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

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

4088

House Bill No.

Introduce by Rep. Margarita Ignacia B, Nograles, PBA Party List

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Competing in the Olympics is every Filipino athlete's dream and winning it is a
harder feat.

And that dream came into a reality when our first-ever gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz
bagged the women's 55-kilogram category to defeat the world record holder Chinese
national Liao Quiyung by 1 kg.

However, contrary to the common notion that our country has registered only one
gold in the Olympics, it should be noted that Filipino ten-pin bowling player Arianne
Cerdefia-Valdez also won gold in bowling in the 1988 Olympics held in Seoul, South
Korea, despite that bowling has been categorized as an exhibition sport. Filipino
Olympian Cerdefia-Valdez made her last bowl in SEA games in 2001 and won gold after
which she moved to the United States and has been working at California Hospital
Medical Centers since then.

Likewise, and must be enshrined, to name a few are Nesthy Petencio and Carlo
Paalam who both won Silver in Boxing during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics; Teofilo
Yidefonso ticked the clock for bronze in swimming in both the 1928 Amsterdam and 1932
Los Angeles Olympics.

Despite the honor and feat, after winning their respective medals and giving honor
to our country, comes the agony of defeat.

When Filipino Olympian boxer Mansueto “Onyok" Velasco scored silver in the
1996 Atlanta Olympics, he was only awarded the Congressional Certificate of Recognition
in this chamber, 25 years after. Several entities even promised to give the Filipino boxer
cash incentives amounting to 2.5 Million Pesos, only to find out those promises have been
broken. Also, his children were denied the Philippine Navy Scholarship.


Last August 10, 2022, Asia's Sprint Queen Lydia De Vega lost after competing
with stage 4 cancer. According to her daughter Stephany, the family requested for
financial support for her mother's medical expenses.

Because of these predicaments, this bill will accord significant retirement
privileges, incentives, and other benefits not only to those who won medals but also to
those who participated and helped put our Filipino Olympians on the podium and gave
honor to our country.

In view of the foregoing, the enactment of this bill into law is earnestly sought.

rom


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

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

~ 4088

House Bill No.,

Introduce by Rep. Margarita Ignacia B. Nograles, PBA Party List

AN ACT GRANTING ADDITIONAL HEALTH CARE, RETIREMENT, DEATH
BENEFITS, AND OTHER PRIVILEGES TO FILIPINO OLYMPIANS, NATIONAL
ATHLETES, COACHES, AND, TRAINERS AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO.10699
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS AN ACT OF AN ACT EXPANDING THE COVERAGE OF
INCENTIVES GRANTED TO NATIONAL ATHLETES AND COACHES,
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1. Section 3 of Republic Act No. 10699, is hereby amended to read as follows:

“SEC 3. Definition of Terms. — For purposes of this — For purposes of this Act, the
following terms shall be defined as follows”:

(a) Athletes with disabilities or DIFFERENTLY - ABLED ATHLETES shall refer to
persons with disabilities as defined under Republic Act No. 7277, otherwise
Known as the “Magna Carta for Disabled Persons”. As amended, who are
Filipino citizens recognized and accredited by the Philippines Sports
Commission (PSC) and the National Paralympic Committee of the Philippines
(NPC PHIL), who have represented the country in international sports
competitions;

(b) . XXX

(1.) Regular major competitions such as the Summer Olympic Games, Winter
Olympic Games, Asian Games, Asian Winter Games, Southeast Asian (SEA)
Games, Youth Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Asian Para Games, Asian
Indoor and Martial Arts Games, Asian Beach Games and Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Para games INCLUDING BUT NOT
LIMITED TO WORLD, ASIAN, ASEAN / SOUTHEAST ASIAN AGE-GROUP
CHAMPIONS, AND INTERNATIONAL SPORTS COMPETITION WHICH



ARE SANCTIONED BY THE INTERNATIONAL SPORTS FEDERATIONS
ISFs), INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (IOC), INTERNATIONAL
PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE (IPC), FAR EAST & SOUTH PACIFIC GAMES
FOR THE DISABLED (FESPIC), INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF
SPORT FOR THE DISABLED (IOSD), HELD EVERY FOUR (4) OR TWO (2)
YEARS, OR HELD ANNUALLY, __ INCLUDING __QUALIFYING
CHAMPIONSHIPS IN TEAM SPORTS WHEREIN ONLY ONE (1) OR TWO
(2) COUNTRY MAY QUALIFY FOR THE OLYMPICS OR WORLD
CHAMPIONSHIPS;

