NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
SENATE
s.No. 490
' (©ffirr of fij,'
■22 JUL 13 P1.10
Kl-CElVi Jtt.
Introduced by Senator Loren B. Legarda
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE DEPARTMENT OF CULTURE, APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Filipino culture is rich and diverse. It is a reflection of the people's faith and a 
culmination of their stories and values. At its core, the concepts of "pakikipagkapzm 
tao/' the celebration of life, and oneness with nature have shaped our way of life for 
centuries. Deeply rooted in history and tradition, the State recognizes culture to have 
a significant role in our society as it defines our identity and unifies all Filipinos. Thus, 
the Constitution mandates the State to prioritize arts and culture, and to foster the 
preservation, enrichment, and dynamic evolution of Filipino culture to promote 
nationalism and human development and boost social and economic progress.
Despite the positive impact of culture on our country and its people, culture is 
often ignored as a central factor in socio-economic progress and in enhancing the 
quality of life. For one, it is an empowering tool for local and indigenous groups and 
provides people with opportunities to come together. It is also environmentally 
conscientious to preserve older structures, which in turn attracts tourism, brings 
investments to communities, and many more. The importance and prioritization 
given to it over the past decades are not commensurate with its extent and value. Now, 
more than ever, the protection and management of our culture are necessary to ensure


that its values and functions are maximized for the benefit of all generations - past, 
present, and future.
Recognizing the role played by the National Commission for Culture and the 
Arts (NCCA) in implementing the cultural programs of the government and the 
importance of the culture and the arts in the enricliment of the Filipino identity despite 
the limited resources, such importance must be echoed in appropriate and improved 
government structures and increased funding.
Therefore, this bill seeks to reorganize the existing NCCA into the Department 
of Culture, safeguarding its place in the priorities of the government and ensuring that 
the finest elements of our culture will be passed on for generations to come.
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
^TSiflNLiGAimA


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
■22 JUL 13 PI :10
SENATE 
s. No. 490
RhCt:. I j BV,
Inh^oduced by Senator Loren B. Legarda
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE DEPARTMENT OF CULTURE, APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Department of Culture
2 
Act of2022."
3 
ARTICLE I
4 
DECLARATION OF POLICY
5 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State:
6 
(a) To recognize that culture is a unifying, humanizing and modernizing
7 
agent/instrument of any society, and the patrimony and right of every
8 
citizen of the Philippines;
9 
(b) To recognize the vital role of culture in nation-building;
10 
(c) To incorporate considerations of culture in the formulation of
11 
appropriate and significant political and economic policy that will
12 
better serve Filipinos and ensure that all Filipinos enjoy full cultural
13 
rights, take full advantage of a dynamic cultural experience, and be
14 
inspired, sustained by, draw from, contribute to and celebrate the
15 
country's culture;
16 
(d)To create a national body which will develop, manage and be
17 
responsible for the implementation of policy, legislation and strategic
18 
direction for the protection, regulation, preservation, development,


1 
management, dissemination and promotion of the country's culture,
2 
relative to the immense national resources, patrimony and wealth
3 
engendered and amassed through countless generations and centuries
4 
of distinctive Filipino ways of life and experiences in specific natural
5 
and social environments that this represents, and to facilitate the
6 
convergence of various agencies with cultural mandates and rationalize
7 
their organizations and functions;
8 
(e) To foster, strengthen, and accelerate the convergence of various cultural
9 
offices agencies, and rationalize their organizations and functions;
10 
(f) To recognize that cultural education is the right of every citizen and
11 
therefore ensure that cultural literacy is inculcated in the development
12 
and education of all Filipinos;
13 
(g) To promote the national language of the country while enhancing the
14 
linguistic diversity of the Philippines; and
15 
(h) To secure and improve the welfare of Filipino artists and cultural
16 
workers.
17 
The Department shall continually review the state and needs of culture and arts
18 
in the context of the country's developmental goals.
19 
Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. For purposes of this Act, the following terms shall
20 
be defined as follow:
21 
(a) "Art" shall refer to the expression or application of human creative skill
22 
and imagination.
23 
(b) "Conservation" shall refer to all process and measures of maintaining the
24 
cultural significance of a cultural property, including but not limited to,
25 
preservation, restoration, reconstruction, protection, adaptive re-use or
26 
any combination thereof.
27 
(c) "Cultural agencies" shall refer to any of the following national
28 
government agencies with their specific areas of responsibility: National
29 
Museum of the Philippines (cultural property), the National Library of the
30 
Philippines (books). National Historical Commission of the Philippines
31 
(Philippine history), the National Archives of the Philippines (documents)


