Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Eighteenth Congress
First Regular Session

4594

HOUSE BILL Ni

Introduced by Representative Lucy Torres-Gomez

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Philippine Constitution mandates the State to promote physical
education and sports, to foster self-discipline, teamwork and excellence for
the development of healthy and alert citizenry. In furtherance of this
mandate there should be programs that will encourage the entire citizenry
to participate in physical fitness and sports and excel on these programs
because there are so many talents around who just need to be tapped and
trained.

It is also observed that over the years, despite abundance in supposed
good/potential athletes, the outcome of our athlete’s participation in
international competitions like the ASEAN GAMES and the OLYMPIC
GAMES have been dismal. The Philippines is always hungry for medals.
We recognize the efforts and capabilities of our athletes but the sad reality
is there is a perennial lack of funding in the training of our athletes and the
lack of pool of adequately trained athletes.

This proposed bill seeks to find solution to this dilemma of
Philippine sports by providing a structure for a truly integrated and
comprehensive national sports program, linking grassroots sports
promotion to elite sports development and encourage all local government
officials to promote the development of sports in the countryside covering
all barangays, towns, municipalities, cities and provinces... This is also to
encourage and assist various National Sports Association to promote their
respective sports at the grassroots level providing the necessary linkages
with local government units.


Today what we have are school based Palarong Pambansa for public
schools but it only allows participation of in-school athletes ( students ) in
primary and secondary level. College and university students, out-of-
school youths, graduates and professionals who can be source for
physically mature and competitive athletes are not included. While we
have the UAAP and NCAA for private colleges and universities., more
often than not,sports is not a priority for the athletes from these collegiate
leagues.

The Palarong Pambansa, the UAAP and the NCAA, only include
sports that are regularly played in public schools. Other Olympic and Asian
Games sports which have proven to give our country more medals in
international competitions are not included in the program. Among these
sports are billiards, bowling, fencing, weightlifting, shooting, rowing, and
many more. The proposed Philippine National Games hopes to be a venue
for scouting for potential athletes in various sports.

This Act hopes to institutionalize a truly comprehensive national
grassroots sports program, that will harness the vast potentials of the
citizenry in discovering and developing champion athletes who could excel
in international competition, thus giving our country pride and
international goodwill and addressing the long standing problems of
Philippine sports in general. To achieve this, the direct involvement of
LGUs is imperative .

LUCY TORRE! EZ
Representffive
Fourth District of Leyte


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Eighteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 4594

Introduced by Representative Lucy Torres-Gomez

AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING A COMPREHENSIVE NATIONAL
GRASSROOTS SPORTS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
CENTERED IN THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL GAMES

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the
Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the
“Philippine National Games Act.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policies. —

The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building
and shall promote and protect the physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual and
social well-being. It shall inculcate in the youth patriotism and nationalism
and encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs.

The State also 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.

Further, the State shall promote physical education and encourages
sports programs, league competitions and amateur sports, including


training for international competitions, to foster self-discipline, teamwork,
and excellence for the development of a healthy and alert citizenry, and

Finally, all education institutions shall undertake regular sports
activities throughout the country in cooperation with athletic clubs and
other sectors.

SEC. 3. Objectives. —The objectives of the Philippine National

Games are as follows:

(a) To provide the structure for a truly integrated and
comprehensive national sports program linking grassroots sports
promotion to elite sports development.

(b) To serve as the government's premier national sports
competition to be held once every two years.

(c) To encourage all local government officials to promote the
development of sports in the countryside covering all barangays,
towns, municipalities, cities and provinces.

(d) To encourage and assist various National Sports Association
in promoting their respective sports at the grassroots level
providing the necessary linkages with local government units.

(e) To encourage the entire citizenry to participate in physical
fitness and sports activities in furtherance of the Philippine
Constitution’s mandate for the State to promote physical
education and sports, to foster self-discipline, teamwork and
excellence for the development of a healthy and alert citizenry.

(f)To serve as the pinnacle of a unified sports promotion and
development program, bringing together in harmony and
solidarity all sectors in sports, public and private. The Palarong
Pambansa, and other local sports competitions organised by the
LGUs and/or the private sector, shall serve as “feeder”and
preparatory program for the PNG.

