1 
Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
1st Regular Session 
House Bill No. ________ 
Introduced by Representatives PAOLO Z. DUTERTE, ERIC G. YAP, 
EDVIC G. YAP, and JEFFREY SORIANO 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Article XIV, Section 14 of the 1987 Constitution provides that the State shall 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. 
Learning about art can help students understand the diversity and complexities of 
different cultures and societies. Given that culture and the arts are essential to the 
holistic development of society, it is imperative to work towards more inclusive 
opportunities for young children to engage in the creative arts, for such measures will 
provide the foundation for later success. 
This bill seeks to establish a system of specialized secondary schools to develop the 
skills and artistic talents of young people across the country, as well as to provide a 
continuing source of artists of notable excellence and leaders in the preservation and 
promotion of culture, arts, and creative industry in the Philippines.  
The Philippine High School for Creative Arts System (PHSCA), as created, shall 
implement a general secondary education program with special curriculum for 
deserving students with considerable potential in the fields of performing arts, 
creative writing, visual arts, and applied arts. It is aimed at the early recognition and 
development of children of great talent, exceptionally good in this field. 
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
PAOLO Z. DUTERTE 
ERIC G. YAP 
        EDVIC G. YAP 
           JEFFREY SORIANO 
September 21, 2022
3:44 pm
5075


1 
Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
1st Regular Session 
House Bill No. ________ 
Introduced by Representatives PAOLO Z. DUTERTE, ERIC G. YAP, 
EDVIC G. YAP, and JEFFREY SORIANO 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING THE PHILIPPINE HIGH SCHOOL FOR CREATIVE ARTS 
SYSTEM 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 Philippine High 
School for Creative Arts System Act.” 
SEC. 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, national art 
competitions, and strengthen education for the development of creative industries. 
This shall include a complete system geared towards the development of a citizenry 
who can contribute most meaningfully towards the creation and enhancement of a 
democratic, just, and humane society imbued with national identity and pride. The 
State shall provide adequate training for students with artistic abilities, with the end 
view of producing world-class artists with solid academic background and strong 
patriotic ideals. In line with this, an educational system to foster the holistic 
development of the youth and to prepare the students for a long-term career in the 
various fields of creative industry is hereby established. 
SEC. 3. Creation and Establishment. - There is hereby established a Philippine 
High School for Creative Arts System (PHSCA) which are secondary schools offering 
full scholarships to deserving students with considerable potential in the fields of 
performing arts, creative writing, visual arts, and applied arts. Admitted students 
shall be trained under a special curriculum oriented in the fields of architecture and 
5075


 
2 
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 preparing them for various creative industry 
related career as well as a readiness for entrepreneurial endeavors or employment. It 
will, thus, 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. 
 
The PHSCA System shall be administratively attached to the Department of 
Education (DepEd) in consultation with the National Commission on Culture and the 
Arts (NCCA) for program implementation. 
 
SEC. 4. Board of Trustees. -  The PHSCA System shall be governed by a Board 
of Trustees, hereinafter referred to as the “Board”, which shall be composed of the 
following members: 
 
a. Secretary or the duly designated Undersecretary of the DepEd, as 
Chairperson; 
 
b. Chairperson or the Executive Director of the NCCA as Co-chairperson; 
c. Secretary or the duly designated Undersecretary of the Department of 
Trade and Industry (DTI), as member; 
 
d. Secretary or the duly designated Undersecretary of the Department of 
Information and Communication Technology, as member; 
 
e. Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education, as member; 
 
f. President or the Artistic Director of the Cultural Center of the Philippines 
(CCP), as member; 
 
g. President of the Creative Economy Council of the Philippines (CECP), as 
member; 
 
h. Director-General of the Technical Education and Skills Development 
Authority (TESDA), as member; and 
 
i. Executive Director of the PHSCA System, as created in Section 9 of this Act. 
 
The Board shall also include as members, two (2) representatives from the 
fields of performing arts, visual arts and applied arts who may either be a respected 
member of the academe in the field of culture and the arts or a representative from the 
creative industries of known expertise, integrity and probity, all of whom shall be 
appointed by the Chairperson of the Board, subject to the confirmation of the members 
of the Board. The members from the academe and creative industry community shall 
have a term of three (3) years, renewable for another three (3) years, and shall not be 
eligible for reappointment. 


 
3 
 
All members who are not receiving regular compensation from the government 
shall receive reasonable per diem to be determined by the Board, subject to current 
practices, for every meeting of the Board. 
 
SEC. 5. Powers and Functions of the Board. - The exercise of the corporate 
powers of the PHSCA System is hereby vested exclusively to the Board. 
 
