Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ______ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. HARRIS CHRISTOPHER M. ONGCHUAN 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) is the overall 
policy-making, coordinating, implementing, and grants-giving government body for 
the preservation, development, and promotion of Philippine culture, arts, and 
heritage. 
Keeping in mind the promotion of, “Science, technology, and the creative arts 
to enhance innovation and creative capacity [of Filipinos] towards self-sustaining, 
inclusive development,” and the shifting cultural landscape vis-a-vis the charter of the 
NCAA which was institutionalized back in 1992, there is a need to revisit Republic 
Act No. 7356 in order to: (i) Refresh, strengthen, and empower the commission 
through the enhancement of its mandate, powers, and functions; (ii) Improve and 
recognize NCCA to become more responsive in the implementation of its cultural, 
heritage, and creative arts programs; and (iii) Provide support to the development of 
creative arts industries as part of its overall cultural framework.  
In the 18th Congress, this bill was filed by Reps. De Venecia, Benitez, Singson-
Meehan, Bagatsing, Legarda, Escudero, Recto, Fernandez, Savellano, Arenas, Yap, 
Sagarbarria, Revilla, Aragones, Vergara, Bolilia, Rodriguez, Hofer, Roman, Torres-
Gomez, Arroyo, Gatchalian, Nograles, Garin, Salceda, Alonte, Quimbo, Vargas, 
Atienza, Nieto, Tan, Garcia, Maceda, Robes, Belmonte, Co, Tambunting, and 
Defensor. It was passed on Third Reading and was transmitted to the Senate. 
In view of the foregoing, the passage of the bill is earnestly sought. 
HARRIS CHRISTOPHER M. ONGCHUAN 
August 30, 2022
8:02 am
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 Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by Representative 
HARRIS CHRISTOPHER M. ONGCHUAN 
AN ACT  
STRENGTHENING THE NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR CULTURE AND 
THE ARTS, ITS COMPOSITION, FUNCTIONS, POWERS, AND MANDATE, 
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 
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 “ “National Commission 
for Culture and the Arts Act of 2020” 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — Declaration of Policy. — It is the policy of the 
state to preserve and enrich the dynamic evolution of a Filipino national culture 
based on the principle of unity in diversity in a climate of free artistic and intellectual 
expression. The State recognizes that culture, being a critical component in nation-
building, is a unifying, humanizing, and modernizing instrument of any society, and 
the patrimony and right of every citizen of the Philippines. Thus, the State shall 
ensure that cultural education, as a right of every citizen, is inculcated in the 
development and education of all Filipinos. 
The State shall recognize, respect, and protect the rights of Indigenous as well 
as Moro Cultural Communities to preserve and develop their cultures, traditions, and 
institutions. It shall consider these rights in the formulation of national plans and 
policies and ensure equal access to cultural opportunities through the educational 
system, public or private cultural entities, scholarships, grants and other incentives, 
4182


and community cultural centers, and other public venues. Furthermore, the State 
shall promote the national language of the country while 
enhancing and respecting the linguistic diversity of the Philippines. 
It is further declared the policy of the State that the arts and letters shall enjoy 
the patronage of the State, and shall conserve, promote, and popularize the nation’s 
historical and cultural heritage and resources, as well as artistic creations, the State 
shall secure and improve the welfare of Filipino artists and cultural workers and shall 
place any and all artistic and cultural works under the protection of the State which 
may regulate its disposition. 
Towards this end, the state shall create a national body which shall develop, 
manage and be responsible for the implementation of policy, legislation and strategic 
direction for the protection, regulation, preservation, development, management, 
dissemination and promotion of the country’s culture, relative to the immense 
national resources, patrimony and wealth engendered and amassed through 
countless generations and centuries of distinctive Filipino ways of life and 
experiences in specific natural and social environments that this represents, and to 
facilitate the convergence of various agencies with cultural mandates and rationalize 
their organizations and functions. 
In view of the foregoing, the government shall also incorporate considerations 
of culture in the formulation of appropriate and significant political and economic 
policy that will better serve Filipinos and ensure that all Filipinos enjoy full cultural 
rights, take full advantage of a dynamic cultural experience, and be inspired, 
sustained by, draw from, contribute to, and celebrate the country’s culture. 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. — For purposes of this Act, the following terms 
shall be defined as follow: 
a) “Conservation” shall refer to all process and measures of maintaining the 
cultural significance of a cultural property, including but not limited to, preservation, 
restoration, reconstruction, protection, adaptive re-use or any combination thereof. 
b) “Creative Art” shall refer to the expression or application of human creative 
skill and imagination situated within society and history. Creative Arts include, but 
is not limited to visual arts, performing arts, music, literature, design, architecture, 
film and video, TV and radio, crafts, and advertising. 
c) “Culture” shall refer to the set of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual 
and emotional features of society or a social group, that encompasses, not only art 


