Topics
20th Congress · Topic
Culture, Arts and Heritage
Arts, cultural expression, heritage protection, creative work, and historical recognition.
- bills
- 445bills
- Senate
- 102Senate
- House
- 343House
- SB 1952· Filed Mar 9, 2026Strengthening the Conservation and Protection of Philippine Cultural Heritage
The bill amends the National Building Code to make protecting historic buildings and sites a core part of construction rules. It requires architects to certify heritage status, adds impact‑assessment studies, and gives the cultural agency a say before any demolition or major change.
Pending in the committeeSen. Loren B. Legarda - SB 2091· Filed May 4, 2026Harmonizing Incentives for the Conservation and Protection of Philippine Cultural Heritage
The proposal would give owners of important historic buildings tax breaks—such as exemption from transfer taxes, lower property taxes, a 5 % corporate tax rate for businesses inside the sites, and tax credits for restoration—to make preserving them cheaper and more attractive.
Pending in the committeeSen. Mark A. Villar - SB 817· Filed Aug 4, 2025Department of Culture Act
The bill creates a new Department of Culture to coordinate all government cultural programs, merges existing cultural agencies under it, and sets up a minimum annual budget of ₱2 billion.
Pending in the committeeSen. Loren B. Legarda - SB 1852· Filed Feb 12, 2026Amending R.A. No. 10066, National Cultural Heritage Act
The proposal adds a Heritage Incentive Program to the National Cultural Heritage Act, giving tax breaks, low‑interest loans and grants to owners of important historic buildings so they can keep and use them without heavy tax burdens.
Pending in the committeeSen. Loren B. Legarda - SB 1131· Filed Aug 7, 2025Traditional Property Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act
The bill would create a system to protect the cultural creations of Indigenous peoples, register them, require consent before they are used, and pay royalties to the communities.
Pending in the committeeSen. Imee R. Marcos - SB 875· Filed Aug 4, 2025Philippine Indigenous and Traditional Writing Systems Act
The bill seeks to protect and promote the Philippines’ native scripts—like Baybayin and others—by adding them to school curricula, holding public events, and having the culture agency safeguard them as national treasures.
Pending in the committeeSen. Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada - SB 510· Filed Jul 14, 2025National Museum Philippines Act
The proposal amends the National Museum Act to create a central museum for traditional folk arts, require regional museums to collect and promote these arts, and establish provincial folk‑arts museums funded by the provinces themselves.
Pending in the committeeSen. Loren B. Legarda - SB 1900· Filed Feb 24, 2026Visual Integrity Act
The Visual Integrity Act would require developers to obtain a heritage‑visual impact assessment before building within 500 m of any national, local, or UNESCO‑listed heritage site, and gives the heritage agencies power to stop or tear down works that spoil a site’s view, with penalties ranging from six months to six years in jail and fines up to Php 50 million.
Pending in the committeeSen. Vicente C. Sotto III - SB 1878· Filed Feb 23, 2026Guidelines on Treasure Hunting (Pd No. 1726-A; RA No. 10066)
The bill removes the existing treasure‑hunting permit system, makes all cultural items found in archaeological sites state property, requires any excavation to be supervised by a certified archaeologist, and gives the National Museum authority to issue permits, set rules, and stop work when a site is discovered. It also orders the Commission to rewrite the implementing rules within six months, to provide incentives for reporting sites, and to include heritage concerns in all infrastructure impact assessments.
Pending in the committeeSen. Bam Aquino - SB 1567· Filed Dec 3, 2025Cagayan De Oro River Cultural Heritage Zone Act
The bill declares the Cagayan de Oro River and its nearby area a protected cultural heritage zone, bans polluting or damaging activities, and sets fines and jail time for violators while requiring government agencies to create a conservation and development plan.
Pending in the committeeSen. Imee R. Marcos - SB 821· Filed Aug 4, 2025Quiapo Heritage Zone Act
The bill declares Manila’s Quiapo district a National Heritage Zone, creates a development plan for its historic sites, assigns several national agencies to work with the city government, and sets up funding, rules, and annual reporting to preserve and promote the area’s cultural assets.