It shall have the following specific powers and duties in addition to its general 
powers of administration and the exercise of all the powers granted to the board of 
directors of a corporation under Section 35 of Republic Act No. 11232, otherwise 
known as the Revised Corporation Code of the Philippines: 
 
a. To formulate policies and guidelines for the administration and operation 
of the PHSCA System; 
 
b. To determine the site of the first PHSCA campus as well as other sites for 
future expansion of the PHSCA System; 
 
c. To approve the curricula, course of study, and rules of discipline drawn up 
by the Executive Council as hereinafter provided; 
 
d. To receive and appropriate for the ends herein specified such sums as may 
be provided by law for the support of the PHSCA; 
 
e. To formulate policies on personnel organization, appointment, promotion, 
retention or renewal of contracts, fixing of their compensations, subject to 
the Compensation and Position Classification System, removal for just 
cause, rewards, incentives and other conditions of employment for 
administrators, faculty and staff of the PHSCA; 
 
f. To approve appointments made and contracts entered into by the Executive 
Director in connection with the employment of administrative officers, 
teachers, lecturers and other employees of the school; 
 
g. To provide and approve fellowship grants and trainings for administrators, 
faculty members and staff; 
 
h. To approve the grant of scholarships, stipends and such other allowances 
to deserving students based on the guidelines and implementing rules; 
 
i. To establish the criteria for the selection and admission of students which 
shall include national competitive auditions and examinations; 
 
j. To approve the issuance of certificates or diplomas to successful candidates 
for graduation; 
 


 
4 
k. To call on creative industries sector and establish partnership to ensure 
employability of the PHSCA graduates; 
 
l. To receive, in trust, legacies, gifts, and donations of real and personal 
property of all kinds and to administer the same for the benefit of the 
PHSCA or for aid to any of its students; 
 
m. To enact rules and regulations not contrary to law as may be necessary to 
carry out the purposes and functions of the PHSCA; and 
 
n. To perform any and all other acts incident to or required by virtue of its 
creation. 
 
SEC. 6. Hiring of Foreign Educators and Consultants. - In addition to the 
powers and functions vested to the Board under Section 5 of this Act, the Board shall 
be allowed to approve the hiring of foreign educators and consultants: Provided, That 
the NCCA shall certify the necessity of hiring such educators and consultants, 
including their competence and skills which are not available locally or proved to be 
incomparable with their local counterparts: Provided, further, That the hiring of foreign 
educators and consultants shall be in accordance with the rules and regulations set by 
the Department of Labor and Employment and the Bureau of Immigration. 
 
The Board shall provide guidelines and mechanisms to ensure that the new 
knowledge and training methods introduced by the foreign educators and consultants 
shall be passed on to the student-artists and local educators, trainers and consultants 
of the PHSCA 
 
SEC. 7. Campuses. - The Board shall provide for policies for the organization 
of regional nationally funded high schools for creative arts. The Board shall also 
provide for policies to enter into a memorandum of agreement with existing locally 
funded high schools for the arts for consideration as extension campuses or branches 
of the PHSCA System. The extension campuses shall be organized in coordination 
with the concerned local government unit and the DepEd, and in consultation with 
the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). 
 
SEC. 8. Meetings of the Board. - The Board shall regularly convene at least once 
every quarter of the PHSCA school calendar: Provided, That within sixty (60) days 
upon the effectivity of this Act, the Board shall immediately convene and conduct 
monthly meetings for purposes of determining the site for the first PHSCA campus, 
choosing and appointing the Executive Director, the three (3) members of the Board 
from the academe and/or creative arts community, and plan for the effective 
organization of the PHSCA System. 
 
The Chairperson or the Co-Chairperson of the Board may call a special meeting 
whenever necessary: Provided, That members are notified in writing at least three (3) 
days prior to said meeting. 
 


 
5 
A majority of all members holding office in person or virtually shall constitute 
a quorum for board meetings: Provided, That the Chairperson or the Co-Chairperson 
of the Board are among those present in the meeting. 
 
SEC. 9. Executive Director. - The PHSCA System shall be headed by an 
Executive Director who shall serve for a fixed term of six (6) years. The Executive 
Director shall be appointed by the Chairperson of the Board, subject to the approval 
of the members, based on the guidelines and qualifications set forth in the 
implementing rules and regulations. The Board shall also fix the compensation of the 
Executive Director in accordance with the Compensation and Position Classification 
System, subject to the review and approval of the DBM. The Executive Director shall 
coordinate the implementation of policies and guidelines set by the Board. As a 
member of the Board, the Executive Director shall articulate to the Board the mutual 
concern of all the campuses. 
 
The Executive Director shall perform the following functions: 
 
a. Coordinate curriculum planning activities for the PHSCA System; 
 
b. Coordinate exchange programs with other educational institutions for 
creative arts, both local and foreign; 
 
c. Coordinate the implementation of the program for the identification and 
selection of scholars for the PHSCA System; and 
 
d. Provide legal, technical support and secretariat for the PHSCA System. 
 
SEC. 10. Executive Council. - There shall be an Executive Council consisting of 
the Executive Director, the Deputy Executive Director as created in Section 11 of this 
Act, and the Campus Directors, as created in Section 12 of this Act. 
 
