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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
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OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENfs17 
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S.No. ___ _ 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 11, Section 17 provides: 
The State shall give priority to education, science and technology, arts, culture, 
and sports to foster patriotism and nationalism, accelerate social progress, and promote 
total human liberation and development. 
The use of anabolic steroids, performance enhancing substances, controlled substances by 
professional and amateur or collegiate athletes poses a significant public health and safety 
concern not only for the players on the field, but also for the general public. As long as athletes 
believe the use of these products is necessary to gain a competitive edge and secure recognition 
in the professional leagues, there will be aspiring athletes who will use these products to attempt 
to be more competitive. 
The detrimental health effects of these substances are well-documented including stunted 
growth, scarring acne, hair loss, hormonal and metabolic imbalances, liver damage, a higher risk 
, 
of heart attack and stroke, dramatic mood swings, and violent tendencies. The list of substances 
must be monitored and updated because the list of performance-enhancing substances continues 
to expand and new substances are always being developed. The tolerance of the use of 
performance enhancing substances by professional and amateur athletes by the sports leagues 
send the wrong message to youth that these drugs must be used to advance in athletic 
competitions. 1 
1 This bill was originally filed during the Thirteenth Congress. 
I 


- -:' 
FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
/1 
---------------------------------W~~NE~D~W~'~~_±6~~~ 
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... 
SEN11h', 
S.No. ___ _ 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
1 
AN ACT 
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TO ESTABLISH AND ENFORCE STANDARDS FOR THE TESTING OF ILLEGAL 
3 
. USE OF PERFORMANCE ENHANCING SUBSTANCES AND OTHER 
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CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES IN PROFESSIONAL, AMATEUR OR 
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COLLEGIATE SPORTS 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
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Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Professional Sports 
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Responsibility Act." 
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SECTION 2. Definitions. - For purposes of this Act, the following terms shall mean: 
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(I) "Accreditation Body" - means the private nonprofit organization authorized under 
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Section 4 to audit, inspect, and certify professional and amateur or collegiate leagues. 
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(2) "Off-Season" - means the period of time in each calendar year outside of the season 
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of play for each professional or amateur or collegiate league. 
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(3) "Professional Athlete" - means an individual who competes in a major professional 
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league. 
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(4) "Amateur Athlete" - means an individual who competes III a major amateur or 
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collegiate league. 
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(5) "Season of Play" -
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(A) In General - for each major professional or amateur or collegiate league 
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means the period of time in each calendar year beginning with the date on which 
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prof~ssional and amateur athletes of that league are collectively obligated to report to 
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their teams in preparation for play and ending with the last game of the league's regular 
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season. 
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(B) Post-Season - The season of play shall include post-season play for an athlete 
who is a member of a team that remains active in post-season play. 
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SECTION 3. Standards for Testing for Performance-Enhancing and Other Controlled 
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Substances -
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(1) In General -Not later than one hundred eighty (180) days after the date of the 
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enactment of this Act, the Philippine Sports Commission (F'SC) shall issue rules requiring the 
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testing by all major professional and amateur or collegiate leagues for the illegal use of steroids 
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and other performance-enhancing substances and any substance designated as a controlled 
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substance under the Dangerous Drugs Act. Such rules shall be issued with regard to each specific 
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major professional and amateur or collegiate league and at a minimum establish-
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(A) the minimum number of times each professional athlete should be tested for 
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prohibited substances during a calendar year, ensuring that tests are conducted at random 
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intervals throughout the season of play and during the off-season; 
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(B) the applicable prohibited substances for which professional athletes shall be 
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tested, 
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(C) a method of testing and analysis which guarantees that -
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(i) the tests will be administered by an independent party who is not an 
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employee of a major professional and amateur or collegiate league, member team, 
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or organization representing professional or amateur athletes in that league; and 
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(ii) the determination of the persons to be tested, and the timing and 
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frequency of testing, is not controlled by the major professional and amateur 26 or 
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collegiate league; 
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(D) a means for exempting particular substances that have legitimate medical or 
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therapeutic use, if such use is for a documented medical condition of the professional or 
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amateur or collegiate athlete; 
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(E) sufficient penalties for any professional or amateur or collegiate athlete who 
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tests positive for a prohibited substance and penalties for any professional or amateur or 
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collegiate athlete who refuses or fails to submit to a required test; 
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(F) an adequate appeals process; and 
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(0) procedures for publicly disclosing the identity of any athlete who tests 
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positive for a prohibited substance. 