(2) XXX
(3) XXX
(4) XXX

(©) National Athletes shall refer to athletes including Persons with Disabilities or
DIFFERENTLY - ABLED ATHLETES, OLYMPIANS who are Filipino citizen
members of the national training pool, recognized and accredited by the PSC
Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), including athletes with disabilities (AWD)
who are recognized and accredited by the NPC PHIL and the PSC and who
have represented the country in international sports competitions; and

(d) National coaches AND TRAINERS shall refer to coaches of national athletes,
who are Filipino citizens, members of the national coaches training pool,
recognized and accredited by the PSC and the POC, or the PSC and NPC
PHIL in the case of AWD coaches who have represented the country as official
coaches to national athletes in international sports competitions.

(c) OLYMPIANS SHALL REFER TO THOSE WHO HAVi N BESTOWED
THE TITLE BY THE WORLD OLYMPIANS’ ASSOCIATION.

(f) FILIPINO OLYMPIANS SHALL REFER TO ATHLETES WHO ARE FILIPINO
CITIZENS, AS DEFINED BY THE 1987 CONSTITUTION, THAT, HAVE
COMPETED AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES EITHER IN THE WINTER
OLYMPICS OR SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES AS_ THE OFFICIAL
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COUNTRY.

(g) RETIRED FILIPINO OLYMPIAN (RFO) SHALL_REFER TO A FILIPINO
OLYMPIAN WHO IS NO LONGER OR WHO |S NOT A NATIONAL ATHLETE
AS DEFINED UNDER REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10699 AND WHO HAS CEASED
PARTICIPATING AND NO LONGER INTENDS TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY
DOMESTIC OR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION UNDER R.A. 10699. IT
SHALL NOT INCLUDE THOSE WHO HAVE DECIDED TO CHANGE THEIR

RT, WHO. LL_BE CONSIDERED RETIRED ONLY AFTER TI
HAVE CEASED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE LATTER DURING THE EITHER



THE WINTER OR SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES AND IN ANY DOMESTIC OR
INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION.

SECTION 2. Section 4 of Republic Act No. 10699, is hereby further amended to read as
follows:

“SEC 4. Benefits and Privileges for FILIPINO OLYMPIANS, RFO, National
Athletes and Coaches, AND TRAINERS - Any FILIPINO OLYMPIANS, national
athlete, COACHES, AND TRAINERS as defined herein and who are currently
registered as such, shall be entitled to the following”:

(a) XXX

(b) XXX

(c) XXX

(d) XXX

(€) XXX

(f) OC

(g) XXX

(h) XXX

(i) FILIPINO OLYMPIANS, RFO, NATIONAL ATHLETES, AND NATIONAL
ATHLETES WITH DISABILITY OR DIFFERENTLY-ABLED ATHLETES,
COACHES, AND TRAINERS REGARDLESS OF AGE, SHALL_BE
COVERED BY THE NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE CORPORATION
PROVIDED BY THE PHILIPPINE HEALTH INSURANCE CORPORATION
(PHIC), THROUGH A SPECIAL PROGRAM SPONSORED _BY_THE
PHILIPPINE SPORTS COMMISSION (PSC), WHICH WILL PROVIDE THE
REQUIRED LOCAL GOVERNMENT PREMIUM COUNTERPART TO BE
DIRECTLY REMITTED TO THE PHIC. UPON REACHING THE AGE OF
FIFTY (50), THE FILIPINO OLYMPIAN, RFO, NATIONAL ATHLETES, AND
NATIONAL ATHLETES WITH DISABILITY OR _DIFFERENTLY-ABLED
ATHLETES AND COACHES SHALL BE AN HONORARY MEMBERS OF
THE PROGRAM, SUBJECT TO EXISTING PHIC RULES _AND
REGULATIONS AND WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO THE BENEFITS
AFFORDED TO SENIOR CITIZENS.

IN CASE OF HOSPITALIZATION OF THE FILIPINO OLYMPIANS, RFO,
NATIONAL ATHLETES, AND NATIONAL ATHLETES WITH DISABILITY OR
DIFFERENTLY-ABLED ATHLETES, COACHES, AND TRAINERS IN ANY
HOSPITAL OR CLINIC, ANY AMOUNT IN EXCESS OF THE PHIC BENEFIT
SHALL BE SHOULDERED BY THE PHILIPPINE CHARITY SWEEPSTAKES
OFFICE (PCSO) UNDER ITS INDIVIDUAL MEDICAL _ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM (IMAP); PROVIDED, THAT THE REQUIREMENT _FOR
QUALIFICATION AND GRANT OF THE HEALTH CARE ASSISTANCE TO
BE EXTENDED BY THE PCSO SHALL BE MADE CONSISTENT WITH AND
SUBJECT TO THE COMPLIANCE WITH PCSO'S EXISTING RULES AND



GUIDELINES; PROVIDED, FURTHER, _THAT__ANY__QUALIFIED
BENEFICIARY SHALL HAVE THE OPTION TO WAIVE THE BENEFITS

MENTIONED UNDER THIS SECTION.

