FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session 
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) 
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S.B.~o. 2913 
Introduced by SEN. MANNY VILLAR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
It is the Constitutional mandate of the State to protect and promote the right to health of the 
people and instill health consciousness among them. Also enshrined in the Constitution is the State's 
recognition of the important role of the youth in nation-building. Because of this, it is likewise a 
State policy to promote their physical well-being. 
Obesity is a problem that was not recognized as a health risk or indicative of ill-health a few 
years ago. Fast-forward to the present, the World Health Organization (WHO) predicated that there 
will be 2.3 billion overweight adults worldwide by 2015 and more than 700 million of them would be 
obese. In 1998, the WHO Global Database on Body Mass Index (BM!) reported that the state of 
being ovelweight and obesity in the Philippines was at 23.5%, with female adults having higher 
obesity prevalence rates than male adults. 
In 2003, the Philippine National Nutritional Health 
Evaluation and Survey showed that there were 19.6% overweight and 4.9% obese Filipinos.! 
There are a number of serious health risks connected to being obese. An obese person is 
likely to develop two types of diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and triglyceridcs, 
coronary artery disease (CAD), stroke, and sleep apnea, among other conditions? 
Obesity has also become a problem for our Filipino children. The deadly combination of 
eating calorie-rich foods and sedentary lifestyle due to advancement in technology are plaguing 
Filipino children. Children tcnd to be less physically active as they spend more time in iront of the 
television, watching movies, or playing video games 3 
Experts agree that an effective solution to obesity is a healthy lifestyle and exercise. Physical 
activity is something that people tend to neglect as they go along their daily lives. This is also 
reflected in school and educational institutions' curricula where Physical Education is not given 
much importance in the computation and assessment of a studcnt's academic performance. 
This bill seeks to provide a definitive approach to physical education in order to curb the 
increasing number of obese Filipino children and to be able to educate them on the benefits of 
leading a healthy lifestyle. Thus, the passage ofthis bill is earnestly sought. 
ILLAR 
1 www.obesity.org.ph. article by Dr. Mia C. Fojas 
2 http://www . webmd .eom/ d iet/te/ obesity-hea Ith-risks-of -0 besity 
'''Obesity Among Filipino Children on the Rise," Unilab News, www.unilab.eom.ph 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
S.B.@Jo. 2913 
Introduced by SEN. MANNY VILLAR 
AN ACT 
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JUL 26 
p 2 :1 0 
PROVIDING FOR THE MANDATORY INCLUSION OF ANTI-OBESITY EDUCATION 
PROGRAM AND EXERCISE INCLUDING PLAY AND TRADITIONAL FILIPINO 
GAMES, IN THE PRE-SCHOOL, ELEMENTARY AND HIGHSCHOOL CURRICULA, 
BOTH IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND 
FOR OTHER PURI'OSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short Tille. - This Act shall be known as the "Anti-Obesity Education Program 
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Act of 20 II" 
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SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to protect and promote the 
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right to health of (he people and instill health consciousness among them. 
The State likewise 
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recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building and shall promote and protect their physical, 
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moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being. 
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In view of this, physical education and sports programs are promoted and encouraged, not 
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only to foster self-discipline, teamwork, and excellence, but also for the development of a healthy 
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and alert citizenry. 
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SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. The following terms when used in this Act shall mean: 
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a. 
"Child" - a human between the stages of birth and puberty and below eighteen 
( 18) years of age; 
b. 
"Department" - the Department of Education (DepEd); 
c. 
"Institution" - school or learning/educational facility whether public or private; 
d. 
"Secretary" - the Secretary oflhe Department of Education; 
e. 
"Special Physical Education" - specially designed instruction, at no cost to the 
parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability; 
f. 
"Student" - minor duly enrolled in a learning/education institution; 
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SECTION 4. 
Exercise and Physical Activities/Programs. -
Exercise and physical 
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activities/programs shall include, but are not limited to: 
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a. 
Fitness education and assessment to help students understand, improve, and 
maintain their physical well-being; 
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b. 
Instruction in a variety of motor skills and physical activities designed to 
enhance the physical, mental, social and emotional development of every 
student; 
c. 
Development of, and instruction in, cognltlve concepts about motor skill and 
physical fitness that support a lifelong healthy lifestyle; 
d. 
Opportunities to develop positive and social cooperative skills through physical 
activity participation; 
e. 
Instruction in healthy eating habits and good nutrition; 
f. 
Opportunities for social development [or teachers of physical education to stay 
abreast of the latest research, issues, and trends in the field of physical 
education. 
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SECTION 5. Department of Education as implementing agency. - The Department of 
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Education (DepEd) shall be the lead agency to provide rules and regulations in relation to this Act 
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and ensure the implementation of the same. 
The physical education and sports in pre-school 
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institutions, grade school and high school are an integral part of the educational process and will be 
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carried out by programs of the Department, in coordination with the appropriate agencies, consisting 
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of groups from the government and non-government organizations. 
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SECTION 6. Physical Education Requirements. - The following shall be the requirements 
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for Physical Education programs with respect to each educational level: 
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a. 