Pending in the committeeSen. Loren B. Legarda - SB 1953· Filed Mar 9, 2026Mandatory Appointment of Culture and Arts Officer
The bill would require every province, city, and municipality to hire a Culture and Arts Officer to lead local cultural programs.
Pending in the committeeSen. Loren B. Legarda - SB 1507· Filed Nov 12, 2025Institutionalizing the Schools of Living Traditions (Slt)
The bill creates a national, community‑based program called the Schools of Living Traditions (SLT) that lets elders and cultural masters teach traditional knowledge directly to young people through demonstrations, practice and immersion.
Pending in the house of representativesSen. Loren B. Legarda - SB 1252· Filed Aug 27, 2025Sta. Ana Heritage Zone Act
The Sta. Ana Heritage Zone Act would officially label Manila’s Sta. Ana district as a protected heritage zone, set up a multi‑agency committee to manage it, require a detailed development plan and cultural‑mapping survey, and allocate funds from existing agency budgets to support preservation, tourism and community activities.
Pending in the committeeSen. Loren B. Legarda - SB 321· Filed Jul 9, 2025Quiapo Heritage Zone Act
The bill proposes to declare Manila’s Quiapo district a national historical‑cultural heritage zone, create a development plan, require annual reports, and allocate priority funding for preservation.
Pending in the committeeSen. Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid - SB 1860· Filed Feb 12, 2026Guidelines on Treasure Hunting (Pd No. 1726-A; RA No. 10066)
The bill eliminates the old treasure‑hunting law, removes the permit system that allowed private excavation of cultural artifacts, and gives the National Commission for Culture and the Arts the job of writing new rules that require any digging to be supervised by a certified archaeologist.
Pending in the committeeSen. Loren B. Legarda - SB 1253· Filed Aug 27, 2025Traditional Property Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act
The bill would give Indigenous peoples permanent, collective ownership of their cultural creations, set up a national registry, require their consent before any commercial use, and provide royalties and penalties for misuse.
Pending in the committeeSen. Loren B. Legarda - SB 801· Filed Aug 4, 2025Local Studies Center Act
The bill would set up a Local Studies Center in every province (or cultural community) inside a state university or college to research, publish, and promote local history and culture.
Pending in the committeeSen. Loren B. Legarda - SB 1185· Filed Aug 14, 2025Philippine Indigenous and Traditional Writing Systems Act
The bill seeks to protect and revive Philippine indigenous scripts by adding them to school curricula, creating free online lessons, and running awareness activities, with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts leading the effort.
Pending in the committeeSen. Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid - SB 1883· Filed Feb 23, 2026Art in Public Places Program
The proposal would let local Filipino artists display their work in public spaces at no cost, with the tourism department and the culture commission coordinating venue use, scheduling, and funding.
Pending in the committeeSen. Mark A. Villar - SB 521· Filed Jul 14, 2025Aklan Piña Museum and Cultural Center Act
The bill creates the Akian Pina Museum and Cultural Center in Kalibo to protect the traditional pineapple‑leaf weaving, support research and training, and help weavers earn a livelihood.
Consolidated/substituted in the committee reportSen. Loren B. Legarda - SB 1704· Filed Jan 27, 2026Special Program in Creative Arts for Junior and Senior High School
The bill proposes to expand the existing arts program for junior and senior high schools, create a governing council, allow schools to partner with private firms, hire non‑teacher arts experts, and give tax breaks on imported arts equipment, with funding to come from the yearly national budget.
Pending in the committeeSen. Mark A. Villar - SB 1339· Filed Sep 3, 2025Philippine Indigenous and Traditional Writing Systems Act
The proposal would make the Philippines’ historic scripts—such as Baybayin and others—part of school curricula, run public awareness events, keep records, and have the National Commission for Culture and the Arts lead preservation efforts.
