Philippine Indigenous Writing Systems Act

• Office of 11! ) TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES First Regular Session AUG -4 P1:40 SENATE RECEIVED BY. S. No._ Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda AN ACT RECOGNIZING, PRESERVING, AND PROMOTING THE TRADITIONAL AND INDIGENOUS WRITING SYSTEMS OF THE PHILIPPINES AS NATIONAL CULTURAL HERITAGE, MANDATING THEIR INTEGRATION INTO EDUCATION, CULTURE, DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY, AND CREATIVE INDUSTRIES, AND DECLARING AUGUST 22 OF EVERY YEAR AS "NATIONAL INDIGENOUS SCRIPTS DAY," AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES EXPLANATORY NOTE The Philippines is home to its own indigenous writing traditions. Sophisticated scripts such as Baybayin, Hanunuo, Buhid, Tagbanwa, Kulitan, and others were developed by our ancestors long before colonization. These writing systems reflect a rich and distinct intellectual heritage. They are proof that our people had systems of communication, record-keeping, and expression well before the arrival of Western alphabets. However, centuries of colonization led to the widespread disuse of these scripts. As colonial powers imposed their own languages and writing systems, many of our indigenous scripts were displaced or relegated to isolated cultural enclaves. Over time, Filipinos became disconnected from these traditions. Today, only a few communities continue to actively use their ancestral scripts. This proposed measure seeks to change that. Instead of declaring a single script as the national writing system, the bill adopts a pluralistic and inclusive approach. It recognizes all indigenous Philippine scripts as part of our national cultural heritage. In doing so, it corrects the historical tendency of favoring one regional identity over others. This approach learns from past experiences, such as the

declaration of a single national language, which, while well-intentioned, left many communities feeling excluded. Today, we take a more culturally respectful path by embracing our diverse ethnolinguistic traditions. By promoting, protecting, and revitalizing all Philippine indigenous writing systems, this measure enables their meaningful integration into education, creative industries, digital technologies, signage, and cultural programs. Children can once again encounter these scripts in school. Entrepreneurs can proudly incorporate them into branding, design, and packaging. Cultural workers can use them in public art, tourism trails, and digital tools. Government agencies and local governments may display their official names in the appropriate script, building national pride and cultural identity. This proposal is practical and timely. It is a low-hanging fruit in cultural policy, requiring little public expenditure. Most of the recommended actions such as curriculum enrichment, font development, signage adaptation, and digital archiving can be implemented using existing platforms, resources, and partnerships. Many communities, creatives, and advocates are already leading grassroots revival efforts, and the State can provide enabling support. Other neighboring countries have long embraced their indigenous writing systems as central to national identity. Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Lao use their native scripts in everyday life. Korea's celebration of Hangul has become a model of cultural pride and soft power. It is time for the Philippines to take a similar step, not to copy others, but to reclaim and celebrate what has always been our own. Our scripts cannot remain as mere historical relics. They must be treated as our living links to who we are, and to the shared future we can proudly shape as a culturally rooted nation. This bill proposes the following key interventions: 1. Integration of indigenous writing systems as special topics in relevant subjects in the basic education curriculum, particularly in regions where such scripts are historically or culturally relevant, and the development of corresponding teaching and learning resources;

2. Inclusion of indigenous scripts, where appropriate, in signage for street names, public buildings, and service establishments by LGUs, taking into account the dominant script associated with the locality; 3. Development of fonts, digital keyboards, and software tools to support the use of indigenous scripts in websites, applications, and digital platforms; 4. Support for MSMEs, cooperatives, and creative professionals using indigenous scripts in fashion, branding, packaging, and design, including through technical assistance and the exploration of incentives; 5. Encouraging the use of indigenous scripts in public parks, monuments, and commemorative spaces, consistent with local culture; 6. Mandating the National Library of the Philippines and the NCCA to digitize and preserve materials written in these scripts, such as letters, manuscripts, signage, and poems, while respecting the consent of the originating communities; 7. Requiring government agencies, GOCCs, and LGUs to adopt translations of their official names into the appropriate indigenous script, which may be used in seals, signage, and other official visual materials; and 8. Encouraging schools, institutions, and cultural organizations to include script-based activities during Buwan ng Wika and other observances that promote Filipino language and heritage. These efforts shall always be carried out with respect for the rights, traditions, and cultural integrity of Indigenous Cultural Communities and Indigenous Peoples, in accordance with the Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act and applicable laws. Proper attribution, community participation, and cultural sensitivity shall guide implementation. In view of the foregoing, the early passage of this bill is earnestly sought. LOREN LEGARDA

my flier of the TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) First Regular Session 25 AUG -4 P1:40 SENATE RECEIVED BY: S. No. 824 Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda AN ACT RECOGNIZING, PRESERVING, AND PROMOTING THE TRADITIONAL AND INDIGENOUS WRITING SYSTEMS OF THE PHILIPPINES AS NATIONAL CULTURAL HERITAGE, MANDATING THEIR INTEGRATION INTO EDUCATION, CULTURE, DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY, AND CREATIVE INDUSTRIES, AND DECLARING AUGUST 22 OF EVERY YEAR AS "NATIONAL INDIGENOUS SCRIPTS DAY," AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Republic of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Philippine Indigenous

2 Writing Systems Act."

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to preserve, promote,

4 and revitalize the traditional and indigenous writing systems of the Philippines as vital 5 expressions of Filipino identity, creativity, and cultural continuity. The State affirms 6 the importance of these scripts not only as historical and linguistic treasures, but also 7 as living elements of national development in education, heritage, tourism, creative 8 enterprise, and digital innovation.