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
the Cultural Center of the Philippines (culture and arts) and Komisyon sa 
Wikang Filipino (language).
(d) "Cultural Education" shall refer to the teaching and learning of cultural 
concepts and processes.
(e) "Cultural Heritage" shall refer to the totality of cultural property 
preserved and developed through time and passed on to posterity.
(f) "Cultural Property" shall refer to all products of human creativity by 
which people and nation reveal their identity, including architecture and 
sites or human activity [churches, mosques and other places of religious 
worship, schools] and natural history specimens and sites, whether public 
or privately owned, movable or immovable, and tangible or intangible.
(g) "Culture" shall refer to the broad spectrum of people's beliefs, practices, 
customs and traditions, material culture, arts, and other forms of actual 
and symbolic expressions and representations which are handed down 
from one generation to the next in the process of interaction.
(h) "History" shall refer to a written record of past events relating to 
Philippine history.
(i) "Indigenous Cultural Communities/ Indigenous Peoples" shall refer to a 
group of people or homogenous societies identified by self-ascription and 
ascription by others, who have continuously lived as organized 
community on communally bounded and defined territory, and who 
have, under claims of ownership since time immemorial, occupied, 
possessed and utilized such territories, sharing common bonds of 
language, customs, traditions and other distinctive cultural traits, or who 
have, through resistance to political, social and cultural inroads of 
colonization, non-indigenous religions and cultures, became historically 
differentiated from the majority of Filipinos. ICCs/IPs shall likewise 
include peoples who are regarded as indigenous on account of their 
descent from the populations which inhabited the country, at the time of 
conquest or colonization, or at the time of inroads of non-indigenous 
religions and cultures, or the establishment of present state boundaries, 
who retain some or all of their own social, economic, cultural and political


1 
institutions, but who may have been displaced from their traditional
2 
domains or who may have resettled outside their ancestral domains;
3 
(j) //Intangible Cultural Heritage7' shall refer to practices, representations,
4 
expressions, knowledge, skills, as well as instrument, objects and artifacts
5 
associated therewith, that communities, groups and individual recognize
6 
as part of their cultural heritage, such as: (1) oral traditions, usages,
7 
customs, languages and other expressions; (2) performing arts; (3) social
8 
practices, religious rites, rituals, culinary traditions, and festive events; (4)
9 
knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe, worship
10 
and (5) traditional craftsmanship.
11 
ARTICLE II
12 
THE DEPARTMENT OF CULTURE
13 
Sec. 4. Creation of tJw Department of Culture. - There is hereby created the
14 
Department of Culture (Kagawaran ng Kultura), hereinafter referred to as the
15 
Department, which shall be the primary policy-formulating, planning, coordinating,
16 
implementing, and administrative entity of the executive branch of the National
17 
Govermnent that will implement the pertinent provisions of the Constitution
18 
regarding culture and arts as well as the aforementioned policy of the State.
19 
The Department with its attached agencies shall be responsible for the
20 
protection, preservation, regulation, development, management, dissemination and
21 
promotion of the cultural, historical and artistic heritage and resources, tangible and
22 
intangible, of the Philippines and the Filipino people, all of which, with their physical
23 
and social contexts and environments, are understood as together constituting and
24 
pertaining to Philippine culture for purposes of this Act.
25 
The Department shall continually review the state and needs of culture and
26 
arts in the context of the country's developmental goals.
27 
Sec. 5. Powers and Functions. - The Department shall exercise the following
28 
powers and functions:
29 
(a) Formulate and implement national policies, plans, programs, and
30 
guidelines for the protection, preservation, regulation, development,
31 
management, dissemination and promotion of culture, to ensure overall
32 
consistency, effectiveness, efficiency, and conformity with the policies of


