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

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

House Bill No. 10759

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES
RALPH WENDEL P. TULFO, JOCELYN P. TULFO, AND ERWIN T. TULFO.

AN ACT GRANTING DISTINCTIVE HONORS AND PRIVILEGES TO.
NATIONAL ATHLETES, CREATING A NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FUND FOR
SPORTS HEROES, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Article II, Section 17 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution mandates the State to
give priority to sports to foster patriotism and nationalism, accelerate social progress,
and promote total human liberation and development.

On July 26, 2021, weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz won the first gold medal for the
Philippines at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Ninety-seven (97) years since the
country first competed in the Olympics, this win became a major milestone, not just
in the history of Philippine sports, but in the face of the international sports
community.

Recently, the Philippines, once again, had left its mark among the best of the
best in the world of sports by bagging its second and third gold medals during the
2024 Paris Olympics. Carlos Edriel Yulo, a Filipino gymnast from the Philippine Team,
became a national sports icon by winning the Olympics’ Men’s Floor Exercise Final
and Men's Vault Final in artistic gymnastics. These triumphs added up to the
country’s roster of silver and bronze medalists in the global sports scene.

In recognition of the significant contribution brought about by our sports
heroes to the country, this proposed legislative measure aims to grant distinctive
honors and privileges to our national athletes. By creating a national endowment
fund, benefits will be provided for them as well as the necessary support for the
continuous training of all the awardees and their participation or exposure in
international sports competitions.



VA

.TULFO JOCEI f.
eseyfative Representdtive
2 District of Quezon City ACT-CIS Party ACT-CIS Partylist


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

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

House Bill No. 10759

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES RALPH WENDEL P. TULFO,
JOCELYN P. TULFO, AND ERWIN T. TULEO

AN ACT GRANTING DISTINCTIVE HONORS AND PRIVILEGES TO
NATIONAL ATHLETES, CREATING A NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FUND FOR
SPORTS HEROES, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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 “Bayaning Atletang
Pilipino Act.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the declared policy of the State to promote
excellence in the field of sports and foster the values of sportsmanship, patriotism, and

nationalism to support nation-building and development.

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the following terms are hereby

defined as follows:

a. International sports competition shall refer to international sports competitions
under the following categories:
1. Regular major competitions, such as but not limited to, the Summer Olympic
Games, Winter Olympic Games, Asian Games, Asian Winter Games, Southeast
Asian (SEA) GAMES, Youth Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Asian Park
Games, Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, Asian Beach Games, and
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Para Games;
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2. World-level championships held at least every two (2) years with at least
forty-five (45) countries participating by sport;
3. Asian-level competitions held at least every two (2) years with at least
twenty-five (25) countries participating by sport; and
4, Qualifying competitions for World-level games with at least ten (10)
countries participating;
. National Academy of Sports or NAS shall refer to the NAS System established under
Republic Act No. 11470, otherwise known as the “The National Academy of

Sports’, or any of its existing or future campuses which aims to provide quality and

enhanced secondary education program integrated with a special curriculum on
sports.

SEC. 4. The Order of National Athletes. - There is hereby established the Order of
National Athletes (Orden ng mga Pambansang Atleta) which shall be the highest honor
the Government of the Philippines shall confer to its outstanding sports heroes who
have brought immense pride and honor to the country and have dedicated their lives
towards the advancement of their sports.

‘The Order shall be under the National Order of Cultural and Scientific Merit under the
Implementing Rules and Regulations of Executive Order No. 236, s. 2003. It shall be
administered by the Komite ng Bayaning Atletang Filipino, otherwise known as the
“Committee”, created under Section 8 of this Act, and conferred by the President of the
Philippines upon recommendation by the Committee.

Olympic medalists shall automatically be conferred: the Orders, which shall be
retroactive from the effectivity of this Act.

Awardees of the Order of National Athletes shall enjoy the following privileges:
a. The rank and title of National Athlete, as proclaimed by the President of the
Philippines;


b. The National Athlete medallion and citation;

. Lifetime emolument and material benefits such as:
1. A cash award to be determined by the Committee, net of taxes for living
awardees;
2.A cash award to be determined by the Committee, net of taxes for
posthumous awardees and payable to legal heir/s;
3. A monthly life pension and medical and hospitalization benefits;
4, Life insurance coverage for awardees who are still insurable;

5. A place of honor in state functions, national commemoration ceremonies, and

all other sports and cultural events; and
6. A state funeral, the arrangements for, and the expenses of which shall be

borne by the Government upon the death of the National Athlete.

SEC. 5. The National Medal of Excellence in Sports. - There is hereby established the
National Medal of Excellence in Sports (Pambansang Medalya ng Katangi-tanging
Husay sa Isports) for outstanding individual and team achievements in international
sports competitions. The President of the Philippines shall confer the National Medal of
Excellence in Sports upon recommendation by the Committee.

