ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro on Friday called on the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino to immediately release a resolution invalidating earlier memorandums banning progressive books.

She made the call after Rep. Christopher de Venecia, who sponsored KWF’s proposed budget for 2023, said three of the five commissioners who signed the memo withdrew their signatures on Tuesday night making the order invalid.

“We call on the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino to immediately release a new resolution rescinding Memorandum No. 2022-0663 dated August 9, 2022, which banned from libraries and schools five books in Filipino for being ‘subversive’ and ‘anti-government’ Resolution 17-8 condemning the publishing of these books,” Castro said.

She claimed that the KWF memorandum and resolution violated academic freedom and freedom of expression.

“Banning these books and red-tagging the authors violates the law, freedoms and the rights of the people and the authors,” Castro said.

She stressed that under Section 17 of Article II, the Constitution mandates the State to prioritize education, arts, and culture ‘to foster patriotism and nationalism, accelerate social progress, and promote total human liberation and development.