TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
SENATE 
S. No. 801
^mucf of lljc
25 AUG-4 PI :19
RECEIVtD SV
Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF LOCAL STUDIES CENTERS IN 
STATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES THROUGHOUT THE PHILIPPINES, 
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Local history has enriched the understanding of our nation's past. It deepens 
our understanding of the nation's past by highlighting the vital contributions of 
distinguished individuals from the provinces and cultural communities.
Understanding and discovering the wealth of Philippine culture and history in 
the provinces and cultural communities help the national government in settling 
disputes; addressing stereotypes, unequal opportunities, and representations; 
conserving what has been studied, recovered, and previously taken for granted; and 
acknowledging our holistic identity, which is beneficial in appraising Filipino identity 
and pride.
To recognize the wealth of Philippine culture and history in the provinces and 
cultural communities, this bill seeks to establish Local Studies Centers in all state 
colleges, and universities (SUCs) dedicated to cultural communities at large. These 
centers shall serve as research institutions that focus on the grassroots level with the 
thrust of identifying, recognizing, documenting, conserving, preserving, and 
promoting local history, folklore, language, and other aspects of cultural heritage 
through academic, scientific, and scholastic approaches. It is through learning and 
appreciating the wealth of our local history and culture that we will be able to enrich
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our national identity better and achieve more sustainable and inclusive social and 
economic progress.
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
OREN LEGARDA


TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
SENATE 
S. No.
of 111f i'rffirji*
25 AUG-4 PI :20
RfiCElVcD BV
Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF LOCAL STUDIES CENTERS IN 
STATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES THROUGHOUT THE PHILIPPINES, 
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Republic of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled:
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Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Local Studies Center
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Act."
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Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State recognizes the long-standing efforts
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of various private universities, colleges, and state universities and colleges (SUCs) in
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spearheading the idea of establishing a local studies center. It is hereby declared the
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policy of the State to recognize the wealth of Philippine culture and history in the
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provinces and cultural communities, which is beneficial in strengthening government
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programs and policies in dispute settlement; addressing stereotypes, unequal
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opportunities, and representations; conserving what has been studied and recovered,
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and appraising Filipino identity and pride.
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Sec. 3. Establishment of Local Studies Centers. - There shall be established
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local studies centers, hereinafter referred to as the "Center," in each province, or if
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necessary, dedicated to the cultural community at large, in state universities and
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colleges (SUCs).
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Sec. 4. Province and Cultural Community- wide cooperation. - Given that there
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are provinces and cultural communities with multiple SUCs, inter-institutional
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cooperation is encouraged to prevent redundancy in establishing a Center.


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Sec. 5. Existing Local Studies Centers. - It is hereby encouraged that the
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existing local studies centers shall be automatically designated as the Center of a
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particular province and/or cultural community, enjoying the support of other SUCs
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located within the immediate locality, cultural community, and the concerned
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government agencies. The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) shall maintain a
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directory of existing and future Centers and ensure that no duplication and redundancy
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shall take place.
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Sec. 6. Structure and Staffing Pattern. - The administration of each individual
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SUC-based Center shall have piantiHa positions for a Director, a librarian or archivist,
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history researchers, and if necessary, a museum curator, museum researchers, and
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conservators. It shall have the liberty to determine its organizational structure and
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create new divisions or units as it may deem necessary and appoint officers and
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employees.
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Sec. 7. Composition and Functions of the Center. - The Center shall be
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composed of but not limited to the four (4) major service areas with their respective
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functions namely:
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a) Research Service Area - conducts research and studies in their locality
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and cultural community; documents local history, culture, and society;
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and contributes to the local policymaking;
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b) Publication Service Area - as the lead publisher, in print and online,
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of local history, culture and society, knowledge in the locality and cultural
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community. It shall support the production of educational materials on
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local history, culture and society, the promotion of vernacular literature
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and language, and other studies concerning the locality and cultural
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community.
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c) Awareness Campaign Service Area - creates and promotes participatory
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programs, projects, and activities to continue and encourage discourse
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on local history, culture, and society; as well as champions or cultivates
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the laws and policies on cultural heritage to guide the local government
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units;
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d) Collection Service Area - tasked with the collection building of local
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historical and cultural resources and the conservation thereof, through:


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IV.
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VI.
Collecting printed materials focusing on publications from their 
locality and cultural community;
Gathering available microfilm/microfiche publications; 
Photoduplicating documents found in various government 
institutions, especially in national cultural agencies and other local 
and international institutions where data relevant to local studies 
are available;
Obtaining memoirs and other writings about significant 
personages and institutions in the locality and cultural 
community;
Acquiring materials significant to the enrichment of local history, 
culture, and society scholarship; and
Procuring through donations, exchanges, or purchases of 
important historical documents, manuscripts, journals, books, 
etc.
Sec. 8. sue Support to the Center. - The host SUC of a Center shall
a. Designate premises conducive and equipped to store the collection of 
the Center; conduct public programs such as lectures, seminars, and 
exhibits; and entertain researchers and visitors;
b. Build the collection of the Center by acquiring and purchasing seminal 
Filipiniana core collection;
c. Harmonize the university research program with the goals and objectives 
of the Center;
d. Encourage localized studies among the faculty and the students to 
benefit the immediate community where the school is located;
e. Involve academics, experts, and scholars outside the SUC to contribute 
to the research and publication activities of the Center; and
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Develop policies and programs appraising the quality and scholarship of 
historical and cultural research and publication for the Center.
Sec. 9. Patronage of Publications Produced by the Center. - The dire need for 
a body of knowledge about the towns, cities, provinces, regions, and cultural 
communities shall be augmented by encouraging the Center to produce regular


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publications by its resident or non-resident scholars. It shall provide at least two copies of
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each publication produced for deposit at the Historical Data Bank of the National Historical
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Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), the National Library of the Philippines (NLP), and
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the University of the Philippines Diliman Filipiniana Library. The Department of Foreign
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Affairs shall purchase copies of the publications for dissemination to all Sentro Rizal
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cultural centers in foreign service posts. The local school board and the Department of
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Education shall do the same for all public and private schools of the concerned immediate
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schools division, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government and NLP for
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the public libraries.
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Sec. 10. Local Historical Committees Network (LHCN). - This existing unit within
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the NHCP shall develop a comprehensive local and international linkage program that will
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connect the Center with relevant government agencies, non-governmental organizations,
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and other local and international historical and cultural societies, committees,
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associations, and councils, whose objectives are in line with the goals and objectives of
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the Center, as well as with the national government, the provincial government, and
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already existing Centers.
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Sec. 11. Representation of the Center. The Center must be represented in the
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Local School Board and the Local Culture and Arts Council of concerned local government
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units, the National Economic and Development Authority in the regions, and other
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government bodies concerning local history, culture, and heritage.
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Sec. 12. Funding. - The initial funding requirements for the implementation of this
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Act shall be charged against the current appropriations of the SUCs. Thereafter, such
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sums as it may deem necessary for its continued implementation shall be included in the
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institutions' yearly budget under the General Appropriations Act.
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Sec. 13. Repealing Clause - All laws, rules, and regulations or parts thereof
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inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
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Sec. 14. Separability Clause. - If any part, section or provision of this Act shall be
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held invalid or unconstitutional, no other part, section or provisions thereof shall be
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affected thereby.
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Sec. 15. Effectivity-This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete
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publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,