SEC. 4. Rationale. - This Act is necessary to institutionalize a truly
comprehensive national grassroots sports program, that will harness the
vast potentials of the citizenry in discovering and developing champion


athletes who could excel in international competition, thus giving our
country pride and international goodwill. This Act is imperative as the
desired situation is not addressed by the Palarong Pambansa (“PP”) or any

other sports programs now in place.

(a) The PP is run by the Department of Education, thus limiting
its coverage to in-school youth, trained and entered by schools
with no direct participation of the local government units and the
local elected officials

(b) The PP only allows participation of in-school athletes (
students ) in primary and secondary level. College and university
students, out-of-school youths, graduates and professionals who
can be source for physically matured and competitive athletes are
not included.

(c) The PP program only includes sports that are regularly played
in public schools. Other Olympic and Asian Games sports which
have proven to give our country more medals in international
competitions are not included in the program. Among these sports
are billiards, bowling, fencing, weightlifting, shooting, rowing,
and many more.

(d) The PP program requires a selection of athletes to represent a
geographical region. The regional selection is headed by the
DepEd Regional Director, since the PP is a DepEd program. The
Governors, or Mayors and the provinces or cities they represent
are not directly involved. These local elected officials therefore
have no stake in the success or failure of their regional
team/delegation.

(e) The PP sports officiating officials as well as the competition
rules are devised and approved by the DepEd, with little or no
participation of the National Sports Associations, which are the
governing bodies of their respective sports in the country. These
NSAs are accredited by their International Sports Federations
which in turn govern the sport and their competitions worldwide.


SEC. 5. Definition of Terms. —As used in this Act, the following
terms shall be understood to mean as follows:

(a) Grassroots Sports Development program refers to a system
which encourages and compels local government units
(provinces, cities, municipalities, barangays) and their officials to
engage in sports activities that would identify, recruit and train
home-grown athletes

(b) Elite Sports Development program refers to the functions and
activities of National Sports Associations which are usually
supported by the national government through the Philippine
Sports Commission, in developing national athletes for and to
represent the country in various international competitions

SEC. 6. Coordinating Agencies and Instrumentalities. — In the
implementation of this Act, the following government agencies,
instrumentalities and entities are hereby mandated to coordinate various

aspects thereof, to wit:

(a) Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) - The PSC shall be the
‘overall coordinator of the national grassroots sports development
program and the governing body of the Philippine National
Games program

(b) Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG)  -
The DILG shall be the supervising government body in charged
of all the local government units (LGUs) participating in the
Philippine National Games

(c) Local Government Units (LGUs)  - The LGUs are the
participating provinces and cities(highly urbanized, special,
independent and chartered) given authority to participate in the
Philippine National Games. For this purpose, the LGUs shall
organize within their jurisdiction a multi-sectoral groupto serve as
their Local Sports Council (LSC)with the right to have athletes
participate in the Games.


(d) Department of National Defense(DND) - The DND
shall be the supervising government body in charge of all the
branches of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. They shall be
shall be recognized as an LSC authorized to have athletes
(composed of military personnel) participate in the Philippine
National Games.

(e) Philippine Olympic Committee (POC)- The POC shall be the
supervising non-governmental body in charged of all the
participating National Sports Association involved in the
Philippine National Games.

(f)National Sports Associations (NSAs) - The National Sports
Associations are the governing bodies in charge of organizing the
competitions of their respective sports in the Philippine National
Games.

SEC. 7. Organization and Structure. -

(a) Role of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC)-
The PSC shall be the overall governing body of the Philippine
National Games with the following authorities and
responsibilities:

a. To form an Executive Committee which shall decide on any
issue regarding the PNG;

b. To establish the PNG National Secretariat which shall serve
as the nerve center for the day-to-day operations of the
PNG; and

c. To formulate the necessary policies and regulations that
would govern the relationships among the organizations
involved.

