Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
House Bill No. ______ 
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE MARLYN B. ALONTE 
___________________________________________________________________________ 
AN ACT TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN THE GOVERNMENT SYSTEM OF RECORDS 
MANAGEMENT AND ARCHIVES ADMINISTRATION, ESTABLISHING FOR THE PURPOSE THE 
NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY, AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The passage of Republic Act No. 11961, also known as the Cultural Mapping Law, has 
underscored the importance of managing and preserving the Philippines’ cultural and 
historical wealth. In an era characterized by rapid modernization and digital 
transformation, it has become even more critical to safeguard the diverse forms of the 
nation’s archival cultural heritage. This includes both tangible artifacts and intangible 
cultural expressions, which collectively form the foundation of the Filipino identity. 
To address these challenges, this bill seeks to further strengthen the country’s system 
of archival and records management by establishing the National Archives and Records 
Management Authority (NARMA). This independent agency will be administratively 
attached to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) to ensure the 
seamless integration of archival efforts with cultural heritage preservation initiatives. 
The bill proposes amendments to Republic Act No. 9470, also known as the National 
Archives of the Philippines Act of 2007, to replace the National Archives of the 
Philippines (NAP) with NARMA. This reorganization will enable a more focused and 
specialized approach to preserving records that are crucial to the nation’s historical and 
cultural identity. 
As part of adapting to the demands of the digital age, this bill emphasizes the 
importance of incorporating electronic records into the national archives management 
framework. It advocates for policies and guidelines to ensure that digital archives are 
properly managed, preserved, and made accessible. With the shift toward digital media 
in government and cultural documentation, it is vital that both physical and digital 
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records are treated with equal importance, ensuring comprehensive preservation for 
future generations. 
In addition to the digital shift, the bill proposes the creation of an archival conservation 
laboratory to enhance the preservation and restoration of historical documents. This 
facility will serve as a hub for research and practical application of modern archival 
techniques. The bill also calls for the establishment of regional offices that will 
operate regional records centers and archives across the Philippines. These regional 
offices will improve access to preserved materials for local communities, historians, and 
researchers, enhancing the country’s ability to preserve and share its cultural and 
historical records. 
To ensure that NARMA personnel are capable of fulfilling these expanded 
responsibilities, the bill mandates their participation in learning and development 
programs, both domestically and internationally. These programs will be conducted 
during official time to keep NARMA staff abreast of international best practices in 
records management, archival conservation, and the latest technological advancements 
in the field. 
Moreover, the bill establishes a NARMA Trust Fund, which will be exclusively used to 
support the operations, programs, and activities of the Authority. This trust fund will 
ensure the financial sustainability of NARMA and guarantee that it has the necessary 
resources to fulfill its mandate for generations to come. 
By enhancing the system for managing public archival records, this bill will not only 
preserve the rich cultural heritage of the Philippines but will also ensure that future 
generations of Filipinos will have access to these records, thereby strengthening their 
connection to the nation’s shared history and identity. 
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
 REP. MARLYN B. ALONTE 
 Lone District of Biñan, Laguna 


Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
House Bill No. ______ 
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE MARLYN B. ALONTE 
AN ACT TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN THE GOVERNMENT SYSTEM OF RECORDS 
MANAGEMENT AND ARCHIVES ADMINISTRATION, ESTABLISHING FOR THE PURPOSE THE 
NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY, AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Republic of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Republic Act No. 9470, otherwise known as the "National Archives of 
the Philippines Act of 2007," is hereby amended to read as follows: 
“ARTICLE I 
GENERAL PROVISIONS 
SEC 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “National Archives 
and Records Management Authority Act of 2024”. 
SEC 2. Declaration of Policy. — x x x 
SEC 3. Objectives. – This Act shall be construed and implemented to meet the 
following objectives: 
a)
Strengthening the existing system of management and administration of
public records and archives, including electronic records;
b) Mandating accountability in ensuring that full and accurate records of all
government policy and action are created, maintained, and preserved;
11334


 
 
c) Ensuring the systematic and timely disposal of valueless records; 
d) Enhancing public confidence in the integrity of public record-keeping and 
management; 
e) Ensuring the accessibility of public records relevant to the promotion and 
preservation of Philippine cultural heritage and the people’s right to 
information; 
f) Protecting, 
preserving, 
conserving, 
and 
promoting 
the 
nation’s 
documentary heritage, both in the public and private sectors; 
g) Supporting the safekeeping of private archives; and 
h) Strengthening the role of the NARMA in developing and supporting 
government record-keeping and archival management; 
SEC 4. Scope. — This Act shall cover all records, as defined in this Act, 
held in both government offices or private collections, as well as archival and 
records management programs and activities in all branches of government, 
including local government units and regional governments, constitutional 
offices, and other government instrumentalities. 
SEC 5. Definition of Terms. — For purposes of this Act, the following 
definitions shall hereby apply: 
a) “Agency head” refers to the person responsible for the performance of a 
government office and/or the person responsible for the performance of 
an LGU, such as the chief executive elected under the Local Government 
Code of 1991. 
b) “Agency Records Center” refers to the storage of non-current records to 
be managed and operated by each government office concerned or by a 
private entity contracted by a government agency, as approved by the 
NARMA. 
c) “Approved repository” refers to a repository to be established by the 
Director General, which is provided under this Act. 
d) “Appraisal” is the systematic study of records to determine whether they 
possess archival value necessitating preservation; 


 
 
 
e) “Archives” shall refer to: 
1) x x x 
2) x x x 
3) x x x 
f) “Archival materials” shall refer to records, papers, periodicals, books or 
other items, articles or materials, whether in the form of electronic, 
audio-visual or print or other forms, which by their nature and 
characteristics have archival value; 
g) “Archival value” refers to the ongoing usefulness or significance of 
records, based on the administrative, legal, fiscal, evidential, or historical 
information they contain, justifying their continued preservation; 
h) “Audio-visual materials” shall refer to non-textual materials such as 
films, audio-visual negatives, prints, sound or video recordings, or digital 
files, including, but not limited to, moving films, documentaries, and 
animation. 
i) “Controlling government agency” shall refer to: 
1) x x x 
2) x x x 
3) x x x 
j) “Controlling local government” shall refer to: 
1) x x x 
2) x x x 
k) “Director General” refers to the head of the National Archives and Records 
Management Authority. 
l) “Disposal” is the act of discarding or destruction of valueless records in 
accordance with the provisions of this Act. 
m) “Disposition” refers to the systematic movement of records in the office 
storage whereby those classified as valuable records are permanently 
preserved and those which are classified as valueless are disposed of. 


