Republic of the ilippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Queson Cr

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session
7933

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.
a

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The education system relies heavily on the textbook and reading materials that it
Provides the students. Much of the basic knowledge that students learn comes from
these learning aids. It is discouraging to read news articles about how textbooks
from the Department of Education used largely by the public education system are
riddled with errors. In order to improve the education in the country, it is imperative
that the materials being published for students’ use are reviewed regularly and are
up to standards

This bill seeks to improve the competencies of the educational materials in our public
educational system by mandating that an educational curriculum should have
continuity and stability by keeping the same for a period of at least 6 years

Consequently, in order to resolve errors in textbooks and related materials, and to

ensure that they are up to standards, an annual review shall be conducted by the
Department of Education in cooperation with the National Book Development Board

The approval of this bill is earnestly sought

LUIS RAY/ ” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Queson City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 7933

Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.
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AN ACT
MANDATING THE CONTINUITY OF EDUCATIONAL CURRICULUM FOR A
PERIOD OF AT LEAST SIX (6) YEARS AND ENSURING THE STABILITY OF THE
CONSEQUENT TEXTBOOKS AND RELATED MATERIALS THROUGH AN
ANNUAL REVIEW, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8047,
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE BOOK PUBLISHING INDUSTRY ACT, AS
AMENDED

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines
in Congress assembled.

SECTION 1. Section 2 of R.A. No. 8047, otherwise known as the Book Publishing
Industry Development Act, is hereby amended by adding a paragraph to read as
follows:

“Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is recognized that the book publishing
industry has a significant role in national development, considering that books which
are its products are instrumental in the citizenry's intellectual, technical and cultural
development — the basic social foundation for the economic and social growth of the
country. Books are the most effective and economical tools for achieving educational
growth, for imparting information and for recording, preserving, and dissemination

the nation's cultural heritage

Accordingly, it is hereby declared a policy of the State to promote the continuing
development of the book public industry, with the active participation of the private


sector, to ensure an adequate supply of affordable, quality-produced books not only
for the domestic but also for the export market. For this purpose, the Government
shall formulate, adopt, and implement a National Book Policy and a corresponding
National Book Development Plan that will serve as the enduring basis for fostering

the progressive growth and viability of the book industry

TO ACHIEVE THE ABOVE-MENTIONED POLICY, IT IS HEREBY MANDATED
THAT EDUCATIONAL CURRICULUM AND THE CONSEQUENT PREPARATION
OF TEXTBOOKS AND OTHER RELATED EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS SHOULD
HAVE CONTINUITY AND STABILITY, AND THAT THE SAME SHOULD NOT BE
AFFECTED FOR A PERIOD OF AT LEAST SIX (6) YEARS.”

SECTION 2. Section 10 of R.A. No. 8047 is hereby amended by adding a paragraph

to read as follows:

“Sec. 10. Public School and Textbook Publishing. - The DECS shall consult
with the Board in prescribing the guidelines, rules and regulation in preparing the
minimum learning competencies and/or prototypes and other specifications for books
required by public elementary and secondary schools

The DECS shall confine itself to:

a) preparing the minimum learning competencies, and/or prototypes and other
specifications for books and/or manuscripts called for:

b) testing, evaluating, selecting and approving the manuscripts or books to be

submitted by the publishers for multiple adoption

promulgating with the participation and assistance of the Board rules and

c

regulations for the private book publishers in the call, testing, evaluation
selection, approval, as well as production specification and acquisition of
public school textbooks;

GUIDELINES, RULES AND REGULATIONS IN PREPARING THE
MINIMUM LEARNING COMPETENCIES AND/OR PROTOTYPES AND
OTHER SPECIFICATIONS FOR TEXTBOOK AND OTHER RELATED
EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS REQUIRED BY PUBLIC ELEMENTARY AND

d)


SECONDARY SCHOOLS SHOULD NOT BE AFFECTED FOR A PERIOD
OF AT LEAST SIX (6) YEARS;

e) SUBSEQUENT ANNUAL REVIEW, IN COORDINATION AND
COOPERATION OF THE BOARD, OF THE TEXTBOOKS AND OTHER
RELATED EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AS MENTIONED ABOVE.

The printing of public elementary and secondary school textbooks shall be done o a

regional or provincial level, whenever economically feasible

The DECS shall within a period of not more than three (3) years from the effectivity
of this Act phase out its elementary and secondary textbook publication and
distribution functions and shall support the phasing in of private sector publishers to
assume these functions here. For its part, the Board shall monitor and conduct an
annual evaluation of the progress of the shift of functions from the DECS to the
private sector.”

SECTION 3. The Department of Education (DepEd) in consultation with the National
Book Development Board (NBDB) and with the active participation of the private
publishers such as Philippine Book Federation (PhilBook), Philippine Education
Publishers Association (PEPA) and the National Book Suppliers and Publishers
Association of the Philippines (NBSAP) shall issue guidelines and prescribe rules
and regulations within sixty (60) days after the effectivity of this Act. A copy of such
guidelines, rules and regulations shall be furnished the Congress of the Philippines
through the respective Chairmen of the Committee on Education, Arts, Culture of
both the Senate and the House of Representatives

SECTION 4. Separability Clause. — Should any provision herein be declared
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity of the other provisions of this
Act.

SECTION 5. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, orders, rules, and regulations
or other issuances or parts inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby

repealed, amended, or modified accordingly


SECTION 6. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect in fifteen (15) days after
Publication in the Official Gazette or in one (1) newspaper of general circulation in
the Philippines.

Approved,