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SECTION 4. Authorization of Independent Accreditation Body and Certification.-
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(1) Accreditation Body - The PSC shall authorize a private organization to be an 
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accreditation body for the certification of major professional leagues. Such accreditation 
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body shall-
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(A) audit a major professional or amateur or collegiate league's testing protocols 
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and policies with such frequency as the PSC shall determine; and 
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(B) with such frequency as determined by the PSC, inspect the testing of a major 
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professional and amateur or collegiate league of its 'athletes to ensure that the testing 
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procedures meet the standards established under Section 3. 
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(2) Certification Requirements -
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(A) Certification -The accreditation body shall certify a major professional or 
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amateur or collegiate league each year prior to the beginning of that league's season of 
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play if such league has adopted and enforced a policy for the testing for the illegal use of 
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performance-enhancing substances and other controlled substances which meets the 
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standards established under Section 3; 
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(B) Application and Requirements for Certification - To be certified under this 
, 
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section, a major professional or amateur or collegiate league shall -
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(i) submit an application to the accreditation body in such form and manner as the 
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PSC shall prescribe, which application shall describe the characteristics of the major 
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professional or amateur or collegiate league's prohibited substance testing protocols, 
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policies and procedures, including: 
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(a) the number and types of tests for prohibited substances conducted in a 
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calendar year, including the actual number of professional athletes tested; 
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(b) the methodologies used for administering tests and other procedures 
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employed; 
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(c) the qualifications, educational background, training, and experience of 
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the laboratory personnel selected to evaluate the tests; and 
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(d) adjudication policies and procedures, including policies and 
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procedures governing an appeals process. 
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(ii) provide the accreditation body satisfactory assurances that the major 
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Professional or amateur or collegiate league will be operated in accordance with 
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standards issued by the PSC under Section 3; and 
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(iii) agree to permit inspections by the accreditation body and to make available 
, 
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any records and submit reports to the accreditation body as the PSC may reasonably 
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reqUire. 
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(3) Suspension and Revocation - The certification of a major professional league issued 
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under this section may be suspended or revoked if the accreditation body finds, after reasonable 
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notice and opportunity for hearing of the owner or' operator of the major professional and 
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amateur or collegiate league, that such owner or operator or any employee of the major 
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professional or amateur or collegiate league -
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(A) has been guilty of misrepresentation in obtaining the certification; 
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(B) has failed to comply with the requirements of this section or the standards 
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established under section 3; 
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(C) has failed to comply with reasonable requests of the accreditation body for 
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any information or materials that the accreditation body concludes is necessary to 
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determine the major professional and amateur or collegiate league's continued eligibility 
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for certification; or 
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(D) has refused a reasonable request of the accreditation body to inspect the major 
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professional or amateur or collegiate league and its operations and pertinent records. 
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(4) Report - The accrediting body shall report to Congress whenever a major professional 
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league fails to receive certification under subsection (2) or a major professional and amateur or 
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collegiate league's certification is revoked or suspended, under subsection (3). The report shall 
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include the reasons for which the league was not 
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certified or for which its certification was revoked or suspended. 
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SECTION 5. Penalties. - Beginning one year after the date on which the final mles 
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required by Section 3 are issued, the PSC may penalize, by withdrawing its permit to operate, 
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any major professional and amateur or collegiate league that fails to adopt and enforce testing 
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policies and procedures consistent with such mles. 
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SECTION 6. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof is invalid or 
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unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
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valid and subsisting. 
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SECTION 7. Repealing Clause. - All acts, decrees, orders, executive orders, instmctions, 
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mles and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
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repealed or modified accordingly. 
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SECTION 8. Effectively Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. The publication shall not be 
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later than seven (7) days after approval hereof. 
Approved. 
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