Title
Compulsory Licensing of Educational Books
Law
Presidential Decree No. 285
Decision Date
Sep 3, 1973
Presidential Decree No. 285 authorizes compulsory licensing of educational, scientific, or cultural materials to prevent excessively high prices, with violators facing imprisonment and fines.

Questions (PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 285)

PD 285 authorizes the compulsory licensing or reprinting of educational, scientific, or cultural books and materials as a temporary or emergency measure when their prices become so exorbitant as to be detrimental to the national interest.

When the price of the book, pamphlet, or written material—whether domestic or foreign—has become so exorbitant as to be detrimental to the national interest, as determined and declared by the designated committee.

A committee composed of (1) the Secretary of Education and Culture, (2) the Director-General of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), and (3) the Chairman of the Media Advisory Council.

Reprinting may be done by the Government or by any private printer(s), but only for a limited period and only to make the books available at reasonable cost.

It covers both domestic and foreign educational, scientific, or cultural books and materials.

Reprinting is allowed only for a limited period and solely for the purpose of making the same available to the people at reasonable cost.

They must bear proper acknowledgment of the source, authorship, copyright proprietors and past printers (if known), as well as the names and addresses of the reprinter(s). If abbreviated or edited, this must be stated.

“Export of this Book or material from the Philippines is punishable by law. The export of such reprints under any circumstance is hereby prohibited.”

No. Export of such reprints under any circumstance is prohibited, and export is punishable by law.

The reprinter must pay a royalty of 3% of the gross selling price in local currency, if demanded by the authors, publishers, or copyright proprietors legally entitled thereto.

Payment of royalties is made only to them personally in the Philippines or to their respective representatives or branch offices in the Philippines.

Imprisonment of not less than six months nor more than two years, and a fine of not less than ₱5,000 nor more than ₱10,000.

The manager or person in charge of the management of the business shall be responsible.

Books and materials are immediately confiscated, and the establishment that printed/published/exported them is immediately closed and its operations discontinued.

The committee named in the decree.

It shall take effect immediately, notwithstanding any law, decree, executive order, treaty, or executive agreement to the contrary.


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