SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES First Regular Session ) ) ) SENATE Senate Bill No. 857 INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA AN ACT CREATING AND ESTABLISHING THE CENTER FOR STUDIES ON INDIGENOUS CULTURAL COMMUNITIES, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled: SECTION 1. There is hereby created a Philippine Center for Studies on Indigenous Cultural Communities, hereinafter referred to as "Center", in the University of the Philippines. SEC. 2. The Center shall conduct research and policy studies for the protection and promotion of the rights of indigenous cultural communities to ensure their economic, social and cultural well-being and provide an opportunity to both Muslims and non-Muslims to participate in the national life and development. SEC. 3. The Center shall be composed of the existing Institute of Islamic Studies in the University of the Philippines and an Institute of Studies on NonIslamic Cultural Communities in the Cordilleras and other regions. SEC. 4. The Center shall be headed by an Executive Director who shall be appointed by the President, with the confirmation of the Commission on Appointments, for a term of five (5) years, from among the members of the faculty of the University of the Philippines and other state colleges and universities. The faculty member appointed as executive director shall, during his service as such, be deemed as on leave from his position as faculty member. SEC. 5. The Center shall. organize annually a national conference on indigenous cultural communities and of officers, organizations and academic institutions with functions, activities and/or programs related to these communities. The agenda of the conference shall be the studies of these communities. In addition to recommendations on further studies, the conference shall also

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