Pre-School and Kindergmten - The program shall be designed to help children to 
work and play with others, to express themselves, to learn to use and manage 
their bodies, and to extend their interests and understanding of the world around 
them. It shall also protect and increase the physical well-being of the students 
with attention given to experiences relating to the development of life skills and 
human growth and development. 
b. Elementary - Physical Education instruction shall include movement experiences 
and body mechanics, fitness and rhythmic activities, increased cardiovascular 
endurance, muscular strength, and sports and games. 
c. 
High School -
Physical Education shall include activities that increase 
cardiovascular endurance, muscle strength and flexibility, and sports and games. 
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SECTION 7. Hours of Physical Activity. - Hours of mandatory physical activity shall be 
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implemented in the following manner: 
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a. 
For Pre-School, Kindergarten and Elementary students - Two hundred (200) 
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minutes each ten (10) days; 
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b. For High School students - Four hundred (400) minutes each ten (10) days or one 
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Hundred Fifty (150) hours of physical activity weekly with the equivalent of 
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thirty (30) minutes of physical activity daily. 
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SECTION 8. Extracurricular Sports Activities. - The schools and educational institutions 
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shall provide programs for continuation of sport classes after completion of mandatory physical 
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education. 
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The extracurricular sports activities of the students are voluntary and shall be organized 
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through the sports department as supervised by the designated department head as appointed by 
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the school principal or director, and shall be conducted by professionally trained teachers and 
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coaches. 
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The extracurricular training and competition activities of the students is voluntary and 
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shall be organized by the school sport clubs, school sports departments and teams. 
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SECTION 9. The Sports Director, Sports Department Faculty and their Qualifications. 
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- A Sports Director shall be appointed by the school or educational institution's principal or 
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director. The Sports Director shall possess the skills, knowledge, understanding and competence 
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necessary to eiIectively and safely plan, deliver and evaluate a programme of activities to a class 
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or group of young people in methods approved through regular and accepted good practice. His 
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faculty shall be composed of qualified individuals having the experience and training, and 
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likewise assessed, accredited and certified to a level at which planning and delivery of activities 
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being undertaken may reasonably be expected to have successful outcomes. 
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Some aspects of physical education have a high level of risk and required awareness and 
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a higher duty of care is expected and should be exercised by the physical education teachers. 
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The standard of care required of a teacher has been as that of a reasonably prudent parent, judged 
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not in the context of the home but that of a school. 
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The teacher or coach should be appropriately qualified to teach or instruct the activity 
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involved and provide appropriate supervision. 
Teachers with a specialist physical education 
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qualification are regarded as being suitably qualified to teach the majority of activities in schools. 
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All teachers of physical education shall be adequately prepared and shall regularly participate 
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in professional development activities to effectively deliver the physical education program. 
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SECTION 10. Sports Infrastructure. - The schools and educational institutions shall 
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create, maintain and develop necessary and suitable sport facilities and equipment for practising 
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and engaging in physical activities and sports and shall provide conditions for their adequate use 
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within the frames of the curriculum and other extracurricular activities of physical education and 
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sports. 
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SECTION 11. Physical Education Exemptions. - Students who are already engaged in 
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extracurricular physical activities sanctioned by the school or institution are exempted from 
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participating in the required hours of physical activity under this Act, provided that they obtain 
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authorization/documentation from the instructors or coaches of their respective extracurricular 
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activities and as approved by the school principal/director. 
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Students who do not fall under the criteria set in the preceding paragraph must take at least 
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one (I) remedial course, as provided by the Sports Director of the school or institution. 
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SECTION 12. Special Physical Education. -
Children with specific disabilities or 
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developmental delay shall also participate in Special Physical Education. This specially designed 
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physical education program shall be outlined in the child's Individual Education Program (IEP). 
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Special physical education will develop: 
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a. Physical and motor fitness; 
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b. 
Fundamental motor skills and patterns; 
c. Skills in aquatics and dance; 
d. Individual and group games; and 
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e. 
Sports. 
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SECTION 13. Physical Education Program Assessment. _. All schools and educational 
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institutions under the jurisdiction of the Department shall administer a Physical Education Program 
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Assessment as approved by the Secretary. 
Assessment of students in pre-school, kindergarten, 
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elementary and high school must be used to assess the effectiveness of the school or institution's 
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physical education program and its adherence to the rules, regulations and standards issued by the 
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Department. 
The Depattment shall develop a procedure of calculating a school or institution's 
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physical education program effectiveness score. This score shall be submitted to the Department 
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through the Secretary, and the same to be published in a newspaper of general circulation. 
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Physical education teachers who receive an unsatisfactory score pursuant to the immediately 
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preceding paragraph, will be provided with professional development activities designed to assist the 
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school 01' institution in improving its programs' effectiveness. 
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SECTION 14. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
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unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain valid 
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and subsisting. 
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SECTION 15. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order, 
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letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or is inconsistent with the 
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provision ofthis Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
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SECTION 16. /<'1!ectivily Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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