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NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
]
Iscnau
of Uie
’22 JUL13 AlO -45
SENATE 
S.B. No. 475
RlXEIVtD BY:
Introduced by SENATOR WIN GATCHALIAN
AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING A NATIONAL READING MONTH IN NOVEMBER OF 
EVERY YEAR, PROVIDING FOR MULTI-STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPATION 
IN THE INCULCATION OF A CULTURE OF READING IN BASIC 
EDUCATION, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR,
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
This bill seeks to declare the month of November of every year as the 
“National Reading Month” to be celebrated through the conduct of nationwide 
reading programs and activities to develop the habit and inculcate a culture 
of reading in our basic education learners and their communities. It further 
provides for multi-stakeholder participation to maximize and strengthen both 
formal and informal support structures at the regional, provincial, city, 
municipal and barangay levels, such as engaging the expertise, services, and 
resources of the media, book publishers, private libraries, and other 
stakeholders, as well as involving the learners’ parents and families. The bill 
also seeks the cooperation, assistance and support of relevant government 
agencies, local government units (LGUs), and private individuals and 
organizations involved in reading or literacy advocacies.


As implementing agency, the Department of Education (DepEd) shall 
adopt policies and formulate strategic initiatives that foster reading not only 
for information and entertainment, but for the purpose of equipping learners 
with knowledge, skills and character that will prepare them for policy-making, 
nation-building, and other means of contributing to economic, social and 
cultural development.
To contribute in making reading inclusive and accessible, the bill 
mandates that: 1) the National Library and all congressional, city and 
municipal libraries and barangay reading centers throughout the Philippines 
established pursuant to Republic Act No. 7743 shall actively participate in 
the celebration of the National Reading Month; 2) all purchases of any reading 
material, whether in traditional, digital or audio format, made in the month 
of November shall be discounted at a rate not lower than twenty percent (20%) 
of the regular price; 3) the DepEd, in coordination with the National Book 
Development Board, shall host a book fair during the National Reading 
Month; and 4) Public Telecommunications Entities shall provide free access 
to DepEd’s online educational platforms, digital libraries, and other online 
knowledge hubs and sites without data charges upon its effectivity. The 
DepEd shall also maintain an online portal for donations in support of its 
reading initiatives, programs and activities. The portal shall contain the 
necessary information and procedures to make the donation process simple, 
efficient and responsive to the reading needs of the learners.
This proposed legislation acts as a policy intervention to develop a 
reading culture to help arrest the persistently low learner outcomes in basic 
education as shown in the results of the latest international standardized 
assessments, particularly on Reading:
1. The 2018 PISA Results where the average score of 15-year-old 
Filipino students in Reading was 340 points - the lowest, together 
with the Dominican Republic, among the 79 participating countries.


The Philippines’ score in Reading was significantly lower than the 
OECD average of 487 points. Over 80% of students in the Philippines 
did not reach a minimum level of proficiency in Reading - one of the 
largest shares of low performers among all PISA-participating 
countries and economies.1
2. The 2019 SEA-PLM Results where the average score of Grade 5 
Filipino students in Reading was 288 points or Band 3 of the SEA- 
PLM 2010.2 Students in band 3 "can read a range of everyday texts, 
such as simple narratives and personal opinions, and begin to 
engage with their meaning.” This is lower than Band 4 where 
students "can understand simple texts that contain some ideas and 
information that is partly outside of the student’s personal 
experience.” The Philippines’ average score was lower than the 
ASEAN average of 300 points. It also ranked 2nd to the last in 
Reading among the 6 ASEAN countries who participated in the 
assessment - second only to Lao PDR with 275 points.3-4
It is my fervent hope that this legislation will contribute in developing 
and inculcating a reading culture in every learner, and I earnestly seek the
support of this Congress for its immediate passage.
1 OECD Country Report 
(See https:// www. oecd. ora/visa/publications/PISA2018 CN PHL. pdf)
2 More than half or about 56% of Filipino Grade 5 students belonged to the lowest proficiency 
bands (Band 3 and below).
3 PLM 2019 National Report of the Philippines
(See hMps:// WWW.unicef. orq/Philippines/media/2556/ file/ Southeast%20Asia%20Primaru%
20Leaminq%20Metrics%202019%20National%20Revort%20of%20the%20PhilwDines.Ddfl
4 Performance of Filipino learners in reading is strongly correlated with their performance in
other critical learning areas such as mathematics. One score point increase in reading is 
associated with 0.88 score point corresponding increase in math.


