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National Museum Act of 1998

Category: Articles
Date Posted: 2005-12-28

Promoting Cultural, Education and Scientific Development in the Philippines

With the ratification of the Republic Act 8492, also known as the National Museum Act (NMA) of 1998,the National Museum offer more scientific and technical service to the general public. This Act, establishes a National Museum system and provides a permanent homes where the precious scientific and cultural heritage of the Filipino people will be permanently displayed.

This Act, which is a consolidation of Senate Bill No.1889 and House Bill No.1577 was passed by the Senate and the House of the Representative on February 5,1998 and February 6, 1998,respectively ,and approved by the President of the Philippines on February 12,1998.In effect, business shall now be conducted in Manila by the Board of Trustees composed of the chairmen of the committee on Education of the Senate and the House of Representative ,the National Museum Commission for Culture and the Arts, seven representative from the private sector, and the President of the Philippines as the Honorary Chairman and Patron. At present, the Board of Trustees is composed of President Joseph Ejercito Estrada as Honorary Chairman and Patron, Antonio O. Cojuangco, Chairman, and members of the Board are Senator Tessie A. Oreta as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education, Congressman Allan Quimpo as Chairman of the House of Representative Committee of Education, Chairman Jaime Laya of the National Committee on Culture and Arts, Ernani Cuenco, Jr., Benito Legarda, George Ty, Ramon del Rosario,Jr., Marnella Fabella, and Sr. Luz Emmanuel Soriano. The National Museum will now be placed under the uaspices of the office of the President of the Philippines.

The NMA stipulate that as an educational institution the National Museum shall take the lead in disseminating knowledge of Filipino cultural and historical heritage and developing a corps of professional knowledgeable about the preservation, enrichment and dynamic evaluation of the Filipino national culture. As a scientific, the Museum shall continue to conduct basic and systematic research programs combining integrated laboratory and fieldwork in anthropology and archeology, geology and paleontology, botany and zoology. It shall also maintain reference collection on these discipline and promote scientific development in the Philippines.

The NMA supports the BIC-Plants Unit in attaining its goal of setting up a comprehensive and up-to ?date computerized data base on plant diversity and conservation in the Philippines. This data based serve as ready reference and guide in interested users especially government agencies, private institution, scientist, teachers, students, and the public in general. The NMA also strengthens the BIC-Plants Unit as an information center that provides information on how to collect, preserve, identify and exhibit all type of plants.

The duties and function of the National Museum are stated in Section 7 as follows:

7.1. Acquire document, collect, preserve, maintain, administer and exhibit to the public, culture materials, object of arts, archeological artifacts, ecofacts, relics and other materials embodying the cultural and natural heritage of the Filipino nation, as well as those of foreign origin. Materials relevant to the recent history of the country shall be likewise acquired, collected, preserved, maintained, advertised and exhibited by the Museum.

7.2. Conduct researches, archeological and scientific, on Philippines flora and fauna ; collect, preserve, identify and exhibit to the public systematically all type of plants and animal found in the Philippines, prepare on them and maintain a reference collection on such subjects.