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
the State articulated in the Constitution as well as in this Act and other 
pertinent laws and issuances;
(b) Assume and exercise all existing regulatory and quasi-judicial functions 
established under Republic Act No. 4846, or "The Cultural Properties 
Preservation and Protection Act;" Presidential Decree No. 374, or "Amending 
the Cultural Properties Preservation and Protection Act;" Presidential Decree 
No. 1616, or "Creation of the Intramuros Administration;" Presidential Decree 
No. 1748, or "An Act Amending the Charter of the Intramuros Administration;" 
Republic Act No. 8491, or "The Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines;" 
Republic Act No. 9105, or "Art and Forgery Act of2001;" 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;" as well as such functions promulgated through executive issuances 
that pertain to the agencies of the National Government covered under 
this Act, which are all hereby transferred in to to to the Department from 
the said agencies;
(c) Be responsible for disaster risk reduction and management relative to 
culture and cultural property, both through its own programs and projects 
as well as through the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management 
Council and Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils, 
on which it shall have full membership, representation and participation;
(d) Recommend to the President of the Philippines the designation, through 
Presidential Proclamation, with appropriate published guidelines 
pertaining thereto, of a cultural property, whether immovable or movable, 
tangible or intangible, as a Natioral Cultural Monument, a category 
hereby established which incorporates the previously-established legal 
definitions of, criteria pertaining to, and all cultural property previously 
declared by authorized agencies as National Cultural Treasure, National 
Historical Landmark, National Historical Shrine, National Historical 
Monument, and National Historical Site;
(e) Designate, through Department Order, and with appropriate published 
guidelines pertaining thereto, cultural property, whether immovable or


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
movable, tangible or intangible, as National Cultural Property, a category 
hereby established which incorporates the previously-established legal 
definitions of, criteria pertaining to, and all cultural property previously 
declared by authorized agencies as Important Cultural Property and 
Heritage House;
(f) Administer the qualification and selection, with appropriate published 
guidelines pertaining thereto, of the Award for National Living Treasures 
(Gazvad ng Manlilikha ng Baijan), which is hereby renamed as the Order of 
National Living Treasures (Orden ng ruga Pambansang Manlilikha ng Bayan), 
and the Order of National Artists {Orden ng mga Pambansang Alagad ng 
Sining), and recommend those nominees to either Order who have been 
qualified and selected to the President of the Philippines for proclamation 
as such and conferral of the same;
(g) Undertake, through a National Institute of Culture and Arts Management 
and the Institutes of Living Traditions to be established for the purpose, in 
an appropriate partnership with the academic sector, the education, 
training and certification of cultural officers and personnel as a necessary 
qualification for employment and promotion in the National Government 
and in local governments where such might be required by the 
Department in coordination with the Civil Service Commission and the 
Career Executive Service Board, at the career sub-professional, career 
professional, and career executive levels, to include appropriate courses 
and programs towards certificates, diplomas, and undergraduate and 
gi^aduate degrees;
(h) Administer the qualification, selection and conferral of such other awards 
as it may establish in support of its mandate;
(i) Support the development of the cultural, artistic and creative industries of 
the country, in all particulars and at all levels;
(j) Administer the endowment funds established separately under Section 20 
of Republic Act No. 7356, The Laxv 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


