Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session.

A 9:
House Bill News

Introduced by DIWA Party-list Representative Pepito M. Pico

EXPLANATORY NOTE

For centuries, the book has been one of the primary means by which human beings
have communicated culture, exchanged ideas, and leamed from the knowledge, experience
and imagination of other human beings. It is for this reason that books, and the importation
and sale of the same, have traditionally been granted benefits under the law in order to
facilitate the trade, production, and consumption of books. This has been done through both
domestic issuances, and international conventions such as the Florence Agreement.

However, the form of the book has radically changed in the past ten years. Books can
now be found in forms and mediums that could not be foreseen by earlier statutory
definitions of a "book." Many citizens have access to books on their smart phones, many
schools now use or plan to use interactive textbooks, and many of the visually-impaired now
benefit from books with variable text sizes or which come in purely audio form.

While the form of books may have changed, their importance to the cultural,
educational, and scientific progress of our nation and its citizens has not. As such, it is only
right that books, in whatever form they may be found, be covered by the benefits that accrue
to traditional print books.

This As such, this bill, which we filed in the 16" Congress as House Bill No. 5524,
seeks to bring the definition of the book in-line with modern developments, so as to not
unjustly exclude modern fomls of the book which are becoming increasingly ubiquitous and
important in our modern age.

rl

PEPITO M. PICO
Representitive, DIWA Party-list

Page 1 of 3


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

House Bitt No, 8558

Introduced by DIWA Party-list Representative Pepito M. Pico

AN ACT EXPANDING THE DEFINITION OF A BOOK AND THE BENEFITS
ATTENDANT THERETO, AMENDING FOR THIS PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO.
8047, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE DEVELOPMENT
OF THE BOOK PUBLISHING INDUSTRY THROUGH THE FORMULATION AND
IMPLEMENTATION OF A NATIONAL BOOK POLICY AND A NATIONAL BOOK

DEVELOPMENT PLAN.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Republic of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. - Short Title. This Act shall be known as the "Expanded Definition of
the Book Act.”

SECTION 2. - Declaration of Principles and Policies. It is recognized that the book
publishing industry has a significant role in national development, considering that books
which are its products are instrumental in the citizenry's intellectual, technical and cultural
development - the basic social foundation for the economic and social growth of the country.
Itis further recognized that the current definition of a "book" is insufficient to encompass the
modem forms in which books exist, and that expanding the statutory definition of the same
shall promote the creation, patronage, and consumption of the same, to the benefit of the
nation’s cultural heritage.

SECTION 3. Section 3 of Republic Act No. 8047, or the Book Publishing Industry
Development Act, is hereby amended, with the addition of the following subparagraphs, to
read as follows:

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the temls below shall
be construed to mean, except where explicitly indicated or where the context clearly indicates
otherwise, as follows:

(a) Book - this may fall under the general categories of Print Book, Digital Book, an
Audio Book, or a Hybrid Book, as defined herein. Provided, that benefits that attach
to print books shall also be enjoyed by all other types of books, as may be applicable:

Page 2 of 3


1) A print book, is a printed non-periodical publication made available to the public,
regardless of the size of the publication, material used in printing or in the cover, or
the inclusion of accessory items or features such as simple electronics, stickers, or
toys. This definition shall encompass such categories of books as picture books, board
books, coffee- table books, hardcover books, mass market books, trade paperbacks,
comic books, textbooks, and boxed sets of books;

2

An electronic book, is a digital file that may either a reproduction of a paper book, or
an original publication, made available for download as a discrete and singular Limit,
and may be enhanced by features such internal and external links and embedded
media; Provided, that this definition does not include publications accessible only
while online (hence eBooks exclude websites), or software that requires (as opposed
to merely allowing) constant and regular input from the reader above and beyond that
of moving to the next page/section of the book, or providing answers or inputting
exercises in the case of educational material such as textbooks (hence eBooks exclude
games);

3

‘An audio book is a recording that is primarily of the spoken word as opposed to
music, and may be in the form of a digital file/s or said file/s contained in a physical
format, such as an optical media disk;

4)

A hybrid book is a printed, non-periodical publication made available to the public
with a substantial amount of supporting tangible material, such as in the form of
activity sets that come with the materials necessary to put into practice the contents of
the book; provided, that user manuals, or other printed material that is merely
accessory to a non-book object, do not fall under the category of a hybrid book.

SECTION 4. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The National Book
Development Board, in consultation with the BO (Bureau of Customs (BOC), and other
appropriate agencies from the private and government sectors, shall review the Implementing
Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 8047 and ascertain the necessity of amending the
same or issuing new rules or regulations, issuing any necessary rules, regulations, or
amendments Act within ninety (90) days after the effectivity of this Act.

SECTION 5. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the other provisions
hereof.

SECTION 6. Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders, presidential decrees,
presidential proclamations, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 7. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from
its publication in the Official Gazette or at least two (2) national newspapers of general
circulation.

Approved,

Page 3 of 3