and literature, but lifestyles, ways of living together, value systems, traditions and 
beliefs. 
d) “Creative Arts Agencies” shall refer to any of the following national 
government agencies within their specific areas of responsibility: Film Development 
Council of the Philippines, National Book Development Board, and National Council 
for Children’s Television, and other agencies which may be established in the future, 
as attached to the National Commission for the Culture and the Arts, which may have 
significant relation to Filipino creative Arts. 
e) “Cultural Agencies” shall refer to any of the following national government 
agencies with their specific areas of responsibility: Cultural Center of the Philippines, 
Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino, National Museum of the Philippines, the National 
Library of the Philippines, National Historical Commission of the Philippines, the 
National Archives of the Philippines and other agencies which may be established in 
the future, as attached to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, which 
may have significant relation to Filipino culture and the arts. 
f) “Cultural and Natural Heritage” shall refer to works of man or the 
combined works of nature and man. It is the totality of cultural property preserved 
and developed through time and passed on to posterity. It includes archaeological 
sites which are of outstanding universal value from the historical, aesthetic, 
ethnological or anthropological point of view. 
g) “Cultural Education” shall refer to the teaching and learning of cultural 
concepts and processes. Teaching may be in formal and informal set-up. 
h) “Cultural Workers” shall refer to arts and culture practitioners whose 
practice may include but not be limited to coordination, management, research, 
scholarly work, training, education and advocacy work and has holistic view on 
cultural work. 
i) “Cultural Property” shall refer to all natural or human creativity products 
by which people and nation reveal their identity, including architecture and sites or 
human activities and natural history specimens and sites, whether public or privately 
owned, movable or immovable, and tangible or intangible. 
j) “Grant” shall refer to a financial assistance/award given to eligible 
individuals and organizations whose project proposals were selected through a 


rigorous evaluation process based on merit such as quality and relevance to the 
priorities of the grant-giving agency. 
k) “History” shall refer to a written record of past events relating to Philippine 
history. 
l) “Intangible Cultural Heritage” shall refer to practices, representations, 
expressions, knowledge, skills, as well as instruments, objects and artifacts associated 
therewith, that communities, groups and individuals recognize as part of their 
cultural heritage. 
SECTION 4. Mandates. — The National Commission for Culture and the Arts is 
hereby strengthened and shall be the overall policy and plan formulator, coordinator, 
implementing and grants-giving agency for the preservation, safeguarding, 
conservation, regulation, management, development, and promotion of the 
Philippine culture, natural heritage, and creative arts. 
In this regard, the Commission shall have the following mandates: 
A) To safeguard, develop, and promote Indigenous Cultural Communities and 
Moro culture and their various creative expressions; 
B) To conserve, safeguard, and develop the Filipino historical and cultural 
heritage; 
C) To preserve and to integrate traditional culture and its various creative 
expressions as a dynamic part of the national cultural mainstream; 
D) To protect and promote Filipino cultural and artistic expressions; 
E) To actively engage and support the development and promotion of the 
Philippine creative arts; 
F) To promote the welfare, ensure protection, and uphold the cultural and 
artistic and intellectual property rights of the artists, cultural workers, and the 
cultural and creative arts professionals; 
G) To nurture artistic excellence, recognize outstanding works and 
achievements, and ensure integrity of the creative outputs of artistic creators and 
cultural workers. To ensure the widest dissemination of the artistic and cultural 
products among the greatest number across the country and overseas. 