1 
and Arts (NEFCA) that shall continue to be sourced and augmented as
2 
provided by the aforementioned provisions, and provide financial
3 
support from this fund for various national programs through a system of
4 
grants drawing from the proceeds, including both principal and interest,
5 
of the same, subject to the approval of the Department of Budget and
6 
Management.
7 
(k) Represent the Philippines in matters pertaining to culture in overseas
8 
regional and international organizations and events.
9 
(1) Other powers and functions as may be created, assigned, or transferred by
10 
the President of the Philippines in accorciance with law.
11 
Sec. 6. Composition. - The Department proper shall include the Office of the
12 
Secretary and the staff units directly under it, including the Services established
13 
herein. The Office of the Secretary shall consist of the Secretary, at least three (3)
14 
Undersecretaries, and at least five (5) Assistant Secretaries, together with the
15 
personnel in their immediate offices.
16 
Sec. 7. Secretanj of Culture. - The authority and responsibility for the exercise
17 
of the mandate of the Department and for the discharge of its powers and functions
18 
shall be vested in the Secretary, who shall have supervision and control of the
19 
Department and shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines, subject to
20 
the confirmation by the Commission on Appointments.
21 
Sec. 8. Powers and Functions of the Secretary. - The Secretary shall have the
22 
following powers and functions:
23 
(a) Provide executive direction and supervision over the entire operations of
24 
the Department and exercise administrative supervision over its attached
25 
agencies;
26 
(b) Establish policies and standards for the effective, efficient and economical
27 
operation of the Department, in accordance with the programs of
28 
government;
29 
(c) Promulgate rules and regulations necessary to carry out department
30 
mandates, objectives, policies, functions, plans, programs and projects;
31 
(d) Promulgate administrative issuances necessary for the efficient
32 
administration of the offices under the Secretary and for proper execution


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
of the laws relative thereto. These issuances shall not prescribe penalties 
for their violation, except when expressly authorized by law;
(e) Rationalize delivery systems necessary for the effective attainment of the 
objectives of the Department, in accordance with the programs of 
Government;
(f) Appoint all officers and employees of the Department except those whose 
appointments are vested in the President or in some other appointing 
authority and shall appoint employees to positions in the second level in 
the regional offices as defined in this Act and in accordance with the Civil 
Service laws, rules and regulations;
(g) Exercise disciplinary powers over officers and employees under the 
Secretary in accordance with law, including their investigation and the 
designation of a committee or officer to conduct such investigation;
(h) Sit on the governing boards of attached agencies as provided in this Act, 
as well as any other agencies or organizations as may be appropriate or 
designated;
(i) Coordinate with local governments, other agencies and public and private 
interests' groups, including non-government organizations (NGOs) and 
people's organizations (POs) on Department policies and initiatives;
0 Advise the President of the Philippines and make recommendations on 
the promulgation of executive and administrative orders and regulatory 
and legislative proposals on matters pertaining to culture;
(k) Formulate and enforce a system of measuring and evaluating periodically 
and objectively the performance of the Department and submit the same 
amrually to the President;
(l) Prepare and submit to the President through the Department of Budget 
and Management an estimate of the necessary expenditures of the 
department during the next fiscal year, on the basis of the reports and 
estimates submitted by bureaus and officers under the Department;
(m) 
Exercise jurisdiction over all bureaus, offices, agencies and 
corporations under the Department as are provided by law; and.


1 
(n) Performs such other functions as may be provided by law or assigned by
2 
the President of the Republic of the Philippines.
3 
Sec. 9. Undersecretaries. - The Secretary shall be assisted by three (3)
4 
Undersecretaries, who shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines upon
5 
the recommendation of the Secretary, at least two (2) of whom shall be career
6 
officers. In general, the undersecretaries shall:
7 
(a) Advise and assist the Secretary in the formulation and implementation of
8 
department objectives and policies;
9 
(b) Oversee all the operational activities of the bureau or units for which he
10 
shall be responsible as assigned by the Secretary;
11 
(c) Coordinate the programs and projects of the same and be responsible for
12 
its economical, efficient and effective administration;
13 
(d) Whenever necessary be designated to serve as deputy to the Secretary in
14 
all matters relating to the operations of the department; the designated
15 
Undersecretary will temporarily discharge the duties of the Secretary in
16 
the latter's absence or inability to discharge his or her duties for any cause
17 
or in case of vacancy of the said office, unless otherwise provided by law;
18 
the President of the Philippines shall likewise make the temporary
19 
designation of Acting Secretary to the same; and
20 
(e) Perform such other functions and duties as may be provided by law,
21 
Sec. 10. Assistant Secretaries. - Each Undersecretary shall be assisted by an
22 
Assistant Secretary shall be career officers and shall perform duties assigned by the
23 
Undersecretaries, who shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines upon
24 
the recommendation of the Secretary.
25 
Sec. 11. Qualifications. - No person shall be appointed Secretary,
26 
Undersecretary, or Assistant Secretary of the Department unless he or she is a citizen
27 
and resident of the Philippines, of good moral character, and of proven integrity,
28 
and with at least seven (7) years of competence, expertise, or experience as manager,
29 
advocate, scholar, or practitioner in fields of endeavor related to Philippine culture
30 
and the mandate and functions of the Department.
31 
ARTICLE III
32 
THE DEPARTMENT SERVICES


