1
NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
 ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
 ) 
Third Regular Session 
 ) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
House Bill No.___________ 
Introduced by Hon. Antonio B. Legarda Jr. 
AN ACT 
MODIFYING AND EXPANDING THE COMPOSITION OF THE BOARD OF 
THE NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR CULTURE AND THE ARTS, 
MANDATING THE ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATION OF CULTURAL 
FACILITIES AND REGIONAL OFFICES THEREFOR, AND APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS THEREFOR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Since the establishment of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts 
(NCCA) in 1992, a lot of developments have taken place that require revisiting its 
Charter under Republic Act No. 7356, to ensure that the NCCA is well-equipped to 
carry out its duties and fulfill its mandates. In particular, recently enacted laws, such 
as the Cultural Mapping Act, One Town One Product (OTOP) Philippines Act, 
Philippine Creative Industries Development Act, and local cultural centers and 
museums laws, among others, have expanded the mandates of the NCCA. The 
implementation of these laws necessitates collaboration with other national 
government agencies such as the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the 
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Commission on Higher 
Education (CHED), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority 
(TESDA). The representation of these government agencies in the NCCA Board will 
cultivate strengthened working relationships necessary to achieve a coordinated 
approach in policy and program implementation. 
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January 20, 2025
4:25 pm


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NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
)
Third Regular Session
)
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
House Bill No._______
Introduced by Hon. Antonio B. Legarda Jr.
AN ACT
MODIFYING AND EXPANDING THE COMPOSITION OF THE BOARD OF THE 
NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR CULTURE AND THE ARTS, MANDATING 
THE ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATION OF CULTURAL FACILITIES AND 
REGIONAL OFFICES THEREFOR, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:
SECTION 1. Republic Act No. 7356, otherwise known as the “Law Creating the
1
National
Commission for Culture and the Arts,” is hereby amended to read as
2
follows:
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“Section 1. Title. – x x x
4
Title I
5
Declaration of Principles
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Section 2. Culture as a Human Right. – x x x
7
Section 3. National Identity. – x x x
8
Section 4. Culture of the People. – x x x
9
Section 5. Culture by the People. – x x x
10
Section 6. Culture for the People. – x x x
11
Section 7. Preservation of the Filipino Heritage. – x x x
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Title II
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Organization of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the Establishment of
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the National Endowment Fund
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Section 8. The Commission. – x x x
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Section 9. Composition. – The Composition of the Board of the National
5
Commission for Culture and the Arts shall be modified and expanded to
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comprise nineteen (19) Commissioners, as follows:
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a) The Secretaries of the following four (4) Departments
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i.
Secretary of the Department of Education;
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ii.
Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs;
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iii.
Secretary of the Department of Tourism; and
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iv.
Secretary
of
the
Department
of
the
Interior
and
Local
12
Government.
13
b) The Heads of the following eight (8) National Government Agencies
14
and Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations:
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i.
Chairman of the Commission on the Filipino Language;
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ii.
President of the Cultural Center of the Philippines;
17
iii.
Chairman of the Commission on Higher Education;
18
iv.
Executive Director of the National Archives of the Philippines;
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v.
Chairperson of the National Historical Commission of the
20
Philippines;
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vi.
Director of the National Library of the Philippines;
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vii.
Director-General of the National Museum of the Philippines;
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and
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viii.
Director-General of the Technical Education and Skills
25
Development Authority.
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c) To represent the Congress of the Philippines, the two (2) Chairpersons
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of the pertinent committees of the House of Representatives and the
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pertinent committee of the Senate of the Philippines covering culture
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and the arts:
1
i.
Chairperson of Senate Committee on Culture and the Arts;
2
ii.
Chairperson of House of Representatives Committee on Basic
3
Education and Culture.
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d) The four (4) representatives from the private sector who shall be
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elected
heads
of
the
four
(4)
Subcommissions,
namely:
the
6
Subcommission on Cultural Heritage, the Subcommission on the Arts,
7
the
Subcommission
on
Cultural
Dissemination,
and
the
8
Subcommission on Cultural Communities and Traditional Arts; and
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e) The Executive Director of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts,
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as Head of its Secretariat. Provided, he/ she may not be elected as
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Chairperson of the Commission.
