NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
]
First Regular Session 
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■22 JUL 13 AlO '41
SENATE
477
S.B. No.
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Introduced by SENATOR WIN GATCHALIAN
AN ACT
DIGITIZING ALL BOOKS NECESSARY FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION AND 
ESTABLISHING THE PHILIPPINE ONLINE LIBRARY, PROVIDING FUNDS 
THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
COVID-19 school closures have left many children behind, even when 
remote learning options were offered due to a lack of access to and 
preparedness for remote learning. The World Bank reports that in a 
commissioned survey of low-income households, about 95.5% use paper- 
based learning modules and materials in 2021.1 This leaves a negligible share 
of learners who utilizes digital learning materials through online platforms 
such as the DepEd Commons.
However, according to one study, digital education tools could likewise
1 World Bank. 2021. Philippine Basic Education System: Strengthening Effective Learning 
During 
COVID-19 
Pandemic 
and 
beyond. 
(See
https://openknowledae.worldbank.ora/bitstream/handle/10986/35649/PhilwDines-COVID~
19-Monitorina-Survea-Polica-
Notes.pdf?seguence= 1 &isA llowed=a& fbclid=IwAR 10akI62HEkrl CPKDbBlenTWAdo2n0st3M
EwlOlu 1 pecCtGsaUDfWJ6ZU) 
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help learners catch up and bridge the learning gaps created by school 
disruptions. The same tools can also be beneficial as schools reopen for 
mitigating learning losses and supporting curricula implementation by 
providing different modalities to reach the most marginalized children.2
As we return to face-to-face classes, our public libraries, one of the 
country’s pathways to educational resources, should remain pandemic-proof 
- ubiquitous and accessible - regardless of the geographical location and type 
of device used by the learners.
One example of a successful government-operated e-library is the 
Socioeconomic Research Portal for the Philippines (SERP-P), designed and 
maintained by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS). SERP- 
P is an online knowledge resource that contains socioeconomic studies and 
materials produced by the PIDS and other academic and research institutions 
in the country. For the first half of 2022 alone, SERP-P already had 11,843 
users with 35,219 page views.3
This bill aims to establish the Philippine Online Library which will 
emerge as a vital pathway to high-quality e-books and educational content as 
it will be the repositoiy of the digitized copy of all textbooks and reference 
materials necessary for the public education of our elementary and secondary 
learners. It envisions an entire online library of essential reading materials 
easily accessible to all learners for free and without disruption.
The digital divide is an information divide. This online knowledge portal 
will open up a new channel to the universe of knowledge and information. It
2 UNICEF, UNESCO & World Bank. 2022. Where are we on education recovery? (See 
https://unesdoc.unesco.orQ/ark:/48223/vf0000381091)
3 See SERP-P Site Usage Statistics (See https://sery-v.yids.Qov.ph/stats/public/index- 
analuticsP)


will likewise enable learners to access a broader range of textbooks and 
materials to help them cope with learning loss and teachers to reach out to 
marginalized learners, and thus, connecting cultures across geographical and 
social boundaries.
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is highly 
recommended.


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
]
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
]
First Regular Session 
]
SENATE
S.B. No. 477
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■22 JUL 13 A10 '47
Vrn 'I'-
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Introduced by SENATOR WIN GATCHALIAN
AN ACT
DIGITIZING ALL BOOKS NECESSARY FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION AND 
ESTABLISHING THE PHILIPPINE ONLINE LIBRARY, PROVIDING FUNDS 
THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the uPhilippine Online 
Library AcV’.
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It shall be the policy of the State to ensure 
that its citizens are computer literate and are provided access to an 
increasingly digitized world. Thus, the State shall provide its citizens with the 
opportunity to increase their adaptability to information and 
communications technology, and to enhance their learning experience by 
providing access to digitized copies of textbooks necessary for the provision 
of quality elementary and secondary education.
Sec. 3. Philippine Online Library. - The Department of Education 
(DepEd) shall create a digitized copy of all textbooks and reference books it
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deems necessary for the public education of Philippine elementaiy and 
secondary students. This shall be compiled in the Philippine Online Library 
which shall be jointly managed by the DepEd and the Department of 
Information and Communications Technology (DICT).
Sec. 4. Provision for Access to the Digitized Copies of Textbooks. - The 
DepEd shall ensure access to the digitized copies of textbooks by providing 
computers, laptops, or other appropriate devices to all elementary and 
secondary public schools nationwide. Similarly, in order to ensure access to 
the digitized copies of textbooks, the DICT shall provide free, reliable and 
secure internet access to each elementary and secondary public school 
pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act No. 10929 or the Free Internet 
Access in Public Places Act.
Sec. 5. Recycling of Computers. - In order to offset expenses related to 
the procurement of computers, laptops, or other appropriate devices 
necessary for the implementation of the provisions of this Act, national 
government agencies, government-owned and controlled corporations, and 
other government financial institutions which have procured new computers 
shall endorse their old units to the DICT to check if the computers can still 
be used for the intent of this Act and thereafter shall be given to the DepEd 
for deployment to elementary and secondary public schools nationwide.
Sec. 6. Additional Online Educational Materials. - The DepEd can utilize 
the National Library of the Philippines to complement the Philippine Online 
Library's digital repository of textbooks with additional materials that are 
representative of Filipino culture and literature. DepEd shall also be allowed 
to add other online materials that it deems necessary for expanding the 
learning opportunities for students.
Sec. 7. Custody over Digitized Copies of Textbooks. - The DepEd and the
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National Library of the Philippines shall have joint custody over the digitized 
copies of the textbooks. The DICT shall likewise ensure the technological 
management of the digital repository to ensure the integrity of the system.
Sec. 8. Appropriations. - The initial amount of Five Hundred Million 
Pesos (Php 500,000,000.00) shall be appropriated for the immediate 
implementation of this Act and shall be jointly managed by the DepEd and 
the DICT. An annual budget of One Hundred Million Pesos (Php 
100,000,000.00) will be included in the annual budget of the DepEd to ensure 
that the equipment and internet connection of public schools for the purpose 
of this Act will be maintained.
Sec. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days 
from the effectivity of this Act, the DepEd, the DICT, and the National Library 
of the Philippines, in close coordination with the Department of Science and 
Technology, and other stakeholders shall jointly issue the rules and 
regulations implementing its provisions. The Implementing Rules and 
Regulations (IRR) issued pursuant to this section shall take effect thirty (30) 
days after its publication in a newspaper of general circulation.
Sec. 10. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is held invalid 
or unconstitutional, the other provisions not so declared shall remain in force 
and effect.
Sec. 11. Repealing Clause. - All other laws, executive orders, 
presidential decrees, administrative orders, rules and regulations, issuances, 
or parts thereof contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are 
hereby repealed or amended accordingly.


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Sec. 12. Effectivity. - Notwithstanding the non-issuance of the IRR, this
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Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette
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or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,