Section 7Sec./Art. 7

Governing Board; Composition; Terms, Powers and Functions. - There is hereby created a National Book Development Board hereinafter referred to as the Board, which shall be under the administrative supervision of the Office of the President. The Governing Board shall be composed of eleven (11) members who shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines.

The eleven (11) members shall be composed of:

a. Five (5) representatives of the government to be chosen from the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA), and nominees by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA) from the academe and training institutions, respectively; and

b. Six (6) representatives from the nominees of organizations of private book publishers, printers, writers, book industry related activities, students and the private education sector, preferably representatives of the three (3) main islands of the country, in view of the substantial progress made by other regions in the book publishing industry.

The appointees to the Board shall be one of the three (3) nominees of the concerned nationwide organizations duly incorporated with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and with membership, whenever feasible, in all the cities and provinces throughout the country.

The members of the Board shall elect a chairman from among themselves. The DECS representative in the Board shall be the ex officio vice-chairman of the Board.

The members of the Board shall serve for a term of three (3) years: Provided, That no member shall serve for more than two (2) consecutive terms: Provided, further, That the terms of the first appointees from the private sector shall be staggered thus: the first two (2) representatives of the private sector shall serve for three (3) years; the second two (2) for two (2) years; and the third two (2) for one (1) year: Provided, furthermore, That the appointee from the academe shall serve for a period of three (3) years and the appointee from training institutions shall serve for a term of two (2) years.

The members of the Board shall serve and continue to hold office until their successors shall have been appointed and qualified. Should a member of the Board fail to complete his term, his successor shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines but only for the unexpired portion of the term.

No person shall be appointed to the Board unless he is a citizen of the Philippines, at least thirty (30) years of age, and of established competence and integrity.

For administrative purposes, the Board shall be under the Office of the President.

The members of the Governing Board shall receive per diem and such allowances as may be authorized for every meeting actually attended and subject to pertinent laws, rules and regulations.