Relevant Laws and Issuances

Republic Act No. 8492
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL MUSEUM,
PROVIDING FOR ITS PERMANENT HOME AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled.

Section 1. Short Title. – This Act may be known as the “National Museum Act of 1998”

Section 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is the policy of the State to pursue and support the cultural development of the Filipino people, through the preservation, enrichment and dynamic evolution of the Filipino national culture, based on the principle of unity in diversity in a climate of free artistic and intellectual expression.

Section 3. Conversion of the National Museum. – To implement the above declared State policies, and to ensure its independence and autonomy, the present National Museum hereafter referred to as the National Museum, is hereby converted into a trust of the government. The National Museum is detached from the Department of Education, Culture, and Sports and from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. It shall be placed solely for budgetary purposes under the Office of the President.

The Museum, as established under this Act shall be known by the name of “National Museum” and by the name shall known and have perpetual succession with the power, limitations, and restriction hereafter contained and no other.

The National Museum shall be permanent institution in the service of the community and its development, accessible to the public, and not intended for profit. It shall obtain, keep, study and present material evidence of man and his environment. The National Museum shall inform the general public about these activities for the purpose of study, education and entertainment.

The primary mission of the National Museum shall be to acquire documents, preserve, exhibit and foster scholarly study and appreciation of works of art specimens and cultural and historical artifacts. Pending its reorganization by the Board of Trustees, the National Museum shall be composed of the Museum structure, organization and its collections, properties, assets and liabilities.

Section 4. Permanent Home; Evidence of Title to Site and Buildings. – The whole Executive House Building also known as the Old Congress Building, the Department of Finance Building and Department of Tourism Building on Agrifina Circle shall be the permanent and exclusive site of the National Museum. They shall be known as the National Museum Complex. The Executive House shall now be known as the “National Museum.”

The site and lands selected for the building for the Museum shall be deemed appropriated to the Museum, and the record of the description of such site and lands, or a copy thereof, certified by the Chairman and Secretary of the Board of Trustees, shall be received as evidence in all courts of the extent and boundaries of the lands appropriated to the Museum.