 
 
 
n) “Electronic records” refer to information recorded in machine-readable 
form, including records created, captured, generated, sent, received, and 
stored in electronic records systems. 
o) “Estray record” refers to a public record that is no longer under the 
custody and control of the NARMA or a controlling government office. 
p) “Filipino masters” shall refer to preeminent or historically noteworthy 
Filipino artists of Philippine art historical styles, who may or may not 
legally qualify or be otherwise proclaimed as National Artist, particularly 
those who died before 1972. 
q) “Government office” refers to any public office in all branches, 
subdivisions, instrumentalities, agencies and entities of the government, 
including, 
but 
not 
limited 
to, 
national 
government 
agencies, 
constitutional offices, local government units (LGUs), government-owned 
and controlled corporations (GOCCs), state and local universities and 
colleges, 
courts, 
legislative 
and 
judicial 
offices, 
local 
water 
instrumentalities, Philippine embassies, consulates, and other Philippine 
offices abroad, and other instrumentalities of government. 
r) “Important cultural property” shall refer to a cultural property that has 
exceptional cultural, artistic, and historical significance to the Philippines, 
and has been officially declared as such by law or the pertinent cultural 
agency or agencies. 
s) “Judicial records” refer to x x x. 
t) “Legislative records” refer to x x x. 
u) “Local government archives” refer to x x x. 
v) “Local government records” refer to x x x. 
w) “Metadata” refers to the context of electronic documents, which provide 
information about the location of the document, its author, and the date 
it was created, among others. 


 
 
x) “National Cultural Treasure” refers to a unique cultural property found-
locally possessing outstanding historical, cultural, artistic, and/or 
scientific value, is highly significant and important to the country and 
nation and has been officially declared as such by law or the pertinent 
cultural agency or agencies. 
y) “National heroes” shall refer to deceased personalities whose deeds 
inspired the Filipinos to have a concept of a nation and to contribute to 
the defense, interest, betterment, and quality of life of their fellow 
countrymen, society, and homeland. They were and continuously being 
honored by the people nationally through commemorations, monuments 
or shrines, coins, and stamps, among others. 
z) “Non-current records” refer to files that deal with completed or adjourned 
business not needed for action or reference in continuing agency 
transactions but which may be preserved and occasionally used for legal, 
historical or operational purposes; 
aa) “Open access records” refer to public records, whether in the custody and 
control of the controlling government agency or the NARMA, which have 
been in existence for at least thirty (30) years, and to which public access 
have not been otherwise prohibited by the controlling government office 
or the NARMA, as the case may be. 
bb) “President” refers to the President of the Philippines. 
cc) “President’s papers” refer to records and other documentary materials 
created or received by the President, the President’s immediate staff, or 
a unit or individual of the Office of the President whose function is to 
advise or assist the President, while holding office as President of the 
Philippines. 
dd) “Private archives” refer to records with archival value belonging to private 
individuals and/or entities. 
ee) “Protected record” refers to x x x. 


 
 
ff) “Public access registry” refers to a register available to the public that 
contains information regarding access to public records, including any 
restrictions or unauthorized disclosures. 
gg) “Public Archives” shall refer to: 
1) Public records that are determined to have archival value; and 
 
2) Private archives that are acquired by NARMA under the provisions 
of this Act, as well as any private archives acquired by any 
government office. 
hh) “Public records” x x x. 
ii) “Records” shall refer to recorded information in whatever format 
produced or received in the initiation, conduct or completion of an 
institutional or individual activity and that comprises content, context, 
and structure sufficient to provide evidence of the activity. 
jj) “Records center” refers to an intermediate repository in which noncurrent 
records of various government offices are stored until they can be 
destroyed or transferred to the NARMA. 
kk) “Records management” refers to x x x 
ll) “Records Office” refers to an organizational unit responsible for planning, 
developing, prescribing, disseminating and enforcing policies, rules and 
regulations, and coordinating the agency-wide records management 
program. 
mm) “Repository” refers to a facility determined by a government office for 
the appropriate maintenance and storage of public records. 
nn) “Restricted access records” refers to records which access have been 
restricted because there exists a legal impediment and/or standard or 
advice issued by the Director General that requires such public records 
to be withheld from public access. 
oo) “Standards” refers to the circulars and orders issued by the Director 
General pursuant to the provisions of this Act. 


 
 
pp) “Vital records” refers to x x x. 
qq) “Vice President’s Papers” refer to records and other documentary 
materials created or received by the Vice President, the Vice President’s 
immediate staff, or a unit or individual of the Office of the Vice 
President whose function is to advise or assist the Vice President, while 
holding office as Vice President of the Philippines. 
ARTICLE II 
PURPOSE, OTHER PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS, 
AND KEY ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS 
 
SEC 6. Renaming of the National Archives of the Philippines to National 
Archives and Records Management Authority. — The National Archives of the 
Philippines is hereby renamed as the “National Archives and Records 
Management Authority” (NARMA) which shall be attached as an independent 
agency to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) exclusively 
for program coordination. 
SEC 7. Establishment, Mandate and Functions. — 
a) The National Archives and Records Management Authority shall be the 
sole authority in government records management and archives 
administration. It is the mandate of the NARMA to implement the 
objectives and provisions of this Act. It shall plan, develop, prescribe, 
disseminate and enforce policies, rules and regulations and coordinate 
government-wide programs governing the creation, general protection, 
use, storage and disposition of public records, including the acquisition, 
storage and preservation of public archives and providing facilities for 
reference, research, or other purposes. The NARMA shall also be the 
primarily 
government 
agency 
responsible 
for 
the 
protection, 
conservation, and designation, and regulation of public and private 
archives, including archival cultural properties. 


 
 
b) The National Archives and Records Management Authority shall have the 
following functions: 
1) Take necessary measures to classify, identify, preserve, and 
restore public records; 
2) Acquire or facilitate the acquisition of permanent and suitable 
buildings for the NARMA to house the country’s archival holdings 
and public records; 
3) Conduct archival researches using archival materials here and 
abroad; 
4) Plan, formulate and implement a records management and archival 
administration program for the efficient creation, utilization, 
maintenance, retention, preservation, conservation and disposal of 
public records including the adoption of security measures and 
vital records protection program in the interest of disaster 
preparedness and business continuity in government; 
5) Provide technical assistance to all government offices, as well as 
the private sector, with respect to the storage of records, and in 
the planning, implementation and evaluation of their records 
management and archives administration programs; 
6) Conduct and accredit training programs on records and archives 
management, including the establishment of an archival system of 
both public and private sectors; 
7) Oversee public and private archives in terms of its cultural heritage 
preservation, conservation, protection, and regulation; 
8) Acquire public records, private archives, and all other records that 
the Director General deem to have archival value through sale, 
donation, expropriation, or other forms of conveyance or transfer; 
9) Impose administrative fines and sanctions for violation of its rules 
and orders issued pursuant to this Act, and for obstruction or 


 
 
refusal to comply with its lawful directives in the implementation 
of this Act; 
10) Ensure the preservation and conservation of existing and future 
archival resources of the government; 
11) Issue, transmit and/or reproduce copies, certified true copies or 
certifications on public archives and/or extracts thereof, subject 
to the provisions on access in this Act and other existing laws; 
12) Maintain a registry of all public records under the custody and 
control of the NARMA which shall be made available for public 
inspection; 
13) Obtain custody and management of all the public archives not 
already in the custody and management of the NARMA; 
14) Accept, 
store, 
preserve 
and 
conserve 
any 
public 
archive 
transferred to the NARMA; 
15) Establish, maintain, operate regional archives and records centers 
with complementary archives preservation facilities, and all other 
related facilities; 
16) Prepare, publish, sell, or otherwise distribute material concerning 
any public archives or any part of the archives or the activities, 
facilities, and services provided by the NARMA, subject to the 
terms and conditions on which they are obtained and subject to 
copyright laws. 
SEC 8. Management of the NARMA. — The NARMA shall be headed by a 
Director General, who shall serve as the Head of Agency of NARMA. The Director 
General shall be assisted by three (3) Deputy Directors-General. 
The Regional Offices shall be managed and supervised by the Director 
General and Deputy Directors General, with the assistance of at least one (1) 
Director per administrative region, each of whom shall have the appropriate 
managerial rank. 


