FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
"II 
liAR 31 
1'5 :42 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 
2781 
1"1 i ','n' '.', I ;v., •. J 
""'~ '"", '.. 
7~:::--
Introduced by: SENATOR LACSON 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Paragraph (1), Section 5 of Article XIV of the 1987 Constitution 
provides that "The State shall take into account regional and sectoral needs 
and conditions and shall encourage local planning in the development of 
educational policies and programs. 
On June 5, 1995, R.A. No. 8047, otherwise known as the Book 
Industry Development Act of 1995 was enacted into law. 
Pursuant to said Book Act, second paragraph of Section 2 states that: 
"It is hereby declared a policy of the state to promote the continuing 
development of the book publishing 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" 
Fifteen (15) years after the passage of said law, shortages of quality 
textbooks and other educational materials are still perennial problems 
besetting our student. 
Research and discussions with the book industry players and 
stakeholders revealed that there may be certain developments which hinder 
the State and the private sector from complying with the above~cited mandate 
based on the realization emanating from historical records. Every time a 
change in administration occurs, rules for the formulation of educational 
curriculum and the consequent preparation of appropriate textbooks and 
related materials changes, thus, nullifying developmental efforts not to 
mention the concomitant huge investments incurred during the preceding 
administrations. 
There is a consensus among the stakeholders that in order to truly 
come up with sufficient quality textbooks and related educational materials in 
response to the requirements of our students in the public elementary and 
secondary schools, it would take at least six (6) to ten (10) years ( at least 
three (3) to five (5) years for research and study and another three (3) to five 
(5) years for implementation) to develop and jibe with the desired curriculum 
development. 


This bill therefore seeks to remedy that situation by mandating that 
educational curriculum and the consequent preparation of textbooks and 
related educational materials should have continuity and stability and 
that the same should not be changed for a period of at least six years. 
For the benefit of million of students who are seeking knowledge, 
the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
PAN~CSON 
C~enator 


, 
FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
'11 
liAR 31 
r) r:; '42 
I 
~-' 
. 
Senate B~l~~~ TE 2 7 81 
Introduced by: Senator Laeson 
AN ACT 
MANDATING THAT EDUCATIONAL CURRICULUM AND THE CONSEQUENT 
PREPARATION OF TEXTBOOKS AND RELATED MATERIALS SHOULD 
HAVE CONTINUITY AND STABILITY, AND THAT THE SAME SHOULD NOT 
BE AFFECTED FOR A PERIOD OF AT LEAST SIX (6) YEARS, AMENDING 
FOR THE PURPOSE RA. NO. 8047, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE BOOK 
PUBLISHING INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT ACT 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House a/Representatives a/the Philippines in 
Congress Assembled: 
SECTION 1. Section 2 of RA 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 0/ 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 
disseminating the nation's cultural heritage. 
"Accordingly, it is hereby declared a policy of the State to promote 
the continuing development of the book publishing 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 ABOVEMENTIONED 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. 


SEC. 2. Section 10 of said 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 regulations 
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 itselfto: 
"a) 
preparing the minimum learning competencies, andlor 
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; 
c) 
providing assistance in the distribution of textbooks to the 
public school systems; and 
d) 
promulgating, with the participation and assistance of the 
Board, rules and regulations for the private book publishers in the call, 
testing evaluation, selection, approval, as well as production specification 
and acquisition of public school textbooks. 
E) 
GUIDELINES, RULES AND 
REGULATIONS IN 
PREPARING THE MINIMUM LEARNING COMPETENCIES 
AND/OR PROTOTYPES AND OTHER SPECIFICATIONS FOR 
TEXTBOOKS 
AND 
OTHER 
RELATED 
EDUCATIONAL 
MATERIALS REQUIRED BY PUBLIC ELEMENTARY AND 
SECONDARY SCHOOLS SHOULD NOT BE AFFECTED FOR A 
PERIOD OF AT LEAST SIX (6) YEARS. 
" The printing of public elementary and secondary school textbooks 
shall be done on 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." 
SEC. 3. The Department of Education (DepEd) in consultation with the National 
Book Development Board (NBDB) and with the active participations of the private 
publishers such as the Philippine Educational Publishers Association (PEP A) 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 Chairman of the 
Committee on Education, Arts, Culture of both the Senate and the House of 
Representatives. 


SEC. 4. Separability Clause. - If any part or section of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional for any reason whatsoever such declaration shall not in anyway affect 
other parts or sections of this Act. 
SEC. 5. Repealing Clause. - Republic Act No. 8047 is hereby amended 
accordingly. All other laws, decrees, rules and regulations and other administrative 
issuances or provisions thereof which are contrary to or inconsistent herewith are 
hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 6. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following 
its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general 
circulation. 
Approved,