FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 497 
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INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Republic Act 8047, otherwise known as the Book Industry Development 
Act of 1995, provides 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 the export market." 
However, despite the passage of said law, shortages of quality textbooks 
and other educational materials are still among perennial problems besetting our 
stUdents. One of the reasons for this is the frequent changes made in the rules 
for the formulation of educational curriculum everytime there is a change of 
administration and the consequent changes in the preparation of appropriate 
textbooks and related materials. This does not only nullify the developmental 
efforts during the preceeding administrators but also puts into vain the huge 
investments made for this purpose. 
There is a consensus among the stakeholders 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, composed of 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 adopt with the desired curriculum 
development. 
This proposed measure seeks to remedy such 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 ch?nge during the period of at least six (6) years. 
The early passage of this proposed measure is highly recommended. 
Senator 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
'S E N AT E 
Senate Bill No. 497 
10 
JUL -7 I\B ';is 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
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 House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Section 2 of Republic Act No. 8047, otherwise known as the 
"Book Publishing 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 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. 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 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 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 ABOVEMENTIONED 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 RA 8047 is hereby amended by adding a 
paragraph to read as follows: 
"Sec. 10. Public School and Textbook Publishing. -
The [DECS] DEPED 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] DEPED shall confine itself to: 
a) preparing the minimum earning competencies, 
and/or prototypes and other specifications for 
books and/or manuscripts called for; 
b) testing, evaluating, selecting and approving the 
manuscripts or books to be submitted by the 
publishers for multiple adoption; 
c) providing 
assistance 
in 
the 
distribution 
of 
textbooks to the public school systems; and, 
d) 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. 
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] DEPED shall within a period of not more 
than three (3) years from 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] DEPED 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 and Culture of both the Senate and the House of 
Representatives. 
SEC. 4. Separability Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation 
contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, 
modified, or amended accordingly. 
SEC. 5. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation 
contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, 
modified or amended accordingly 
SEC. 6. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,