1 
Sec. 12. Department Services. - The Department of Culture shall have services
2 
which shall include the General Administrative Service, Financial Management
3 
Service, Policy and Planning Service, Legal Affairs Service, Physical Facilities
4 
Management Service, Human Resources Development Service, Strategic
5 
Communications and Initiatives Service, Knowledge and Information Systems,
6 
Project Evaluation and Monitoring Service, Foreign-Assisted and Special Projects
7 
Service, Internal Audit Service, Endowment Management Service, Grants
8 
Management Service.
9 
ARTICLE IV
10 
THE BUREAUS
11 
Sec. 13. Tlw Bureaus of the Department. - The Department shall exercise
12 
supervision and control over the following four (6) Bureaus which are created under
13 
it:
14 
(a) The Bureau of Cultural Communities and Traditional Arts
15 
Development shall formulate and implement plans, programs and
16 
activities for the development of the different cultural communities all
17 
over the country, ensure the preservation and dissemination of the
18 
country's diverse cultures, establish schools' institutes for living
19 
traditions, encourage the continued practice and development of
20 
traditional arts and crafts, document the Indigenous Knowledge
21 
Systems and Practices (IKSP), and cause the recognition of outstanding
22 
traditional artists.
23 
(b) The Bureau of Cultural Properties Protection and Regulation shall be in
24 
charge of the registration and documentation of the nation's historical
25 
and cultural properties, issue permits and licenses, conduct inspection
26 
and assessment on cultural properties, implement Disaster Risk
27 
Reduction program for the cultural assets, enforce laws on cultural
28 
heritage conservation and intellectual property protection for artists
29 
and cultural experts.
30 
(c) The Bureau of Cultural Properties Preservation shall formulate and
31 
implement plans, programs, and activities for the preservation of
32 
tangible and intangible cultural heritage, 
provide architectural.
10


1 
engineering, scientific and conservation laboratory services, provide
2 
support to monuments and sites, museums and galleries and libraries
3 
and archives all over the country and establish a National Institute of
4 
Heritage Conservation.
5 
(d)The Bureau of Artistic Resources shall ensure the continuing and
6 
balance development of the nation's artistic heritage in its various
7 
forms; performing arts, film and media arts, visual arts, architecture
8 
and allied arts and literature, provide support to regional and local
9 
culture and arts centers, performing arts and exhibition venues, ensure
10 
the welfare of artists and cultural workers, undertake human resource
11 
development programs for artists, and establish the National Academy
12 
for Culture and Arts and National Institute for Culture and Arts
13 
Management.
14 
(e) The Bureau of Cultural Research, Education and Dissemination shall
15 
undertake cultural research for policy and program development,
16 
publish cultural materials, especially on positive Filipino values for
17 
dissemination, manage the cultural education program for country,
18 
ensure the development and promotion of Pliilippine languages,
19 
implement national translation program, and implement national
20 
promotion program in various forms of media.
21 
(f) The Bureau of Cultural and Creative Industries ~ shall formulate plans
22 
and programs to ignite the innovative and entrepreneurial mindset of
23 
Filipino artists and establish industries in the various genre of arts,
24 
performing arts, cinema, books and publications, creative designs,
25 
culinary and lifestyle and architecture and allied arts, and others.
26 
Each Bureau shall be headed by a Bureau Director, who shall be assisted by one
27 
(1) Assistant Bureau Director. The Bureau Director and Assistant Bureau Director shall
28 
be appointed by the President upon the recommendation of the Secretary.
29 
Sec. 14. Powers and Duties of Bureau Director. —The Bureau Director shall be its
30 
chief executive officer. He shall exercise overall authority in matters within the
31 
jurisdiction of the bureau, including those relating to its operations, and enforce all
32 
laws and regulations pertaining to it. Shall appoint personnel to all positions in his
11


