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TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
]
25 JUL 15 PI :46
SENATE
631
Rl;CEii'hD SV;
S.B. No.
Introduced by SENATOR WIN GATCHALIAN
AN ACT
DIGITIZING ALL BOOKS NECESSARY FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION, 
ESTABLISHING THE PHILIPPINE ONLINE LIBRARY, AND 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The 1987 Constitution mandates the State to establish, maintain, and 
support a complete, adequate, and integrated system of education relevant to 
the needs of the people and society. Consistent with this declaration, the State 
shall ensure that its citizens are computer literate and are provided access to 
an increasingly digitized world. Thus, the State shall provide its citizens with 
the opportunity to increase their adaptability to information and 
communications technology, and to enhance their learning experience by 
providing access to digitized copies of textbooks and reference books 
necessary for the provision of quality elementary and secondary education.
The 2024 Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey 
(FLEMMS) - the seventh in the series of functional literacy surveys conducted


since 1989 by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)1, and its precursor the 
National Statistics Office - found that 93.1% of Filipinos aged 10 to 64 years 
are considered basically literate. Among those aged five years and older, the 
basic literacy rate is slightly lower at 90%.2 However, despite the national 
basic literacy rate of 93.1% for the 10 to 64 age group, only 70.8% of the 
population is considered functionally literate.3 This implies the need for more 
accessible and relevant educational resources that can promote higher order 
thinking skills and strengthen the literacy skills of our learners, starting from 
the elementary and secondary levels.
Technology continues to play an essential role to deliver education to 
the learners outside of school. However, many children in low-income4 
countries, including the Philippines, did not participate or have difficulty in 
accessing and participating in remote learning, which has led to significant 
losses in learning.5 This shows that access to online educational resources in 
the country is scarce. Digitized textbooks and reference books, when made 
widely available through a government-operated e-library, can ensure that 
learners, especially those in underserved or geographically isolated areas, can 
have access to up-to-date learning materials and bridge educational gaps 
thereby improving functional literacy among Filipinos.
A notable example of a successful government-operated e-library is the 
Socioeconomic Research Portal for the Philippines (SERP-P)6, which is 
designed and maintained by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies 
(PIDS). SERP-P is an online knowledge resource that contains socioeconomic 
studies and materials produced by the PIDS and other academic and research
1https://psa.gov.ph/content/every-10-filipinos-9-have-basic-literacy-while-7-have- 
functional-literacy?vcode=l 10
2 Senate Committee on Basic Education analysis based on the 2024 FLEMMS data.
3 Ibid.
4 https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/edutech
5 Ibid.
6 https://serp-p.pids.gov.ph


institutions in the country.7 The success of the SERP-P demonstrates the 
feasibility of a centralized digital portal.
This bill aims to establish the Philippine Online Library, a centralized 
digital portal, which will emerge as a vital pathway to high-quality e-books 
and educational content as it will be the repository of the digitized copy of all 
textbooks and reference materials necessary for the public education of our 
elementary and secondary learners. It envisions an entire online library of 
essential reading materials easily accessible to all learners for free and 
without disruption.
The digital divide is an information divide. This centralized digital portal 
will open up a new channel to the universe of knowledge and information that 
will enable learners to access a broader range of textbooks and reference 
books to help them cope with learning loss and for teachers to reach out to 
marginalized learners, thus connecting cultures across geographical and 
social boundaries.
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is highly 
recommended.
WIN GATCHALIA]
7 https:/ /cids.up.edu.ph/serp-p-and-pids/


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TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
]
of I!;
25 JUL 15 PI :46
S.B. No
SENATE
631
RL:CEIViO BV:
Introduced by SENATOR WIN GATCHALIAN
AN ACT
DIGITIZING ALL BOOKS NECESSARY FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION, 
ESTABLISHING THE PHILIPPINE ONLINE LIBRARY, AND 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
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 “Philippine Online 
Library Act”.
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to establish, 
maintain, and support a complete, adequate, and integrated system of 
education relevant to the needs of the people and society. The State shall also 
ensure that its citizens are computer literate and are provided access to an 
increasingly digitized world. Thus, the State shall provide its citizens with the 
opportunity to increase their adaptability to information and 
communications technology, and to enhance their learning experience by 
providing access to digitized copies of textbooks and reference books 
necessary for the provision of quality elementary and secondary education.


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Sec. 3. Philippine Online Library. - The Department of Education 
(DepEd) shall create a digitized copy of all textbooks and reference books it 
deems necessary for the public education of Philippine elementary and 
secondary learners: Provided, That the DepEd shall ensure that the necessary 
authorization shall be obtained from the authors or publishers, in accordance 
with existing intellectual property laws. The digitized copy of all textbooks and 
reference books shall be compiled in the Philippine Online Library which shall 
be jointly managed by the DepEd and the Department of Information and 
Communications Technology (DICT).
Sec. 4. Provision for Access to the Digitized Copies of Textbooks. - The 
DepEd shall ensure access to the digitized copies of textbooks and reference 
books by providing computers, laptops, or other appropriate devices to all 
elementary and secondary public schools nationwide. Similarly, in order to 
ensure access to the digitized copies of textbooks, the DICT shall provide free, 
reliable, and secure internet access to each elementary and secondary public 
school pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act No. 10929 or the “Free 
Internet Access in Public Places Act”.
Sec. 5. Recycling of Computers. - In order to offset expenses related to 
the procurement of computers, laptops, or other appropriate devices 
necessary for the implementation of the provisions of this Act, national 
government agencies, government-owned and controlled corporations, and 
other government financial institutions which have procured new computers 
shall endorse their old units to the DICT to check if the computers can still 
be used for the intent of this Act and thereafter shall be given to the DepEd 
for deployment to elementary and secondary public schools nationwide.
Sec. 6. Additional Online Educational Materials. - The DepEd may 
utilize the National Library of the Philippines to complement the Philippine 
Online Library's digital repository of textbooks with additional materials that


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are representative of Filipino culture and literature. DepEd shall also be 
allowed to add other online materials that it deems necessary for expanding 
the learning opportunities for students.
Sec. 7. Custody over Digitized Copies of Textbooks. - The DepEd and the 
National Library of the Philippines shall have joint custody over the digitized 
copies of the textbooks. The DICT shall likewise ensure the technological 
management of the digital repository to ensure the integrity of the system.
Sec. 8. Appropriations. - The initial amount of Five Hundred Million 
Pesos (Php 500,000,000.00) shall be appropriated for the immediate 
implementation of this Act and shall be jointly managed by the DepEd and 
the DICT. An annual budget of One Hundred Million Pesos (Php 
100,000,000.00) shall be included in the annual budget of the DepEd to 
ensure that the equipment and internet connection of public schools for the 
purpose of this Act will be maintained.
Sec. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days 
from the effectivity of this Act, the DepEd, the DICT, and the National Library 
of the Philippines, in close coordination with the Department of Science and 
Technology, and other stakeholders shall jointly issue the rules and 
regulations implementing its provisions. The implementing rules and 
regulations (IRR) issued pursuant to this section shall take effect thirty (30) 
days after its publication in a newspaper of general circulation.
Sec. 10. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part of this Act is 
declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining provisions or parts not 
affected shall remain in force and effect.
Sec. 11. Repealing Clause. - All other laws, executive orders, 
presidential decrees, administrative orders, rules and regulations, issuances.


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or parts thereof contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are 
hereby repealed or amended accordingly.
Sec. 12. Effectivity. - Notwithstanding the non-issuance of the IRR, this 
Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette 
or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,