SECTION 5. Powers and Functions. — To carry out its mandates the Commission 
shall exercise the following powers and functions: 
A) Establish and strengthen the national cultural database and statistics in aid 
of policy formulation and program development; 
B) Assume and exercise all existing regulatory and quasi-judicial functions 
established under Republic Act No. 10066, or “The National Cultural Heritage Act of 
2009;” and, Republic Act No. 10086 or “Strengthening Peoples’ Nationalism Through 
Philippine History Act;” Republic Act No. 9105 or Art Forgery Act of 2001, all 
authority and responsibilities relative to National Cultural Treasures and Important 
Cultural Properties, as provided by Presidential Decree No. 260; Republic Act No. 
4846 as amended by Presidential Decree 374 and Republic Act No. 8492; and all 
regulatory functions transferred to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts 
through Republic Act No. 11333 or “National Museum of the Philippines Act”; 
C) Support and monitor the development and promotion of the cultural, 
artistic and creative industries of the country; 
D) Provide administrative supervision to the Philippine High School for the 
Creative Arts System, in partnership with the Department of Education; 
E) Set-up a system of networking and coordination with and among all 
existing government agencies for the effective implementation of plans and strategies 
in compliance with this act; 
F) Coordinate with the local government units in their cultural planning and 
implementation as well as monitor their compliance to RA No. 10066;  
G) Exercise administrative supervision over the cultural agencies and devise 
cooperative and collaborative partnership in pursuit of the Commission’s mandate 
and objectives; 
H) Coordinate with creative arts agencies and devise cooperative and 
collaborative partnerships in pursuit of the Commission’s mandate and objectives. 
SECTION 6. Board of Trustees. — The Commission shall be governed by a Board of 
Trustees, hereinafter referred to as the “Board”, which shall be composed of the 
following members: 
A) A Chairperson, who shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Commission; 
B) An Undersecretary of the Department of Education; 
C) An Undersecretary of the Department of Tourism; 


D) An Undersecretary of the Department of Trade and Industry; 
E) An Undersecretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs; 
F) An Undersecretary of the Department of Labor and Employment (or the 
President of the Creative Economy Council of the Philippines); 
G) The Chairperson of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples 
H) Six (6) cultural workers, professional artists, and creative industry 
practitioners from the private sector, representing each of the different general areas 
of: 
a.) Cultural Heritage Preservation 
b.) Cultural Communities 
c.) Cultural Heritage Education 
d.) Indigenous and Traditional Arts 
e.) Performing, Literary, And Allied Arts 
f.) Creative Industries 
Provided that the six (6) representatives from the private sector shall have at least five 
(5) years’ experience in their respective fields; provided further that at least three (3) 
will hail from the academe; and the other three (3) will be representatives from the 
business sector in their respective fields. All of whom are known to be persons of 
integrity and probity. They shall be appointed by the President from the list of 
recommendations of the Board. The members from said various sectors shall have a 
term of three (3) years, renewable for another three (3) years, and shall not be eligible 
for reappointment. 
  
SECTION 7. Powers and Functions of the Board of Trustees. — The exercise of the 
corporate powers of the Commission is hereby vested exclusively in the Board of 
Trustees (the Board). 
The Board 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) Formulate, implement, monitor, and evaluate national policies, plans, 
programs, and guidelines for the protection, preservation, safeguarding, regulation, 
development, management, dissemination and promotion of culture and the arts to 
ensure overall consistency, effectiveness, efficiency, and conformity with the policies 
of the State articulated in the Constitution as well as in this Act and other pertinent 
laws and issuances; 


b) Strengthen and make visible and accessible the NCCA’s services by 
establishing regional offices; 
c) Receive and accept donations and other conveyances including funds, 
materials, and services, by gratuitous title; 
d) Administer the endowment funds established under Section 20 of Republic 
Act No. 7356, The Law Creating the National Commission for culture and the Arts;” 
and Section 50 of Republic Act No. 10066, which are herein consolidated into a single 
National Endowment Fund for Culture and Arts (NEFCA) that shall continue to be 
sourced and augmented; 
e) Formulate policies and guidelines to ensure the efficient operation of the 
Metropolitan Theatre; 
f) Create Regional Culture and Arts Councils and/or advisory committees, as 
may be necessary, which shall provide expert and technical advice to the 
Commission; 
g) To formulate policies on personnel organization, appointment, promotion, 
retention/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 the members of the Secretariat; 
h) To approve appointments made and contracts entered into by the Chief 
Executive Officer in connection with the hiring and employment of the members of 
the Secretariat office. 
i) 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 Philippine 
culture and creative arts. 
j) To establish the criteria for the selection, qualification and conferral of 
awards on culture and arts, such as, but not limited to, the Order of National Artists, 
Order of National Living Treasures, National Cultural Heritage Award, Dangal ng 
Haraya, Ani ng Dangal and others as it may establish in support of its mandate; 
k) To enact rules and regulations not contrary to law as may be necessary to 
carry out the purposes and functions of the Commission; and 
l) To perform any and all other acts incident to or required by virtue of its 
creation or as may be assigned or transferred by the President of the Philippines in 
accordance with law 


