TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
25 JUL-3 ?6:14
SENATE
S. No. 132
Introduced by Senator MANUEL "LITO" M. LAPID
AN ACT
MAINTAINING AND PRESERVING FILIPINO FILMS, CREATING THE 
NATIONAL FILM ARCHIVE OF THE PHILIPPINES, APPROPRIATING FUNDS 
THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
In an article on audio-visual archiving published by the National Commission 
for Culture and the Arts, Society of Filipino Archivists for Film (SOFIA) member, 
Josephine M. Atienza discussed that film gives us the most effective record of the 
past, of the culture, the people's values, attitudes, mores and way of life. For film 
students and practitioners, exposure to Filipino film classics can give a sense of history 
and perspective. For film educators, alternative to Western models are provided. And 
for the general public, they will be given the chance to enjoy (again) the films which 
shaped their (or their parents') formative years.
On the same article, she further said that the significance of a national audio­
video archive may be compared to that of the national library (in terms of printed 
materials) or the national museum (in terms of artifacts). Considering that in the 
Philippines film and related media have the broadest mass base, undoubtedly the 
biggest influence on the popular culture, the significance of an audio-visual archive 
also takes on a sociological and anthropological level.
Para sa isang bansang may mahaba at kapuri-puring kasaysayan ng pagiikha 
ng peiikuia, na kakatapos iamang magdiwang ng isang sigio ng peiikuiang Piiipino, 
nararapat iamang na ang pamahaiaan ay magtatag ng isang institusyon na


mamamahala sa isang pasHidad na may kadalubhasaan at malalim at tunay na 
malasakit at pagmamaha! sa pelikulang PHipino. Ito ay pagkilala sa kahalagahan ng 
pelikula bitang tagapangalaga ng kultura at kasaysayan at pagsisiguro na ito ay 
maipapamatas sa mga susunod na henerasyon.
This bill seeks to recognize the importance of preserving our films, by 
establishing a national film archive following internationally- accepted standards, in 
charge of collecting, archiving, conservation, preservation, management, restoration 
and storage of Filipino films that upholds the nation's historical, cultural, and artistic 
legacy and heritage.
As a nation with a long and glorious film history, the passage of this bill is 
earnestly sought.
Senator


TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
25
-3 °6:14
S. No.
SENATE
132
(P-
Introduced by Senator Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid
1 
AN ACT
2 
MAINTAINING AND PRESERVING FILIPINO FILMS, CREATING THE
3 
NATIONAL FILM ARCHIVE OF THE PHILIPPINES, APPROPRIATING FUNDS
4 
THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled:
5 
SECTION 1. Tide. — This Act shall be known as the "National Film Archives of
6 
the Philippines Act of 2025".
7 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is hereby declared to be the policy of
8 
the State to undertake initiatives that will promote the growth and development of the
9 
local film industry, conserve and promote the nation's historical and cultural heritage
10 
and legacy of Filipino cinema.
11 
Towards this end, the State shall establish a national film archive following
12 
internationally- accepted standards, in charge of collecting, archiving, conservation,
13 
preservation, management, restoration and storage of Filipino films that protects and
14 
upholds the nation's historical, cultural, and artistic legacy and heritage.
15 
SECTION 3. Coverage. — This Act shall apply to all Filipino films ranging from
16 
motion pictures to cinematic masterpieces, documentary, news reels, silent films,
17 
avant-garde works, significant amateur footage, television shows to sound recordings,
18 
and studio productions to independent, orphan and even experimental films produced
19 
here and abroad.


1 
SECTION 4. Creation of National Film Archive. —The National Film Archive of
2 
the Phiiippines (NFAP) is hereby created, replacing the Philippine Film Archive (PFA)
3 
under the Rim Deveiopment Councii of the Philippines (FDCP), organized under
4 
Repubiic Act No. 9167.
5 
Where certain functions are deciared redundant on account of the
6 
reorganization, the Film Development Council of the Philippines shaii provide for the
7 
reassignment, insofar as practicabie, of affected empioyees to similar positions within
8 
the Council and its attached agencies, taking into consideration their skiils and
9 
experience, without ioss of seniority or other rights and priviieges. In any case, ali
10 
relevant laws, decrees, executive orders, ruies and reguiations concerning the rights
11 
of government empioyees in the reorganization of an office shaii be respected.
12 
SECTION 5. Functions. — The National Film Archives of the Phiiippines shaii
13 
have the foliowing functions:
14 
a. Impiement a comprehensive nationai fiim preservation program for motion
15 
pictures, cinematic masterpieces to documentary, news reeis, siient fiims,
16 
avant-garde works, significant amateur footage, teievision shows to sound
17 
recordings, and studio productions to independent, orphan and even
18 
experimental films produced here and abroad, in conjunction with other fiim
19 
archivists, educators and historians, copyright owners, film industry
20 
representatives, and others invoived in activities reiated to fiim preservation;
21 
b. Consult with fiim archivist, educators and historians, copyright owners, fiim
22 
industry representatives, including those invoived in the preservation of film,
23 
and others involved in activities reiated to fiim preservation;
24 
c. To coordinate activities to assure that efforts or archivists and copyright
25 
owners, and others in the public and private sector, are effective and
26 
complementary;
27 
d. Develop a coordinated study and strategy to address the poiicy and
28 
technoiogicai problems, share information and resources for possibie soiutions,
29 
and avoid duplication of effort by and within pubiic and private entities;
2