 
 
Each Regional Director may be assisted by an Assistant Director, each of 
whom shall have an appropriate managerial rank. Both the Regional Director and 
Assistant Regional Director shall be appointed by the Director General based on 
merit and performance. 
SEC 9. The Director General. — The Director General shall be the National 
Archivist of the Republic of the Philippines, with the rank and emoluments of a 
Department Undersecretary. The Director General shall be appointed by the 
President. 
 
No person shall be appointed or designated as Director General of the NARMA 
unless he/she possesses the following minimum qualifications: 
a) a Filipino citizen; 
b) a holder of a master’s degree in archival studies, arts, history, 
humanities, 
social 
studies, 
political 
science, 
sociology, 
public 
administration, library science, information management or a related field 
of study; 
c) ten (10) years of experience, preferably in records management and 
archives administration; and 
d) not previously found guilty of a criminal or administrative offense. 
The Director General shall have a fixed term of seven (7) years. In case of 
vacancy in the position of the Director General during the seven-year-term, the 
subsequent appointee shall serve the unexpired term of the predecessor and 
may later be reappointed to a fresh seven-year-term. 
SEC 10. The Deputy Directors General. — The Deputy Directors General 
shall have the ranks and emoluments of an Assistant Secretary. One of the 
Deputy Director General will be appointed by, and shall be co-terminus with, the 
Director General; while the other two (2) Deputy Directors General shall be career 
officials who shall be appointed by the President. 
No person shall be appointed or designated as Deputy Director General of 
the NARMA unless he/she possesses the following minimum qualifications: 


 
 
a) a Filipino citizen; 
b) a holder of a master’s degree in archival studies, arts, history, 
humanities, 
social 
studies, 
political 
science, 
sociology, 
public 
administration, library science, information management or a related field 
of study; 
c) five (5) years of experience in records management and archives 
administration; and 
d) Career Executive Service Eligibility (for the Deputy Directors General who 
are appointed by the President); and 
e) not previously found guilty of a criminal or administrative offense. 
SEC 11. Functions and Powers of the Director General. — The Director 
General shall have the following functions and powers: 
a) Establish policies, standards and guidelines related to public records 
management and archives administration programs; 
b) Examine, identify and determine records of government agencies and 
classify and preserve those which are of permanent or enduring historical 
value; 
c) Advise on the creation, maintenance, storage, use and disposition of 
public records; 
d) Direct and determine the necessary standards for the disposition of 
public records; 
e) Take suitable measures in preserving and conserving archival materials 
which are under the custody of the NARMA, government offices, and 
private archives; 
f) Acquire through transfer, donation, purchase, expropriation, or any other 
means public records and private archives which in his or her judgment 
have archival value; 
g) Determine and establish measures on access and use of public archives; 
h) Provide maintenance and security for public records in the custody and 
control of the NARMA; 


 
 
i) Report to the President any loss of public records in the custody and 
control of the NARMA; 
j) Enter into agreements with any archival or historical institutions, local and 
abroad, to acquire or copy original documents or archival materials to 
enhance the archival and historical holdings of the Philippines; 
k) Establish and implement government-wide programs on public records 
and archives disaster-preparedness and business continuity; 
l) Establish linkages with local and foreign organizations engaged in 
records management and archives administration; 
m) Issue rules and regulations for all or any of the following purposes: 
 
1) Regulating the transfer of public records from any government 
office to the NARMA or to an approved repository; 
2) Regulating the manner of destruction or other disposal of public 
records; 
3) Regulating the admission of the public to the NARMA and the use 
by the public of public archives deposited in the NARMA; 
4) Providing for the custody and preservation of Presidents’ papers 
and any other private records deposited in the NARMA, and 
prescribing the fees to be charged for custody and preservation 
thereof; 
5) Prescribing forms for the proper and effective implementation of 
this Act; and 
6) Such other matters deemed by the Director General as necessary 
or relevant. 
n) Appoint one (1) out of the three (3) Deputy Director Generals, pursuant to 
Sec. 10 of this Act; 
o) Appoint as a consultant any person who possesses the ability and 
expertise to carry out archival research, documentation work, or any 
activities deemed necessary by the Director General; 


 
 
p) Perform such other functions as may be necessary for the proper and 
effective management of the NARMA and to fully implement this Act. 
SEC 12. Power of Review. — 
a) The Director General shall, from time to time, review or cause the review 
of any classified records which are in the custody and under the control 
of the NARMA. 
b) For the purpose of subsection (a) and subject to subsection (c), the 
Director General shall have the power to inspect the contents of any 
classified records and declassify those classified records which are in the 
custody and under the control of the NARMA. 
 
c) The review and reclassification or declassification of any classified 
records shall be carried out in accordance with existing laws, issuances 
and regulations on classified documents. 
SEC 13. Power to Delegate. — 
a) The Director General may, by an instrument in writing, delegate and/or 
appoint an acting Director General designated as officer-in-charge 
whenever he/she shall be unable to perform the duties of his/her office 
due to illness, absence or other cause, and in such case the person so 
appointed may perform all the duties imposed on the Director General by 
law until such temporary designation is deemed revoked. 
Such power to delegate shall be subject to the provision of Section 
40, Chapter 8, Book IV of Executive Order No. 292. 
b) The Director General may also, in writing, delegate any of his/her 
functions under this Act, subject to conditions, limitations or restrictions 
as he/she thinks fit, to a person or class of persons who may perform 
those functions in the same manner and with the same effect as if those 
functions had been conferred on him or them under this Act, subject to 
the provision of Section 40, Chapter 8, Book IV of Executive Order No. 
292. 


 
 
c) A person purporting to act pursuant to a delegation made under this 
section shall, in the absence of proof to the contrary, be presumed to be 
acting in accordance with the terms of the delegations. 
SEC 14. Right-Sizing. — The Director General shall have the authority to 
reorganize the structure of the National Archives of the Philippines, including its 
staffing pattern, in order to carry out its functions pursuant to its expanded 
mandate as the NARMA, subject to the approval of the Department of Budget 
and Management and in accordance with the rules and guidelines of the Civil 
Service Commission. 
SEC 15. Special Institutes and Archives. — The NARMA shall also house 
the following special institutes and archives: 
a) Archives and Records Management Training Institute; 
b) Pandemic and Disaster Response Archives; 
c) Oral Narratives Center; 
d) Grassroots Community Archives; 
e) Commemorative Archives; 
f) Presidential Archives; and 
g) Special Collection Archives. 
Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Director General shall be 
authorized to create new institutes and archives within the NARMA. 
SEC. 16. Permanent Site. – Without prejudice to future acquisitions by the 
NARMA, the Intendencia Building in Intramuros, Manila, as well as all other 
existing real properties of the National Archives of the Philippines are hereby 
designated for the use of the NARMA and shall serve as the permanent and 
exclusive sites of the National Archives. The ownership of the Intendencia 
building and its associated land shall be transferred to the NARMA. 
The Director General shall have immediate custody and control of the 
National Archives and its contents and may design, construct, purchase, lease, 
maintain, operate, protect, conserve, restore, and improve buildings (including 
heritage buildings) and other facilities for use by the NARMA. 


