Y '  
d 
F 
THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIFPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
'04 JUL -I 
All :I 0 
ftECEIVED BY: 
S B No ENAT22d9 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 14, Section 1 provides that the state shall protect and promote the 
right of all citizens to quality education at all levels and shall take appropriate steps to make such 
education accessible to all. 
In order to prepare our nation's youth for the challenges of the future, as well as to keep our 
nation competitk in a global economy, every elementary, secondary, and tertiary school in the 
Philippines should be equipped with the best and most up-to-date library resources, certified library 
technology, and instruction on the use of library and 
.%& 
media specialists, access to advanced 
--'nformation resources. 
To com$y with the constitutionr mandate and to meet the challenges in education, this bill 
proposes to: (1) stablish, wthm each &f the Bureaus of Elementary Education, Secondary Education 
and Higher Edu ation, a Division of 'chool Library Media Services, that wdl provide information 
and leadership t school library media programs and Eersonnel @ionwide; 
(2) provide continued 
funding for public elementary, secondary, and tertiary school library media program improvement, 
equity, innovation, and technological advanmnent; (3) establish a partnership program for 
elementary, secondary, and tertiary school teachers and school library media specialists, who will 
jointly design resource and curriculum-based instructional activities, that provide opportunities for 
students to access a broad diversity of resources and information, and other languages and cultures, 
including materials that will encourage understanding; and (4) establish a partnership program for 
encouraging uses of technology and the sharing of information and access to resources by elementary 
and secondary school students, school library media specialist, and teachers. 
I 
& 
i ' 
" 4 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPWES 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
S. B. SENATf249 
No. 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
TO PROVIDE FOR ELEMENTARY, SECONDARY, AND TERTIARY SCHOOL 
LIBRARY MEDIA RESOURCES, TECHNOLOGY ENHANCEMENT, TRAINING, AND 
IMPROVEMENT 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Elementary, Secondary and 
Tertiary School Library Media Services Act.” 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is a policy of the State to protect and promote 
the right of’all citizens to quality education,at all levels and shall take appropriate steps to make 
such education accessible to all. 
SECTION 3. Definition of Ternis. As used in this Act, the term: 
(1) “Director” means the Director of the Division of Elementary, Secondary, and Tertiary 
School Library Media Services established under this Act; 
(2) “Local Educational Agency” refers to a public board of education or other public 
authority legally constituted within a state for either administrative control or direction o$ or to 
perform a service function for public elementary, secondary or tertiary school in a province, city 
or municipality; 
(3) ‘‘ National Educational Agency” refers to the officer or agency primarily responsible 
for the national supervision of public elementary, secondary, and tertiary schools; 
(4) “Secretary” refers to the Secretary of Education; 


such year to local educational agencies within such province according to the relative enrolment 
of students in public elementary, secondary, and tertiary schools within the school districts of 
such province, adjusted to provide higher per-pupil allotments to local educational agencies that 
have the greatest number or percentages of students whose education imposes a higher than 
average cost per child, such as those students -- 
(A) living in areas with high concentrations of low-income families; 
(B) fiom low-income families; and 
(C) living in sparsely populated areas. 
:(2) CALCULATION OF ENROLMENT - The calculation of relative enrolments under 
paragraph (1) shall be made on the basis of the total numbers of students enrolled in public 
schools in the province. 
SECTION 6. Establishment of the School Librav Media Specialist and Teacher 
- The Director shall award grants for 
Partnerships for Instructional Innovation Program. 
projects that - - 
(1) encourage collaboration between public elementary, secondary, and tertiary school 
library media specialist and teachers in order to develop units of instruction that enable 
elementary, secondary, and tertiary school students to use a variety of information resources; and 
(2) expand students’ information-gathering abilities and cognitive skills of selection, 
analysis, evaluation, and application. 
SECTION 7. Establishment of the Uses of Technology in the Classroom Program - The 
Program established - 
(1) 
IN GENEEUL - The Director shall award grants to encourage collaborative 
elementary, secondary, and tertiary school library media specialist and teacher programs 
designed to -- 
(A) expand the use of computers and computer networks in the curriculum; and 
(B) enable elementary and secondary school library media centers to access 
information from computerized databases. 


(2) 
COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS. - The Director may enter into cooperative 
agreements with appropriate non-profit agencies and organizations in carrying out this section. 
SECTION 8. Implementing Rides md Replaiions. - The Secretary shall promulgate the 
necessary rules and regulations to assure the smooth and efficient implementation of the 
provisions of this Act. 
SECTION 9. Construction. - Nothing in this Act shall be construed to interfere with 
State and local initiative and responsibility in the conduct and support of school library media 
services, the administration of school library media centers, or the selection of personnel or 
library books and materials. 
SECTION 10. Supplementation. Funds provided under this Act shall be used so as to 
supplement and not supplant other national or local funds available to carry out the activities and 
services assisted under this Act. 
SECTION 11. Appropriations. - To carry out the provisions of this Act, such sum as 
may be necessary is hereby authorized to be appropriated from the National Treasury. 
Thereafter, the sum necessary for the continuous operation of the program shall be included in 
the annual appropriation of the Department of Education. 
SECTION 12. Separability Clause. - If any provision, or part hereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision shall remain valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 13, Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
with, the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 


$ 6  ' (3 
SECTION 14. Effectivip Cluuse. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its. 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation 
Approved.