THE House of Representatives unanimously approved Bill No. 7540, also known as the "Special Program in the Creative Arts Act," on May 23, 2023, with a vote of 259-0 on its third and final reading.

 The bill was co-authored by Cagayan de Oro 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez and seeks to bolster the Special Program in Creative Arts for junior and senior high schools in the Philippines.

The Special Program in Creative Arts is a curriculum that focuses on developing the artistic skills and talents of students in various fields such as music, dance, theater, visual arts, and multimedia. 

The program aims to provide students with opportunities to showcase their creativity and express themselves through different art forms.

Rodriguez stated that the goal of the bill is to improve and expand the program, making it more accessible to students all over the country. 

He also emphasized the importance of nurturing the creative talents of young people, as it can lead to a more vibrant and culturally rich society.

With the passage of this bill, it is expected that more schools will be able to offer the Special Program in Creative Arts to their students and provide them with a well-rounded education that includes the arts.

Bill 7540 seeks to create a Special Program in the Creative Arts (SPCA) Council under the supervision of the Department of Education (DepEd).

The council is mandated to periodically consult with various creative industries to ensure that the programs, curriculum, courses, and other activities of the SPCA respond to current and future trends. 

It is tasked to urge higher education institutions to offer programs for scholarships and grants in creative arts courses, and inform the schools with SPCA of such programs. 

On the other hand, the bill provides for tax exemptions from customs duties in the importation of equipment relating to creative industry, books, art-related supplies, musical instruments, materials and goods, including those donated to the SPCA upon certification by the DepEd.

Likewise it gives tax exemption from the donor's tax for all grants, bequests, endowments, donations, and contributions made to the SPCA and considers the same as allowable deduction from gross income for purposes of computing the taxable income of the donor.

The bill, which received approval on May 8, is currently under consideration in the Senate.