 
 
SEC. 17. Establishment of an Archival Conservation Laboratory – The 
NARMA shall establish an Archival Conservation Laboratory equipped with 
advanced paper conservation tools and equipment to ensure the continued 
preservation of its archival collection. 
SEC. 18.  Establishment of Regional Offices. – The NARMA shall establish, 
operate, and maintain regional offices to perform active and inactive records 
management and archives administration and preservation activities in each 
administrative region. 
The regional offices shall operate regional records centers and regional 
archives, with complementary storage facilities and archives preservation 
facilities. 
SEC. 19. Personnel Training, Development, and Performance Incentives. –  
The NARMA shall undertake learning and development programs to upgrade the 
capabilities of its personnel in the various functions of the NARMA. Personnel 
shall be allowed to train or study in the Philippines or abroad, on official time, 
subject to the needs of the service, upon approval of the Director General. 
A system of monetary incentives shall be established by the NARMA to 
reward the superior performance and milestones of professional development on 
the part of management and administrative and technical personnel, subject to 
the approval of the Department of Budget and Management and, where 
applicable, of the Civil Service Commission. 
SEC. 20. Trust Fund. – The NARMA shall establish a Trust Fund which 
shall be sourced from fees, fines, and other income generated from its 
operations incidental to its functions. The NARMA Trust Fund shall be used 
exclusively for NARMA 
programs, 
activities, acquisitions, infrastructure, 
improvement, travels, and trainings abroad, and analogous expenses. The 
utilization of the Trust Fund shall be subject to usual government accounting 
and auditing rules. 
SEC. 21.  Retention of Income and Disposition of Donated Funds. – 
Income that accrues to the NARMA from all sources of its operations shall be 


 
 
placed in the NARMA Trust Fund and may accumulate for disbursement in future 
fiscal years, if not used within the fiscal year in which such income was 
generated. 
Donations of money to the NARMA shall also be placed in the NARMA 
Trust Fund, to be disbursed according to the terms and purposes of the 
respective deeds of donation, or disbursed for any purpose for the benefit of the 
NARMA, as may be determined by the Director General, if no specific purposes 
are stipulated in the deeds of donation. 
The handling and accounting of such donations shall be subject to rules 
and regulations to be prescribed by the NARMA in agreement with the 
Commission on Audit (COA) within six (6) months after the effectivity of this Act. 
SEC. 22. National Archives Endowment Fund. – There is hereby created a 
National Archives Endowment Fund, whose funding shall be sourced from two 
percent (2%) of the annual net earnings of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes 
Office and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation. Rules governing 
such administration, management, and investment shall be similar to those 
pertaining to relevant government financial institutions, and shall be formulated 
by the NARMA. The interest of the Fund shall be utilized for the purpose of 
implementing special programs, projects, and activities that the Director General 
may approve in furtherance of the NARMA’s mandate. 
SEC. 23. Exemption from Taxes, Duties, Fees, and Charges. – The NARMA 
shall be exempt from clearances, payment of taxes, fees, and charges imposed 
by the National Government and its political subdivisions, agencies, and 
instrumentalities, including local government units. 
All donations in any form to the NARMA shall be exempt from donor’s tax 
and the same shall be considered as an allowable deduction from gross income 
in the computation of the income tax of the donor, in accordance with the 
National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended. 
Importation of scientific, philosophical, historical, and cultural books, 
supplies, materials, and equipment for the use in the conservation and 


 
 
preservation work of the NARMA shall be exempt from customs fees and 
charges. 
 
ARTICLE III 
THE PUBLIC RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM 
 
SEC 24. Objectives of Records Management. – The NARMA shall lead the 
establishment of records management standards and procedures to be 
implemented by all government offices, with particular attention to their peculiar 
needs and operations. Such records management standards and procedures 
shall seek to implement the following goals: 
a) Accurate and complete documentation of the policies and transactions of 
all government offices; 
b) Assessment and control of the quantity and quality of public records 
generated by a government office; 
c) Establishment and maintenance of mechanisms of control with respect to 
records creation in order to prevent the creation of unnecessary records 
and to promote the effective and economical operations of a government 
office; 
d) Simplification of activities, systems, and processes of records creation, 
maintenance, use and disposition of records; 
e) Judicious preservation and disposition of public records; 
f) Direction of continuous attention on records from their initial creation to 
their final disposition; 
g) Increase in capacity of electronic and digital forms in the maintenance, 
storage, reproduction, and preservation of public records; and 
h) Establishment and maintenance of such other systems or techniques as 
the NARMA considers necessary to carry out the policies and objectives of 
this Act. 


 
 
SEC 25. Establishment of Records Offices in All Government Offices. — All 
government offices shall each establish their archives and records office in 
coordination with the DBM and the NARMA from their organic personnel within a 
year from the date of effectivity of this Act. The records officer or an archivist of 
a government office shall head the said archives and records office. The records 
officer shall have the duty of complying with the NARMA regulations and 
guidelines and shall be prima facie responsible for any failure to comply with the 
provisions of this Act. 
SEC 26. Establishment of Agency Records Centers. — All government 
offices shall establish their agency records center. These centers shall be 
responsible for the maintenance and control of non-current records under their 
custody. 
 
SEC 27. Establishment of a Records and Archives Management Program in 
All Government Offices. — All heads of government offices shall establish and 
maintain an active, continuing program for the effective, efficient, and 
economical management of public records and archives by their respective 
government offices. 
The NARMA shall assist all government offices in the establishment of their 
respective records and archives management programs. 
SEC 28. System of Registration and Accreditation. — Pursuant to the 
provisions of this Act, the NARMA shall institute a comprehensive program for 
the registration and accreditation of various public and private archives 
nationwide. Such system of registration and accreditation shall include among 
others, the mechanism for updating public and private archives of recent 
methods, techniques and procedures in records management and the annual 
reportorial requirements of their archival holdings. 
SEC 29. Public Access Registry. — All government offices shall regularly 
conduct an inventory of their public records and shall be mandated to keep the 
following data in their respective Public Access Registry: 


 
 
a) All public records under the government office’s custody; 
b) All public records transferred to the NARMA; 
c) Public records disposed of with authority from the NARMA; and 
d) Data of deferred transfer. 
Such public access register shall also contain information on: 
a) Restrictions on public access to public records; 
b) Prohibitions on public access to public archives or protected records 
under the control of the Director General; and 
c) The grounds for the prohibitions and restrictions stipulated. 
The heads of all government offices concerned shall ensure the full public 
accessibility of said registry. 
SEC 30. Records Disposition. — Every disposition action on a public 
record must strictly be in accordance with the general records disposition 
schedule and agency records disposition schedule when applicable, as submitted 
to and approved by the NARMA. 
SEC 31. General Records Disposition Schedule. — The NARMA shall 
develop a general records disposition schedule that shall prescribe the disposal 
of public records common to all government offices. 
SEC 32. Agency Records Disposition Schedule. — All government offices 
shall, after a periodic appraisal and review of its inventory of public records at a 
frequency to be determined by the NARMA, submit an agency records 
disposition schedule covering other public records not covered by the GRDS. 
SEC 33. Disposal of Public Records. — No government office shall 
dispose, or authorize the disposal, of any public record that is in its custody or 
control, except with the prior written authority of the NARMA. 
SEC 34. Authority for the Disposition of Public Records. — 
a) The Director General or his/her delegate shall authorize in 
writing the disposition of a public record, such as: 
1) Transferring control and custody of the public 
record to another government office; 


