Realizing the potential of Salinlahi as an important instrument to promote scientific culture in the land, Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed into law Republic Act 9107, also known as the Philippine Science Heritage Center Act, on April 14, 2001. The law was published in the Malaya and the Manila Times on April 25, 2001. The Act affirms the Government's commitment and policy to continually support and encourage the development of the country's science and technology program and to promote the Philippines' scientific contributions to the world.
The Act identifies the Academy as the Government agency that would manage, operate and maintain the Center. It also gives the PSHC the following legal power and functions (Section 4):
- to document the works, ideas, inventions and products of Filipino scientists and other accomplishments in the field of S&T
- to establish a display area for samples of inventions, scientific products, memorabilia, references and library materials
- to produce printed materials to be used by the academe in teaching values with scientific insights and which may be used as a source of information by the general public
- to serve as the core of the network of science museums in the Philippines
- to perform such acts as may be necessary for the effective implementation of this Act