FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
Senate Bill N o . 1 - 2  
INTRODUCED BY SEN. MANNY VILLAR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill seeks to improve and strengthen the National Historic Institute 
("1). 
The latter is responsible for promoting 'and preserving the Philippine 
cultural heritage. It shall undertake studies on Philippine history and Filipino 
heroes; encourage historical educational activities, including the widening of local 
improvement and restoration of national shrines, monuments, historic sites, 
buildings and landmarks. 
The bill establishes the Historic Building Survey and Documentation 
Center within the NHI to undertake the survey, identification, documentation, 
classification, designation and declaration of historic structures and edifices such 
as national shrines, monuments and landmarks. 
The Local Historical Committees Network will coordinate and support the 
various local historical bodies engaged in preservation of extent historical 
materials found anywhere in the country and the recording of the oral histories of 
towns, cities, provinces and regions. 
The Materials Conservation Center shall provide consultancy services to 
collectors of historical objects, update knowledge and restoration and 
preservation techniques to ensure the conservation of Filipino cultural heritage 
and establish linkage between the Philippines and various international bodies 
engaged in the scientific preservation of historical and cultural objects. 
immediate approval of this bill is earnestly urged. 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
First Regular Session 
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OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Introduced by Senator Villa 
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AN ACT 
TO CONSERVE, PROMOTE AND POPULARIZE THE PHILIPPINES' 
HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE AND RESOURCES, 
STRENGTHENING 
FOR 
THE 
PURPOSE 
THE 
NATIONAL 
HISTORICAL INSTITUTE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of 
the Philippines in Congress assembled 
SECTION 1. General Mandate. 
The National Historical Institute 
("I) 
shall be responsible for promoting and preserving the Philippine 
cultural heritage by undertaking, among others, 
studies on Philippine 
history and Filipino heroes; encouraging 'historical educational activities, 
including the widening of local historical committee network, 
and 
managing and safeguarding the improvement and restoration of national 
shrines, monuments, historical sites, 
buildings, 
edifice of significant 
cultural value, landmarks. 
SECTION 2. Specific Mandates and Functions. 
The NHI shall 
assume jurisdiction over all matters relative to historical studies and 
popularization of Philippine history, 
including the survey and 
documentation, establishment, development and maintenance of historic 
sites and structures. Its functions shall be as follows: 
a. 
To conduct and accelerate historical research programs, 
including the translation of Philippine written and oral history abroad; and 
to act as historical research resource center that will provide historical 
research services to the public by maintaining a historical data bank; 


b. To undertake the documentation, authentication and evaluation of 
works of various aspects of Philippine history including the resolution 
of controversial and conflicting issues; 
c. To compile and acquire from various sources here and abroad data on 
historical personages and events, including rare and contemporary 
Filipiniana materials, through purchase, donation, exchange, or 
through any other manner, of important historical documents, materials 
and objects; 
d. To promote the writing or publishing of works of national heroes and 
other illustrious Filipinos; 
e. For purposes stated in sub- paragraphs (c) and (d), to enter into 
negotiations or agreements, subject to the approval of the Secretary of 
Education, Culture and Sports, with institutions and individuals for 
purposes of securing original documents or copies, Photostat and 
micro-films thereof, dealing with the Philippines; 
f. To gather and publish source books, reports, records and documents 
on historical preservation such as surveys and inventories, and other 
valuable information relating to historical places, markers, events and 
personage; 
g. To encourage research, writing, and publication on Philippine history, 
including textbooks, biographies of heroes, accounts of historical 
events, and translations of important scholarly works of Filipinos and 
foreigners, by providing appropriation as the institute may deem 
necessary; 
h. To set a standard for declaring and classifying historical places, 
edifices, and landmarks in the country in consonance with the 
provisions of Presidential Decree No. 260, as amended by Presidential 
Decree No. 1505; 
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i. To study important historical events; to recommend heroes who should 
be honored by way of proclamation and special public holidays in their 
honor; and to plan and arrange for the execution of fitting activities to 
commemorate the events and birth anniversaries or centenaries of 
Filipino heroes; 
j. TO take charge of all historical activities or projects not otherwise 
undertaken by any entity or the government; 
k. To identify, designate, declare classify, register and appropriately mark 
historic structures and places in the Philippines; 
I. To Administer and appropriate with the approval of the Office of the 
President, funds donated to it by the public and the government, and 
proceeds from income in pursuance of its duties and functions; 
m. To work in coordination with the Institute of Philippine languages for 
the translation of its work and materials into National language; 
n. To initiate, with the assistance of the private sector, the restoration, 
preservatigon, 
construction, or 
reconstruction, 
operation, 
and 
maintenance of national shrines, monuments and landmarks that have 
been or may hereafter be declared, designated, and erected; 
0. To take charge of the acquisition, donation, exchange and restoration 
of historical objects, including relics and memorabilia of national 
heroes and illustrious Filipinos; 
p. To take charge of the preparation, evaluation, verification, and 
approval of heraldic designs in the country, including the blazoning of 
the national government and its instrumentalities, the celebration of the 
Annual Flag Day and strict observance of the country's National 
Anthem and Flag Code; 
q. To coordinate and supervise the collection, identification, classification, 
reproduction, and release of archival materials and other historical 
papers in the possession of government agencies; and 
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r. To work in collaboration with the Department of Tourism towards the 
preservation, restoration, andlor reconstruction of 
historic sites, 
churches/structures and places declared as national shrines, 
monuments and/or landmarks. 
