATALOGING, AND FILING OF DATA AND MATERIAL; PROVIDED,
4 
FINALLY, THAT BY THE YEAR 2027, ALL CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES OF
5 
THE PHILIPPINES BE PROVIDED ELECTRONICALLY-OPERATED LIBRARY
6 
SYSTEM."
7 
Sec. 2. Sec. 7 of Republic Act No. 7743 is hereby amended to read as follows:
8 
"Sec. 7. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of
9 
this Act shall be included in the General Appropriations Act of the year following its
10 
enactment into law [and for the next five (5) years thereafter, the local government
11 
units shall undertake the maintenance of public libraries and reading centers while
12 
the National Library shall continue to provide reading materials and supplies to said
13 
libraries and reading centers]. IN ORDER TO PROVIDE FUNDS NECESSARY FOR
14 
THE ELECTRONIC LIBRARY SYSTEM TO BE IMPLEMENTED, THE BUDGET
15 
OF THE NATIONAL LIBRARY SHALL BE INCREASED IN THE AMOUNT OF
16 
FIVE MILLION PESOS (P5,000,000.00) PER YEAR UNTIL ALL CITIES AND
17 
MUNICIPALITIES IN THE PHILIPPINES ARE PROVIDED AND HAVE ACCESS
18 
TO FULL ELECTRONIC LIBRARY FACILITIES."
19 
Sec. 3. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations, or
20 
portions thereof, inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified
21 
accordingly.
22 
Sec. 4. Effectivity Clause - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after
23 
following its publication in the Official Gazette or in any two (2) newspapers of
24 
general circulation.
Approved,