FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. __ 
1643 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANFIY VILLAR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Books are the cheapest and the most effective tools for imparting information, 
achieving educational growth and for recording, preserving and disseminating the 
nation's cultural heritage. 
It is therefore imperative that these books be made available to public 
This bill proposes to require all publishers to furnish government libraries and 
state universities with books, free of charge, and likewise to provide depositories of 
these books to preserve for posterity and against unforeseen events. 
This bill likewise endeavors to encourage book publishers to disseminate the 
books by granting them 100% tax credit of the value of books actually disseminated. 
This will eventually benefit the government as it will save a large sum of money in 
acquiring books for its universities. 
through government libraries and state universities. 
Thus, the approval of this bill is highly recommended 
MANNYVILL R 1 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. __ 
1643 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANNY VILLAR 
AN ACT 
REQUIRING PUBLISHERS OF ALL BOOKS TO FURNISH CERTAIN 
GOVERNMENT LIBRARIES AND STATE UNIVERSITIES PRINTED BOOKS 
FREE OF CHARGE AND PROVIDING CERTAIN PRIVILEGES THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Title - This Act shall be known as the "Book Dissemination Act". 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy - It is recognized that the book publisher 
has significant role in national development, considering that books are instrumental 
in the citizenry's intellectual, technical and cultural development which is 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 that nation's cultural 
heritage. 
Accordingly, it is hereby declared a policy of the State to ensure that all 
quality-produced books are made available to the public through national libraries 
and state universities and the role of its publisher be recognized by the government 
by giving certain privileges such as tax credit. 
SECTION 3. Book Dissemination - Within a period of thirty (30) days from 
the date of any printed book, as this term defined herein, is first delivered out of the 
press, the publisher of such book, whether private or government owned, individual 
or juridical person, shall furnish, free of charge and in the same finish as the best 
copies of the same are produced, two copies thereof to the National Library, and a 
copy each to the University of the Philippines Main Library, the University of the 
Philippines Library at Cebu City, the Mindanao State University Library, Congress of 
the Philippines Library and to at least ten State Universities in the Philippines. Upon 
receipt of the respective copies, the Chief Librarian concerned shall issue an 
acknowledgment receipt therefor to the proper person and shall keep a copy of such 
receipt for record purposes. 
SECTION 4. Definition of Terms - For the purpose of this Act, the terms 
below shall mean: 


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a. Book - as defined by the United Nations Educational Scientific and 
Cultural Organization (UNESCO), a printed non-periodical publication of at 
least forty-eight (48) pages, exclusive of cover pages, published in the 
country and made available to the public which includes all printed literary 
works, musical arrangements, catalogues, periodicals, government 
publications, prints, photographs, drawing and other graphic arts, maps, 
plans, charts, and tables, and all supplements thereto, whether in their 
original form or adaptations or reproduction of the same, which are made 
available for sale or free distribution to the general public, but shall not 
include legal documents, printed forms, trade circulars, timetables and 
other commercial documents. 
b. Textbook - a book which is an exposition of generally accepted principles 
in one (1) subject, intended primarily as a basis for instruction in a 
classroom or pupil-book-teacher situation. 
c. Printed - as applied to books, means that which is produced by printing 
establishment. 
d. Printer- refers to the proprietor of the printing establishment. 
e. Publisher - refers to the person, natural or juridical, which undertakes the 
production of a book and its offer for sale or free distribution. The 
publisher of a book may also be a printer. 
SECTION 5. Tax Credit - A tax credit equivalent to One Hundred Percent 
(100%) of the value of the books disseminated to government libraries and state 
universities libraries as provided herein shall be given to the publisher who complied 
with the minimum requirement of this Act. 
SECTION 6. Duties of the Director of the National Library - (a) The Director 
of the National Library is hereby empowered to make use of, allocate or distribute in 
the manner he deems fit, and in the interest of educational or cultural advancement, 
scholarship or research, the materials on legal deposit in the National Library. 
(b) The Director of the National Library shall keep a record of all materials 
received under Section 3 of this Decree, which record shall contain, as far as 
practicable, the following particulars as supplied by the publisher: 
1. The title of the book and the contents of the title page with a translation 
into English language; 
2. The language in which the book is written; 
3. The name of the author, translator, or editor of the book; 
4. The subject matter; 
5. The place of printing and the place of publication; 
6. The name or firm OT the printer andlor the name or firm of the publisher; 
7. The date of issue from the press and/or the date of publication; 
8. The number of sheets, leaves or pages; 
9. The size; 
10. The number of the edition; 
1 I, 
The number of copies which the edition consists; 
12. The price at which the book is sold to the public; and 
13. The name and residence of the proprietor of the copyright or any portion 
of the copyright; 
(c) The records to be kept by the Director of the National Library, pursuant to 
the immediately preceding section, shall be published in the Official Gazette at the 


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end of each quarter, counted from the beginning of each calendar year, or not less 
than one month after the end of such quarter. 
lmplementing Rules and Regulations - The National Book 
Development Board shall issue guidelines and prescribe rules and regulations for 
the implementation of this Act. 
SECTION 8. Penalties - Any person who violates any provision of this Act or 
the terms and conditions of the rules and regulations issued pursuant thereto, or 
aids or abets in any manner any violation shall be subject to a fine not less than Ten 
Thousand Pesos (PI 0,000.00) but not exceeding Fifty Thousand Pesos 
(P50,OOO.OO) or imprisonment of not less than six (6) months but not more than five 
(5) years or both, at the discretion of the Court. If the violation is committed by a 
juridical entity, it shall be subject to a fine not exceeding One Hundred Thousand 
Pesos (PI 00,000.00). The President and/or officials responsible therefore shall also 
be subject to a fine and/or imprisonment as provided above. 
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. 
SECTION 7. 
SECTION 9. 
SECTION 10. 
Repealing Clause - Presidential Decree 812 is hereby 
repealed. 
All other laws, decrees, rules, regulations, and other administrative 
issuances or provisions thereof which are contrary to or inconsistent herewith are 
hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SECTION 11, Effectivity - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days 
following its publication in any newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved,