An Act Strengthening Peoples' Nationalism Through Philippine History By Changing the Nomenclature of the National Historical Institute Into the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, Strengthening Its Powers and Functions, and For Other Purposes

Republic Act No. 10086

Summary of Republic Act No. 10086 (Strengthening Peoples' Nationalism Through Philippine History Act)

Declaration of Policy (Section 2)
- Conserve, promote and popularize the nation's historical and cultural heritage
- Provide means to strengthen nationalism, love of country, respect for heroes, and pride in accomplishments
- Reinforce importance of Philippine history in daily life to raise social consciousness
- Support historical research and programs for protection and preservation of historical resources
- Prioritize not only historical research but also popularization of history
- Build Philippine national identity based on unity and pride in diversity held by common history

Renaming and Mandate of NHCP (Sections 4-5)
- Rename National Historical Institute (NHI) to National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP)
- NHCP is primary government agency responsible for history with authority on official Philippine history
- Conduct and support research on Philippine national and local history (Section 5a)
- Develop educational materials, implement activities, and disseminate information on Philippine history (Section 5b)
- Undertake restoration, conservation and protection of historical movable and immovable objects (Section 5c)
- Manage, maintain and administer national shrines, monuments, historical sites, edifices and landmarks (Section 5d)
- Engage in settlement or resolution of controversies on historical personages, places, dates and events (Section 5e)

Powers and Functions of the NHCP Board (Section 7)
- Conduct and encourage research on Philippine history (Section 7a)
- Acquire important historical documents, collections, memorabilia and objects (Section 7b)
- Acquire real property, buildings and structures for preservation and conservation (Section 7c)
- Determine manner of identification, maintenance, restoration, conservation and preservation of historical sites, shrines, structures and monuments (Section 7d)
- Approve declaration of historic structures as national shrines, monuments, landmarks or heritage houses (Section 7e)
- Prescribe manner of celebration or commemoration of significant historical events (Section 7f)
- Initiate and promote programs for popularization of Philippine history (Section 7g)
- Discuss and resolve issues or conflicts on Philippine history with finality (Section 7h)
- Implement and enforce Flag Law and other special laws where NHCP is designated implementing body (Section 7i)
- Secure and receive local, bilateral and international donations, grants and endowments (Section 7j)
- Develop and implement consortium agreements with other agencies or organizations (Section 7k)
- Regulate activities pertaining to preservation, restoration and conservation of historical property or resources (Section 7l)
- Generate funds from government or private sources for programs and projects (Section 7m)
- Collect reasonable fees for use, sale or rent of resources and entrance fees to shrines and landmarks (Section 7n)
- Approve grants, create committees or deputize individuals for NHCP projects (Section 7o)
- Conduct public hearings, ocular inspections or investigations on disputed historical issues to declare official historical dates, places, personages and events (Section 7p)
- Approve annual budget of NHCP before presentation to DBM and Congress (Section 7q)
- Appoint Deputy Executive Directors of NHCP (Section 7r)
- Exercise oversight functions over administrative operations of NHCP (Section 7r)

Composition and Qualifications of NHCP Board (Sections 8-9)
- Board headed by Chairperson and composed of 5 distinguished private sector historians as regular voting members (Section 8)
- Ex officio non-voting members: Directors of National Library, National Museum, National Archives, and Executive Director of NHCP (Section 8)
- Regular members must be natural-born Filipino citizens, at least 35 years old, with good moral character, distinguished in Philippine history, and with published works (Section 9)

Terms of Office (Sections 10-12)
- Regular members serve 4-year terms, with first appointees having staggered 2 to 4-year terms; maximum of 2 consecutive terms (Section 10)
- Chairman elected from regular members, serves 3-year term, maximum of 2 consecutive terms (Sections 11-12)

Functions of Chairman (Section 13)
- Head of agency and represent Board on all NHCP matters
- Provide leadership and advise President and Congress on Philippine history
- Preside over Board meetings, propose agenda, exercise oversight over Executive Director
- Represent NHCP officially and in NCCA Board

Executive Director and Deputy Executive Directors (Sections 14-18)
- Executive Director appointed by President, with rank of bureau director (Section 14)
- Implement policies, administer operations, represent NHCP when authorized (Section 15)
- Assisted by Deputy Executive Directors for Administration and Programs/Projects appointed by Board (Section 16)
- Qualifications: Filipino citizen, good moral character, 4-year college degree, 5 years experience for Executive Director, 3 years for Deputies, CESO eligibility for Deputies (Section 17)
- Executive Director can delegate authority to Deputies in writing (Section 18)

Reorganization and Staffing (Section 19)
- Board authorized to reorganize NHI structure and staffing pattern within 120 days to carry out NHCP mandate
- NHI employees subsumed into NHCP, with option for early retirement under DBM guidelines

Historic Sites and Structures Documentation Center (Section 20)
- Established to undertake survey, identification, documentation and recommendation for declaration of historic sites and structures
- Maintain National Registry of Historic Sites and Structures

Local Historical Committees Network (Section 21)
- Existing historical society affiliations to constitute Local Historical Committees Network
- Monitor, coordinate, support and affiliate local historical bodies
- Record oral histories of towns, cities, provinces, regions and peoples

Materials Research Conservation Division (Section 22)
- Renamed from Materials Research Conservation Center
- Provide consultancy services to collectors on preservation techniques
- Enrich knowledge on restoration and preservation through research
- Establish linkages with international bodies on scientific preservation

Tax Exemptions and Revolving Fund (Sections 23-24)
- NHCP exempt from income tax (Section 23a)
- Donations to NHCP exempt from donor's tax and considered allowable deduction (Section 23b)
- Imports for NHCP conservation work exempt from customs duties (Section 23c)
- Income up to 1 million pesos from publications, fees, donations etc. constituted as revolving fund (Section 24)

Funding and Transition Provisions (Sections 25-27)
- Funding for implementation included in annual General Appropriations Act (Section 25)
- Incumbent NHI Chairman, Executive Director and Deputies to continue for 1 year or until new appointments made (Section 26)
- All NHI assets, contracts, records transferred to NHCP; agreements remain in force unless terminated (Section 26)
- NHI employees absorbed by NHCP based on merit and fitness (Section 26)
- Implementing rules and regulations to be promulgated within 90 days (Section 27)

Separability and Repealing Clauses (Sections 28-29)

Effectivity (Section 30)
- Act effective 15 days after publication in at least 2 newspapers of general circulation