SECTION 8. Term of Office and Compensation. — The Chairperson, who shall also 
be the Chief Executive Officer as provided in Sec. 10 of this Act, shall be appointed 
by the President of the Philippines and shall serve for a term of six (6) years and may 
not be reappointed. 
The Non-Ex-Officio members of the Commission shall likewise be appointed 
by the President of the Philippines and shall serve for a term of three (3) years, but 
shall not serve for more than two (2) consecutive terms. 
Should the Chairperson and/or the non-ex-officio members fail to complete 
their respective terms, their successors shall only be appointed to serve the unexpired 
portion of the term. Provided, that such appointment shall not be considered as a full 
term. 
The Chairperson shall have the same rank, salary, and privileges as those of a 
Department Secretary and shall be subject to the qualifications prescribed in this Act. 
Non Ex-officio members of the Commission shall receive representation, travel 
and other allowances following the rates of a Salary Grade 10. 
SECTION 9. Removal from Office. — The President, upon recommendation of the 
Board, may remove the Chairperson and the non-ex-officio members before the end 
of their respective terms, for cause and after observance of the proper due process 
required by pertinent laws. 
SECTION 10. Head of Agency and Management of the Commission. — The 
Chairperson shall also be the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Commission. The 
Chairperson shall be a natural-born citizen of the Republic of the Philippines, a 
person of proven administrative proficiency, independence, knowledgeable of the 
different aspects of Filipino culture and heritage and the creative arts. The 
Chairperson shall have at least ten (10) years of experience in Filipino culture and 
heritage and the creative arts, and must be fully committed to their promotion and 
development. As head of the Commission the Chairperson shall have administrative 
supervision and control over the members of the Secretariat and the safekeep of 
properties of the Commission. 
SECTION 11. The Executive Director. — The Executive Director shall be responsible 
for the administrative and day-to-day operations of the Commission and shall have 
the same rank, salary and privileges as that of an Undersecretary and shall be 
appointed by the President upon recommendation of the Board; provided, no person 
shall be appointed as Executive Director unless he/she possesses the qualifications: 
a Filipino citizen, of good moral character and of unquestionable integrity, and a 


degree holder in public administration, management, culture and arts, or law: 
provided, further, that no member of the Board shall simultaneously serve as 
Executive Director. 
The Executive Director shall be assisted by three (3) deputy executive directors, 
namely: Deputy Executive Director for Administration and Finance, Deputy 
Executive for Operations, and Deputy Executive Director for Policy and Legislative 
Affairs, and each shall have the same rank, salary and privileges as that of an 
Assistant Secretary and shall be appointed by the Board upon recommendation of the 
Executive Director with qualifications as prescribed by the Civil Service Commission 
(CSC). 
The Deputy Executive Director for Operations shall be responsible for the 
supervision of the bureaus and regional offices while the Deputy Executive Director 
for Administration and Finance shall be responsive for all the staff offices and services 
of the Commission, and the Deputy Executive Director for Policy and Legislative 
Affairs shall be responsible for liaising with Congress and other policy-making 
bodies in the areas of policy. 
SECTION 12. Bureaus. — The Bureaus of the Commission shall consist of the of the 
following: 
A) Bureau of Human and Cultural Resource Development 
a. Division on Artists and Cultural Workers’ Rights and Welfare — shall 
serve as the primary office responsible for the accreditation of artists, creative 
workers, guilds and other such organizations. It shall also endeavor to connect 
accredited entities with government programs such as but not limited to social 
protection, livelihood programs, capacity building programs, scholarships, 
grants, healthcare, marketing and promotional programs, and other 
programs. 
b. Division on the Indigenous Cultural Communities and Moro People and 
their Culture — shall safeguard, preserve and promote the Indigenous and 
Moro cultural traditions and their arts, and ensure all research efforts, tourism 
programs, and other activities affecting these cultural communities are 
nurtured. 
c. Awards and Recognition Division - shall be responsible for extending 
recognition of outstanding achievements and initiatives through awards, 
grants and service to artists, cultural workers, creative industry professionals, 
groups and institutions which contribute significantly to Filipino’s cultural 