1 
bureau or office, in accordance with law. In the case of the line bureau or office, the
2 
head shall also appoint the second level personnel of the regional offices, unless such
3 
power has been delegated. He shall have the authority to discipline employees in
4 
accordance with the Civil Service Law.
5 
ARTICLE V
6 
THE REGIONAL AND FIELD OFFICES
7 
Sec. 15. Regional Ojfices of the Department. - The Department is hereby
8 
authorized to establish, operate, and maintain a Regional Office, whenever
9 
appropriate, in each of the administrative regions of the country. Each regional
10 
office shall be headed by a Regional Director, who may be assisted by one (1)
11 
Assistant Regional Director. The Regional Director and Assistant Regional Director
12 
shall be appointed by the President upon the recommendation of the Secretary;
13 
Provided, that they shall be persons recognized as an accomplished manager,
14 
advocate, scholar, or practitioner in fields of endeavor related to Philippine culture
15 
in the region, or any suitably qualified person in accordance with Civil Service
16 
Commission (CSC) rules and regulations.
17 
It may also establish satellite, extension, or field offices when and wherever
18 
necessary, particularly in locations where significant cultural and heritage
19 
properties and concerns are icientified to exist, and to support the operations,
20 
programs and projects of its attached and other concerned agencies and institutions.
21 
A regional office shall have, within its administrative region, the following
22 
functions;
23 
(a) Implement laws, policies, plans, programs, rules and regulations of the
24 
department or agency in the regional area;
25 
(b) Provide economical, efficient and effective service to the people in the
26 
area;
27 
(c) Undertake research and gather data on local culture and arts trends and
28 
other relevant cultural and artistic information;
29 
(d) Cause to establish and oversee the regional and local culture and arts
30 
councils (as far as the city and municipal level) to engage participation
31 
of local artists and cultural workers;
12


1 
(e) Coordinate with regional offices of other departments, bureaus and
2 
agencies in the area;
3 
(f) Coordinate with local government units in the area;
4 
(g) Make recommendations to the Secretary on all matters relating to
5 
culture and arts in the region; and,
6 
(h) Perform such other functions as may be provided by law.
7 
Sec. 16. Duties of a Regioital Director. - The Regional Director shall perform
8 
duties and functions as may be provided by law or further delegated by the head of
9 
agency or other proper authorities concerned.
10 
ARTICLE VI
11 
THE ATTACHED AGENCIES, INSTITUTES, ADVISORY COUNCIL, OVERSEAS
12 
OFFICES
13 
Sec. 17. TJte Attached Agencies. -
14 
(a) The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) is hereby
15 
abolished, and their powers and functions, applicable funds and
16 
appropriations, records, equipment, property, and personnel
17 
transferred to the Department.
18 
(b) The following agencies are hereby attached to the Department for
19 
policy and program coordination, and shall continue to operate and
20 
function in accordance with the charters, laws or orders creating them,
21 
insofar as they are not inconsistent with this act:
22 
(1) Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP);
23 
(2) National Museum of the Philippines (NMP);
24 
(3) National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP);
25 
(4) National Library of the Philippines (NLP);
26 
(5) National Archives of the Pliilippines (NAP);
27 
(6) Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF);
28 
(7) Intramuros Administration (IA);
29 
(8) National Parks Development Committee (NPDC);
30 
(9) Nayong Pilipino Foundation (NPF);
31 
(10) Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP);
32 
(11) National Book Development Board (NBDB); and
13