SEC.3. Historic Building Survey and Documentation.- A Historic 
Building Survey and Documentation Center shall be established within the NHI 
with the existing Survey and Documentation Section as its nucleus, to undertake 
the survey, identification, documentation, classification, designation, and 
declaration of historic structures and edifices such as national shrines, 
monuments, and landmarks and the maintenance of national registry of historic 
structures. 
SEC. 4. Local Historic Committees Network.- The existing Provincial 
Historical Committees Section of the Institute shall constitute the local Historical 
Committees Network that will monitor, coordinate and suppofl various local 
historical bodies engaged in the collection, documentation, popularization and 
preservation of extant historical materials found in different parts of the 
Philippines; and the recording of the oral histories of towns, cities, provinces and 
regions. 
SEC. 5. Materials Conservation Center.- The Materials Conservation 
Section of the Institute shall be renamed Materials Conservation Center. It shall: 
1) Provide consultancy services to collectors of historical objects that are 
considered valuable components of Filipino heritage to ensure that 
preservation and recreation techniques and procedures are in 
accordance with the accepted international standards set in protecting 
historical objects and materials; 
2) Enrich and update knowledge on restoration and preservation 
techniques by conducting scientific research on these techniques to 
ensure the conservation of Filipino cultural heritage; 
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3) Establish linkages between the Philippines and various international 
bodies engaged in the scientific preservation of historical and cultural 
objects. 
SEC.6. Private Sectors and Tax Incentives.- The participation and full 
support from private individuals and entities shall be solicited for the preservation 
and'restoration of national shrines, monuments, landmarks, and other important 
historic edifices. 
Any person, entity or corporate body undertaking the rehabilitation of 
historical buildings and structures classified, identified and listed in the National " 
Registry of Historic Structures by the National Historical institute shall be given 
tax incentives equivalent to fifty percent (50%) of the total amount spent for the 
rehabilitation of historic structures. Such amount shall be deductible from the 
owner's taxable income for the year the rehabilitation, restoration or preservation 
works were completed. 
SEC.7. Other Tax Incentives. - Professional fees derived form the 
restoration, reconstruction, and preservation of historic buildings protected by the 
Philippine Government and listed in the National Registry of Historic Structures 
shall not be included under gross income and shall be exempt from taxation. 
Historical buildings declared as national shrines, monuments, or 
landmarks which are listed in the National Registry of Historical Structures and 
have undergone restoration, preservation and reconstruction shall not be subject 
to any tax in case of sale, exchange, or any other disposition. 
SEC.8.Fund Raising Program/ Activities-Souvenir and history museum 
shops shall be established by the National Historical Institute at various historical 
shrines and landmarks under its care in order to provide monetary support for the 
operation and administration of all historical shrines, monuments and landmarks 
throughout the country. The institute is authorized to print, fabricate, reproduce 
and sell historical souvenirs and replicas of relics or publications and other items 
of popular interest. Proceeds may be deposited in a special account with a 
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government financial institution, and used in the publication, production and 
manufacture of suitable items needed in the shops and for the furtherance of the 
Institute's objective of bringing history closer to the community. 
SEC. 9. Utilization of Savings. - The Director of the National Historical 
Institute is hereby authorized to use the agency's saving subject to the approval 
of the President under Section 40, Presidential Decree No. 1177, as amended, 
for: a) the repair and improvement of various historic sites and structures 
identified and classified 
under Presidential Decree No. 260, as amended, 
subject to the approval of the Secretary of the Department of Education, Culture 
and Sports; b) the payment of the services of contractual or temporary technical 
consultants in the specialized fields of conservation, restoration, preservation, 
and heraldry, including translators, researchers and curators, who may be 
employed by the Institute from time to time. 
SEC. I O .  Coordination with Other Agencies. -The NHI, in coordination 
with Bureau of Internal Revenue, is hereby empowered to promulgate rules and 
regulations for the implementations of the provisions of this Act. Such rules and 
regulations shall be approved by the Secretary of the Department of Education, 
Culture ands Sports. 
The NHI shall coordinate with Department of Tourism and other related 
agencies of government, for the purpose of implementing tourism projects and 
activities. 
SEC. 11. Repealing Clause.- All acts, executives orders, and regulations 
issued pursuant to existing laws or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this 
Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 12. Effectivity Clause.- This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
after publication in the Official Gazette or any newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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