QuestionsQuestions (PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 687)
The main purpose of Presidential Decree No. 687 is to amend the Textbook Law, providing guidelines for the selection, approval, pricing, and distribution of suitable textbooks for use in public elementary and secondary schools in the Philippines.
The Textbook Board consists of seven members: a chairman and four members appointed by the President upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Education and Culture, the Director of Elementary Education, and the Director of Secondary Education. One member represents the cultural minority. Members serve a term of three years, except for two of the first appointees who serve two years. Vacancies are filled by presidential appointment for the unexpired term.
A person must be a Filipino citizen with at least a master's degree or its equivalent in terms of professional experience, status, and achievements to qualify for appointment to the Textbook Board.
The Board performs selection and approval of textbooks for public elementary and secondary schools and approves textbooks used in private schools. It also determines guidelines for manuscript appraisal, pricing, distribution, and ensures equitable allocation of textbooks.
The Board adopts its own guidelines and rules, may avail technical assistance from qualified personnel in the public or private sector, and holds public hearings including expert testimonies to objectively appraise manuscripts for evaluation and selection.
The Price Committee, composed of representatives from the Textbook Board, the Philippine Educational Publishers Association, and the Bureau of Printing, determines the reasonable production cost of textbooks through public hearings to set textbook prices that ensure reasonable profit and minimum procurement cost for the government.
No. It is unlawful for any Board member to consider a textbook for adoption where they have direct or indirect interest in authorship, editorship, or preparation, or to own any interest in firms dealing with school textbooks during their term.
Approved textbooks should be used for at least six years from the date of their adoption, except in exceptional cases determined by the Board.
Yes. The Board can prohibit the use of any textbook in private schools that is against the law, offensive to the dignity and honor of the government and people of the Philippines, against general government policies, or pedagogically unsuitable.
The policy encourages Filipino authors to write textbooks using Philippine sources to foster nationalism, respect for institutions, and appreciation of cultural heritage among pupils and students.
For administrative purposes, the Textbook Board operates directly under the Office of the Secretary of Education and Culture.
Board members receive an allowance of One Hundred (P100.00) pesos per meeting attended, not exceeding Four Hundred (P400.00) pesos per month, plus reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses.
Production cost is evaluated by the Price Committee during public hearings to determine a reasonable price including a mark-up that ensures reasonable profit for publishers and minimal cost for government procurement.
The law supports free enterprise by allowing submission of manuscripts by writers or registered publishers for selection but also permits automatic adoption of government-prepared textbooks printed by qualified publishers as dictated by the Board.