The Executive Council shall be responsible for the development of the artistic 
potential of every student with a strong academic base and for providing programs 
for the students with the end goal of training gifted youths in various fields of creative 
art. The Council shall implement and execute the policies laid down by the Board and 
exercise such other functions, powers and duties as the Board may prescribe. 
 
SEC. 11. Deputy Executive Director. - There shall be a Deputy Executive 
Director who shall assist the Executive Director. In the absence of the Executive 
Director, the Deputy Executive Director shall assume the administrative and 
supervisory functions of the Executive Director. The Deputy Executive Director, who 
shall have a fixed term of four (4) years, renewable for another four (4) years, shall be 
appointed by the Chairperson of the Board subject to the approval of the same Board, 
which shall also fix the compensation of the Deputy Executive Director in accordance 
with the Compensation and Position Classification System subject to the review and 
approval of the DBM. 
 


 
6 
SEC. 12. Campus Director. - Each PHSCA shall be headed by a Campus 
Director who shall be appointed by the Board, upon recommendation of the Executive 
Director on the basis of a search process. The Campus Director shall have a fixed term 
of six (6) years and shall not be removed from office except for cause. 
 
The Campus Director shall be the administrative and academic head of the 
campus assigned to, and will be responsible for its effective and efficient operations. 
The Campus Director may constitute a management committee which may act as a 
consultative body for the educational needs, standard of living in campus and other 
related services for the students, faculty and staff of the campus. 
 
SEC. 13. Civil Service Coverage. - The personnel of the PHSCA shall be 
classified into: 
 
a. Career service personnel, namely, those of the finance, administrative, and 
personnel staff and the general education faculty, who shall be covered by 
civil service examinations and regulations; and 
 
b. Non-career service personnel, consisting of the members of the faculty 
specializing in the various fields of creative industry, who shall be exempt 
from civil service examinations and regulations. 
 
Career and non-career service personnel shall be subject to Compensation and 
Position Classification System. They shall be entitled to retirement benefits enjoyed by 
all government personnel, in accordance with existing laws, rules and regulations. 
Provisions for retirement shall be included in the annual budget of the PHSCA. 
 
SEC. 14. Annual Report. - The Board shall submit to the Office of the President 
of the Philippines and Congress a detailed report on the progress, condition and needs 
of the PHSCA two (2) months prior to the opening of every school year. 
 
SEC. 15. Joint Congressional Oversight Committee. - There is hereby created a 
Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on the PHSCA System to oversee, monitor 
and evaluate the implementation of this Act. 
 
The Oversight Committee shall be composed of five (5) members each from the 
Senate and from the House of Representatives, including the chairpersons of the 
Committees on Basic Education and Culture, and Finance in the Senate, and 
Appropriations in the House of Representatives. The membership of the Committee 
for each House shall have at least one (1) member from the minority. 
 
SEC. 16. Tax Exemptions. - The importation of equipment relating to creative 
industry, books, art related supplies, musical instruments, materials and goods, 
including those donated to the PHSCA System 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 


 
7 
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 PHSCA System as 
recipient and shall be immediately registered in the name of PHSCA System. 
 
SEC. 17. Tax Exemption on Donations. - All grants, bequest, endowments, 
donations and contributions made to the PHSCA, to be used actually, directly and 
exclusively used by the PHSCA, shall be exempt from donor's tax and the same shall 
be considered as allowable deduction from the gross income of the donor 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. 
 
SEC. 18. Creative Arts School Fund. - All donations, contributions, grants, 
bequests, or gifts, in cash or in-kind, received by the PHSCA from various sources 
shall be placed into a fund, to be known as the Creative Arts School Fund. This fund 
shall be expended as authorized by the Board exclusively for the purpose of this Act 
in accordance with existing budgeting, accounting and auditing rules and regulations. 
 
A similar fund may also be established for the regional high school for creative 
arts, which may hereinafter be created subject to the existing budgeting, accounting 
and auditing rules and regulations. 
 
SEC. 19. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the effective 
implementation of this Act shall be included in the DepEd budget in the annual 
General Appropriations Act. 
 
SEC. 20. The Philippine High School for the Arts. - The Philippine High School 
for the Arts (PHSA), reorganized and existing under Executive Order No. 420, issued 
on September 1990, shall continue to exist and operate according to law. It shall 
continue to be attached to the DepEd, in close coordination with the CCP. 
 
SEC. 21. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The DepEd, NCCA, DTI, 
TESDA and CECP shall promulgate not later than thirty (30) days upon the effectivity 
of this Act, the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this 
Act: Provided, That the failure to promulgate the rules and regulations shall not 
prevent the implementation of this Act upon its effectivity. 
 
SEC. 22. Separability Clause. - If any part or provision of this Act shall be held 
unconstitutional or invalid, other provisions thereof which are not affected thereby 
shall continue to be in full force and effect. 
 
SEC. 23. Repealing Clause. - All other laws, decrees, executive order and other 
administrative issuances and parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions 
of this Act are hereby modified, superseded or repealed accordingly. 
 
SEC. 24. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect thirty (30) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
Approved,