Republic of the Phulippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Queson City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

8020

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.

AN ACT AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8047, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE
“BOOK PUBLISHING INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT ACT," PROVIDING FOR THE
SCANNING AND CONVERSION OF PUBLIC SCHOOL TEXTBOOKS INTO
EBOOKS AND OTHER DIGITAL FORMATS

This measure seeks to amend Republic Act No. 8047. otherwise known as the "Book
Publishing Industry Development Act.” It mandates the scanning or conversion inte
e-books and other digital formats of content by publishers participating in the
government's Public Schoo! Textbook Program

It is no secret that textbooks in public elementary and high schools are limited in
number and, as a result, our students are forced to share or borrow from one
another. This difficulty is even more evident in the time of COVID-19 when there is a
shift to distance learning. The sharing of materials among groups of students still
exists because of the shortage of printed modules

To somehow address the gap, we can resort to digitization of textbooks into
eiectronic books or e-books and other digital formats Opportunities are afforded to
students to have a copy or access to the contents of the textbook in digital format
without the need of borrowing or sharing of resource materials.

To protect the intellectual property rights of both the authors and publishers of the
textbook, the implementation of the scanning or conversion must comply with the
Provisions of Republic Act No. 8293, otherwise known as the “Intellectual Property
Code of the Philippines " The e-books and digital format copies of the textbooks shall
also be made available and accessible to all public schoo! students in a manner
deemed appropriate and reasonable by the DepEd

In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is most earnestly sought



Republic of the Dh es

Re
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Queson City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 8020

Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.
—_——

AN ACT AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8047, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE
“BOOK PUBLISHING INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT ACT," PROVIDING FOR THE
SCANNING AND CONVERSION OF PUBLIC SCHOOL TEXTBOOKS INTO
EBOOKS AND OTHER DIGITAL FORMATS

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines In
congress assembled

Section 1. Section 11 of Republic Act No. 8047, otherwise known as the "Book
Publishing Industry Development Act,” Is hereby amended to read as follows:

"Sec. 11. Participation of Private Publishers In the Public School Textbook Program
— Guided by the minimum learning competencies for the elementary level, the
desired learning competencies for the secondary level, and other specifications
prepared by the [DECS] DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (DEPED), publishers shall
develop and submit to the [DECS] DEPED those syllabi and/or prototypes and
manuscripts or books intended for use in the public schools for testing, evaluation.
selection and approval

Upon approval of the manuscripts or books. publishers shall produce and supply the
textbooks as ordered by the [DECS] DEPED.

PUBLISHERS PARTICIPATING IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL TEXTBOOK
PROGRAM SHALL ALLOW THE SCANNING OR CONVERSION INTO E-BOOKS
AND OTHER DIGITAL FORMATS, IN PART OR IN FULL, OF THEIR APPROVED
TEXTBOOKS, SUBJECT TO COMPLIANCE WITH REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8293,
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE “INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CODE OF THE
PHILIPPINES. THE E-BOOKS AND DIGITAL FORMAT COPIES OF THE
TEXTBOOKS SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE AND ACCESSIBLE TO ALL
PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS, IN A MANNER DEEMED APPROPRIATE AND
REASONABLE BY THE DEPED."

Sec. 2. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days from the
effectivity of this Act, the Department of Education (DepEd). in coordination with the


National Book Development Board (NBDB), and other relevant government agencies
and stakeholders, shall issue the necessary rules and regulations to implement the
provisions of this Act

Sec. 3. Repealing Clause. — Ail laws, presidential decrees, executive orders
proclamations, rules and regulations, or any part thereof, which are inconsistent with
the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly

Sec. 4. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part of this Act, or the application
thereof to any person or circumstance, is held unconstitutional or invalid. the
remainder of this Act shall not be affected thereby.

Sec. 5. Effectivity Clause. —This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from its
Publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general
circulation.

Approved.