1 
(12) Design Center of the Philippines.
2 
(c) The laws and rules on government reorganization as provided for in
3 
Republic Act No. 6566, otherwise known as the Reorganization Law,
4 
shall govern the organization process of the Department.
5 
Sec. 18. National Institutes. - The following National Institutes, with their
6 
respective networks throughout the country, shall be established under the
7 
Department:
8 
(a) The National Institute of Living Traditions, and through it, a network
9 
of individual Schools of Living Traditions to be established, which, with
10 
the support of appropriate partnerships, shall be responsible for
11 
programs and projects related to the safeguarding, sustainability,
12 
propagation and intergenerational transmission of intangible cultural
13 
heritage, particularly that which pertains to indigenous cultural
14 
communities;
15 
(b) The National Institute of Cultural Heritage Preservation, and through
16 
it, a network of individual Escuela Talyer (Workshop Schools) to be
17 
established, which, with the support of appropriate partnerships, shall
18 
be responsible for programs and projects related to national capacity
19 
building in the area of conservation arts, sciences and trades with
20 
respect to the preservation of immovable and movable cultural
21 
property and with a particular focus on vocational training for youth;
22 
and
23 
(c) The National Institute of Culture and Arts Management, and through
24 
it, a network of individual Culture and Arts Management Training
25 
Centers to be established, which, with the support of appropriate
26 
partnerships, shall be responsible for programs and projects related to
27 
the education, training and certification of cultural officers and
28 
personnel as a necessary qualification for employment and promotion
29 
in the National Government and in local governments where such
30 
might be required by the Department in coordination with the Civil
31 
Service Commission and the Career Executive Service Board, at the
32 
career sub-professional, career professional, and career executive levels.
14


1 
to include appropriate courses and programs towards certificates,
2 
diplomas, and undergraduate and graduate degrees;
3 
Sec. 19. National Academy of Culture and Arts. - There is hereby established
4 
under the Department a National Academy of Culture and Arts, which shall be an
5 
institutionalized association of the nation's foremost leaders and exponents of
6 
culture and arts, the primary purpose of which is to support the mandate of the
7 
Department as an independent body of eminent persons. The President of the
8 
Philippines shall be the Honorary Patron of the National Academy of Culture and
9 
Arts.
10 
The structure and organization of the Academy, including the specification of
11 
its functions, procedures as to its governance and the selection of its members, and
12 
the composition of its secretariat, shall be contained in a charter to be formulated by
13 
the Department and promulgated by the President of the Philippines through an
14 
Executive Order within one (1) year of the effectivity of this Act.
15 
Sec. 20. Culture and Arts Advisory Councils. - The Department shall facilitate
16 
tlie creation of a National Culture and Arts Advisory Council, a Regional Culture
17 
and Arts Advisory Council, and a Local Culture and Arts Advisory Council to assist
18 
the Department in the implementation of culture and arts initiatives.
19 
Sec. 21. Sectoral and Industry Task Forces. - The Department may create a
20 
sectoral and industry task forces, technical working groups, advisory bodies or
21 
committees for the furtherance of its objectives. Additional private sector
22 
representatives, such as from the academe, CSOs, and federation of private
23 
industries directly involved in culture and the arts, as well as representatives of
24 
other LGUs and GOCCs, may be appointed to these working groups.
25 
Sec. 22. Rizal Centers. — The Department shall, through a dedicated
26 
organizational unit to be established for the purpose, establish and manage centers,
27 
to be known as Rizal Centers or Sentro Rizal, overseas, the primary purpose of which
28 
shall be the promotion of, and the facilitation of access by the constituency of each
29 
center to, Philippine culture generally as well as the cultural resources managed by
30 
the Department and its attached agencies in particular.
31 
Domestically, the Department shall establish Sentro Rizal as regional cultural
32 
centers and hubs, to be supervised and operated appropriately through its regional
15


1 
offices. Such regional centers shall include exhibition and performance venues, and
2 
facilities enabling access to knowledge resources, particularly those pertaining to
3 
vernacular language resources.
4 
Overseas, the Department shall establish Sentro Rizal as Philippine cultural
5 
centers in key places for the benefit of the global diaspora of Philippine citizens, the
6 
global community of Filipino migrants or descendants thereof, and all who are
7 
interested in Philippine culture. The Department for this purpose shall coordinate
8 
with the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, and
9 
other concerned agencies.
10 
Such Sentro Rizal as may be established overseas shall have a dedicated budget
11 
and staff under the Department and be considered as overseas offices thereof, shall
12 
function as repositories of Philippine cultural resources, shall carry out active
13 
programs and projects to engage their respective constituencies, and shall offer
14 
courses in the national language and any other Filipino languages as may
15 
appropriate.
16 
The operations of the Sentro Rizal network of the Department, overseas, shall
17 
be considered as one its permanent flagship programs, and shall therefore be
18 
specifically provided for in the General Appropriations Act for every fiscal year.
19 
Article XII, including Sections 42 to 47, of Republic Act No. 10066 is hereby
20 
repealed.
21 
Sec. 23. Overseas Offices. - The Department shall establish overseas offices
22 
whenever necessary to:
23 
(a) Implement plans, programs and projects of the Department relative to
24 
communities of Philippine citizens abroad;
25 
(b) Promote Filipino culture to the international community;
26 
(c) Coordinate with international organizations as well as with the
27 
overseas offices of other departments, offices and agencies of the
28 
Philippine government; and
29 
(d) Perform such other functions as may be provided by law.
30 
ARTICLE VII
31 
REORGANIZATION
32 
Sec. 24. Reorganization. - The laws and rules on government reorganization as
16


