THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
First Regular Session 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
S E N A T E  
Introduced by Senator Flavier 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
A people needs to be aware of their history in order to understand their 
present and to develop a sense of nationalism and pride of country. 
This bill seeds to improve and strengthen the National Historic Institute 
("1). 
Among its functions, it is responsible for promoting and preserving the 
Philippine cultural heritage. It shall undertake studies on Philippine history and 
Filipino heroes; encourage historical educational activities, including the widening 
of the local improvement and restoration of national shrines, monuments, historic 
sites, buildings and landmarks. 
The bill establishes the Historic Building Survey and Documentation 
Center within the NHI, with the existing Survey and Documentation Section as its 
nucleus, to undertake the survey, identification, documentation, classification, 
designation, and declaration of historic structures and edifices such as national 
shrines, monuments, and landmarks. 
./ 
The Local Historical Committees Network will coordinate and support the 
various local historical bodies engaged in preservation of extent historical 
materials found anywhere in the country; and the recording of the oral histories of 
towns, cities, provinces and regions. 
The Materials Conservation Center shall provide consultancy services to 
collectors of historical objects, enrich and update knowledge and restoration and 
preservation techniques to ensure the conservation of Filipino cultural heritage, 
and establish linkage between the PhilipF ines and various international bodies 
engaged in the scientific preservation of historical and cultural objects. 
We need to preserve our heritage for our children and generations still to 
come. This bill would help in the preservation of the objects that have formed part 
of our history and legacy. For these reasons, immediate approval of this bill is 
earnestly urged. 
R 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
S E N A T E  
~~~ 
Introduced by Senator Flavier 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR THE IMPROVEMENT AND STRENGTHENING OF THE 
NATIONAL HISTORICAL INSTITUTE 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. General Mandate. - The National Historical Institute ("I) 
shall be responsible for promoting and preserving the Philippine cultural heritage 
by undertaking, among others, studies on Philippine history and Filipino heroes; 
encouraging historical educational activities, including the widening of local 
historical committee network; and managing and safeguarding the improvement 
and restoration of national shrines, monuments, historical sites, buildings and 
land marks. 
SEC. 2. Specific Functions. - Th6 NHI shall assume jurisdiction over all 
matters relative to historical studies and popularization of Philippine history, 
including the survey and documentation, establishment, development and 
maintenance of historic sites and structures. Specifically its functions shall be: 
a. To conduct and accelerate historical research programs, including the 
translation of Philippine written and oral history here and abroad; and 
to act as historical research resource center that will provide historical 
research services to the public by maintaining a historical data bank; 
b. To undertake the documentation, authentication and evaluation of 
I 
works of various aspects of Philippine history including the resolution 
. 
of controversial and conflicting issues; 


c. To compile and acquire from various sources here and abroad data on 
historical personages and events, including rare and contemporary 
Filipiniana materials, through purchase, donation, exchange, or 
> 
through any other manner, of important historical documents, 
materials and objects; 
d. To promote the writing or publishing of works of national heroes and 
other illustrious Filipinos; 
e. For purposes stated in sub-paragraphs (c) and (d), to enter into 
negotiations or agreements, subject to the approval of the Secretary of 
Education, Culture and Sports with institutions and individuals for 
purposes of securing original documents or copies, Photostat and 
micro-films thereof, dealing with the Philippines; 
To gather and publish source books, reports, records and documents 
on historical preservation such as surveys and inventories, and other 
valuable information relating to historical places, markers, events and 
f. 
personage; 
g. To encourage research, writing, and publication on Philippine history, 
including textbooks, biographies of heroes, accounts of historical 
events, and translations of important scholarly works of Filipinos and 
foreigners, by providing appropriation as the institute may deem 
necessary; 
h. To set a standard for declaring and classifying historical places, 
edifices, and landmarks in the country in consonance with the 
provisions of Presidential Decree No. 260, as amended by Presidential 
Decree No. 1505; 
i. To study important historical 'events; to recommend heroes who 
should be honored by way of proclamation and special public holidays 
in their honor; and to plan and arrange for the execution of fitting 


activities to commemorate the events and birth anniversaries or 
centenaries of Filipino heroes; 
To take charge of all historical activities or projects not otherwise 
undertaken by any entity or the government; 
k. To identify, designate, declare classify, register and appropriately mark 
historic structures and places in the Philippines; 
To administer and appropriate with the approval of the Office of the 
President, funds donated to it by the public and the government, and 
proceeds from income in pursuance of its duties and functions; 
j. 
