TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
S. No.
SENATE
906
Ornate
25 AUG-5 P2-.15
RECEIVED BY:
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
AN ACT
STRENGTHENING THE SPECIAL PROGRAM IN THE ARTS FOR HIGH SCHOOL 
LEVEL, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Introduced in 2000, the Department of Education's (DepEd) Special Program 
in the Arts (SPA) aims to develop the potential of students who are artistically-inclined. 
This program became available to public high schools that were selected based on 
DepEd's criteria1. The SPA implemented a secondary education curriculum that was 
centered on the arts and allowed learners an opportunity to develop their talents in a 
number of disciplines such as: Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Dance, Media, and Creative 
Writing.
Through the SPA, the preservation of Philippine culture in various art forms 
among the younger generation is ensured. This will also help fuel the growth of 
creative industries in the country.
This bill seeks to strengthen the SPA to provide a continuous source of artists 
and leaders in the preservation and promotion of Philippine culture, arts, and creative 
industries. Under the bill, a Special Program in the Arts Council shall be created and
1 Leocario, R. and Pawilen, G. "Implementation of the Special Program in the Arts Curriculum in a Public 
Secondary School."Volume 6 (2015).


placed under the supervision of DepEd. The SPA Council is mandated to consult with 
creative industries to ensure that the programs, curriculum, and courses under the 
SPA are responsive to current and future trends that will ensure the commercial 
success of graduates of the SPA, urge higher education institutions to offer 
scholarships and grants in creative arts courses, and encourage creative industries to 
employ graduates of the SPA.
Further, this bill mandates the DepEd to formulate the academic curriculum and 
set the standards in the selection or qualification of schools with SPA. The DepEd shall 
also hire and retain experts in various creative arts domains to teach pertinent subjects 
in the curriculum.
In view of the foregoing circumstances, immediate passage of this bill is 
earnestly sought.
NGGQY EJERCITO ESTRADA


TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
S. No.
)
SENATE
906
v:- 
S^fluUC
of tijf fer”?t3irP
25 AUG-5 P2:15
\
RECEIVED BY;
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
AN ACT
STRENGTHENING THE SPECIAL PROGRAM IN THE ARTS FOR HIGH SCHOOL 
LEVEL, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Special Program In the
2 
Arts Act.
3 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State recognizes the vital role of the youth
4 
in nation-building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual,
5 
intellectual, and social well-being. Moreover, the government is committed to fulfill its
6 
constitutional mandate to foster the preservation, enrichment, and dynamic evolution
7 
of a Filipino national culture nurtured in an environment of free artistic and intellectual
8 
expression and to place arts, design, and other intellectual creative achievements
9 
under the patronage of the State.
10 
To this end, the State shall promote arts education, encourage arts programs,
11 
support national art competitions, and strengthen education for the development of
12 
creative industries. The State shall provide adequate training for students with artistic
13 
abilities, with the end in view of producing world class artists with firm academic
14 
foundation and strong patriotic ideals.
15 
Sec. 3. Objective. - The Special Program in the Arts (SPA) is hereby
16 
strengthened to provide a continuing source of artists of excellence and leaders in the
17 
preservation and promotion of culture, arts, and the creative industry in the
18 
Philippines. Admitted students shall be trained under a special curriculum oriented in


1 
the fields of architecture and allied arts, cinema, dance, dramatic arts, literary arts,
2 
music, visual arts, design, digital fabrication, and new media, and basic knowledge on
3 
intellectual property rights, with the end in view of providing quality education to
4 
students while giving way to opportunities for a sustainable profession.
5 
Sec. 4. The SPA Council. - The SPA Council, herein referred to as the Council,
6 
is hereby created which shall be under the administrative supervision of the
7 
Department of Education (DepEd), and composed of seven (7) members, namely: (1)
8 
Secretary of the DepEd, as Chairperson; (2) Chairperson of the National Commission
9 
for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), as Vice-Chairperson; (3) Secretary of the Department
10 
of Trade and Industry (DTI); (4) President of the Cultural Center of the Philippines
11 
(CCP); (5) Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED); (6) Executive
12 
Director of the Philippine Creative Industries Development Council (PCIDC); and (7)
13 
President of the Creative Economy Council of the Philippines (CECP).
14 
Members may designate a representative who shall be of rank no lower than
15 
that of an Undersecretary.
16 
Members of the Council shall serve without compensation but shall be entitled
17 
to reimbursement for expenses related to their participation in the official activities of
18 
the Council, in accordance with pertinent laws, rules and regulations.
19 
The Council shall regularly meet at least once every quarter of the academic
20 
year. The Chairperson or a majority of the Council's members may call a special
21 
meeting whenever necessary.
22 
A meeting may be conducted virtually only in circumstances when meeting in
23 
person is impossible or impractical and all the Council members are able to
24 
communicate adequately during the meeting.
25 
Sec. 5. Duties and Functions of the Council. - The Council shall have the
26 
following duties and functions:
27 
a) Periodically consult with various creative industries to ensure that the
28 
programs, curriculum, courses, and other activities of the SPA respond to
29 
current and future trends to secure opportunities for the commercial success
30 
of SPA graduates;
31 
b) Guarantee that the curriculum in the SPA shall be in accordance with the
32 
qualification levels in terms of the three (3) Philippine Qualifications


