SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE >)

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 18 AUG -6 P358

Third Regular Session )

SENATE ® f—

S.B. No. 1915

Introduced by Senator Grace Poe

AN ACT
TO ENHANCE GENUINE FILIPINO CULTURE, PROMOTE NATIONALISM, AND
RECOGNIZE WRITERS AND ARTISTS, BY SUPPORTING THE PHILIPPINE
KOMIKS INDUSTRY THROUGH ITS MANDATED USE IN INSTRUCTIONAL
MATERIALS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, PROVIDING FINANCIAL INCENTIVES,
ESTABLISHING THE GALING PINOY KOMIKS TRUST FUND, APPROPRIATING
FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Explanatory Note

The box-office dominance of superhero films such as Wonder Woman, Black Panther,
and Avengers: Infinity War has brought a resurgence of interest in comic books. In
2015, the overall revenue for comics broke $1 billion in 2015 and grew 5% to nearly
$1.1 billion in 2016.! “Casual” and “Hardcore” fans alike are turning to the source
material to appreciate the origins of big-screen superheroes.

It is an opportune time to revisit our local comics industry. Colloquially known as
omiks, our local comics industry first boomed in the 1940s-1950's. This was the
heyday of komiks such as Tagalog Klasiks (1949), Hiwaga (1950) and Espesyal Komiks
(1952).

Now, the comics industry is propped up by small but much-loved publishers. Of course,
everyone is familiar with Apolonio “Pol” Medina’s much-loved Pugad Baboy and Manix
Abrera's Kikomachine Komix. But there are also rising stars such as Budjette Tan and
Kajo Baldisimo’s horror/crime serial Trese and Toto Madyang’s hilarious Libreng Komiks.

Cox, G. and Steinber, 8. “Comic Book Sales Fly on the Capes of Hit Movies, TV Shows” Variety (19 July 2017).
Retrieved from https://variety.com/2017/film/news/comic-book-sales-superhero-movies-1202499029/



Clearly, our komiks industry is full of talented artists and writers who should be
supported. Their work is part of our uniquely Fil/pino cultural and artistic heritage. Thus,
this representation submits the proposed Galing Pinoy Komiks Support Act . It proposes
to create the following support mechanisms for writers and artists in the Komiks
industry:

1. It seeks to promote Philippine Komiks as an instructional material and a tool
of popular art;

2. It mandates that ten percent (10%) of the printable instructional materials
being used in elementary and secondary education should be in the form of
komiks;

3. It mandates that, as far as practicable, all departments, agencies,
instrumentalities of the national government should incorporate the use of
komiks in all its printing and information campaign dissemination for the
general public;

4. It provides that all equipment and materials that are reasonably necessary
and are not manufactured or produced locally for the propagation and
popularization of komiks shall be tax or duty-free

5. It establishes the Galing Pinoy Komiks Trust Fund for the support of the
Komiks industry.

In a globalized world where everything seems to be the same, it is desired to
have particular things, distinctly Filipino, rooted in its milieu. Certainly, the Filipino
komiks is one of them.

Immediate enactment of the legislation is earnestly sought.

bi



SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE )

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
Third Regular Session )
SENATE
$.8.No. 1915

Introduced by Senator Grace Poe

AN ACT
TO ENHANCE GENUINE FILIPINO CULTURE, PROMOTE NATIONALISM, AND
RECOGNIZE WRITERS AND ARTISTS, BY SUPPORTING THE PHILIPPINE
KOMIKS INDUSTRY THROUGH ITS MANDATED USE IN INSTRUCTIONAL
MATERIALS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, PROVIDING FINANCIAL INCENTIVES,
ESTABLISHING THE GALING PINOY KOMIKS SUPPORT FUND,
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, 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 “Galing Pinoy Komiks
Support Act of 2018."

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy.- It is a declared policy of the State that it shall
Preserve, enrich, and evolve Filipino national culture based on the principle of unity in
diversity in a climate of free artistic and intellectual expression. It likewise declared that
arts and letters enjoy the patronage of the State and that the nation’s historical and
cultural heritage and resources as well as artistic creations must be conserved,
promoted and popularized. To this end, komiks (comics) is hereby recognized as a
essential part of Philippine arts and culture, and support for its popularization and use
shall be promoted.

Sec. 3. Komiks as Instructional Material in Basic Education.- The Department of
Education is hereby mandated that ten percent (10 %) of all instructional materials



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being printed and utilized in all academic institutions, both public and private, shall be
in komiks form.

Sec. 4.Utilization of Komiks for Government Advocacy Campaigns.- As far as
practicable, all departments, agencies and instrumentalities of the national and local
government units (LGUs) shall take immediate steps to implement this Act and shall
incorporate the use of komiks in all policy advocacy campaigns: Provided, that it shall
be prohibited for government officials to use komiks for partisan political activities, or to
place the name, symbol, logo, or likeness of any public official on such materials.

For the purpose of this Act, "Partisan political activity” refers to activities, statements or
manifestations, which solely or primarily serve to campaign for or against any particular
political party or candidate for any elective public office.

Sec. 5. Tax Incentives.- All equipment and materials that are reasonably
necessary and are not manufactured or produced locally for the propagation and
renewed popularization of komiks shall be tax or duty-free.

Sec. 6. Galing Pinoy Komiks Trust Fund.- Five percent (5 %) of the total travel
tax collection for five (5) consecutive years beginning the year of effectivity of this Act
shall be constituted as a trust fund to be administered for the support of komiks as a
popular art. Substantial portions of it the Fund shall be constituted as a revolving fund
for the printing of such komiks publications.

Sec. 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. Within sixty (60) days from the
effectivity of this Act, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), the National
Commission on Culture and Arts (NCCA), the Department of Education (DepEd) and the
Philippine Information Agency (PIA) shall jointly come up and promulgate the necessary
rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.

Sec. 8. Separability Clause.- In the event that any provisions of this Act is
declared unconstitutional, the validity of the other provisions not affected shall remain.



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Sec. 9. Repealing Clause.- All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or
portions thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Sec, 10. Effectivity Clause.- This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of national

circulation.

Approved,