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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 299

Introduced by Representatives
Horacio P, Suansing, Jr. and Estrellita B. Suansing

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘This bill seeks to extend benefits and privileges to professional Filipino
athletes who have given honor, glory and pride to the Philippines by winning
world championship titles in international professional sports competitions and
other equally prestigious world championship games in both individual and
team events.

‘The Philippines became famous in the boxing arena because of the
championship fights won by the likes of Gabriel “Flash” Elorde, Luisito
Espinosa, Gerry Pefialosa, Nonito Donaire, and most notable of all, our
esteemed Senator Manny Pacquiao.

Other names who excelled in their own fields and became champions are
Lydia de Vega and Elma Muros-Posadas - Track and Field; Rafael “Peng”
Nepomuceno and Olivia “Bong” Coo - Bowling; Efren “Bata” Reyes, Francisco
“Django” Bustamante and Rubilen Amit - Billiards; and Eugene Torre ~ Chess.
‘The list of professional Filipino athletes with world-class talents is endless, and
they, at one time or another, earned our, as well as the rest of the world’s,
respect and adulation.

Most sports are physical in nature and many of our Filipino athletes risk
their lives to become champions. Moreover, unlike other career professionals,
the career lifespan of a professional athlete is short. Many do not reach the age
of 40 before retiring, giving way to the much younger and stronger athletes.
Some are forced to retire because they have passed the height of their careers.
Others are just given bad breaks in life after winning a title.


While many of them are greatly compensated by the prizes they win in
these competitions, they deserve more than just a “hero’s welcome,” crowd
adulation, and a pat on the back for a “job well done.”

‘The cases of former Filipino world boxing champions Rolando Navarette,
Luisito Espinosa and Z. Gorres - who became comatose after a successful fight
are cases in point. Navarette is reduced to the life of a pauper - dependent on
charitable gestures from his countrymen for his existence and medical
expenses. Luisito Espinosa is forced to fight mediocre fights just so he could
survive living in the United States. Z, Gorres is fortunate that many generous
persons contributed to shoulder some of the medical bills he incurred.

Our champions should not have to endure this. At their twilight years,
the country which they have given honor, glory and pride must be able to
provide them some sort of support.

The purpose of this bill is to provide health care, retirement and death
benefits to professional Filipino athletes who win world championship titles in
international professional sports competitions or in other equally prestigious
world championship games, in both individual and team events through the
following: (a) extend medical insurance and medical assistance to hospitalized
professional Filipino champions, (b) grant a monthly pension of Php 15,000.00
to individual world champions and Php 10,000.00 to each member of team
events world champions at the retirement age of 50 years, and (c) death
benefits to help in funeral services/expenses.

‘This measure recognized the honor, glory and pride professional Filipino
athletes gave given our country, and also reassures them that their efforts are
not forgotten.

In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this bill is earnestly
sought.

HON. adage 2, cuMaatia) JR. HON. ESTRELLITA B. SUANSING
2d District, Sultan Kudarat 1s District, Nueva Ecfja


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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

299
House Bill No.

Introduced by Representatives _
Horacio P. Suansing, Jr. and Estrellita B, Suansing

AN ACT
GRANTING HEALTH CARE, RETIREMENT, AND DEATH BENEFITS TO
PROFESSIONAL FILIPINO ATHLETES WHO WIN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
TITLES IN INTERNATIONAL PROFESSIONAL SPORTS COMPETITIONS OR
IN OTHER EQUALLY PRESTIGIOUS INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
GAMES AND PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Professional
Filipino Athletes Health Care, Retirement and Death Benefits Act.”

SEC, 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State shall provide health care,
retirement and death benefits to professional Filipino athletes who win world
championship titles in international professional sports competitions or in
other equally prestigious world championship games, in both individual and
team events, in recognition of the glory and honor they bestowed to the
Philippines.

