Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNo. 3164

Introduced by REP. ALFREDO “ALBEE” B. BENITEZ

EXPLANATORY NOTE

It is the policy of the State to give priority to sports, along with education, science
and technology, arts, and culture, to foster patriotism and nationalism, elerate social
progress, and promote total human liberation and development (Art. 2, SECTION 17).
Sports fosters unity and a country excelling in sports events, especially those in the
international level such as the Olympics and Asian games, builds up national pride. One
valid proof of this is the success of international boxing champion, Manny Pacquiao that has
continuously lifted the morale of Filipinos throughout the country and consequently brings
us together as a nation.

However, the Philippines incessantly fail to generate more athletes that would excel
in other sports. The impact of Manny Pacquiao's boxing triumphs should obviously be
replicated in other sports competitions. ‘To be able to do so, it is imperative for the
government to allocate resources for the development of youth athletes and to generate
support from the LGUs and schools to improve local sports competitions,

Therefore, there is also a need to reinvigorate the national sports event that is the
culmination of said local sports competition - the Palarong Pambansa.

Palarong Pambansa is the perfect venue to rear future athletes that can excel in
international competitions. It has been the most important national competition in the
country but has since seemed to lose its prestige and popularity among the Filipinos over
the year:

‘This measure proposes the revitalization of Palarong Pambansa as the premiere
national sports event. It seeks to regain the Palarong Pambansa’s popularity where local
government units (LGUs) want to participate as hosts and schools improving their physical
education program to send student athletes in Palarong Pambansa.

Specifically, this proposed measure provides for incentives to athletes and schools
participating and to LGUs hosting the Palarong Pambansa; formulation of marketing and
communications plan to promote the event and gather support from the private sector;
provide opportunities for provinces to promote itself through sports by being the host of
Palarong Pambansa; and institutionalize the management, existing standards and rules and
regulations of Palarong Pambansa.

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

“ALBRE” B. BENITEZ


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bit.No. 3164

Introduced by REP. ALFREDO “ALBEE” B. BENITEZ

AN ACT REVITALIZING THE CONDUCT AND STRENGTHENING THE ADMINISTRATION
OF PALARONG PAMBANSA AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

assembled:

ARTICLET
GENERAL PROVISIONS

SECTION 1. Short Title - This Act shall be known as the “Pal.
Revitalization Act of 2010"

rong Pambansa

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policies - It is the policy of the state to institutionalize
the Palarong Pambansa as the principal sporting event and promote physical education and
encourage sports programs, leagues 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. All educational institutions are directed to
undertake regular sports activities throughout the country (Art. 15, SECTION 19).
Therefore, it shall then be a declared policy of the State to support programs that will
improve and promote Palarong Pambansa as the primary avenue that provides in-school

opportunities to improve their physical, moral, intellectual and social well-being.
SECTION 3. Objectives - This Act provides for the following:

(a) Institutionalizing the Palarong Pambansa as the premiere sporting event of
the Department of Education owing to its illustrous history as the Philippines’

longest running sporting event to identify young athletes from all over the
country.


(b) Improvement in the national school sports program by encouraging better
participation of schools through incentives and providing more prestige in the

Palarong Pambansa.

(c) Encouragement of local government units (LGUs) to take pro-active
participation by providing incentives and heightened efforts to popularize

and promote the Palarong Pambansa.

ARTICLE I
ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT OF PALARONG PAMBANSA

SECTION 4. Palarong Pambansa Board ~ A Palarong Pambansa Board, herein after
referred to as the Board, is hereby created as the lead coordinating and policy-making body
for the conduct of Palarong Pambansa and attached to the DepEd. The Board shall be the
proprietary owner of the words “Palarong Pambansa’ and its related symbols, logos, and

concept.

SECTION 5, Membership of the Board - The Palarong Pambansa Board shall be
composed of the following:

(a) Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd) - Chairperson
(b) lead of the Task Force on School Sports of DepEd

(c) DepEd Regional Directors

(d) Representative from the National Youth Commission (NYC)

(e) Head of the host Local Government Unit (LGU)

‘The Task Force on School Sports of DepEd shall act as the Secretariat of the Board.