Sec. 3. Recognition of Indigenous Writing Systems. - The following traditional

writing systems are hereby recognized as part of the national cultural heritage: Baybayin, Hanunuo, Buhid, Tagbanwa, Kulitan, and such other scripts that may be discovered or affirmed by research and community practice. These shall collectively be known as "Philippine Indigenous Scripts," referring to precolonial or traditional writing systems developed and used by various ethnolinguistic groups in the Philippines. They shall be protected, promoted, and revitalized through inclusive, 16 community-driven, and regionally contextualized programs.

Sec. 4. Promotion and Integration of Indigenous Scripts. - The Philippine

2 Indigenous Scripts shall be promoted through the following: (a) By integrating instruction on the scripts into the basic education curriculum, as special topics in relevant subjects, particularly in regions with historical or active use of such scripts, and by developing corresponding teacher training and learning resources through the Department of Education (DepEd), in coordination with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), and relevant communities; (b) By requiring local government units (LGUs) to incorporate, where appropriate, an indigenous script in signage for street names, public buildings, facilities, and other public service establishments such as hospitals, police and fire stations, community centers, and government halls, taking into consideration the script that is historically or culturally associated with the locality, and in coordination with the Department of Tourism (DOT), the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), and relevant local cultural communities. (c) By mandating the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to support the development of digital fonts, keyboards, and software tools that enable the use of indigenous scripts in mobile applications, websites, and digital publishing; (d) By directing the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), in partnership with the NCCA and the Design Center of the Philippines, to support micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), cooperatives, and creative professionals that use indigenous scripts in design, fashion, branding, packaging, and crafts, by providing technical assistance, marketing support, and by exploring appropriate fiscal and non-fiscal incentives to encourage the ethical and culturally grounded use of such scripts in creative and commercial activities; (e) By encouraging the use of indigenous scripts in the design of public parks, monuments, government buildings, and commemorative w w structures, consistent with local culture and identity;

(f) By mandating the National Library of the Philippines (NLP), in coordination with the NCCA, to digitize, preserve, and archive materials in indigenous scripts, including letters, manuscripts, poems, signage, and artworks, while respecting the rights and consent of the originating communities; (g) By requiring all government agencies, departments, bureaus, offices, and instrumentalities, including government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) and LGUs, to adopt translations of their official names into the appropriate Philippine indigenous script, which may be used in seals, signage, letterheads, websites, and other official visual materials, as may be contextually and culturally appropriate; and (h) By encouraging the integration of Philippine indigenous writing systems, where appropriate, in relevant school-based and community-wide activities, as well as in awareness campaigns and cultural observances organized by public and private agencies, schools, and cultural institutions such as during Buwan ng Wika and other events that celebrate Filipino language, culture, and heritage. The promotion and use of indigenous writing systems shall be undertaken with 19 due regard for the rights, traditions, and cultural integrity of the Indigenous Cultural Communities and Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs) to whom such scripts are historically or presently connected. These efforts shall respect the principles of cultural sensitivity, proper attribution, and community participation, consistent with the Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act and other applicable laws and customary practices.

Sec. 5. National Indigenous Scripts Day. - August 22 of every year is hereby

declared as "National Indigenous Scripts Day," to commemorate the recognition of Baybayin and other traditional writing systems as part of the national cultural treasure. The day shall be celebrated with educational and cultural activities that showcase the 28 diversity and richness of Philippine scripts.

Sec. 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days after

the approval of this Act, the NCCA, in coordination with the DepEd, CHED, DTI, DICT, NCIP, DOT, DPWH, NLP, KWF, and other relevant agencies, shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this Act.

The implementation of this Act shall be included in the regular cultural 2 development programs of the concerned agencies, and the necessary funding shall be 3 integrated in their respective annual budgets, subject to the usual budgeting process. The NCCA shall monitor and evaluate the implementation of this Act, and shall 5 include a section in its annual agency report summarizing related initiatives, 6 achievements, and implementation challenges. This report may, from time to time, be 7 submitted to the appropriate committees of Congress for reference and oversight. Not later than five (5) years after the effectivity of this Act, the NCCA shall 9 submit to Congress a comprehensive report evaluating the extent of implementation, 10 changes and improvements observed, and recommendations for further legislative, institutional, or programmatic action. The Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) may submit supplementary assessments, particularly on matters relating to language, orthography, or script-based education and communication.

Sec. 7. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and

regulations, and other issuances or parts thereof that are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.

Sec. 8. Separability Clause. - If any part, section, or provision of this Act shall

18 be declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other parts, sections, or provisions not 19 otherwise affected shall remain in full force and effect.

Sec. 9. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its

publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. Approved,