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the following
terms shall be defined as follows:

a. Professional Filipino athletes shall refer to athletes who are Filipino
citizens and paid a sum of money or other compensation as a salary
or prize money for participating in a game, bout, tournament, or
contest of professional sport, either as an individual contestant or as


a member of a team under a contract entered into with a professional
sports promoter/operator or team owner and licensed by the Games
and Amusement Board (GAB);

b. Professional Sports shall refer to individual or team sports, games,
contests, bouts, tournaments or competitions whereby the
participating athlete is paid sums of money and other forms of
compensation as regular salary or prize for participation, which are
accredited and recognized by the GAB;

c. International professional sports competitions shall refer to
international competitions that confer world championship titles in
both individual and team events which are duly sanctioned and
recognized by international sporting organizations and bodies and
accredited by the GAB;

d. Other equally prestigious world championship games shall refer to
other international professional sports competitions that confer the
same rank or stature as world championship titles and recognized as
such by the GAB.

SEC. 4. Health Care Benefits. - Immediately upon winning in any
international professional sports competition, professional Filipino athletes
shall be covered by the National Health Insurance Program of the Philippine
Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), through a special program
sponsored by the GAB, which will provide the required local government
premium counterpart to be directly remitted to the PhilHealth. Upon reaching
the age of fifty (50), the athlete shall be an honorary member of the program,
subject to existing rules and regulations of the PhilHealth.

In case of hospitalization of the professional Filipino athlete in any
hospital or clinic, any amount in excess of the PhilHealth benefit shall be
shouldered by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) under its
Individual Medical Assistance Program (IMAP); Provided, That the requirement
for qualification and grant of the health care assistance to be extended by the
PCSO shall be made consistent with and subject to the compliance with
PCSO’s existing rules and guidelines; Provided, futher, That any qualified
beneficiary shall have the option to waive the benefits mentioned under this
section.

SEC. 5. Retirement Benefits. — Professional Filipino athletes as defined
under this Act, who win in international professional sports competitions shall,
upon reaching the age of fifty (50), receive the following retirement benefits:


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A. For individual events ~ a lifetime monthly pension of at least Fifteen
thousand pesos (Php 15,000.00) for the individual winner;

B, For team sports events ~ a lifetime monthly pension of at least Ten
thousand pesos (Php 10,000.00) for each team member;

Provided, That for athletes who win in both individual and team events,
the retirement benefits for individual events shall apply.

Athletes who are actively employed at the time they reach the age of fifty
(50) and have availed of the retirement benefits under this Act may continue
with such employment: Provided, That the retirement benefits under this Act
shall be separate and distinct from the mandatory retirement benefits provided
by existing laws.

SEC. 6. Death Benefits. - Upon the death of the professional Filipino
athlete, the primary beneficiaries shall be entitled to a lump sum death benefit
of Thirty thousand pesos (Php 30,000.00) to cover funeral services/expenses:
Provided, That, if there are no primary beneficiaries, the secondary
beneficiaries shall be entitled to the said benefits.

For purposes of this Act, the primary beneficiaries shall refer to
legitimate spouse, legitimate or illegitimate children. Secondary beneficiaries
shall refer to the parents, and in their absence, to the brothers or sisters of the
professional Filipino athlete.

SEC. 7. Retroactive Effect. - The benefits provided under this Act shall
retroact to all living professional Filipino athletes who, prior to the enactment
of this Act, have won in any international professional sports competition,
upon compliance with the requirements that shall be prescribed by the GAB in
its Implementing Rules and Regulations: Provided, That the winning
professional Filipino athlete was duly licensed by the GAB at the time of the
competition and the sports event participated in was recognized and accredited
by the GAB.

SEC. 8, Adjustment of Retirement Benefits. - The adjustment in
retirement benefits provided in Section 5 hereof may be authorized, subject to
the approval of the President, upon the joint recommendation of the Secretary
of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Chairman of the
GAB, based on studies, consultations and public hearings with relevant
agencies, entities and concerned athletes or coaches, However, no
memorandum, order or issuance shall diminish the prescribed retirement
benefits.


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SEC. 9. Appropriations. — The Chairman of the GAB shall immediately
include in the Board’s program the implementation of the benefits under this
‘Act, the funding of which shall be included in the annual General
Appropriations Act.

SEC. 10, Implementing Rules and Regulations, - The GAB, in
consultation with the Senate, the House of Representatives and other
concerned agencies, shall promulgate and issue the Implementing Rules and
Regulations within ninety (90) days upon approval of this Act.

SEC. 11. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part of this Act shall
be held unconstitutional or invalid, other provisions, which are not affected
thereby, shall continue to be in full force and effect.

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

SEC, 13. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette and at least one newspaper of general
circulation.

Approved,