THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
First Regular Session 
Republic of the Philippines 
SENATE 
Introduced by SENATOR LUISA “LOI” P. EJERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Paragraph (I), Section 5 of Article XIV of the 1987 Constitution provides that 
“The State shall take into account regional and sectoral needs and conditions and shall 
encourage local planniiig in the development of educational policies and programs.” 
On June 5. 1995, R.A. No. 8047, otherwise known as the Book Industry 
Development Act of 1995 was enacted into law. 
Pursuant to said Book Act, second paragraph of Section 2 states that: “It is hereby 
declared a policy of the state to promote the continuing development of the book 
publishing industry with the active participation of the private sector to ensure an 
adequate supply of affordable, quality-produced books not only for the domestic but also 
for tlie export market”. 
Seven (7) years after the passage of said law, shortages of quality textbooks and 
other educational inaterials are still perennial problems besetting our students. 
Through research and discussions with the book industry players and stakeholders 
revealed that there may be certain developments which hinder tlie state and the private 
sector from complying with tlie above-cited mandate based on the realization emanating 
from historical records that everytime there is a change of administration, rules for the 
formulation of educational curriculum and the consequent preparation of appropriate 
textbooks and related materials oftentimes changes thus nullifying developmental efforts 
not to mention the concomitant huge investments incurred during the preceding 
administrations. 
There is a consensus among the stalteholders that in order to truly come up with 
sufficient quality textbooks and related educational materials to respond to the 
requirements of our students in the public elementary and secondary schools. It would 
take at least six (6) to ten (10) years (at least three (3) to five (5) years for research and 
study and another three (3) to five ( 5 )  years for implementation) to develop and jibe with 
the desired curriculum development. 
This bill therefore seelts to remedy that situation by mandating that educational 
curriculum and the consequent preparation of textbooks and related educational materials 
should have continuity and stability and that the same should not be affected by any 
change during the period of at least six years. 
For the benefit of million of students who are seeking knowledge, the immediate 
passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
Senator 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
First Regular Session 
Republic of the Philippines 
Introduced by SENATOR LUISA “LOI” P. EJERCITO ESTMDA 
AN ACT 
MANDATING THAT EDUCATIONAL CURRICULUM AND THE CONSEQUENT 
PREPARATION OF TEXTBOOKS AND RELATED MATERIALS SHOULD HAVE 
CONTINUITY AND STABILITY, AND THAT THE SAME SHOULD NOT BE 
AFFECTED BY ANY CHANGE DURING THE PERIOD OF AT LEAST SIX (6) 
YEARS AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE R.A. NO. 8047. OTHERWISE KNOWN 
AS THE BOOK PUBLISHING INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT ACT 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
congress assem bled: 
SECTION 1. Section 2 of R.A. No. 8047, otherwise known as the “Book 
Publishiiig Industry Development Act” is hereby amended by adding a paragraph to read 
as follows: 
“Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is recognized that the book publishing 
industry has a significant role in national development, considering that boolts 
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. Books are the most effective and economical tools for 
achieving educational growth, for imparting information and for recording, 
preserving and disseminating the nation’s cultural heritage. 
“Accordingly, it is hereby declared a policy of the State to promote the 
continuing developinent of the book publishing industry, with the active 
participation of the private sector, to ensure an adequate supply of affordable, 
quality-produced boolts not only for the domestic but also for the export market. 
For this purpose, the government shall formulate, adopt and implement a National 
Book Policy and a corresponding National Book Development Plan that will 
serve as the enduring basis for fostering the progressive growth and viability of 
the book industry.” 


. 
TO ACHIEVE THE ABOVE-MENTIONED POLICY. IT IS HEREBY 
MANDATED 
THAT 
EDUCATIONAL 
CURRICULUM 
AND 
THE 
CONSEQUENT PREPARATION OF TEXTBOOKS AND OTHER RELATED 
EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS SHOULD HAVE CONTINUITY AND 
STABILITY, AND THAT THE SAME SHOULD NOT BE AFFECTED BY 
ANY CHANGE DURING THE PERIOD OF AT LEAST SIX(6) YEARS. 
Sec. 2. Section 10 of said R.A. No. 8047 is hereby amended by adding a 
paragraph to read as follows: 
"Sec. 10. Public School and Textbook Publishing. - The DECS shall 
consult with the Board in prescribing the guidelines, rules and regulations in 
preparing ' the . minimum learning competencies and/or prototypes and other 
specifications for books required by public elementary and secondary schools. 
The DECS shall confine itself to: 
a) 
preparing the minimum [earning competencies, and/or prototypes and 
other specifications for books and/or manuscripts called for; 
testing, evaluating, selecting and approving the manuscripts or books to 
be submitted by the publishers for multiple adoption, 
providing assistance in the distribution of textbooks to the public school 
systems; and 
promulgating with the participation and assistance of the Board rules and 
regulations for the private book publishers in the call, testing evaluation, 
selection, approval, as well as production specification and acquisition of 
public school textbooks. 
b) 
c> 
d) 
GUIDELINES. RULES AND REGULATIONS IN PREPARING THE 
MINIMUM LEARNING COMPETENCIES AND/OR PROTOTYPES AND OTHER 
SPECIFICATIONS FOR TEXTBOOKS AND OTHER RELATED EDUCATIONAL 
MATERIALS REQUIRED BY PUBLIC ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY 
SCHOOLS SHOULD NOT BE -AFFECTED BY ANY CHANGE WITHIN THE 
GOVERNMENT OR IN THE DepEd DURING THE PERIOD OF AT LEAST SIX (6) 
YEARS. 
The printing of public elementary and secondary school textbooks shall be done 
on a regional or provincial level, whenever economically feasible. 


The DECS shall within a period of not more than three (3) years froin the 
effectivity of this Act phase out its elementary and secondary textbook publication and 
distribution functions and shall support the phasing in of private sector publishers to 
assume these functions here. For its part, the Board shall monitor and conduct an annual 
evaluation of the progress of the shift of functions from the DECS to the private sector". 
Sec. 3. The Department of Education (DepEd) in consultation with the National 
Book Development Board (NBDB) and with the active Book Suppliers and Publishers 
Association of the Philippines (NBSAP) shall issue guidelines and prescribe rules and 
regulations within sixty (60) days after the effectivity of this Act. A copy of such 
guidelines, rules and regulations shall be furnished the Congress of the Philippines 
through the respective Chairmen of the Committee on Education, Arts, Culture of both 
the Senate and the House of Representatives. 
Sec. 4. Separability Clause. - If any part or section of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional for any reason whatsoever such declaration shall not in anyway affect 
other parts or sections of this Act. 
Sec. 5. 
Repealing Clause. - Republic Act No. 8047 is hereby amended 
accordingly. All other laws. decrees, rules and regulations and other administrative 
issuances or provisions thereof which are contrary to or inconsistent herewith are hereby 
repealed or modified accordingly. 
Sec. 6. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following 
its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general 
circulation. 
Approved, 
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