legacy. It shall administer the various existing awards of the NCCA, including 
the National Performing Arts Companies Act. Further, it shall ensure the 
promotion of the awardees and the documentation, archiving and registry of 
their works and provide opportunities for transfer/ sharing of knowledge 
through arts residency programs and other mechanisms. 
B) Bureau of Arts 
a. Arts Division — shall responsible for the continuing and balance 
development of various creative expressions to include but not limited to the 
following architecture and the allied arts, cinema and media arts, dance, 
dramatic arts, music, literary arts, visual arts, and culinary arts. Further, it 
shall provide opportunities of continued training of artists as well as 
development of audience and patronage for Filipino artists and their works. 
C) Bureau of Cultural and Natural Heritage Properties 
a. Cultural Properties Protection and Regulation Division - enforce laws on 
the protection and regulation of cultural and natural heritage properties, 
facilitate the declaration of significant cultural and natural heritage properties, 
and regulate the use, exploration, movement, sale, or exportation of said 
properties. 
b. Cultural and Natural Heritage Properties Registration Division — shall be 
responsible for maintaining the Philippine Registry of Cultural and Natural 
Heritage Property established by virtue of Republic Act 10066 and in enforcing 
the provisions under Article V of the same law. 
c. Intangible Cultural Heritage Safeguard Division — shall identify, 
research, and document the intangible cultural heritage (ICH) of the country; 
Preserve and collate the information into the Philippine Registry of Cultural 
Property (PRECUP); Assist in the processing and facilitation of the declaration 
of significant intangible cultural properties in the national and international 
setting; Promote and ensure the continued safeguarding of ICH; Enhance the 
public’s understanding and awareness of the country’s ICH through 
programs and activities such as but not limited to lectures, exhibitions, 
seminars, demonstrations, workshops, and publications. 
D) Bureau of Cultural Education and Promotion 
a. Cultural Research and Education Division - shall support and undertake 
scholarly research into and documentation of Philippine culture and the arts 
as well as the significant cultural movements as well as undertake a systematic 


collection of statistical and other data which reflects the state of cultural 
conditions in the country to serve as essential quantitative and qualitative 
basis for formulating cultural policies, especially database and statistics of 
artists, cultural and creative industry professionals. Further, in coordination 
with Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education and the 
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority shall establish and 
develop an intensified arts education program at all levels of the educational 
system, public and private, to ensure meaningful arts, culture and creative 
industry integration across the school curriculum and provide all types of 
educational programs and activities. 
b. Communications, Information and Promotion Division — shall be in-
charge of ensuring the widest dissemination of artistic and cultural products 
among the greatest number across the country and overseas; and promote the 
popularization of information about artistic and cultural achievements and 
programs. 
c. Sentro Rizal and International Cultural Affairs Division - shall be 
responsible for international cultural exchanges and promotions, liaison and 
cooperation with Ministries of Culture, international cultural agencies, 
organizations, and other representatives of foreign governments, including 
Philippine Foreign Service Posts. In coordination with the Department of 
Foreign Affairs. 
Each of these Bureaus shall be headed by a Bureau Director. The Bureau Director shall 
be appointed by the Board upon recommendation of the Chairperson. 
SECTION 13. Services. — The Services of the Commission shall consist of  following: 
a) Policy and Planning Division — The Division shall be responsible for the 
development and implementation of the policies and plans of the Commission for the 
preservation, safeguarding, conservation, development and promotion of Philippine 
culture, arts and creative arts. 
b) Administrative Division - shall be responsible for the planning and implementation 
of comprehensive range of administrative services which support office operations. 
These services encompass the areas of assets, properties and facilities management, 
efficient procurement, systems and information management, storage and 
distribution of supplies, records and archives management, library services. 
c) Human Resource Division - shall be responsible for the administrative, personnel 
management and general services, including recruitment, monitoring of personnel 


