NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBUC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
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SENATE
S. No. 1116
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Inti oduced by Senator Loren B. Legarda
AN ACT
STATF 
ESTABLIS'1MENT OF LOCAL STUDIES CENTERS IN
STATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES THROUGHOUT THE PHILimNES
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
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EXPLANATORY NOTE
Local history has enriched the understanding of our nation's past. It has paved 
the way for rewriting Philippine history by acknowledging the role of illustrious 
personages from the provinces and cultural communities.
Understanding and discovering the wealth of Philippine culture and history in
the provinces and cultural communities help the national government in settling
disputes; addressing stereotypes, unequal opportunities, and representations-
conserving what has been studied, recovered, and previously taken for granted; and
acknowledging our holistic identity, which is beneficial in apprai.sing Filipino identity 
and pride.
To recognize the wealth of Philippine culture and history in the provinces and 
cultural communities, this bill seeks to establish Local Studies Centers in all state 
colleges, and universities (SUCs) dedicated to cultural communities at large. These 
centers shaU serve as research institutions that focus on the grassroots level with the 
thrust of identifying, recognizing, documenting, conserving, preserving, and 
promoting local history, folklore, language, and other aspects of cultural heritage


through academic, scientific, and scholastic approaches. It is through learning and 
appreciating the wealth of our local histoiy and culture that we will be able to enrich 
our national identity better and achieve more sustainable and inclusive social and 
economic progress.
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
^=^-i:OREN LEGARDA


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
SENATE 
S. No. IIIG
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*22 AUG -9 P5 *42
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Introduced by Senator Loren B. Legarda
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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 Bepyesentatives of the Republic of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled:
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Local Studies Center
Act.'
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State recognizes the long-standing efforts of 
various private universities, colleges, and state universities and colleges (SUCs) in 
spearheading the idea of establishing a local studies center. It is hereby declared the 
policy of the State to recognize the wealth of Philippine culture and history in the 
provinces and cultural communities, which is beneficial in strengthening government 
piogiams and policies in dispute settlement; addressing stereotypes, unequal 
opportunities, and representations; conseiwing what has been studied and recovered, 
and appraising Filipino identity and pride.
Sec. 3. Establishment of Local Studies Centers. - There shall be established local 
studies centers, hereinafter referred to as the "Center," in each province, or if 
necessary, dedicated to the cultural community at large, in state universities and 
coUeges (SUCs).
Sec. 4. Province and Cultural Community-wide cooperation. - Given that there are 
provinces and cultural communities with multiple SUCs, inter-institutional 
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 
local studies centers shall be automatically designated as the Center of a particular 
province and/or cultural community, enjoying the support of other SUCs located 
within the immediate locaHty, cultural community, and the concerned government 
agencies. The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) shall maintain a directory of 
existing and future Centers and ensure that no duplication and redundancy shall take 
place.
Sec. 6. Structure and Staffing Pattern. - The administi'ation of each individual 
SUC-based Center shall have plantilla positions for a Director, a librarian or archivist, 
history researchers, and if necessary, a museum curator, museum researchers, and 
conservators. It shall have the liberty to determine its organizational structure and 
create new divisions or units as it may deem necessary and appoint officers and 
employees.
Sec. 7. Composition and Functions of the Center. - The Center shall be composed 
of but not limited to the four (4) major sei'vice areas with their respective functions 
namely:
a) Research Service Area - conducts research and studies in their locality and 
cultural community; documents local history, culture, and society; and 
contributes to the local policymaking;
b) Publication Service Area - acts as the lead pubhsher, in print and onhne, of local 
history, culture and society, knowledge in the locaHty and cultural community. 
It shall support the production of educational materials on local history, culture 
and society, the promotion of vernacular literatme and language, and other 
studies concerning the locality and cultural community.
c) Awareness Campaign Service Area - creates and promotes participatory 
programs, projects, and activities to continue and encourage discourse on local 
history, culture, and society; as well as champions or cultivates the laws and 
policies on cultural heritage to guide the local government units;
d) Collection Service Area - tasked with the collection building of local historical 
and cultural resources and the conservation thereof, through:
i. Collecting printed materials focusing on pubHcations from their locaHty 
and cultural community;


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ii. 
Gathering available microfilm/microfiche pubhcations;
iii. Photoduplicating documents found in various government institutions, 
especially in national cultural agencies and other local and international 
institutions where data relevant to local studies are available;
iv. Obtaining memoirs and other writings about significant personages and 
institutions in the locaHty and cultural community;
V. Acquiring materials significant to the enrichment of local history, 
culture, and society scholarship; and
vi. Procuring through donations, exchanges, or purchases of important 
historical documents, manuscripts, journals, books, etc.
Sec. 8. sue Support to the Center. - The host SUC of a Center shall
a. Designate premises conducive and equipped to store the collection of the 
Center; conduct pubhc programs such as lectures, seminars, and exhibits; 
and entertain researchers and visitors;
b. Build the collection of the Center by acquiring and purchasing seminal 
Filipiniana core collection;
c. Harmonize the university research program with the goals and objectives 
of the Center;
d. Encourage localized studies among the faculty and the students to benefit 
the immediate community where the school is located;
e. Involve academics, experts, and scholars outside the SUC to contiibute to 
the research and publication activities of tire Center; and
f. Develop policies and programs appraising the quahty and scholarship of 
historical and cultural research and publication for the Center.
Sec. 9. Patronage of Publications Produced by the Center. - The dire need for a body 
of knowledge about the towns, cities, provinces, regions, and cultural communities 
shaU be augmented by encouraging the Center to produce regular publications by its 
resident or non-resident scholars. It shall provide at least two copies of each 
pubheation produced for deposit at the Historical Data Bank of the National Historical 
Commission of the Pliihppines (NHCP), the National Library of the Phihppines 
(NLP), and the University of the Phihppines Diliman FiHpiniana Library. The 
Department of Foreign Affairs shall purchase copies of the publications for


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dissemination to all Sentro Rizal cultural centers in foreign service posts. The local
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school board and the Department of Education shall do the same for all pubHc and
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private schools of the concerned immediate schools division, and the Department of
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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 Hnkage 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 and
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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 Local
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School Board and the Local Culture and Arts Council of concerned local government
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units, the National Economic and Development Authority in the regions, and other
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government bodies concerning local history, culture, and heritage.
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Sec. 12. Funding. - The initial funding requirements for the implem entation of
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tins Act shall be charged against the current appropriations of the SUCs. Thereafter,
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such sums as it may deem necessary for its continued implementation shall be
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included in the institutions' yearly budget under the General Appropriations Act.
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Sec. 13. Repealing Clause - AU 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 be
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held invalid or unconstitutional, no other part, section or provisions thereof shaU be
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affected thereby.
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Sec. 15. Effectivity - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete
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pubhcation in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,