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TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
25 JUL17 P3:50
SENATE
^ rj
s. No.
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Ri:CLi „
Introduced by Senator Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid
AN ACT
AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8047, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "BOOK 
PUBLISHING INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT ACT/' PROVIDING FOR THE 
SCANNING AND CONVERSION OF PUBLIC SCHOOL TEXTBOOKS INTO E- 
BOOKS AND OTHER DIGITAL FORMATS
EXPLANATORY NOTE
In the public school system, a yearly routine at the opening of classes is the 
distribution of textbooks to all elementary and secondary school students. It is likewise 
commonplace that such books are limited in number and, as a result, our students are 
forced to share or borrow from one another. In fact, even in today's use of self­
learning modules necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the shift to distance 
learning, sharing of materials among groups of students is still the trend because of 
the shortage of printed modules.1 Similar to the textbook scenario pre-pandemic, the 
modules cannot be distributed in 1:1 ratio.2
While the budgetary support to address these problems in the printing, 
publishing and distribution of learning modules and textbooks must be prioritized, it is 
important for the government to resort to already available technologies and 
innovations that can temporarily fill the gap. One such technology is the digitization 
of textbooks into electronic books or e-books and other digital formats. Through the
1 https://mb.com.ph/2020/09/30/use-books-not-modules-teachers-urge-deped/
2 https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1335796/budget-woes-deped-says-some-students-have-to-share-modules- 
this-school-year


adoption of this digitization, opportunities are afforded to students to have a copy or 
access to the contents of the textbook in digital format without the need of borrowing 
from the school library or from another student, or waiting for his/her "turn" in reading 
the shared physical book.
Unti-unti na pong nag-transition ang ating mga mag-aara! sa digital learning. 
Marami po ang nakatanggap na ng cellphone at tablet mula sa Iba't Ibang sponsor o 
sangay ng gobyerno. Maaari po nating gamitin ang mga gadget na ito at lamnan ng 
mga textbook na madaling ma-access ng atin pong mga estudyante saan man sHa 
naroon.
This bill, which seeks to amend Republic Act No. 8047, otherwise known as the 
"Book Publishing Industry Development Act," mandates that publishers participating 
in the government's Public School Textbook Program shall allow the scanning or 
conversion into e-books and other digital formats, in part or in full, of their approved 
textbooks. To protect the intellectual property rights of both the authors and 
publishers of the textbook, the implementation of the scanning or conversion must 
comply with the provisions of Republic Act No. 8293, otherwise known as the 
"Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines." The e-books and digital format copies 
of the textbooks shall also be made available and accessible to all public school 
students, in a manner deemed appropriate and reasonable by the DepEd.
In view of this, eariy passage of this bill is sought.
MANUEL "LITO" M. LAPID
Senator


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TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
25 JUL 17 P3 SO
SENATE
S. No. 6D2
RITEIV
Introduced by Senator Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid
AN ACT
AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8047, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "BOOK 
PUBLISHING INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT ACT," PROVIDING FOR THE 
SCANNING AND CONVERSION OF PUBLIC SCHOOL TEXTBOOKS INTO E- 
BOOKS AND OTHER DIGITAL FORMATS
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
Section 1. Section 11 of Republic Act No. 8047, otherwise known as the "Book 
Publishing Industry Development Act," is hereby amended to read as follows:
"Sec. 11. Participation of Private Publishers in the Public School 
Textbook Program. — Guided by the minimum learning competencies 
for the elementary level, the desired learning competencies for the 
secondary level, and other specifications prepared by the [DECS] 
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (DEPED), publishers shall develop 
and submit to the [DECS] DEPED those syllabi and/or prototypes and 
manuscripts or books intended for use in the public schools for testing, 
evaluation, selection and approval.
Upon approval of the manuscripts or books, publishers shall produce 
and supply the textbooks as ordered by the [DECS] DEPED.
PUBLISHERS PARTICIPATING IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL 
TEXTBOOK PROGRAM SHALL ALLOW THE SCANNING OR


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CONVERSION INTO E-BOOKS, AUDIOBOOKS, AND OTHER 
DIGITAL FORMATS, IN PART OR IN FULL, OF THEIR APPROVED 
TEXTBOOKS, SUBJECT TO COMPLIANCE WITH REPUBLIC ACT 
NO. 8293, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "INTELLECTUAL 
PROPERTY CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES. THE E-BOOKS, 
AUDIOBOOKS, AND DIGITAL FORMAT COPIES OF THE 
TEXTBOOKS SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE AND ACCESSIBLE TO 
ALL STUDENTS, IN A MANNER DEEMED APPROPRIATE AND 
REASONABLE BY THE DEPED."
Sec. 2. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days from the 
effectivity of this Act, the Department of Education (DepEd), in coordination with the 
National Book Development Board (NBDB), and other relevant government agencies 
and stakeholders, shall issue the necessary rules and regulations to implement the 
provisions of this Act.
Sec. 3. Repealing Clause. — All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, 
proclamations, rules and regulations, or any part thereof, which are inconsistent with 
the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
Sec. 4. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part of this Act, or the 
application thereof to any person or circumstance, is held unconstitutional or invalid, 
the remainder of this Act shall not be affected thereby.
Sec. 5. Effectivity Clause. —This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general 
circulation.
Approved,