State policy and purpose
- The State upholds and protects freedom of the press even at the campus level. (Section 2)
- The State promotes the development and growth of campus journalism as a means of strengthening ethical values, encouraging critical and creative thinking, and developing moral character and personal discipline of Filipino youth. (Section 2)
- The State undertakes programs and projects to improve students’ journalistic skills and to promote responsible and free journalism. (Section 2)
Key definitions for coverage
- “School” means an institution for learning in the elementary, secondary or tertiary level comprised of the studentry, administration, faculty and non-faculty personnel. (Section 3)
- “Student Publication” means the issue of any printed material that is independently published by and that meets the needs and interests of the studentry. (Section 3)
- “Student Journalist” means any bona fide student enrolled for the current semester or term who has passed or met the qualification and standards of the editorial board and who must maintain satisfactory academic standing. (Section 3)
- “Editorial Board”:
- In the tertiary level, it is composed of student journalists qualified in placement examinations. (Section 3)
- In elementary and high school levels, it is composed of a duly appointed faculty adviser, the editor who qualified, and a representative of the Parents-Teachers’ Association, who determine editorial policies to be implemented by the editor and staff. (Section 3)
- At the tertiary level, the editorial board may include a publication adviser at the option of its members. (Section 3)
- “Editorial Policies” means a set of guidelines for operating and managing a student publication, taking into account pertinent laws and school administration policies, and determining matters such as frequency of publication and the manner of selecting articles and features. (Section 3)
Organization and operation of student publication
- A student publication is published by the student body through an editorial board and a publication staff composed of students selected by fair and competitive examinations. (Section 4)
- Once established, the editorial board freely determines its editorial policies and manages the publication’s funds. (Section 4)
Funding rules and release of student publication funds
- Funding for student publications may include savings of the respective school’s appropriations, student subscriptions, donations, and other sources of funds. (Section 5)
- The Department of Education, Culture and Sports, or the school administration concerned, shall not withhold the release of funds sourced from the savings of appropriations and other sources intended for the student publication. (Section 5)
- Subscription fees collected by the school administration shall be released automatically to the concerned student publication. (Section 5)
Publication adviser: selection and limited role
- The publication adviser shall be selected by the school administration from a list of recommendees submitted by the publication staff. (Section 6)
- The adviser’s function is limited to technical guidance. (Section 6)
Security of tenure for student publication staff
- A member of the publication staff must maintain student status to retain membership in the publication staff. (Section 7)
- A student shall not be expelled or suspended solely on the basis of articles written or on the basis of performance of duties in the student publication. (Section 7)
Competitions, press conferences, and training
- The Department of Education, Culture and Sports sponsors periodic competitions, press conferences and training seminars. (Section 8)
- Student-editors/writers and teacher-advisers of student publications in the elementary, secondary and tertiary levels must participate. (Section 8)
- Competitions and conferences and seminars are held at institutional, divisional, and regional levels. (Section 8)
- The program culminates with the annual national elementary, secondary or tertiary School Press Conference held in places of historical and/or cultural interest in the country. (Section 8)
Implementation: rules and regulations
- The Department of Education, Culture and Sports shall promulgate the rules and regulations necessary for effective implementation of the Act. (Section 9)
- Such promulgation is done in coordination with officers of national elementary, secondary or tertiary organizations, or official advisers of student publications, together with student journalists at the tertiary level and existing organizations of student journalists. (Section 9)
Tax exemption for campus journalism support
- Grants, endowments, donations, or contributions used actually, directly and exclusively for promotion of campus journalism as provided in the Act are exempt from donor’s or gift tax. (Section 10)
- The exemption is grounded on paragraph 4, Section 4, Article XIV of the Constitution. (Section 10)
Appropriations and funding authorization
- For the initial year of implementation, Five million pesos (P5,000,000.00) is authorized to be charged against savings from the current appropriations of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports. (Section 11)
- Thereafter, the amount necessary shall be included in the General Appropriations Act. (Section 11)
Effectivity and passage details
- The Act takes effect after fifteen (15) days following completion of publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. (Section 12)
- The Act is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 1103 and House Bill No. 22658, and was finally passed by the Senate on May 20, 1991 and by the House of Representatives on May 23, 1991.