SEC. 6 The Balangay Medal for Sportsmanship. - There is hereby established the
Balangay Medal for Sportsmanship (Gawad Balangay) for heroic sportsmariship shown
by athletes during international and local competitions exemplifying the values of
honesty, fairness, selfishness, sacrifice, amity, and goodwill. The President of the
Philippines shall confer the Balangay Medal for Sportsmanship upon recommendation
by the Committee.

SEC. 7. Coaching Excellence Medal, - There is hereby established the Coaching
Excellence Medal (Gabay ng Atletang Pilipino) for coaches who have gone above and
beyond in nurturing athletes to reach their full potential and lead the team to victory in
international sports competitions. The President of the Philippines shall confer the
Coaching Excellence Medal upon recommendation by the Committee.

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SEC. 8, Scholarship Benefits. - Awardees under this Act shall be given priority to enroll,
ona full-scholarship basis, in the National Academy of Sports System Main Campus or
any regional nationally-funded high schools for sports.

SEC. 9. Komite ng Bayaning Atletang Filipino. - The Committee shall be under the
Office of the President. The Committee shall be composed of the following:

a. Chairperson of the Philippine Sports Commission (PS), as Chairman;

b. Secretary of the Department of Education or an authorized representative, as
Member;

Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education or an authorized
representative, as Member;

d. President of the Philippine Olympic Committee or an authorized representative,
as Member;

e. Chairperson of the Athletes’ Commission or an authorized representative, as
Member;

£. Chairperson of the National Youth Commission or an authorized representative,
as Member; and

g. Chairperson of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines or an
authorized representative, as Member.

SEC. 10. Role and Function of the Komite ng Bayaning Atletang Pilipino. - The
Committee shall approve the criteria, standards, nomination and selection processes,
and benefits and privileges of the recipients of the awards under this Act.

The Committee shall likewise be the administrator of the Hidilyn Diaz Endowment
Fund for Sports Heroes.

SEC. 11. Hidilyn Diaz Endowment Fund for Sports Heroes. - There ishereby established
a Hidilyn Diaz Endowment Fund for Sports Heroes to exclusively fund the benefits

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1 provided in this Act and support the continuous training of all the awardees and their
2 participation or exposure in international sports competitions.
3
4 a. The amount of One Billion Pesos (PhP1,000,000,000.00) is hereby appropriated as
5 seed money of the Endowment Fund: Provided, that no grant shall be awarded by
6 the Committee except the interest drawn from the Fund: Provided, further, that no
7 grant shall be awarded until after one (1) year from the organization of the Fund;
8 b. The private portion of the Fund shall be raised from the donations and other
9 conveyances by gratuitous title, including funds, materials, property, and services;
10 ¢. Contribution to the Fund shall be deductible for income tax purposes under
1 Section 34 (h)(2)(a) of the National Internal Revenue Code;
12 d. For the sound and judicious management of the Fund, the Committee shall
B appoint a reputable government-accredited investment institution as Fund
14 Manager, subject to guidelines promulgated by the Committee and applicable
15 government auditing and accounting rules;
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7 e, The Committee shall be the administrator of the Fund and shall prepare the
18 implementing guidelines and decision-making mechanisms, subject to the
19 following:
20 1. Unless otherwise stipulated by the private donor, only earnings of private
2 contributions shall be used; .
22 2. No part of the seed capital of the Fund, including earnings thereof, shall be
23 used to underwrite overhead expenses for administration;
24 3, The Committee shall organize a separate staff to be headed by a comptroller
25 appointed by and directly responsible and accountable to the Committee; and
26 4. The Fund shall be audited annually by an independent external auditor or
27 the Commission on Audit, as may be appropriate.
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29 SEC. 12. Existing Incentives, Benefits, and Privileges. - The incentives, benefits, and
30 privileges provided under this Act shall not diminish or affect existing incentives,
31 benefits, and privileged provided in existing laws.

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SEC. 13. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Committee shall promulgate the
implementing rules and regulations within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this
Act.

SEC. 14. Appropriations. - The amount of One Billion Pesos (PhP1,000,000,000.00) is
hereby appropriated to serve as seed money for the Hidilyn Diaz Endowment Fund for
Sports Heroes as provided in Section 11 of this Act. The amount necessary for the initial
implementation of this Act shall be charged against the current year’s appropriations of
the PSC. Thereafter, such appropriations necessary for the implementation of this Act
shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 15. Separability. - If any provision or part of this Act is declared invalid or
unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected shall continue to be in
full force and effect.

SEC. 16. Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders, and administrative orders, or
parts thereof that are inconsistent with any provision of this Act are hereby repealed or

amended accordingly.

SEC. 17. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its

publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,