attendance and payroll preparation, preparation of documents needed for retirement 
of Officers and members of the Secretariat; undertake liaison services with other 
government and non-government agencies on matters relating to the Secretariat areas 
of functional interest; provide career development and training services to the 
Secretariat; conduct of personnel performance evaluation; responsible for 
preparation of reports relative to activities, efficiencies and deficiencies involving 
discipline, details, assignments and other related matters affecting personnel. 
d) Finance Management Division — shall be responsible for the day to day financial 
management, budgetary and accounting services, cashiering services, supervision of 
the control, financial records, distribution and allocation of funds for operations and 
services of the Commission, coordinate with the NEFCA for the funding of the grants 
and its administrative and logistical financial requirements. 
e) Legal Affairs Division — the Division shall be responsible of the legal affairs and 
matters of the Commission, including providing assistance to the artists and cultural 
workers for the protection of their intellectual property rights, and establishing and 
maintaining regular coordination with Congress for the passage of legislative 
measures, and other related functions as may be assigned or delegated by the 
Chairperson. 
f) Grants Management Division — the Grants Office shall facilitate all grants-related 
matters for the development, protection, preservation and dissemination of 
Philippine culture and the arts; ensure broad access on the grants, especially by the 
regions; and ensure appropriate grants review guidelines and processes, provided, 
that, the Commission shall be the deciding body in awarding the grants to applicants. 
g) Grants and Program Monitoring and Evaluation Division - shall be responsible for the 
assessment of the performance of grants, programs, projects set up by the NCCA 
utilizing predetermined monitoring and evaluation (M&E) measures to ascertain 
their merits. With the goal of improving current and future management of outputs, 
outcomes and impacts, M&E will enable the NCCA to use evidence-based results for 
future decisions. 
Furthermore, the division shall ensure the conduct of monitoring as continuous 
assessment of an ongoing implementation of a program or project to determine the 
progress or delay of activities, and evaluation of its efficiency, effectiveness, and 
impact of activities in the light of specified objectives 
h) Inter-Agency Affairs Division — the Division shall be responsible for coordination 
of the plans, activities and other concerns of the different attached agencies and 
institutions and other partner agencies, institutions and organizations. 


i. Cultural Agencies and Inter-Agencies Cooperation Office — the Cultural Agencies 
and Inter-Agencies Coordination Office shall be responsible for coordination with the 
national cultural agencies, including but not limited to the Cultural Center of The 
Philippines, the National Historical Commission of The Philippines, the National 
Museum of the Philippines, the National Library of the Philippines, Komisyon 
saWikang Filipino, National Archives of The Philippines, and with other agencies 
and departments of the national government, including, but not limited to, agencies 
that pertain to the creative arts; 
ii. Local Government Unit Cultural Liaison Office — the Local Government Unit 
Liaison Office shall determine the baseline data on the status of local culture and arts 
councils, existing local culture and arts councils’ programs and projects, quantitative 
and qualitative assessment of current and past NCCA projects and programs funded 
through grants to the local government units and/or for activities that benefitted 
local 
government 
units, 
determine 
key 
indicators 
for 
successful 
local 
institutionalization of culture and arts policies and programs, and conduct awareness 
campaigns for local government units; 
SECTION 14. The Regional Culture and Arts Councils. — The Regional Culture and 
Arts Councils shall perform the following functions: 
A) Assess the general conditions of regional arts, culture, and creative 
industries, and propose approaches, including policies and programs that may be 
adopted by the Commission; 
B) Serve as a forum for the discussion of matters affecting the various areas of 
the cultural sector, anchored on the strengthening of linkages, the exchange of 
information, and the formulation of coherent guidelines and policies; 
C) Initiate, formulate, and advocate a coordinated and common stand on 
significant cultural issues or concerns of the region; and 
D) Perform any other advisory function as may be deemed by the Commission. 
The Regional Cultural and Arts Council shall be composed of members from 
the private sector who are in the fields such as but not limited to architecture, cinema, 
dance, dramatic arts, literary arts, music, visual arts, archives, art galleries, museums, 
historical research, monuments and sites, libraries, cultural education, language, 