SECTION 6. Functions and Du

ies of the Board - The Board shall have the
following functions and duties:

(a) Formulate policies and guidelines that shall govern the conduct of the Palarong

Pambansa and other related school sports activities leading to the Palarong
Pambansa;

(b) Develop and recommend programs and policies that will promote the Palarong

Pambansa and encourage schools and LGUs to improve their performance in

2


sports and physical education, including the improvement of incentive packages

for LGUs and schools;

(6) Develop marketing strategies for the maximization of the PP including, but not

limited to, royalties, merchandising and advertisements;
(a) Approve budget allocations for the Palarong Pambansa;
(e) Review and approve the bids to host the Palarong Pambansa;
(8) Directly supervise the preparation and conduct of the Palarong Pambansa; and

(g) Assess and submit a report to Congress on the conduct of Palarong Pambansa

annually.

SECTION 7. Regional Athletics Associations (RAAs) ~ The Deplid Regional Offices
shall organize the RAAs using the same organizational pattern, including the Local
Government Units (LGUs) in their respective regions. The RAAs, which shall headed by the
Regional Directors of DepEd, shall come up with incentives for schools having student/s

representing their regions in the Palarong Pambansa.

ARTICLE IIT
HOSTING OF PALARONG PAMBANSA

SECTION 8. Hosting of the Palarong Pambansa ~ ‘The hosting of the Palarong
Pambansa shall be determined by bidding and guided by the principle of rotation. The
rotation shall follows the "Visayas - Northern or Central Luzon - Mindanao - NCR or
Southern Luzon" cycle: Provided, That the host province shall not be allowed to host in the

next two opportunities to host the Palaro in its region.

‘Two nearby provinces may co-host the Palarong Pambansa: Provided, That it was
proven that one of the province does not have enough venue to accommodate all the sports
events or if one of the bidding co-host province is included in the Ten (10) poorest

provinces in the country.

SECTION 9. Criteria for the Selection of the Palarong Pambansa Host
Province/s ~ The Board shall formulate the criteria for the selection of the host province/s,
which shall take into consideration the existing sports facilities, capacity to accommodate
the participants and guests, security and the need of the province for an opportunity to

promote its socio-economic-cultural characteristics through the Palarong Pambansa.


ARTICLE IV
PROMOTION OF PALARONG PAMBANSA

SECTION 10. Incentive Packages ~

(a) Host Province/s ~ The Board shall come up with incentives for the winning host
province to encourage more LGUs to bid in the hosting of Palarong Pambansa in the
future. The incentives package shall, include but not limited to, donation of sports
facilities and a counterpart to be borne by Deplid amounting to at least ten percent
(109%) of the total expenses of the province in the conduct of Palarong Pambansa.

(b) Schools with students who are participating in the Palarong Pambansa - The
Board, together with representatives from each RAAs shall formulate a uniform
incentive packages for schools having students representing their respective regions
in the Palarong Pambansa. ‘The incentives shall be formulated in such a way that
rewards will be given to schools having at least five students or one team reaching

the Palarong Pambansa. Incentives shall include but not limited to financial support

for additional sports scholarships and improvement of physical education program.

SECTION 11. Promotion of Palarong Pambansa - The Board shall create the

Palarong Pambansa Communication Task Force which duties and responsibilities include:

(a) Formulation of marketing and communications plan to ensure promotion of the
Palarong Pambansa and further encourage LGUs to bid in the hosting of the event
and for schools to improve their physical education programs and aim to send

representative athletes in the Palrong Pambans

(b) Ensure coverage of the Palarong Pambansa in both the national and local media;

(c) Enter into sponsorship, merchandising and royalty agreements from private

entities as additional funding to the Palarong Pambansa;

(d) Encourage LGUs to provide their own incentives to athletes coming from their

regions in the form of scholarships or cash rewards.

‘The Task Force shall be composed of representatives from the following government
agencies:

(a) Department of Education ~ Task Force on School Sports


(b) Philippine Information Agency (PIA)
(c) Philippine Sports Commission

(d) DepEd Regional Offices

ARTICLE V
ELIGIBILITY AND ACCREDITATION

SECTION 12. Eligibility of Players, Coaches and Chaperones ~ The Board shall

issue the requirements and guidelines for the eligibility of players, coaches and chaperones.