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
]
of iijp C-crft4n<
■22 JUL 13 AlO :45
SENATE
S.B. No. 475
Introduced by SENATOR WIN GATCHALIAN
AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING A NATIONAL READING MONTH IN NOVEMBER OF 
EVERY YEAR, PROVIDING FOR MULTI-STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPATION 
IN THE INCULCATION OF A CULTURE OF READING IN BASIC 
EDUCATION, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR,
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
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Section 1. Short Title. 
Reading Month Act”.
This Act shall be known as <cThe National
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the declared policy of the State to 
promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels, take 
appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all, and assign the 
highest budgetary priority to education. Under Article II, Section 17 of the 
1987 Constitution, the State shall give priority to education to foster 
patriotism and nationalism, accelerate social progress, and promote total 
human liberation and development. Further, Article XIV, Section 2(4) thereof 
mandates the State to encourage non-formal, informal, and indigenous


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learning systems, as well as self-learning, independent, and out-of-school 
study programs particularly those that respond to community needs.
Sec. 3. Objectives. - This Act aims to declare the month of November of 
every year as the "National Reading Month” in order to develop the habit and 
inculcate a culture of reading in our basic education learners and their 
communities. Towards this end, the Department of Education (DepEd) shall 
adopt policies and formulate strategic initiatives that foster reading not only 
for information and entertainment, but for the purpose of equipping learners 
with knowledge, skills and character that will prepare them for policy-making, 
nation-building, and other means of contributing to economic, social and 
cultural development.
Sec. 4. November as National Reading Month; DepEd as Implementing 
Agency. - The entire month of November of every year is hereby declared as 
"National Reading Month” which shall be celebrated through the conduct of 
nationwide reading programs and activities to further the objectives of this 
Act. For this purpose, the DepEd shall:
a) act as the lead coordinating body in the formulation of strategies and 
conduct of reading, activities and endeavors during the National 
Reading Month;
b) seek the cooperation, assistance and support of relevant government 
agencies, local government units (LGUs), and private individuals and 
organizations involved in reading or literacy advocacies; and
c) maximize public participation to organize and strengthen both 
formal and informal support structures at the regional, provincial, 
city, municipal and barangay levels, such as the engagement of the 
expertise, services, and resources of the media, book publishers, 
private libraries, and other stakeholders, as well as the involvement 
of the learners’ parents and families.


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Sec. 5. Public Libraries and Barangay Reading Centers. - The National 
Library and all congressional, city and municipal libraries and barangay 
reading centers throughout the Philippines established pursuant to Republic 
Act (RA) No. 7743 shall actively participate in the celebration of the National 
Reading Month. In collaboration with the DepEd, they shall provide the 
necessary services, assistance, and intervention in accordance with their 
respective mandates and functions under RA No. 7743.
Sec. 6. National Reading Month Discount; November Book Fair. - All 
purchases of any reading material, whether in traditional, digital or audio 
format, made in the month of November shall be discounted at a rate not 
lower than twenty percent (20%) of the regular price.
Further, the DepEd, in coordination with the National Book 
Development Board, shall host a book fair during the National Reading Month 
as a means to encourage reading, promote reading habits, and further the 
objectives of this Act.
Sec. 7. Free Public Access to DepEd’s Online Platforms. - To contribute 
in making reading inclusive and accessible. Public Telecommunications 
Entities (PTEs) shall provide free access to DepEd’s online educational 
platforms, digital libraries, and other online knowledge hubs and sites without 
any additional financial burden on all subscribers. No data charges shall be 
incurred in the download of data from these sites and applications upon the 
effectivity of this Act.
PTEs refer to entities that are duly authorized to offer voice, short 
messaging system or text, mobile data, value added services, or any other 
mobile telecommunications services to the public for a fee.
Sec. 8. DepEd Portal for Reading Donations; Tax Incentives. - The DepEd 
shall maintain an online portal for donations in support of its reading 
initiatives, programs and activities. The portal shall contain the necessaiy


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information and procedures to make the donation process simple, efficient 
and responsive to the reading needs of the learners.
Any donation, contribution, or grant, in cash or in kind, made by 
individuals or organizations, public or private, local or foreign, shall be exempt 
from the donor's tax and the cost of which shall be considered as an allowable 
deduction from the gross income of the donor in accordance with the 
provisions of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended.
Sec. 9. Mandatory Review and Impact Assessment - The DepEd shall 
conduct a mandatory review of the implementation of this Act and submit an 
assessment report to Congress on its impact and effectiveness, not later than 
three (3) years from its effectivity and every three (3) years thereafter.
Sec. 10. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the implementation 
of this Act shall be charged against those authorized in the current 
appropriations of the DepEd. Thereafter, the amount necessary for its 
continued implementation shall be included in the annual General 
Appropriations Act.
Sec. 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days 
from the effectivity of this Act, the DepEd shall issue the rules and regulations 
implementing its provisions. The Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) 
issued pursuant to this section shall take effect thirty (30) days after its 
publication in a newspaper of general circulation.
Sec. 12. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is held invalid 
or unconstitutional, the other provisions not so declared shall remain in force 
and effect.
Sec. 13. Repealing Clause. — All other laws, executive orders, 
presidential decrees, administrative orders, rules and regulations, issuances.


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or parts thereof contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are 
hereby repealed or amended accordingly.
Sec. 14. Effectivity. - Notwithstanding the non-issuance of the IRR, this 
Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette 
or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,