Pending in the committeeSen. Imee R. Marcos - SB 820· Filed Aug 4, 2025Linangan Ng Likhang-Bayan (Institute for Living Traditions)
The bill proposes to create a new institute, attached to the NCCA, that will serve as the main center for protecting, promoting and developing the Philippines’ communal (intangible) traditions.
Consolidated/substituted in the committee reportSen. Loren B. Legarda - SB 2517· Filed Sep 30, 2026Philippine Agency for the Creative Economy (Pace) Act
The bill would create a new agency (PACE) to help Filipino artists, designers, game developers and other creative professionals travel abroad, showcase their work, and sell their products overseas. It would fund travel, visas, insurance and marketing, set up fast‑track visa processes, and open overseas desks to connect creators with foreign buyers.
FiledSen. Bam Aquino - SB 618· Filed Jul 15, 2025Bangsamoro History, Culture, and Identity Studies Act
The bill requires all Philippine history classes in elementary and high schools to teach about Bangsamoro history, culture, and identity, with materials prepared in consultation with the Bangsamoro Commission and experts on the Mindanao peace process.
Pending in the committeeSen. Robinhood Padilla - SB 1425· Filed Sep 29, 2025Aklan Piña Conservation and Innovation Act
The proposal would create a center in Kalibo, Aklan to preserve and modernize the traditional piña weaving craft, using existing facilities and coordinated by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.
Pending in the house of representativesSen. Loren B. Legarda - SB 605· Filed Jul 15, 2025Inclusion of Philippine History in the High School Curriculum
The bill requires the Department of Education to add a dedicated Philippine History class for all high‑school students.
Pending in the committeeSen. Robinhood Padilla - SB 1721· Filed Jan 28, 2026Filipino Fiestas
The bill seeks to promote Filipino festivals to attract more tourists and help local businesses.
Pending in the committeeSen. Camille A. Villar - SB 822· Filed Aug 4, 2025Philippine Culinary Heritage Act
The proposed Philippine Culinary Heritage Act seeks to develop and preserve the nation’s food traditions.
Pending in the committeeSen. Loren B. Legarda - SB 1726· Filed Jan 28, 2026Talent Development Initiatives Act
The bill proposes a national program that creates regional boards, led by the tourism and culture agencies, to organize free public exhibitions and performances for Filipino artists, using public spaces and funded annually by Congress.
Pending in the committeeSen. Camille A. Villar - SB 1159· Filed Aug 7, 2025The Aklan Piña Museum and Cultural Center Act
The bill would create a museum and cultural center in Kalibo to protect and promote the traditional Akian Pina handloom weaving, support weavers, and encourage tourism and local development.
Consolidated/substituted in the committee reportSen. Joel Villanueva - SB 2077· Filed May 4, 2026Philippine History Education Protection Act
The bill would make Philippine History a separate, required subject from elementary school through university, create a council to oversee it, and set penalties for schools that drop or weaken the subject.
Pending in the committeeSen. Robinhood Padilla - SB 1440· Filed Oct 6, 2025Guidelines for the Selection of National Heroes Act of the Philippines
The bill sets out who can be named a National Hero, the criteria to judge them, and how the National Historical Commission of the Philippines will process nominations, with education and media required to teach about the heroes once proclaimed.
Pending in the committeeSen. Panfilo M. Lacson - SB 800· Filed Aug 4, 2025Philippine Indigenous Games Preservation Act
The bill creates a national program to protect and promote traditional indigenous games by having the sports commission hold yearly competitions and by adding these games to school curricula and media.
Pending in the committeeSen. Loren B. Legarda - SB 906· Filed Aug 5, 2025Special Program in the Arts Act
The proposal would expand the high‑school Special Program in the Arts, set up a new council to guide it, allow schools to hire specialist artists as teachers, and give tax breaks for art‑related imports and donations, with funding taken from the DepEd budget.