 
 
2) Transferring control and/or custody of the public 
record to the Director General; 
3) Destroying the valueless public record; or 
4) Selling the valueless public record. 
b) Before authorizing a disposition of a public record under 
subsection (a), the head of a government office shall give 
the Director General at least thirty (30) days’ notice prior to: 
1) x x x; 
2) x x x; 
3) x x x. 
SEC 35. Transfer of Public Records to the NARMA. — Heads of 
government offices shall cause the transfer of the following public records under 
their control and custody, to the control and custody of the NARMA: 
a) Archival materials or collections of any government office which 
are more than thirty (30) years old and have national and historical 
significance as determined by NARMA, including, but not limited 
to: 
1) as-built plans of government-owned buildings, bridges, 
and similar works implemented by the Department of Public 
Works and Highways, and by other government offices; 
2) noncurrent public records of a government office that has 
thirty (30) years or more retention periods, including 
inactive personnel records which are often referred to as 
the 201 files. 
b) Any public record, regardless of age, that, in the judgment of the 
Director General, have archival value to warrant their preservation; 
c) Public records of a government office that ceases to exist as a 
public office, or ceases to exercise a function to which its public 
records relate, unless otherwise provided by law; 
d) President and Vice-Presidential Papers; 


 
 
e) Civil registry records over one hundred (100) years old; and 
f) Other public records which may be transferred at the option of the 
heads of government agencies, subject to the acceptance of such 
records by the NARMA. 
Nothing in this section shall be deemed to authorize the transfer of 
classified records except with prior written consent of the head of the 
government office charged with the control and custody of public records. 
Furthermore, nothing in this section shall be construed as affecting 
or extending the law relating to copyright. 
Public records shall be surrendered on demand: 
a) Public records, in the possession of a private person who has special 
permission to keep and handle records in the course of his official duties, 
which in the opinion of the Director General are or likely to be of 
permanent and enduring archival value, shall, on demand by the Director 
General or a proper officer be surrendered to the custody and control of 
the NARMA; and 
b) x x x. 
SEC 36. Turn-over of Presidential and Vice Presidential Papers. 
Presidential Papers and Vice Presidential Papers as defined under this Act shall 
be transferred to the NARMA within one (1) year from the end of the term of the 
respective President and Vice President. 
SEC 37. Deferred Transfer of Records. The Director General may defer the 
transfer of any public records when, upon his or her determination, the 
immediate transfer of the public records shall prejudice the administration of 
any government office or would be contrary to public interest. 
The Director General may also defer the transfer of any public records 
due to logistical concerns, pending legal issues over such records, or failure of 
the government office to comply with any procedure and conditions for transfer 
that the NARMA may set out. 


 
 
The requirement to transfer public records does not apply to the 
following circumstances: 
a) Public records whose disposition are under or part of specific acts, 
laws regulations, or orders of a competent court, or a quasi-
judicial or investigatory body; 
b) When the head of the controlling government office and the 
Director General have agreed in writing that the transfer of the 
public records may be deferred for a specified period that the 
Head and Director General consider appropriate; provided that 
such deferment should not exceed two (2) years, and that this 
deferment may be extended upon approval of the Director 
General, which extension shall not be more than two (2) years at a 
time; 
c) Public records that are in electronic form, if the Director General 
instructs the controlling government office in writing to continue 
to maintain and control those records after the expiry of the thirty 
(30) year period; or, 
d) When the controlling government office has its own archival 
facility. 
Every deferred transfer under this section shall be noted in NARMA’s 
Registry, and the respective registry of the government office concerned. 
SEC 38. Transfer of Public Records to NARMA Records Centers – Whenever 
it is in the interest of the efficient operations of a government office, the head of 
a controlling government office may direct the transfer of such public record to a 
records center as provided for by this Act. Provided, that such transfer is 
approved by the NARMA and according to the transferring agency’s Records 
Disposition Schedule and the GRDS. 
SEC 39. Regional Archives, Records Center and Agency Records Center, 
Establishment. — Pursuant to the objectives of this Act, the following shall be 
established, maintained and operated by the NARMA: 


 
 
a) Regional Archives — x x x 
b) Records Centers — x x x 
c) Agency Records Centers — x x x 
SEC 40. Protected Records of Local Governments. — 
a) The Director General may, by notice in the Official Gazette made 
after consultation with any local government concerned, declare 
that a local government record is a protected record for purposes 
of this Act. 
b) An LGU shall provide for the adequate protection and preservation 
of a protected record it holds, in accordance with any applicable 
standards or instructions issued by the Director General. 
c) An LGU shall not dispose of a protected record unless it has: 
1) Notified in writing the Director General of its intention to 
dispose of the protected record; 
2) Identified the protected record concerned; and 
3) Specified how it intends to dispose of the protected record. 
d) Not later than three months after receiving written notification 
under subsection (c)(1), the Director General shall: 
1) Direct the local government in writing to transfer the 
protected record to the control of the Director General, 
subject to conditions agreed by the head of an LGU and the 
Director General; or 
2) Authorize the disposal of the protected record identified 
under subsection (c)(2). 
SEC 41. Approval of Repositories. — The Director General or his/her 
delegate may: 
a) Bestow upon an appropriate archives, such as a museum, a library, 
another archive or a local government repository, as an approved 
repository 
where 
public 
archives 
may 
be 
deposited 
for 
safekeeping; and 


 
 
b) Amend or revoke such grant of approval as stipulated under 
paragraph (a) herein. 
c) At any time after giving reasonable notice, inspect an approved 
repository; 
d) With the agreement of the head of the controlling government 
office and the consent of the approved repository, deposit public 
archives in an approved repository, or conditions on, or issue 
instructions to, an approved repository for the purpose; 
e) Impose standards of ensuring that the national interests in the 
public archives are preserved; the public archives are properly 
maintained and appropriate public access to the public archives is 
maintained; and 
f) Direct an approved repository to transfer public archives to the 
possession of the NARMA, another approved repository or the 
controlling government office, as the case may be. 
 
ARTICLE IV 
ELECTRONICS RECORDS MANAGEMENT 
 
SEC 42. Management of Electronic Records. — All government offices, 
with existing electronic records, shall create and implement an Electronic 
Records Management Program (ERMP), which shall be in line with the standards 
set under this Act and other regulations which may be issued by the NARMA. 
SEC 43. Electronic Records Standards — The following minimum 
standards shall be imposed on electronic records management: 
a) Record Documentation – Electronic records shall be created with 
essential metadata which describe the content and structure of the 
record as well as the background of its creation. Accurate and 
reliable links connecting the electronic record and the transaction 
that will be created shall be maintained. 


