Amending the Law on Public Libraries

House Bill No. 6770, filed by blogger-turned-legislator Mong Palatino on 2 September 2009, seeks to amend Republic Act No. 7743, which provides for the establishment of "public libraries in every congressional district, city and municipality, and reading centers in every barangay throughout the Philippines." Senate Bill No. 1387, filed by Loren Legarda on 26 July 2007, is much older and shorter than HB 6770, but is not really all that different.

I am, of course, grateful that such bills have been filed and applaud their proponents, but as I wrote four years ago in "Reading and Barangay Libraries," I will wait until I see more concrete plans before I start jumping up and down. I am concerned about the fact that the word "librarian" is never mentioned in the draft bills. A building full of books and computers with no librarian is a warehouse, not a library. Someone has to manage these resources and promote their use to the community. But is there any provision for the hiring of librarians in the bills? Nope. Here are the relevant passages:

HB 6770: IN ORDER TO PROVIDE FUNDS NECESSARY FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ELECTRONIC LIBRARY SYSTEM, THE BUDGET OF THE NATIONAL LIBRARY SHALL BE INCREASED IN THE AMOUNT OF TWENTY MILLION PESOS (P20,000,000.00) PER YEAR UNTIL ALL CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES IN THE PHILIPPINES ARE PROVIDED FOR AND HAVE ACCESS TO FULLY ELECTRONIC LIBRARY FACILITIES.

SB 1387: IN ORDER TO PROVIDE FUNDS NECESSARY FOR THE ELECTRONIC LIBRARY SYSTEM TO BE IMPLEMENTED, THE BUDGET OF THE NATIONAL LIBRARY SHALL BE INCREASED IN THE AMOUNT OF FIVE MILLION PESOS (P5,000,000.00) PER YEAR UNTIL ALL CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES IN THE PHILIPPINES ARE PROVIDED AND HAVE ACCESS TO FULL ELECTRONIC LIBRARY FACILITIES.

There are some differences in phrasing and the amount, but it is clear that the increase in budget is intended for the implementation of the electronic library system. I'm not quite sure how the system works, but I hope it is still possible to revise these drafts with input from librarians.

Finally, while the draft bills seem to be an improvement on RA 7743 because the National Library's budget is to be increased by specific amounts, I am not optimistic that the amended republic act, if it is ever signed into law, will ever be implemented. Why? It is not clear where the money is supposed to come from. In contrast, Republic Act No. 9521 or the "National Book Development Trust Fund Act" states that the funds required will be taken from a specific source and how it will be managed. Without such provisions, those drafting the annual appropriations bill can choose to ignore it. Just as RA 7743 has been ignored since 1994.