I. 
m. To work in coordination with the Institute of Philippine Languages for 
the translation of its work and materials into the National Language; 
n. To initiate, with the assistance of the private sector, the restoration, 
preservation, 
construction, 
or 
reconstruction, 
operation, 
and 
maintenance of national shrines, monuments and landmarks that have 
been or may hereafter be declared, designated, and erected; 
0. To take charge of the acquisition, by acquisition, donation, exchange 
and restoration of historical objects, including relics and memorabilia 
of national heroes and illustrious Filipinos; 
p. To take charge of the preparation, evaluation, verification, and 
approval of heraldic designs in the country, including the blazoning of 
the national government and its instrumentalities, the celebration of 
the Annual Flag Day and strict observance of the country’s National 
Anthem and Flag Code; 
q. To 
coordinate 
and 
supervise 
the 
collection, 
identification, 
classification, reproduction, and release of archival materials and other 
historical papers in the possession of government agencies; and 
To work in collaboration with the Department of Tourism towards the 
preservation, restoration, andlor reconstruction of historic sites, 
r. 


churches/structures and places declared as national shrines, 
monuments and/or landmarks. 
SEC. 3. 
Historic Building Survey and Documentation. - A 
Historic Building Survey and Documentation Center shall be established within 
the NHI with the existing Survey and Documentation Section as its nucleus, to 
undertake the survey, identification, documentation, classification, designation, 
and declaration of historic structures and edifices such as national shrines, 
monuments, and landmarks and the maintenance of national registry of historic 
structures. 
SEC. 4. Local Historic Committees Network.- The existing Provincial 
Historical Committees Section of the Institute shall constitute the Local Historical 
Committees Network that will monitor, coordinate and support various local 
historical bodies engaged in the collection, documentation, popularization and 
preservation of extant historical materials found in different parts of the 
Philippines; and the recording of the oral histories of towns, cities, provinces and 
regions. 
SEC. 5. Materials Conservation Center. - The Materials Conservation 
Section of the Institute shall be renamed Materials Conservation Center. It shall: 
1) 
Provide consultancy services to collectors of historical objects 
that are considered valuable components of Filipino heritage to 
insure that preservation and recreation techniques and 
procedures are in accordance with the accepted international 
standards set in protecting historical objects and materials; 
Enrich and update knowledge on restoration and preservation 
techniques by conducting scientific research on these 
techniques to ensure the conservation of Filipino cultural 
heritage; 


3) 
Establish linkages between the Philippines and various 
international bodies engaged in the scientific preservation of 
historical and cultural objects. 
SEC. 6. Private Sectors and Tax Incentives. - The participation and full 
support from private individuals and entities shall be solicited for the preservation 
and restoration of national shrines, monuments, landmarks, and other important 
historic edifices. 
Any person, entity or corporate body undertaking the rehabilitation of 
historical buildings and structures classified, indentified and listed in the National 
“Registry of Historic Structures by the National Historical Institute shall be given 
tax incentives equivalent to fifty percent (50%) of the total amount spent for the 
rehabilitation of historic structures. Such amount shall be deductable from the 
owner’s taxable income for the year the rehabilitation, restoration or preservation 
works were completed. 
SEC. 7. Other Tax Incentives. 
Professional fees derived from the 
restoration, reconstruction, and preservation of historic buildings protected by the 
Philippine Government and listed in the National Registry of Historic Structures 
shall not be included under gross income and shall be exempt from taxation. 
Historical buildings declared as national shrines, monuments, or 
landmarks which are listed in the National Registry of Historical Structures and 
have undergone restoration, preservation and reconstruction shall not be subject 
to any tax in case of sale, exchange, or any other disposition. 
SEC. 8. Fund Raising Program/Activities. - Souvenir and history 
museum shops shall be esfablished by the National Historical Institute at various 
historical shrines and landmarks under its care in order to provide monetary 
support for the operation and administration of all historical shrines, monuments 
and landmarks throughout the country. The Institute is authorized to print, 
fabricate, reproduce and sell historical souvenirs and replicas of relics or 
publications and other items of popular interest. Proceeds may be deposited in a 


special account with a government financial institution, and used in the 
publication, production and manufacture ctf suitable items needed in the shops 
and for the furtherance of the Institute’s objective of bringing history closer to the 
community. 
Sec. 9. Utilization of Savings. - The Director of the National Historical 
Institute is hereby authorized to use the agency’s savings subject to the approval 
of the President under Section 40, Presidential Decree No. I 1  77, as amended, 
for: a) the repair and improvement of various historic sites and structures 
identified and classified under Presidential Decree No.260, as amended, subject 
to the approval of the Secretary of the Department of Education, Culture and 
Sports; b) the payment of the services of contractual or temporary technical 
consultants in the specialized fields of conservation restoration preservation, 
and heraldry, including translators, researchers and curators, who may be 
employed by the Institute from time to time. 
SEC. I O .  Coordination with Other Agencies. - The NHI, in coordination 
with the Bureau of Internal Revenue, is hereby empowered to promulgate rules 
and regulations for the implementation of the provisions of this Act. Such rules 
and regulations shall be approved by the Secretary of the Department of 
Education, Culture and Sports. 
The NHI shall coordinate with the Department of Tourism and other 
related agencies of government, for the purpose of implementing tourism projects 
and activities. 
SEC. 11. Repealing Clause. - All acts, executive orders, and regulations 
issued pursuant to existing laws or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this 
Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly 
SEC. 112. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
after publication in the Official Gazette or any newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved,