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NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez 
House Bill No.  _____ 
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.” 
Twelve (12) years after the passage of the said law, shortages of quality textbooks and 
other educational materials are still perennial problems besetting our students. 
Research and discussions with the book industry players and stakeholders 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 
change, 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.
The bill therefore seeks to remedy the 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 students who are seeking knowledge, the immediate passage 
of this bill is earnestly sought. 
 RUFUS B. RODRIGUEZ 
November 11, 2022
4:53 pm
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NINETEENTH CONGRESS  
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session  
 
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez 
House Bill No.  _____ 
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 REPUBLIC 
ACT NO. 8047, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE BOOK PUBLISHING INDUSTRY ACT 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representative 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 
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 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.   
SEC. 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 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 itself to: 
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“ 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; 
 
 
“   c)  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 textboook 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 participation of the private publishers such as 
Philippine Book Federation (Philbook), Philippine Educational 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. 
 
SEC. 4.   Separability Clause. -  If any part or section of this Act is declared unconstitutional 
for any reason whatsoever such declaration shall not in any way 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,