1 
provided for in Republic Act No. 6656, otherwise known as the Reorganization Law,
2 
shall govern the reorganization process of the Department and, where appropriate,
3 
its attached agencies.
4 
Sec. 25. Structure and Staffing Pattern. - Subject to the approval of the
5 
Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the Department and, where
6 
appropriate, its attached agencies, shall determine its organizational structure and
7 
create new divisions or units as it may deem necessary, and shall appoint officers
8 
and employees of the Department and its attaclied agencies in accordcince with the
9 
Civil Service Law, rules, and regulations.
10 
Sec. 26. Transition Period. - The transfer of functions, assets, funds, equipment,
11 
properties, transactions, and personnel of affected agencies, and the formulation of
12 
the internal organic structure, staffing pattern, operating system, and revised budget
13 
of the Department, shall be completed within six (6) months from the effectivity of
14 
this Act, during which time, the existing personnel shall continue to assume their
15 
posts in holdover capacities until new appointments are issued; Provided, that after
16 
the abolition of the agency, as specified in Section 17(a) of this Act, the Department,
17 
in coordination with the DBM, shall determine and create new positions, the
18 
funding requirement of which shall not exceed the equivalent cost of positions
19 
abolished.
20 
Sec. 27. Separation from Service. - Employees separated from the service as a
21 
result of this reorganization shall, within ninety (90) days therefrom, receive the
22 
separation and retirement benefits to which they may be entitled under Executive
23 
Order No. 366. Provided that such separation pay and retirement benefits shall have
24 
priority of payment out of the savings of the department or agency.
25 
ARTICLE VIII
26 
PROPERTIES OF THE DEPARTMENT
27 
Sec. 28. Post Office Building and Liwasang Bonifacio. - The Post Office Building,
28 
currently the property of the Philippine Postal Corporation (PhilPost), and the area
29 
known as Liwasang Bonifacio (formerly Plaza L.awton), both in the City of Manila,
30 
are hereby appropriated for the exclusive use and central office premises of the
31 
Department of Culture and its attached agencies.
32 
Sec. 29. Other Properties. - Real and movable properties owned by those
17


1 
agencies abolished or absorbed into the Department under this Act, namely the
2 
National Commission for Culture and the Arts Building and the Metropolitan
3 
Theatre, shall be transferred to the Department.
4 
ARTICLE IX
5 
APPROPRIATIONS AND FINAL PROVISIONS
6 
Sec. 30. Appropriations. - The amount needed for the initial implementation of
7 
this Act shall be taken from the current fiscal year's appropriation for the NCCA
8 
through the Office of the President, and other appropriations available for the
9 
purpose. Thereafter, the amount needed for the operation and maintenance of the
10 
Department proper shall be included in the General Appropriations Act, provided
11 
that for the next fiscal year, the amount shall be no less than Two Billion Pesos
12 
(P2,000,000,000.00).
13 
Sec. 31. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Office of the President, in
14 
consultation with other government agencies mentioned in this Act, shall
15 
promulgate its implementing rules and regulations within ninety (90) days after the
16 
effectivity of this Act.
17 
Sec. 32. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and
18 
regulations and other issuances or parts thereof that are inconsistent with this Act
19 
are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.
20 
Sec. 33. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act shall be declared
21 
unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions not otherwise affected shall remain
22 
in full force and effect.
23 
Sec. 34. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from its
24 
publication in at least two (2) papers of general circulation.
Approved,
18