communication, design, culinary arts. They shall also include representatives from 
the Indigenous Cultural Communities and the Moro People within the region. 
The Regional Culture and Arts Councils shall be grouped into major 
geographic clusters of National Capital Region, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The 
Councils shall hold office in the NCCA Regional Office. Each cluster shall be headed 
by a Commissioner as representative to the NCCA Board. 
SECTION 15. Regional Offices. — The board is hereby authorized to establish, 
operate and maintain and establish Regional Offices as it may deem necessary.  
Each Regional Office shall be headed by a Regional Director, who may be assisted by 
one (1) Assistant Regional Director. The Regional Director and Assistant Regional 
Director shall be appointed by the Board upon the recommendation of the Executive 
Director. Provided, that they shall be persons recognized as an accomplished 
manager, advocate, scholar or practitioner in fields of endeavor related to Philippine 
culture in the region, or any suitably qualified person in the manner provided for by 
law for Career Executive Service Officers of the same rank. 
It may also establish satellite, extension or field offices when and wherever necessary, 
particularly in locations where significant cultural and heritage properties and 
concerns are identified to exist, and to support the operations, programs and projects 
of its attached and other concerned agencies and institutions. A Regional Cluster 
Office shall have, within its administrative region, the following functions: 
A) Implement laws, policies, plans, programs, rules and regulations of the 
Commission or agency in the Regional area; 
B) Undertake research and gather data on local culture and arts trends and 
other relevant cultural and artistic information; 
C) Cause to establish and/or coordinate with the local culture and arts councils 
(as far as the city and municipal level) to engage participation of local artists and 
cultural workers; 
D) Coordinate with regional offices of other departments, bureaus and 
agencies in the area; 


E) Coordinate with local government units in the area; 
F) Make recommendations to the Executive Director on all matters relating to 
culture and arts in the region; and, 
G) Perform such other functions as may be provided by law. 
SECTION 16. Duties of a Regional Director. - The Regional Director shall perform 
duties and functions as may be provided by law or further delegated by the head of 
agency or other proper authorities concerned. 
SECTION 17. The Metropolitan Theater. — The Board shall ensure the efficient 
operation of the Metropolitan Theater and therefore will be in charge of planning and 
implementation. It shall be empowered to receive grants, donations and retain 
income generated by the use of the theater. The Commission will establish a Theater 
Operations Division or an independent body to operationalize the plan. The Theater 
shall be headed by a Theater Manager with the same rank, salary and privileges as 
that of a Director III and shall be appointed by the Commission upon 
recommendation of the Executive Director, provided, no person shall be appointed 
as Theater Manager unless he/she possesses the qualifications as prescribed by the 
Commission. 
SECTION 18. Attached Agencies and Institutions. - The following cultural agencies 
and institutions shall be attached to the Commission: 
A) The National Museum of the Philippines 
B) The National Historical Commission of the Philippines 
C) The National Archives of the Philippines 
D) The National Library of the Philippines 
E) Cultural Center of the Philippines 


F) Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino 
G) Film Development Council of the Philippines 
H) National Book Development Board 
I) National Council for Children’s Television 
While the above agencies and institutions shall continue to operate and 
function in accordance with their respective charters or laws, they shall periodically 
report to the Commission on the progress of their programs and projects. The 
Commission shall devise such cooperative and collaborative arrangement and 
working relationship with the attached agencies to ensure their involvement and 
participation as active partners of the Commission in the pursuit of its mandate and 
objectives under this Act. 
SECTION 19. The National Endowment Fund for Culture and Arts. — The existing 
National Endowment Fund for Culture and Arts as provided in Section 20 of 
Republic Act 7356 and the National Endowment for Culture and the Arts provided 
in Section 50 of Republic Act 10066 shall be consolidated into a single National 
Endowment Fund for Culture and the Arts (the Fund). The Fund shall continue to be 
utilized exclusively for Philippine art and cultural programs, projects and activities 
that the Board may approve in furtherance of the Commission’s mandate. 
a) The contribution of the Fund shall be from the ten percent (10%) of the travel 
tax collection, the share to be taken from the annual allotment of the travel tax given 
to the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority. 
b) Government corporations are hereby authorized to give grants to the Fund 
but not to exceed fifteen percent (15%) of their unimpaired surplus; 
c) The Commission may generate funds through donations, fund-raising 
activities and other conveyances including funds, materials, property and services, 
by gratuitous title; 