 
 
b) Record Accessibility – The content, structure, and context of 
records shall be transferred to and preserved in the electronic 
records management system in an accessible and useable format 
until the records reach the end of their retention period or until 
they are destroyed. 
c) Record Integrity – All electronic records shall be properly secured. 
They shall be protected throughout their retention periods from 
intentional or accidental modifications, disclosures deletion, and 
unauthorized access. Permission to capture, access, or destroy 
electronic records shall only be given to authorized personnel. 
d) Record Security – The agencies shall formulate their own rules on 
access levels to include the use of usernames and passwords. 
Access rights may be given to authorized users and/or personnel 
in accordance with applicable provisions of the Data Privacy Act 
and other regulations pertaining to confidential and classified 
records. The agency shall also identify which electronic records are 
subject 
to 
legislative, 
regulatory 
and 
institutional 
policy 
restrictions. 
SEC 44. Electronic Record as an Official Copy — An electronic record shall 
be considered as the official copy when it is created, captured, and maintained 
within a reliable electronic recordkeeping system. 
SEC 45. Inventory of Electronic Records — All government offices shall 
create a records inventory of all electronic records, regardless of media. 
Government offices shall also ensure that all electronic records are included in 
their respective Agency Records Disposition Schedules. 
SEC 46. Digitization of Paper Records — Records with long-term 
administrative, legal, fiscal, or other permanent value shall be prioritized for 
conversion to an electronic format. 
SEC 47. Digitized Document as Equivalent of the Original — Any digitized 
document certified as a true copy of the records under the custody of the 


 
 
controlling government office, shall be considered an original document. Any 
digitized document so certified by the said office shall be considered a public 
document, which needs no further authentication in any court of law. 
SEC 48. Admissibility as Evidence – The relevant applicable rules of 
judicial, quasi-judicial, or administrative bodies shall determine the admissibility 
and manner of authentication of these electronic records as evidence. 
SEC 49. Copies as equivalent of the originals – When a document is in two 
or more copies executed at or about the same time with identical contents, or is 
a counterpart produced by the same impression as the original, or from the 
same matrix, or by mechanical or electronic re-recording, or by chemical 
reproduction, or by other equivalent techniques which is accurately reproduces 
the original, such copies or duplicates shall be regarded as the equivalent of the 
original. Notwithstanding the foregoing, copies or duplicates shall not be 
admissible to the same extent as the original if: 
a) a genuine question is raised as to the authenticity of the original; 
or 
b) in the circumstances it would be unjust or inequitable to admit a 
copy in lieu of the original. 
SEC 450. Digital Signature — Official digital signatures, which have 
verifiable metadata and are password-protected, must be used on all official 
documents which are otherwise not signed on paper. 
SEC 51. Official Electronic Mail — Official government business must be 
conducted only through official email accounts. 
SEC 52. Preservation of Electronic Records — Government offices shall 
guarantee that electronic records will not sustain any loss or alteration of 
information at all stages of their existence. Government offices must ensure the 
future accessibility of electronic records by developing migration and conversion 
strategies that are designed to update hardware, software, and storage media 
before they reach obsolescence. 


 
 
Furthermore, government offices shall maintain appropriate back-up 
media and systems for storing electronic records through-out the records 
retention period. 
SEC 53. Migration of Electronic Records — Migration of electronic records 
shall be required when at least one of the following conditions is present: 
a) The scheduled destruction date is greater than five years from the 
initial installation date or last major upgrade of the computer 
storage device or software that reads, process, or maintains the 
records; 
b) The total retention period is greater than ten years from the date 
the records were created; or 
c) Usability of the electronic records will be affected by replacements, 
upgrades, or other changes in computer hardware or software 
components. 
SEC 54. Retention and Disposal of Electronic Records — The retention and 
disposal of electronic records shall be in accordance with the approved records 
disposition schedules and Article III, Sec. 33 of this Act. 
 
ARTICLE VI 
STANDARDS, INSPECTION, REPORTING AND AUDIT 
 
SEC 55. Effectivity of Standards. — All standards issued by the Director 
General shall be published in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general 
circulation not later than ninety (90) days before its effectivity. In the absence of 
such required publication, the NARMA shall deem it not effective. 
SEC 56. Inspection Powers. — The Director General may, after giving 
reasonable notice to a government office or private archive concerned, review 
the records management and archives administration practices and programs of 
any government office, determine the effectiveness and compliance of such 
practices and programs with this Act, and make the necessary recommendation 


 
 
or directive for correction or improvement of records management; Provided, 
that during the conduct of inspection, the Director General or his/her authorized 
representative may require the production of documents or archives. 
However, the Director General is prohibited from exercising such power 
to inspect in cases where public records: 
a) carry security classifications; and, 
b) are restricted by other legislation without the consent of the head 
of the controlling government office. 
The provision of this section applies, with the necessary modifications, to 
local government records and local government archives. 
 
For this purpose, the NARMA shall adopt an operational guideline and 
rules of procedure. The Director General or his/her delegate shall have the 
power to cite the responsible official/s for contempt for violations thereof. 
SEC 57. Direction to Report to the Director General. — The Director 
General may give notice in writing directing the head of a government office or 
of an approved repository to report to the Director General or to any other 
person on: 
a) Any specified aspect of its record keeping practice; or 
b) The public records that it controls or, in the case of an approved 
repository, has possession of. 
SEC 58. Annual Report on Record Keeping. — The Director General shall 
make an annual report to the President on the state of record keeping within 
government offices. Such report shall be included in the annual report given to 
the President where the same shall be furnished to the Congress. 
SEC 59. Public Records Management Audit. — The Director General or 
his/her delegate shall be authorized to conduct a periodic records management 
audit in all government offices and other public archives. All heads of each 
government office, whether national or local, shall grant access to all of their 
records for audit purposes. The audit shall be conducted after five (5) years from 


 
 
the date of effectivity of this Act and five (5) years thereafter, or as otherwise 
required under pertinent rules. 
For this purpose, the Director General may deputize the respective 
records officers of the concerned agencies or office to assist him/her in the 
conduct of the audit; provided that the audit/inspection of consular offices, 
embassies, and other government agencies outside the Philippines shall be 
conducted every five (5) years. 
 
ARTICLE VII 
ARCHIVES ADMINISTRATION 
 
SEC 60. Access Status. — When public records have been in existence for 
thirty (30) years or more are about to be transferred to the custody and control 
of the NARMA, the head of the controlling government office shall classify the 
records as either: 
a) Open access records, which may be freely accessed by the public; 
or 
b) Restricted access records, which must be withheld from the public 
as required by law or as deemed necessary by the head of 
government office. 
At the time of original classification, the controlling government office 
shall establish a specific date or event for declassification based on the duration 
of the national security sensitivity of the information, which period shall not 
exceed 30 years. Such period may be extended upon approval by the Director 
General of the request by the controlling government agency, which extension 
shall not be more than five (5) years at a time. 
SEC 61. Grounds for Determining Access Status. — 
a) In classifying the access status of a public record under Section 
60, the head of the controlling government office shall consider 
existing rules and regulations on classified records. 