(b) Role of the Local Sports Councils (LSC) - The LSCs are
recognized by the PSC as having the authority and responsibility
of developing athletes to be entered in the PNG, representing their
respective LGUs or the AFP.

a. They must have must their own distinct constituencies
engaged in sports development, including recruitment and
training and selecting athletes for participation in the PNG,


and organizing local competitions in their respective
jurisdictions;

b. They shall have the sole authority for representation in the
PNG and its corresponding regional and cluster qualifying
competitions;

c. The LSCs must have as Chairman the head (such as
provincial governor or city mayor) of the LGU. In the same
token, the AFP Chief of Staff serves as the head of the LSC
(composed of military personnel);

d. The LSC must be responsible for the entire delegation it
enters in the PNG, and ensures that its athletes comply with
the eligibility rules of the Games;

¢. The name of the LSC must reflect the territory/LGU that it
represents; and

f. The LSC may enter any athlete in any event as may be
allowed by the PNG rules provided said athlete is not under
suspension or expelled by the concerned NSA for cause,
consistent with the international rules of their sport.

(c) Role of the National Sports Associations (NSA) - The

NSAe are the governing bodies for their respective sports in the
pines as accredited by their International Federation and
el by the Philippine Olympic Committee

a. The NSAs shall be responsible for the technical operations
of their respective competitions in the PNG including the
appointment of qualified officiating officials;

b. The NSA in coordination with the PSC and the host LSC,
shall conduct the various regional or cluster qualifying
competitions;

c. The NSAs must allow the participation of all athletes
entered by the LSCs regardless of their membership status
with the NSA, provided:

i. the athlete registers with the NSA local chapter or
representative


ii.the athlete conforms and agrees to abide by the
competition rules and regulations of the NSA

iii, the athlete carries the name and colors of the
LSC he represents

iv. the athlete carries the name and colors of the

LSC

v.The athlete is not presently under suspension or
expelled by the NSA for cause, consistent with the

international rules of their sport.

SEC. 8. Participation Rules. -

(a)

(b)

Eligibility

a. All Filipino, whether by birth or naturalized, and those
permanently residing outside of the Philippines but are of
Filipino ancestry and holders of Filipino passports shall be
eligible, and

b. To participate in the PNG, a competitor must comply with
the eligibility rules of the PNG and the NSAs concerned,
and must be entered by his LSC.

Representation

p

. All competitors must represent the LSC that entered his/her
name in the PNG. He/she shall represent this LSC at all
times during the Games and shall not carry or promote other
LSCs, organization ,whether public or private;

b. Should it be required that a regional or cluster qualifying
competition be held to determine the qualified athlete/team
that may be given the available slot/s for participation in the
PNG, said athlete/team shall continue to carry and represent
the same LSC that he originally represented; and

c. No regional or cluster selection or representation shall be

allowed in the PNG


SEC. 9. Appropriation. — In order to provide the necessary funds
required for the proper implementation of this program, the following

funding shall be made available:

(a) For the preparations, organization and operations of the
biennial Philippine National Games, including the organization of
the different regional and cluster qualifying competitions, the
amount of Fifty Million pesos (Php50,000,000.00) annually shall
be appropriated by the National Treasury, and will form part of
the General Appropriation Fund of the Philippine Sports
Commission. This Fund shall include the cost of staging the PNG
particularly the expenses covering the operations of the sports
competitions including the expenses for competition officials and
personnel, meal allowances and logistics for the accommodation
and transportation of all participating athletes and team officials,
purchase of necessary competition equipment, rental of venues for
competition, opening ceremonies, and incentives and rewards for
athletes and LSCs; and

(b) For the preparation and training of the athletes, the LGUs
shall be authorized to appropriate one percent (1% ) of their
annual “Internal Revenue Allotment” and if the need arises
charge the amounts necessary to their “Special Activity
Fund”and/or their “Special Education Fund”as may be allowed
by existing laws.For this purpose, all LGUs shall also be
allocated annually an additional IRA equivalent to one percent
(1% ) thereof.

SEC. 10. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within ninety (90)
days from the effectivity of this Act, the Department of Interior and Local
Government and the Philippine Sports Commission shall jointly issue the

necessary rules and regulations for the implementation thereof.


SEC. 11. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof is
held invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or provision shall

remain valid and subsisting.

SEC. 12. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders,
rules and regulations and other issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with
the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, modified or amended

accordingly.

SEC. 13. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15)
days after its publication either in the Official Gazette or in two (2)

newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,