Pending in the committeeSen. Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada - SB 824· Filed Aug 4, 2025Philippine Indigenous Writing Systems Act
The Philippine Indigenous Writing Systems Act would recognize traditional scripts such as Baybayin, Hanunuo, Buhid, Tagbanwa, and Kulitan as national cultural heritage, require schools and local governments to teach and display them, develop digital tools, support businesses that use them, and declare August 22 as National Indigenous Scripts Day.
Pending in the committeeSen. Loren B. Legarda - SB 1340· Filed Sep 3, 2025Philippine Indigenous Games Preservation Act
The bill creates the Philippine Indigenous Games Preservation Act, which aims to protect and promote traditional indigenous sports and games across the Philippines.
Pending in the committeeSen. Imee R. Marcos - SB 1589· Filed Dec 9, 2025Andres Bonifacio Museum Act
The bill creates a museum dedicated to Andres Bonifacio in Manila, places it under the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, and provides for its construction, funding, and operation.
Pending in the committeeSen. Robinhood Padilla - SB 477· Filed Jul 14, 2025National Film Archive Act
The National Film Archive Act would set up a government agency to collect, preserve, restore and make available all Filipino movies and audiovisual works, and would require film producers to give a copy of each new film to the archive.
Pending in the committeeSen. Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada - SB 819· Filed Aug 4, 2025Sentro Rizal Act
The bill would turn the existing Sentro Rizal network into a coordinated cultural‑diplomacy system, create a council and secretariat to plan and run programs, and provide funding and grants to promote the Philippines’ culture and “Filipino brand” worldwide.
Pending in the committeeSen. Loren B. Legarda - SB 1028· Filed Aug 6, 2025Philippine Indigenous Games Preservation Act
The bill would make the sports commission, together with the Olympic committee and local governments, hold yearly regional and national contests of traditional indigenous games, add those games to school programs, and fund research and documentaries to keep the games alive.
Pending in the committeeSen. Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada - SB 283· Filed Jul 8, 2025Nora Aunor Act
The Nora Aunor Act would give accredited film‑industry players tax breaks—including income‑tax, VAT, and customs‑duty exemptions—and allow them to deduct 150 % of production costs, while also creating an annual award with cash grants for outstanding scripts.
Pending in the committeeSen. Francis "Chiz" G. Escudero - SB 704· Filed Jul 17, 2025National Museum of Filipino Women Act
The bill proposes to create a National Museum of Filipino Women to collect, preserve, and display the contributions of Filipino women throughout history.
Pending in the committeeSen. Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid - SB 311· Filed Jul 9, 2025Indigenous Community Conserved Territories and Areas Act
The Indigenous Community Conserved Territories and Areas Act creates a national registry of lands that Indigenous peoples have protected for generations, requires local governments to include these areas in their development plans, and gives Indigenous communities the right to manage them while providing technical and financial support from the government.
Pending in the committeeSen. Loren B. Legarda - SB 313· Filed Jul 9, 2025Local Arts and Entertainment Industry Promotions Act
The bill would give tax breaks to Filipino film producers who spend at least 80 % of their budget on local talent, and would waive the amusement tax for theaters and concert venues that show qualifying local movies or concerts headlined by Filipino artists.
Pending in the committeeSen. Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid - SB 1941· Filed Mar 9, 2026Declaring the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians
The bill declares the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians in Parañaque a heritage and tourist site, orders the DOT to create and fund a development plan within a year, and requires rules to be issued within 60 days.
Pending in the committeeSen. Vicente C. Sotto III - SB 700· Filed Jul 17, 2025Philippine Indigenous Games Preservation Act
The bill creates a program to document, teach, and hold competitions for traditional Filipino games, sets up a new office inside the culture agency to make manuals and videos, and requires the sports commission and schools to include these games in events and curricula, with funding to come from the yearly national budget.
Pending in the committeeSen. Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid - SB 1802· Filed Feb 9, 2026National Writing System Act
The bill declares the pre‑colonial Baybayin script the Philippines’ national writing system and orders its use in food packaging, tourist‑site signs, school materials, and government documents, while tasking the NCCA and several agencies to protect it and issue rules within 60 days.
Pending in the committeeSen. Mark A. Villar
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