 
 
b) x x x 
c) If there are good reasons for restricting public access under 
subsection (a), or if such legal impediment exists requiring such 
public record to be withheld from public access, the head of the 
controlling government office shall, in consultation with Director 
General, determine the necessity to restrict public access to the 
public record for a specified period of time or permit such public 
access with conditions. 
d) The head of a controlling government agency may, at any time, in 
consultation with the Director General, vary or withdraw a 
condition imposed on public access records. 
e) x x x 
f) The NARMA shall comply with the conditions of public access 
imposed under subsection (c). 
g) A restriction on public access to a public record shall be noted in 
the Public Access Registry. 
h) x x x 
SEC 62. Access Status of Local Government Records. — x x x. 
SEC 63. Grounds for Determining Access Status of Local Government 
Records. — x x x. 
SEC. 64. Access to Public Archives. – Any person may, for the purpose of 
reference or research, inspect any public archives or public records made 
available to the public; Provided, that all conditions or restrictions imposed by 
the government office from which the public records were acquired and/or by 
the NARMA are met. 
SEC 65. Public Inspections of Open Access Records. — Unless this Act or 
its pertinent implementing rules and regulations provides otherwise, an open 
access record shall be made available for inspection by the public as soon as it is 
reasonably practicable after a request to inspect the record is made to the 


 
 
government office, the approved repository, or the NARMA, whichever has 
possession of the open access record. 
SEC 66. Publication or Copying of Public Archives under the NARMA. — 
The Director General may, subject to condition that he/she deems appropriate, 
authorize, in writing, the publication or replication of a public archive that is an 
open access record. 
SEC 67. Prohibition on Public Access or Replication. — Accessing or 
replicating a public archive or protected record which is under the control and 
custody of the NARMA shall be deemed prohibited. Such prohibition on public 
access shall be noted in the Public Access Registry. 
SEC 68. Restricted Access Records. — The period for which public access 
to a public record may be restricted, may upon the written request of the 
Director General, be reviewed after the expiry of ten (10) years from the date 
that the restriction is recorded in the Public Access Registry: Provided, That 
before its expiry, it may be extended for further periods as specified by the head 
of the controlling government office. 
SEC 69. Creation of Archival Preservation Copies. — The NARMA shall 
ensure continued access to its archival collection through the creation of 
preservation copies of its archival records in various preservation formats, such 
as but not limited to, microfilms and microfiche. 
SEC 70. Protection of Records and Archives against Disasters. — The 
NARMA shall establish standards and guidelines for the protection of records 
and archives during natural disasters and human-induced calamities. It will also 
ensure close coordination with relevant government agencies to ensure that 
records and archives are protected and preserved during natural disasters and 
human-induced calamities. 
SEC 71. Inalienability and Imprescriptibility of Public Records and Public 
Archives. — All public records and public archives are inalienable and cannot be 
removed, abandoned, destroyed or transferred from the agency having custody 
of the records without the authorities under this Act or its implementing rules.  


 
 
The NARMA shall have the right to recover, manage, and retain 
custody/possession of any and all estray records at any time. Furthermore, the 
NARMA may compel any person to surrender an estray record at any time after 
due notice. 
The head of the concerned government office shall notify the NARMA of 
any actual, impending, or threatened unlawful removal, sale, unauthorized 
reproduction, defacing, alteration, corruption, deletion, erasure, or other 
destruction of records in the custody of a government office. The NARMA shall 
then initiate action for the recovery and protection of such public records. 
SEC 72. Procurement of Items for the NARMA Collections. — The 
procurement of unique, special, and/or original items with national importance 
by the NARMA for its collections, charged to any of its sources of funds as may 
be allowed, shall be exempted from applicable laws, rules, and regulations 
regarding government procurement. 
The NARMA shall be allowed to procure collections or items by means of 
direct negotiation with the owners of such items, or their duly designated 
agents or representatives, in the Philippines and abroad. 
Furthermore, nothing in this section shall be construed as affecting or 
extending the law relating to copyright.  Notwithstanding the provisions of the 
Intellectual Property Code (RA 8293 as amended), copyright of properties 
acquired pursuant to the preceding sections shall belong to NARMA, unless 
otherwise stipulated. 
SEC 73. Procurement through Public Auction. — The NARMA shall be 
authorized to procure unique, special, and/or original items for its collections 
through bidding at public auctions, including online public auctions. For each 
item, the Director General shall predetermine an appropriate price ceiling based 
on his or her judgment of the fair market valuation of the same, exclusive of 
commissions, fees, charges, taxes and other associated expenses. 
The interest of the NARMA in a certain item shall be made known to the 
management of the public auction, which shall duly disclose or otherwise 


 
 
announce it to all parties registered to observe or participate in the said auction. 
However, with or without prior notice, the NARMA shall be given preference in 
the bidding process and it shall have thirty (30) working days, upon notice of 
the conclusion of the highest bid, to match the highest bid made for an item it 
has expressed an interest in, and if the bid is successfully matched then the 
NARMA shall be awarded the item in question.   
The invoice issued to the NARMA by the management of the public 
auction, which shall include the relevant commissions, fees, charges, taxes, and 
other associated expenses in addition to the bid price for the item, followed by 
the procedure in the immediately preceding section, shall be considered 
sufficient for the procurement of an item under this Section. 
 
ARTICLE VIII 
PROTECTION, PRESERVATION, AND CONSERVATION 
OF ARCHIVAL CULTURAL HERITAGE 
SEC 74. The Role of NARMA in Protecting Archival Cultural Heritage. — In 
line with the pertinent provisions of the National Cultural Heritage Act, as 
amended, the NARMA shall have the primary responsibility for the preservation, 
conservation, protection, and regulation of the nation’s archival cultural 
heritage. 
SEC 75. Presumption of Archival Cultural Heritage as Important Cultural 
Property. — The following shall be presumed as Important Cultural Properties, 
unless such presumption is lifted by the NARMA: 
a) Archival material/document dating at least fifty (50) years old; 
b) Audio-visual materials and records dating at least fifty (50) years 
old; and 
c) Archival collection and other records of: 
1) National Heroes; 
2) Former Presidents and Vice Presidents of the Philippines; 
3) National Artists; 


 
 
4) National Scientists; 
5) Manlilikha ng Bayan; 
6) Republic Cultural Heritage Awardees; and 
7) Other Filipino Masters. 
SEC 76. Declaration of Archival Cultural Properties as National Cultural 
Treasures and Important Cultural Properties. — NARMA shall declare archival 
properties as national cultural treasures or important cultural properties in 
accordance with the provisions of the National Cultural Heritage Act, as 
amended. 
SEC 77. Right of First Refusal Over Archival Important Cultural Properties 
and National Cultural Treasures. — The NARMA shall be given the right of first 
refusal in the purchase of archival cultural properties declared as national 
cultural treasures or important cultural properties. Prior to the finality of the 
sale, the NARMA may likewise match any offer made for the purchase of said 
properties. 
SEC 78. Conservation of Archival Cultural Properties. — All intervention 
works and measures on conservation of archival national cultural treasures and 
important cultural properties, including presumed cultural properties, shall be 
undertaken or supervised by the NARMA. The NARMA shall approve only those 
methods and materials that strictly adhere to the internationally accepted 
standards of conservation. 
SEC 79. National Archives Month. — The month of October of every year 
shall be observed as the National Archives Month to focus public attention on 
the role and importance of records and archives in the various national 
development efforts and to commemorate the creation and concretization of 
archives work in the Philippines.  The NARMA shall spearhead the yearly 
commemoration by determining the appropriate activities for the observance 
thereof. 
 
