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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
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
House Bill No._______
Introduced by Hon. Antonio B. Legarda Jr.
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF LOCAL STUDIES CENTERS IN
STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES (SUCs) THROUGHOUT THE
PHILIPPINES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Republic of the
Philippines in Congress assembled:
Section 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Local Studies Center
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Act.”
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Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. – The State recognizes the long-standing efforts of
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various private universities, colleges, and state universities and colleges (SUCs) in
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spearheading the idea of establishing a local studies center. It is hereby declared the
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policy of the State to recognize the wealth of Philippine culture and history in the
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provinces
and
cultural
communities,
which
is
beneficial
in
strengthening
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government programs and policies in dispute settlement; addressing stereotypes,
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unequal opportunities, and representations; conserving what has been studied and
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recovered, and appraising Filipino identity and pride.
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Sec. 3.
Establishment of Local Studies Centers. – There shall be established local
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studies centers, hereinafter referred to as the “Center,” in each province, or if
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necessary, dedicated to the cultural community at large, in state universities and
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colleges (SUCs).
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Sec. 4. Province and Cultural Community-wide cooperation. – Given that there are
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provinces
and
cultural
communities
with
multiple
SUCs,
inter-institutional
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cooperation is encouraged to prevent redundancy in establishing a Center.
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Sec. 5. Existing Local Studies Centers. – It is hereby encouraged that the existing
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local studies centers shall be automatically designated as the Center of a particular
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province and/or cultural community, enjoying the support of other SUCs located
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within the immediate locality, cultural community, and the concerned government
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agencies. The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) shall maintain a directory
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of existing and future Centers and ensure that no duplication and redundancy shall
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take place.
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Sec. 6. Structure and Staffing Pattern. – The administration of each individual
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SUC-based Center shall have plantilla positions for a Director, a librarian or archivist,
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history researchers, and if necessary, a museum curator, museum researchers, and
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conservators. It shall have the liberty to determine its organizational structure and
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create new divisions or units as it may deem necessary and appoint officers and
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employees.
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Sec. 7. Composition and Functions of the Center. – The Center shall be composed
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of but not limited to the four (4) major service areas with their respective functions
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namely:
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a) Research Service Area – conducts research and studies in their locality and
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cultural community; documents local history, culture, and society; and
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contributes to the local policymaking;
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b) Publication Service Area – acts as the lead publisher, in print and online, of
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local history, culture and society, knowledge in the locality and cultural
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community. It shall support the production of educational materials on local
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history, culture and society, the promotion of vernacular literature and
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language, and other studies concerning the locality and cultural community.
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c) Awareness Campaign Service Area – creates and promotes participatory
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programs, projects, and activities to continue and encourage discourse on
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local history, culture, and society; as well as champions or cultivates the laws
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and policies on cultural heritage to guide the local government units;
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d) Collection Service Area – tasked with the collection building of local historical
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and cultural resources and the conservation thereof, through:
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i.
Collecting printed materials focusing on publications from their
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locality and cultural community;
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ii.
Gathering available microfilm/microfiche publications;
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iii.
Photoduplicating documents found in various government institutions,
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especially
in
national
cultural
agencies
and
other
local
and
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international institutions where data relevant to local studies are
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available;
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iv.
Obtaining memoirs and other writings about significant personages
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and institutions in the locality and cultural community;
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v.
Acquiring materials significant to the enrichment of local history,
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culture, and society scholarship; and
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vi.
Procuring through donations, exchanges, or purchases of important
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historical documents, manuscripts, journals, books, etc.
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Sec. 8. SUC Support to the Center. - The host SUC of a Center shall
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a. Designate premises conducive and equipped to store the collection of the
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Center; conduct public programs such as lectures, seminars, and exhibits;
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and entertain researchers and visitors;
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b. Build the collection of the Center by acquiring and purchasing seminal
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Filipiniana core collection;
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c.
Harmonize the university research program with the goals and objectives
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of the Center;
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d. Encourage localized studies among the faculty and the students to benefit
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the immediate community where the school is located;
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e. Involve academics, experts, and scholars outside the SUC to contribute to
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the research and publication activities of the Center; and
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f.
Develop policies and programs appraising the quality and scholarship of
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historical and cultural research and publication for the Center.
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Sec. 9. Patronage of Publications Produced by the Center. - The dire need for a
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body of knowledge about the towns, cities, provinces, regions, and cultural
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communities shall be augmented by encouraging the Center to produce regular
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publications by its resident or non-resident scholars. It shall provide at least two
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copies of each publication produced for deposit at the Historical Data Bank of the
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National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), the National Library of
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the Philippines (NLP), and the University of the Philippines Diliman Filipiniana
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Library. The Department of Foreign Affairs shall purchase copies of the publications
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for dissemination to all Sentro Rizal cultural centers in foreign service posts. The
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local school board and the Department of Education shall do the same for all public
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and private schools of the concerned immediate schools division, and the
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Department of the Interior and Local Government and NLP for the public libraries.
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Sec. 10. Local Historical Committees Network (LHCN). - This existing unit within
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the NHCP shall develop a comprehensive local and international linkage program
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that will connect the Center with relevant government agencies, non-governmental
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organizations, and other local and international historical and cultural societies,
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committees, associations, and councils, whose objectives are in line with the goals
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and objectives of the Center, as well as with the national government, the provincial
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government, and already existing Centers.
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Sec. 11. Representation of the Center. The Center must be represented in the
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Local School Board and the Local Culture and Arts Council of concerned local
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government units, the National Economic and Development Authority in the
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regions, and other government bodies concerning local history, culture, and
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heritage.
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Sec. 12. Funding. –
The initial funding requirements for the implementation
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of this Act shall be charged against the current appropriations of the SUCs.
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Thereafter, such sums as it may deem necessary for its continued implementation
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shall
be
included
in
the
institutions’
yearly
budget
under
the
General
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Appropriations Act.
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Sec. 13. Repealing Clause – All laws, rules, and regulations or parts thereof
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inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified
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accordingly.
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Sec. 14. Separability Clause. – If any part, section or provision of this Act shall
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be held invalid or unconstitutional, no other part, section or provisions thereof shall
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be affected thereby.
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Sec. 15. Effectivity – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
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complete publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
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Approved,