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The officials named may be represented by their duly designated
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representatives, who shall be vested with the authority to act in the name of
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their principal.
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Section 10. Rank of the Chairperson, Executive Director, and the Deputy
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Executive Director. The Chairperson of the Commission, elected from among
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the members of the Commission to serve without compensation, as provided
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by Republic Act No. 7356, shall have the rank of a Secretary. The Chairperson
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may, at the discretion of the President of the Philippines and pursuant to an
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administrative order issued for the purpose, be designated as a member of the
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Cabinet.
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The Executive Director shall have the rank of Undersecretary while the two (2)
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Deputy Executive Directors shall have the rank of Assistant Secretary.
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For purposes of protocol, Commissioners under Section 9 (b) and (d) of the
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Commission shall be regarded as an Undersecretary when designated to
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represent the Commission officially abroad.
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Section 11. Term Office and Compensation. – x x x
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Section 12. Membership Restrictions. – x x x
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Section 13. Mandate. – x x x
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Section 14. Powers and Functions. – x x x
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Section 15. Cultural Facilities; Regional, Satellite and Field Offices. – To
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support its general operations, regulatory functions, and programs, activities
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and projects, as well as enhance public access to its services, the National
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Commission for Culture and the Arts shall establish and operate Cultural
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Facilities, which shall include cultural centers, theaters, galleries, and other
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physical facilities that allow the public access to culture and the arts, as well
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as Regional Offices throughout the administrative regions of the Philippines.
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The organization and staffing of each Cultural Facility shall be appropriate to
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its physical size and scope of operations. The Metropolitan Theater in the City
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of Manila owned and operated by the Commission, shall be headed by a
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Theater Director. Likewise, each Regional Office shall be headed by a
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Regional Director.
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At least two (2) Regional Offices in Luzon, one (1) Regional Office in Visayas,
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and two (2) Regional Offices in Mindanao shall be established, organized,
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staffed within a period of two (2) years from the effectivity of this Act.
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Satellite Offices and Field Offices may likewise be established by the NCCA,
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particularly in areas of exceptional cultural significance and, in coordination
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with the Department of Budget and Management, organized and staffed as
18
appropriate.
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Section 16. The Secretariat. – x x x
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Section 17. The Subcommissions. – x x x
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Section 18. Local, Provincial or Regional Councils. – x x x
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Section 19. National Advisory Board. – x x x
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Section 20. The National Cultural Agencies. – x x x
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Section 21. Program Plans. – x x x
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Section 22. National Endowment Fund for Culture and Arts. – x x x
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Section 23. Tax Exemption. – x x x
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Section 24. Revolving Fund. – x x x
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TITLE III
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Miscellaneous Provisions
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Section 25. Transitory Provisions. – x x x
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Section 26. Notice or Consent Requirement. – x x x
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Section 27. Separability Clause. – x x x
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Section 28. Saving Clause. – x x x
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Section 29. Effectivity. – x x x”
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SEC
2.
Appropriations.
–
The
amount
necessary
for
the
immediate
5
implementation of this
Act shall be taken from the current year’s appropriations of
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the
NCCA
(Proper).
Thereafter,
the
amount
necessary
for
the
continued
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implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations
8
Act.
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SEC 3. Separability Clause. – If for any reason a provision or section of this Act
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is declared invalid or unconstitutional, other sections or provisions not affected
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thereby shall remain in full force and effect.
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SEC 4. Repealing Clause. – Section 9 and other pertinent sections of Republic
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Act No. 7356, otherwise known as the “Law Creating the National Commission for
14
Culture and the Arts, and its Implementing Rules and Regulations, are hereby
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amended accordingly. All other laws, decrees, executive orders, proclamations, rules
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and regulations, and other issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with the
17
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.
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SEC 5. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
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publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
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Approved,