e. Generate public awareness of and support for these activities;
2 
f. Make materials more accessible in ways fully consistent with copyright laws,
3 
focusing on public domain collections important for educational and historical
4 
research;
5 
g. Undertake studies and investigations of film preservation activities as needed,
6 
including the efficacy of new technologies, and recommended solutions to
7 
improve these practices;
8 
h. Establish criteria and procedures under which films may be included in the
9 
National Film Registry, except that no film shall be eligible for inclusion in the
10 
National Film Registry until 10 years after such films first publication;
11 
i. Establish procedures under which the general public may make
12 
recommendations to the National Film Archives regarding the inclusion of films
13 
in the National Film Registry;
14 
j. Fund projects such as the archival preservation and restoration of film
15 
collections, or the establishment of regional storage facilities to house
16 
endangered film collections from many institutions in archival conditions; and
17 
k. Facilitate the acquisition of a permanent and suitable structure and facilities,
18 
including online storage, for the National Film Archives of the Philippines to
19 
house the country's film archival holdings.
20 
SECTION 6. National Preservation Plan. — The NFAP shall conduct a national
21 
study of the film preservation problems facing the nation, and to prepare a national
22 
preservation plan to address the problems posed by the study.
23 
The study shall determine whether there is a critical need to develop a
24 
coordinated national strategy to address the loss of film materials used and enjoyed
25 
especially for historical and educational purposes. The national plan shall suggest to
26 
focus the preservation efforts on those films without commercial viability or copyright
27 
ownership, but which are educationally and historically significant and therefore most
28 
in need of maintenance for future generations.
3


1 
The NFAP shall prepare the national preservation plan. They shall convene all
2 
the parties interested in film production, preservation and dissemination into the
3 
preparation of the study and the national plan and ensure the participation of
4 
organizations and individual participants in public hearings and drafting sessions.
5 
SECTION 7. National Film Registry. — The NFAP shall establish a National Him
6 
Registry, the database on basic information of motion pictures, cinematic
7 
masterpieces, documentary, news reels, silent films, avant-garde works, significant
8 
amateur footage, television shows to sound recordings, and studio productions to
9 
independent and even experimental films produced here and abroad.
10 
The NFAP shall publish in the Official Gazette the titles of each film that is
11 
included in the National Film Registry.
12 
SECTION 8. Implementation. — Within one year of enactment, the National
13 
Film Archives of the Philippines shall conduct a study on the current state of film
14 
preservation activities in the country and subsequently establish a comprehensive
15 
national film preservation program for motion pictures, cinematic masterpieces,
16 
documentary, news reels, silent films, avant-garde works, significant amateur footage,
17 
television shows to sound recordings, and studio productions to independent and even
18 
experimental films produced here and abroad, in conjunction with other film archivists,
19 
copyright owners and others in the film community.
20 
SECTION 9. Report. - Not later than one (1) year after the date of the
21 
enactment of this Act and each year thereafter, the National Film Archives of the
22 
Philippines shall submit to both Houses of the Congress a report containing the results
23 
of the study conducted under Section 6 of this Act.
24 
SECTION 10. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the implementation
25 
of this Act shall be charged against the budget of the Film Development Council of the
26 
Philippines in the annual General Appropriations Act.
27 
SECTION 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — The Film Development
28 
Council of the Philippines, National Archives of the Philippines, National Commission
29 
for Culture and the Arts, Cultural Center of the Philippines and the Department of
4


1 
Finance in consultation with other government agencies and concerned stakeholders,
2 
shall promulgate and issue the implementing rules and regulations within ninety (90)
3 
days upon approval of this Act.
4 
SECTION 12. Separability Clause. — In the event that any part, section or
5 
provision of this Act shall be declared unconstitutional or invalid by a competent court,
6 
the remaining provisions thereby shall remain valid and in full force and effect as if
7 
the sections or provisions so annulled or voided had never been incorporated herein.
8 
SECTION 13. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, executive orders,
9 
issuances, rules and regulations, or parts thereof not consistent with the provisions of
10 
this Act are hereby repealed or modified and/or superseded as case may be by this
11 
Act accordingly.
12 
SECTION 14. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
13 
complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general
14 
circulation.
Approved,