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

Seventeenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 5024

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 thi
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 ASIAN GAMES and
the OLYMPIC GAMES have been dismal. The Philippines is alwa
hungry fc We recognize the efforts and capabil f
d 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 aims 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.

Representative
Fourth District of Leyte


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

Seventeenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No, 5024

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.”

IC, 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 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, and

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

other sectors.

SE

. 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 yea

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

(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 organized by the
LGUs and/or the private sector, shall serve as “feeder”and
preparatory program for the PNG.

SEC. 4. Rationale. - This Act is nece:

ry 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 mature 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 pre
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
teams/delegations.

(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 offici
to engage in sports activities that would identify,
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  agenci

instrumentalities and entiti

s 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 charge
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 group to 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.

(c) Philippine Olympic Committee (POC)- The POC shall be
the supervising non-governmental body in charge 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;

a

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

°

. 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;

a

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

°

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 ensure that its athletes comply with
the eligibility rules of the Games;

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

m

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
NSAs are the governing bodies for their respective sports in the
Philippines as accredited by their International Federation and
recognized 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;

&

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

°

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

vi. 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 Filipinos, 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

bad

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;

. 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

- No regional or cluster selection or representation shall be

allowed in the PNG

s

°



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 Seventy-Five Million pesos (Php75,000,000.00)
annually shall be appropriated by the National Treasury, and will
form part of the regular budget of the Philippine Sports
Commission as a Special Fund (PNG Fund). 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
nual “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,

355