d) For the sound and judicious management of the Fund, the Board shall 
appoint a reputable government-accredited investment institution as Fund Manager, 
subject to guidelines promulgated by the Commission; 
e) The Board shall prepare implementing guidelines and decision-making 
mechanisms, subject to the following: 
i. unless otherwise stipulated by the private donor, only earnings of 
private contributions shall be used; 
ii. no part of the seed capital of the Fund, including earnings, thereof, 
shall be used to underwrite overhead expenses for administration; 
iii. not more than twenty percent (20%) of the Government's annual 
contribution to the Fund shall be devoted to administrative functions of the 
Commission; at least ten percent (10%) shall be earmarked as part of the fund's 
capital, and the balance shall be used for its programs and projects; 
iv. The Board shall organize a NEFCA office to be headed by a 
Comptroller or Financial Management Director appointed by the Commission 
and directly responsible and accountable to the same and shall be responsible 
for the sound, judicious and efficient management and investment of the 
Fund; 
v. There shall be an external auditor to perform an annual audit of its 
performance; 
vi. The Fund shall be exempt from pre-audit by the Commission on 
Audit. 
SECTION 20. Retention of Income and Disposition of Funds. — The Commission is 
hereby authorized to retain the entirety of its income from all sources of its 
operations, and to expend the same for any purpose in benefit of the Commission as 
may be authorized by the Board, in accordance with this Act and other laws pertinent 
to the Commission and any special provisions as may be provided for in the General 
Appropriations Act for any given fiscal year. Such income shall be placed in a 


dedicated National Endowment Fund for Culture and the Arts, and may accumulate 
for disbursement in future fiscal years. 
SECTION 21. Exemption from Taxes, Duties, Fees, and Charges. — The Commission 
shall be exempt from the payment of taxes, fees, and charges imposed by the National 
government and its political subdivisions, agencies, and instrumentalities. 
All donations in any form to the Commission shall be exempt from the donor’s 
tax and the same shall be considered as allowable deduction from the gross income 
in the computation of the income tax of the donor, in accordance with the provisions 
of Republic Act No. 8424, otherwise known as the “National Internal Revenue Code 
of 1997”, as amended. 
Importation of items, materials and goods of any kind, whether owned by, 
leased, donated or loaned to the Commission, for the implementation, performance 
or execution of its mandate shall be exempt from customs and duties; Provided, such 
items, materials and goods shall be imported under the name of the Commission; 
Provided further, the Commission shall be in possession of such imported items, 
materials and goods for five (5) years or for the duration of the loan or lease, 
whichever is appropriate. 
SECTION 22. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to cover the initial 
implementation of this Act shall be charged against the appropriation of the 
Commission under the General Appropriations Act. Thereafter, such sums as may 
be necessary for its continued implementation shall be included in the annual 
General Appropriations Act. 
SECTION 23. Reorganization. — Within one hundred twenty (120) days from the 
effectivity of this Act, the Board shall reorganize the structure of the Commission, 
including its staffing pattern in order to carry out the functions pursuant to the 
expanded mandate and functions of the Commission. 
The preparation and approval of the said new organizational structure and 
staffing pattern shall, as far as practicable, respect and ensure the security of tenure 
and seniority rights of the current employees of the Commission. 


The existing organizational structure and staffing pattern of the Commission 
shall be amended to integrate the provisions of this Act: Provided, such amendments 
in the organizational structure and staffing pattern of the Commission shall be in 
accordance with Republic Act No. 6656, or the “Government Reorganization Law.” 
SECTION 24. Transitory Provisions. - All assets, fixed, real and movable, and all 
contracts, records, and documents relative to the operations of the Commission shall 
remain under the control and disposition of the Commission for utilization in 
accordance with its mandate. 
SECTION 25. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Commission, in 
consultation with other agencies mentioned in this Act, shall promulgate its 
implementing rules and government regulations within ninety (90) days after the 
effectivity of this Act. 
SECTION 26. Separability Clause. - Any portion or provision of this Act that may be 
declared unconstitutional shall not have the effect of nullifying other portions or 
provisions hereof as long as such remaining provisions can still subsist and be given 
effect 
SECTION 27. Repealing Clause. — All laws decrees, orders, issuances, rules and 
regulations which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
repealed, amended or modified accordingly. 
SECTION 28. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after 
its publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) national newspapers of general 
circulation. 
Approved.