Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL No. _______ 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
Introduced by HONORABLE ERNESTO “ERNIX” M. DIONISIO, JR. 
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AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING SPORTS VARSITY TEAMS IN ELEMENTARY AND 
SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Due to the ever changing and fast phase world of technology, children and youth these 
days are most of the time stuck to their phone or laptops or any other gadget. According to the 
World Health Organization (WHO), the Philippines ranked second in the world with the most 
physically inactive adolescents. The same study provides that the Philippines had a physical 
inactivity prevalence of 93.4%1. 
The 1987 Constitution2 provides that the State shall promote physical education and 
encourage 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. It also provides that all educational institutions shall undertake 
regular sports activities throughout the country in cooperation with athletic clubs and other 
sectors. 
It is the duty of the State to protect and promote the wellness of the children and the youth. 
There are many laws enacted to promote physical activity and the health of the youth, an example 
of which is Republic Act No. 5708 otherwise known as The Schools Physical Education and 
Sports Development Act of 1969, it mandates the integration of physical education and sports 
development program in all schools in the Philippines3. 
This bill aims to institutionalize sports varsity teams in elementary and secondary schools. 
It aims to develop and enrich the physical activities and health of the children and the youth. 
Further, through the sports varsity teams system, student-athletes will have a better chance and 
opportunity to train and play athletically at a higher level and will also result in the improvement 
of training of young athletes.  
1 WHO: PH youths 2nd most “inactive,” next to S. Korea available at 
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1193821/who-ph-youths-2nd-most-inactive-next-to-s-koreans (last accessed 
on September 26, 2022). 
2 Article XIV, Section 19, 1987 Constitution. 
3 Section 1, R.A. No. 5708. 
October 6, 2022
1:14 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL No. _______ 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Introduced by HONORABLE ERNESTO “ERNIX” M. DIONISIO, JR. 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING SPORTS VARSITY TEAMS IN ELEMENTARY AND 
SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Sports Varsity Teams in 
Basic Education Act.” 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to 
promote physical education and to ensure the development and promotion of the health 
of the youth. It is also hereby declared the policy of the State to encourage sports 
programs, to foster self-discipline, teamwork, and excellence for the development of the 
youth. Towards this end, the State shall provide opportunities for the development of 
Filipino athletes by expanding the base of student athletes, increasing the time and 
frequency for their early exposure, training and competition through the institutionalization 
of sports varsity teams in the basic education cycle.  
Sec. 3. Organization of Sports Varsity Team. - To ensure the optimal and long-
tern development of Filipino athletes, public and private elementary and secondary 
schools shall, as far as practicable, organize and develop sports varsity teams. The 
school shall endeavor to gradually expand the number of sport events that holds 
according to the school’s after-school sports program, and the interests of the students, 
coaches and the community.  
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The establishment of varsity teams in traditional and indigenous games, dances and 
sports shall also be encouraged.  
 
 
Sec. 4. Identification of Athletes. - The Department of Education (DepEd) shall 
provide a sports varsity selection and admission system to be implemented in all 
elementary and secondary schools. 
 
 
All K-12 learners who are officially enrolled in Elementary, Junior High School, 
Senior High School, Open High School and Alternative Learning Systems, especially 
those who participate in the after-school sports programs (ASSP) and who can meet the 
following requirements shall be able to join the school’s sports varsity teams: 
 
a. Must have passed the physical fitness tests and skill tests; 
b. With parental consent; and 
c. In good academic standing. 
 
 
Sec. 5. Selection and Deployment of Competent Coaches. - It shall be the 
responsibility of the school administration to secure the services of competent coaches. 
Teachers, including sports coordinator, trained in sports coaching shall be the priority in 
the selection of coaches.  
 
 
Former outstanding athletes from among the parents or community residents may 
be tapped to serve as volunteer coaches in the sports where they excel and gained 
national or international recognition. Students and graduates of the Sports Track in the 
Senior High School (SHS) shall also be tapped to provide assistance in the training of 
Sports Varsity Teams.  
 
 
The Sports Varsity Teams may also serve as a venue for the practicum and/or 
immersion of students in the Sports Track. 
 
 
Sec. 6. Recognition and Training of Coaches. - DepEd shall create a 
mechanism to provide incentives and/or recognition to volunteer coaches. The DepEd 
shall also establish an system of accreditation for coaches deployed to schools.  
 
DepEd, in consultation with the Philippine Sports Commission, National Sports 
Associations, Philippine Olympic Committee and the private sector, shall also develop 
programs to train varsity coaches to become certified trainers based on international 
standards. 
 


 
Sec. 7. Time and Frequency of Training. - The implementing school has the 
discretion to determine the time and frequency of training of the varsity teams; provided, 
that the trainings shall be conducted after the regular class hours and shall not interfere 
with relevant academic activities of the students/ 
 
 
Sec. 8. Competitions. - Aside from the calendar of regular sports competitions 
conducted by the DepEd, private and public schools shall organize varsity match with 
neighboring schools. A league may be composed of public and private schools.  
 
 
Elementary and secondary schools may also partner with existing stadiums and 
sports centers in the community to host varsity matches.  
 
 
Sec. 9. Equipment for Sports Varsity. - It shall be the responsibility of the school 
administration to secure the equipment necessary to sustain the training of sports varsity 
teams. Such equipment may be sourced from regular budget and extra-budgetary means 
such as donations from the community.  
 
 
The DepEd, in consultation with the Philippine Sports Commission, shall be 
responsible for maintaining a databank of standard facilities and equipment, their 
technical specifications, suppliers and indicative prices of these facilities and equipment 
for every sport covered in international competitions.  
 
 
Sec. 10. Performance Profiling of Student Athletes. - There shall be a school-
based profiling of student athletes. In case a student-athlete transfers to another school, 
it shall be the responsibility  of his/her former coaches to transmit his/her athletic profile 
to the new school to ensure his/her proper recognition and continuous training and 
development. The profile of the student-athlete shall show results of his/her previous 
competition/s and improvement in clocking in the case of measurable sports. 
 
 
All elementary and secondary schools shall register and update their student 
athletes’ profile from time to time.  
 
 
Sec. 11. Registry of Student Athletes. - DepEd shall maintain a registry of  
student athletes and shall make this accessible to colleges and universities, Philippine 
Sports Commission, National Sports Associations, Philippine Olympic Committee and 
other private sport groups and organizations, subject to the requirements of the Philippine 
Data Privacy Act of 2012. The registry shall be used solely for identification of potential 
inclusion to varsity teams in colleges and/or universities, or in the case of the Philippine 
Sports Commission, for the selection of national athletes who shall represent the 
Philippines in international sporting events. 


 
Sec. 12. Appropriation. - The funds necessary for the institutionalization of sports 
varsity teams, especially the provision of equipment, in elementary and secondary 
schools, shall come from the regular appropriation of DepEd. 
 
 
Sec. 13. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days from 
the effectivity of this Act, the DepEd Secretary and the Chairman of the Philippine Sports 
Commission, upon consultation with relevant stakeholders, shall promulgate the rules and 
regulations needed for the implementation of this Act. 
 
 
Sec. 14. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules, 
regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
repealed or modified accordingly. 
 
 
Sec. 15. Separability Clause. - If, for any reason, any section or provision of this 
bill is declared unconstitutional or invalid, other sections or provisions hereof shall remain 
in force. 
 
 
Sec. 16. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (150 days after publication 
in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
Approved,