1 
Framework domains: knowledge, skills, and values; application; and degree
2 
of independence;
3 
c) Design and implement plans, programs, and activities that will encourage
4 
experienced and well-established talented artists to mentor the learners
5 
under the SPA;
6 
d) Provide guidance on the career path of the SPA learners through the
7 
conduct of programs and activities apprising the learners of the
8 
opportunities, including those in higher education, and the state of the
9 
various creative industries;
10 
e) Urge higher education institutions to offer programs for scholarships and
11 
grants in creative arts courses, and inform the schools with SPA of such
12 
programs;
13 
f) Encourage various creative industries to employ graduates of the SPA
14 
through information campaigns and different programs that shall showcase
15 
their talents and abilities;
16 
g) Maintain a pool of instructors composed of experts in various creative arts
17 
domains who are willing to teach the SPA learners and assign them to
18 
various schools with SPA;
19 
h) Call on the local government units (LGUs), their respective local school
20 
boards and other agencies, especially where the schools with SPA are
21 
located, for assistance, coordination and collaboration for alignment,
22 
synchronicity, and complementarity of plans, resources, and efforts of the
23 
schools and the pertinent LGUs; and
24 
i) Other duties and functions that may be necessary or incidental for the
25 
effective implementation of this Act.
26 
Sec. 6. Role of Government Agencies. - To achieve the objectives of this Act,
27 
the following government agencies shall carry out their respective roles:
28 
a) DepEd - The DepEd shall formulate the academic curriculum to ensure that
29 
learners under the SPA possess the knowledge and competencies that can
30 
lead to a successful professional career and to be eligible for higher
31 
education if graduates choose the pathway. It shall set the standards in the
32 
selection or qualification of schools with SPA and shall appoint and designate


1 
qualified instructors who shall train the learners in accordance with the
2 
curriculum set by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA)
3 
and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP).
4 
b) NCCA and CCP - The NCCA and the CCP shall formulate the arts curriculum
5 
for the SPA to train the learners and hone their skills and abilities to achieve
6 
their full potential. They shall provide the qualifications of instructors for the
7 
effective implementation of this Act.
8 
c) Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Creative Economy Council of the
9 
Philippines (CECP), and Philippine Creative Industries Development Council
10 
(PCIDC) - The DTI, CECP, and PCIDC shall advocate for the employment of
11 
SPA graduates by linking the schools with SPA with different creative
12 
industries for work immersion and eventual job posts. They shall further
13 
conduct programs and activities in schools with SPA to inform the learners
14 
of current and future trends they may engage in for their careers in creative
15 
arts.
16 
d) Commission on Higher Education (CHED) - The CHED shall promote the
17 
further studies of SPA graduates by constantly ensuring that its policies,
18 
standards, and guidelines for college courses in creative arts are responsive
19 
to current and future trends and urging higher education institutions to
20 
provide scholarships and grants.
21 
Sec. 7. Partnership with the Private Sector. - The DepEd and the schools with
22 
SPA may enter into agreements with the private sector for the training and
23 
development of the skills and talents of its SPA learners.
24 
Sec. 8. Hiring of Speciai Instructors for SPA. - Notwithstanding the relevant
25 
provisions of Republic Act No. 7836, as amended by Republic Act No. 9293, otherwise
26 
known as the "Philippine Teachers Professionalization Act of 1994", the DepEd shall
27 
hire and retain experts in the various creative arts domains, without the additional
28 
requirements of completing teaching units and passing the board exam for teachers,
29 
to teach the pertinent subjects in the curriculum: Provided, That they shall teach only
30 
the subjects of their expertise: Provided, further, That they satisfy the qualification
31 
standards set by the DepEd, NCCA and CCP: Provided, finaiiy. That they shall receive
32 
salaries and benefits befitting their status, distinctions, and achievements.


1 
Sec. 9. Tax Exemptions. - The importation of equipment relating to creative
2 
industry, books, art related supplies, musical instruments, materials and goods,
3 
including those donated to the SPA shall, upon certification by the DepEd be exempt
4 
from customs duties in accordance with the provisions of Republic Act No. 10863,
5 
otherwise known as the "Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA)": Provided,
6 
That these are of international standards and are not available from local
7 
manufacturers: Provided, further, That the importation shall only be in such numbers
8 
as may be required in the development programs and/or training of the students:
9 
Provided, finaiiy. That all importations shall be made in the name of SPA as recipient
10 
and shall be immediately registered in the name of SPA.
11 
Sec. 10. Tax Exemption on Donations. - All grants, bequests, endowments,
12 
donations, and contributions made to the SPA, to be used directly and exclusively by
13 
the SPA shall be exempt from donor's tax and the same shall be considered as
14 
allowable deduction from gross income for purposes of computing the taxable income
15 
of the donor in accordance with the provisions of the National Internal Revenue Code
16 
of 1997, as amended.
17 
Sec. 11. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the initial implementation
18 
of this Act shall be charged against the current year's appropriation of the DepEd.
19 
Thereafter, such amount shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
20 
Sec. 12. Impiementing Ruies and Reguiations. - Within thirty (30) days upon
21 
approval of this Act, the DepEd shall, in consultation with the NCCA, CCP, DTI, CHED,
22 
PCIDC, and CECP, promulgate and issue the rules and regulations to effectively
23 
implement the provisions of this Act.
24 
Sec. 13. Separabiiity Ciause. - Should any provision herein be declared
25 
unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected shall remain in full force and effect.
26 
Sec. 14. Repeaiing Ciause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or
27 
other issuances or parts inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
28 
repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.
29 
Sec. 15. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
30 
publication in the Officiai Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspapers of general
31 
circulation.
Approved,