ARTICLE IX 


 
 
INVESTIGATION, PROSECUTION, AND OFFENSES 
 
SEC. 80.  Investigation and Prosecution of Offenses.  – The Director 
General, or his/her delegate, may investigate an alleged violation of this Act, or 
of a rule, regulation, or order of the NARMA. 
SEC. 81.  Administration of Oaths, Subpoena of Witnesses and 
Documents. – The Director General, or his/her delegate, may administer oaths 
and affirmations, issue subpoena ad testificandum and subpoena duces tecum, 
take testimony in any inquiry or investigation, and may perform other acts 
necessary to the proceedings or to the investigation. 
SEC 82.  Cease and Desist Orders. – Whenever the Director General, or 
his/her delegate, has reasonable basis to believe that a person has violated, or is 
about to violate this Act, or a rule, regulation, or order of NARMA, he or she may 
direct such person to desist from committing the act constituting the violation. 
The Director General, or his/her delegate, may issue a cease-and-desist 
order ex parte to enjoin an act or practice which is fraudulent or can be 
reasonably expected to cause significant, imminent, and irreparable danger or 
injury to public safety or welfare in relation to the purposes and objectives of 
this Act. The ex parte order shall be valid for a maximum period of twenty (20) 
days, without prejudice to the order being made permanent after due notice and 
hearing. 
SEC 83.  Contempt. – Any person who, without justifiable cause, fails or 
refuses to comply with any lawful order, decision, or subpoena issued by the 
Director General, or his/her authorized officer/s, shall, after due notice and 
hearing, be held in contempt and fined in an amount not exceeding Thirty 
thousand pesos (₱30,000.00). When the refusal amounts to clear and open 
defiance of the NARMA’s order, decision, or subpoena, the NARMA may impose a 
daily fine of One thousand pesos (₱1,000.00) until the order, decision, or 
subpoena is complied with. 


 
 
SEC. 84. Administrative Fines or Sanctions – If, after due notice and 
hearing, the NARMA finds that (a) there is a violation of its rules and orders 
issued in pursuance to this Act; (b) there is obstruction or refusal to comply with 
NARMA’s lawful directives in the implementation of this Act; or (c) there is a 
conduct of seminars, trainings, and lectures regarding public records disposition 
without authority from the Director General, it shall, in its discretion and based 
on the attending facts and circumstances and with regard to the gravity and 
willfulness of the violation, impose an administrative fine of not less than Fifty 
Thousand Pesos (PhP 50,000.00), nor more than One Million Pesos (PhP 
1,000,000.00), plus not more than Two Thousand Pesos (PhP 2,000.00) for each 
day of continuing violation, with legal interest. 
The imposition of an administrative fine or sanction shall be without 
prejudice to any criminal or civil liability of the offender. 
The Director General shall have the power to issue writs of execution to 
enforce the provisions of this Section and to enforce payment of the fees herein. 
The fees collected under this Section shall be forwarded and remitted to the 
NARMA Trust Fund created under Sec. 19 of this Act. 
SEC 85. Offenses and Penalties. — The following acts are hereby deemed 
unlawful and subject to the corresponding penalties: 
a) Willfully 
or 
negligently 
altering, 
damaging, 
or 
destroying/disposing of any public record in the possession of 
NARMA and other government agencies, other than in accordance 
with the provisions of this Act – imprisonment of no less than five 
(5) but no more than ten (10) years and/or a fine of no less than 
Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (P500,000.00) but no more than 
One Million Pesos (P1,000,000.00), at the discretion of the court; 
b) Transferring a public record outside of the Philippines without the 
express written authority of the Director General – imprisonment 
of no less than five (5) but no more than ten (10) years and/or a 
fine of no less than Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (P500,000.00) 


 
 
but no more than One Million Pesos (P1,000,000.00), at the 
discretion of the court; 
c) Selling of public archives within the custody of the NARMA, 
without the NARMA’s authority – imprisonment of no less than five 
(5) but no more than ten (10) years and/or a fine of no less than 
Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (P500,000.00) but no more than 
One Million Pesos (P1,000,000.00), at the discretion of the court; 
and 
Any public officer committing any of the unlawful acts prohibited under 
this Act shall be punished by an additional fine of not less than Five hundred 
thousand 
pesos (₱500,000.00) but not exceeding One million 
pesos 
(₱1,000,000.00) and/or additional imprisonment for not less than five years but 
not more than fifteen (15) years and/or both fine and imprisonment at the 
discretion of the court without prejudice to the filing of administrative charges 
that would result to such public officer’s perpetual disqualification from public 
office, and forfeiture, in favor of the government, of his/her salary and other 
lawful income. 
The violation of the provision of this Section proven in a proper 
administrative proceeding shall be sufficient cause for removal or dismissal of a 
public officer, even if no criminal prosecution is instituted against him/her. 
A person convicted of an offense under this section may, in addition to 
any penalty imposed for violation, be prohibited by order of the court from 
having access to the NARMA for any period that the court deems appropriate. 
SEC 86. Competent Court. —  x x x. 
SEC 87. Prescription of Offenses. —  x x x. 
SEC 88. Termination of Office. —  x x x. 
SEC 89. Suspension and Loss of Benefits. —  x x x.” 
Sec 2. Transitory Provisions. — All the assets, fixed and movable, and all 
contracts, documents, and records of the National Archives of the Philippines relative to 
its operation are hereby transferred to the NARMA.  


 
 
All agreements and contracts entered into by the National Archives of the 
Philippines shall remain in full force and effect unless otherwise terminated, modified, 
or amended.  
The incumbent Executive Director and Deputy Executive Directors of the National 
Archives of the Philippines shall continue to serve in their respective capacity as the 
Director General and Deputy Directors General of the NARMA for one year after the 
effectivity of this Act, or until the completion of their respective terms of office as 
granted under Republic Act No. 9470, whichever is longer, unless such terms of office 
are extended by the President: Provided, that such extension shall not exceed five (5) 
years, after which, the new Director General shall serve seven (7) years, pursuant to Sec. 
10 of this Act.  
Employees of the National Archives shall be absorbed by the NARMA on the basis 
of merit and fitness: Provided, that employees who shall be separated from the service 
as a result of the abolition shall receive retirement and other benefits to which they are 
entitled under existing laws.  
The necessary plantilla positions and organizational units within the NARMA, 
including the additional positions of Deputy Directors Generals and Regional Directors, 
shall be established in coordination with the Department of Budget and Management. 
Sec 3. Appropriations. — The amount of Two Hundred Million Pesos (PHP 
200,000,000.00) necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act shall be appropriated 
from the funds not otherwise appropriated and are available in the National Treasury. 
Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the continued implementation of this 
Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
Sec 4. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within ninety (90) days from the 
effectivity of this Act, the NARMA shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations 
for the proper implementation of this Act. 
Sec 5. Separability Clause. — Should any portion or provision of this Act be 
declared unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the 
other portions or provisions hereof not affected thereby. 


 
 
Sec 6. Repealing Clause. - All other laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, 
and rules and regulations inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
repealed or modified accordingly. 
Sec 7. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following the 
completion of its publication in the Official gazette or in a newspaper of general 
circulation. 
 
Approved,