Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ecaeo

Quezon City F one’ Jt 2017,

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS,
Second Regular Session

6077

HOUSE BILL NOW

Introduced by REP. Michael L. Romero

EXPLANATORY NOTE

It is the policy of the State fo promote the continuing development of book
publishing industry in alll regions of the country, as embodied in Republic Act No.
8047 or the "Book Publishing Industry Development Act’. Since authorship is one
of the major components of book publishing, the national book policy obliges
Ihe State to create a dynamic and conducive environment for the promotion of
Filipino authorship and other creative activities in book development.

This House Bill seeks to oblige the state to promote that the book publishing
industry has a significant role in national development, and to foster the
creation of these products that are very instrumental in the  citizenry's
intellectual, technical and cultural development.

Thus, the early passage of this bill is eamestly requested.

Hi

MICH; L. ROMERO Ph.D


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS,
Second Regular Session

6077

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by REP. Michael L. Romero

AN ACT

AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9521 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE
“NATIONAL BOOK DEVELOPMENT TRUST FUND ACT", TO FOSTER A
MORE DYNAMIC AND CONDUCIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE
PROMOTION AND SUPPORT OF FILIPINO AUTHORSHIP AND OTHER
CREATIVE ACTIVITIES IN BOOK DEVELOPMENT, AND FOR.OTHER
PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1.

Section 3 of Republic Act No. 9521, is hereby amended lo read as follows:

Section 3. The National Book Development Trust Fund - A National 800k
Development Trust Fund, hereafler referred to as the Fund, is hereby
established exclusively for the support and promotion of Filipino authorship

especially in science and technology and in subject areas wherein locally


authored books are either few or nonexistent. The Fund shall be subject to

the following;

(a) The contribution to the Fund shall be sourced from the following:

(1) The amount of One hundred milion pesos
(P100,000,000.00) shall be alloted in the annual General
Appropriation Act (GAA) for the next five (5) years starting
from the enactment of this law;

(2) The amount of One hundred milion pesos
(P100,000,000.00) shall be taken from the Philippine
Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) fund at
Five million pesos (P5,000,000.00) per month for twenty (20)
months;

(3) Another amount of One hundred million pesos
(P100,000,000.00) shall be taken from the Philippine Chatity
Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) at five million pesos
(P5,000,000.00) per month for twenty (20) months;

(b] Only the interest drawn from the Fund from sources cifed in
Section 3 (al), (42) and (a3) shall be awarded as grants to promote
Filipino authorship and to support the completion of local
manuscripts or research works for publication;

(c) The grants can be awarded only after one (1) year from the
organization of the Fund, and the grants shall be awarded
equitably among the regions

(a) Government corporations are hereby authorized to give grants
fo the Fund al their discretion;

(e) The private portion of the Fund shall be raised from donations
and other conveyances including funds, materials, property and
services, by gratuitous title:

(f} Contributions to the Fund shall be exempt from the donor's tax
and the same shall be considered as allowable deductions from


the gross income of the donor, in accordance with the provisions of
the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended:

Provided, That the allowable deductions shall be equivalent to one
hundred fifty percent (150%) of the value of such donation;

(g) The National Book Development Board (NBDB) shall be the
administrator of the Fund;

(h) For the sound and judicious management of the Fund, the NBDB
shall appoint a government financial institution, with sound track
record on fund management, as portfolio manager of the Fund,
subject to guidelines promulgated by the NBDB; and

(i) The NBDB shall prepare the implementing guidelines and
decision-making mechanisms, subject to the following:

(1) No part of the seed capital of the Fun, including earnings
thereof, shall be used to underwrite overhead expenses for
the administration; and

(2) There shall be an external auditor to perform an annual
audit of the Fund's performance. ‘

SECTION 2. TRANSITORY PROVISION ~ Existing industries, businesses
and offices affected by the implementation of this Act shall be given six
(6) months transitory period from the effectivity of the IRR or such other
period as may be determined, to comply with the requirements of this
Act

SECTION 3. IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS. — The
departments and agencies charged with carrying out the provisions of
this Act shalll, within sixty (60) days after the effectivity of this Act, formulate

the necessary rules and regulations for its effective implementation


SECTION 4. REPEALING CLAUSE. ~ All laws, decrees, executive orders,
rules and regulations, or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this

Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 5. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE. - If, for any reason, any section or
provision of this Act is held unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or
provisions hereof shall not be affected thereby

SECTION 6, EFFECTIVITY CLAUSE. - This Act shall take effect after
fifteen (15) days from its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least

\wo (2) national newspapers of general circulation whichever comes

earlier.

Approved,