SECTION 13. National Screening and Accreditation Committee (NSAC) - The
Board shall convene the National Screening and Accreditation Committee that will evaluate
and verify the authenticity of the athletes’, coaches’ and chaperones’ documents applying for
the accreditation. NSAC will accredit qualified athletes, coaches and chaperones and shall

submit a master list to the Board at least two months before the Palarong Pambansa.
SECTION 14. Composition of NSAC - The NSAC shall be composed of the following:
(a) Head of DepEd’s Task Force on School Sports
(b) Representative from the Legal Division of DepEd
(c) Two (2) government physician
(a) Two (2) dentists

(e) Authorized representatives from each RAA

SECTION 15. Protests on Elij

ity and Appeals on Disqualification - The Board
shalll issue guidelines on the process of addressing protests and appeals on the eligibility or
disqualification of athletes, coaches and chaperones: Provided, That the decision on a certain

protest or appeal shall not exceed thirty (30) days upon the receipt of the Board.

ARTICLE VI
SPORTS EVENTS AND STANDARDS

SECTION 16. Sports Events ~ The official sports events in the Palarong Pambansa
are the following:


{a) Elementary Division

ay Athletics
Q) Badminton
) Baseball
(4) Basketball
(5) Boxing
6 Chess
(O) Football
(8) Gymnastics (Artistic)
0) Gymnastics (Rhythmic)
(10) Sepak Takraw

(11) Softball
(12) Swimming
(13) Table Tennis
(14) Taekwondo
(15) Tennis

(16) Voleyball

All sports events shall be played by boys and girls except for Baseball, Boxing, Artistic
Gymnastics and Sepak ‘Takraw where boys will only be allowed to play and Rhythmic
Gymnastics for girls.

(b) Secondary Division

0) Archery

Q) Arnis

@) Athletics
4) Badminton
(5) Baseball

(6) Basketball
) Boxing

(8) Chess

9) Cheer Dance
(10) Dance Sport


ay Football

(2) Gymnastics (Artistic)
(13) Gymnastics (Rhythmic)
(4) Sepak Takraw

(1s) Softball

(16) Swimming

(17) Table Tennis

(a3) Taekwondo

(19) Tennis
(20) Volleyball

All sports events shall be played by boys and girls except for Baseball, Boxing, Artistic
Gymnastics and Sepak Takraw where boys will only be allowed to play and Rhythmic
Gymnastics for girls.

SECTION 18. Regulations and Standards ~ All sports events shall be played
according to international rules and regulations and sports equipments to be used shall be
in accordance to international standards. The set of rules and regulations and the number of
teams, athletes, coaches and chaperones allowed for each of the events and standards for

sports equipments shall be issued by the Board.

SECTION 19. Awards for the Winners of Events ~ The winners of each sports event
will be awarded of the following:

(a) Individual events
(1) First Place - Gold Medal and cash prize of ten thousand(10,000) pesos
(2) Second Place - Silver medal and cash prize of five thousand (5,000) pesos

(3) Third Place ~ Bronze medal and cash prize of three thousand (3,000)
pesos

(b) Doubles Events

(1) First Place - Gold medals and cash prize of ten thousand(10,000) pesos
each

(2) Second Place - Silver medals and cash prize of five thousand (5,000) pesos
each


(3) Third Place - Bronze medals and cash prize of three thousand (3,000)
pesos each

(c) Team Events

(1) First Place - Trophy, Gold medals and cash prize of ten thousand(10,000)
pesos each

(2) Second Place - Trophy, Silver medals and cash prize of five thousand
(5,000) pesos each

(3) Third Place - Trophy, Bronze medals and cash prize of three thousand
(3,000) pesos each

ARTICLE VII
FINAL PROVISIONS
SECTION 20. Appropriations ~ The Department of Education shall propose an
amount to fund the implementation of this Act, which shall be included in the budget of the
Department of Education in the General Appropriations Act starting from the first year of

effectivity of this Act.

SECTION 21. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days
after the approval of this Act, the DepEd, together with concerned agencies, shall prepare
and promulgate the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) to carry out the provisions of
this Act. The IRRs shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following their publication in a

major daily newspaper of general circulation.

SECTION 22. Separabilty Clause - If any provision of this Act is declared invalid, the

remainder or any of this provision hereof not affected thereby shall remain in force and
effect.

SECTION 23. Repealing Clause - All laws, decrees, executive orders, particularly
Executive Order 433, presidential issuances and other administrative rules and regulations

or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, amended or

modified accordingly.

SECTION 24. Effectivity - The implementation of this Act shall take effect fifteen

(15) days after its publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation

Approved,