ANY FILIPINO OLYMPIAN, RFO, NATIONAL ATHLETES, AND
NATIONAL ATHLETES WITH DISABILITY OR _DIFFERENTLY-ABLED
ATHLETES, COACHES, AND TRAINERS SHALL BE TREATED, FREE OF
CHARGE, _IN__ANY GOVERNMENT, _GOVERNMENT-OWNED-AND
CONTROLLED OR GOVERNMENT _INSTRUMENTALITY OR LOCAL
GOVERNMENT HEALTH FACILITY, WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO CERTAIN
CHARGES FOR MEDICINES, ETC. THAT MAY APPLY IN ACCORDANCE
WITH THI LICIES OF THES! ES.

SECTION 3. Section 5 of Republic Act No. 10699, as amended, is hereby further
amended to read as follows:

Sec 5. Scholarship Benefits for national athletes A FILIPINO OLYMPIAN, RFO
or a National Athlete, who wins a regular major international sports competition,
AND, HIS/HER SPOUSE AND CHILDREN WHETHER LEGITIMATE OR
ILLEGITIMATE AND/OR ADOPTED CHILDREN, shall be entitled to scholarship
benefits in the form of full tuition fees from the state colleges or universities for a
college or university degree. The winning athlete shall likewise be given priority in
the availment of state college or university scholarship grants.

SECTION 4. Section 6 of Republic Act No. 10699, as amended, is hereby further
amended to read as follows:

SEC .6. Retirement Benefits for OLYMPIANS, RFO, National Athletes and
Coaches - Any RFO, OLYMPIAN, national athlete, and coach who wins in an
international competition or has coached such winning OLYMPIAN, RFO, and
national athlete shall receive a lump sum amount equivalent to twenty-five percent
(25%) of his/her total cash incentives computed from the start of his/her active
sports career as a member of the national training pool or national coaches training
pool up to the last day of retirement from active competition or training as certified
by the PSC. Such lump sum amount shall be released sixty (60) days from the
filing of the retirement papers.

IN ADDITION, THE OLYMPIAN, RFO, NATIONAL ATHLETES, AND NATIONAL
ATHLETES WITH DISABILITY OR DIFFERENTLY-ABLED ATHLETES,

COACHES, AND TRAINERS SHALL, UPON REACHING THE AGE OF FIFTY
(50), SHALL RECEIVE A_NON-TRANSFERRABLE LIFETIME MONTHLY
PENSION OF AT LEAST FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS (PHP 50,000.00).



SECTION 5. The benefits provided under section 4 of this act shall apply to those who
have not yet reached sixty (60) years old and registered as such before the PSC and/or
NPC PHIL shall be entitled to the grant of the following for the actual and exclusive use
or enjoyment of any RFO, National Athletes, and National Athletes with Disability or
Differently-Abled Athletes, Coaches and Trainers, also athletes that are forced to retire
due to injuries or have health issues shall be included at the time of effectively of this law.

SECTION 6. Section 7 of Republic Act No. 10699, as amended, is hereby further
amended to read as follows:

SEC. 7. Death Benefits. - Upon the death of any OLYMPIAN, RFO, national
athlete, and coach, the primary beneficiaries shall be entitled to a lump sum benefit
of ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P100,000.00) to cover the funeral
services: Provided, that if the OLYMPIAN, RFO, national athlete, and coach has
no primary beneficiaries, the secondary beneficiaries shall be entitled to said
benefits.

For purposes of this Act, primary beneficiaries shall refer to the legitimate spouse,
legitimate or illegitimate, OR ADOPTED child/children. Secondary beneficiaries
shall refer to the parents and, in their absence, to the brothers or sisters of such
athlete and coach.

The benefits provided under this section shall be without prejudice to other similar
benefits that may be received by the national athlete and coach from other
sources.

SECTION 7. Section 9 of Republic Act No. 10699, as amended, is hereby further
amended to read as follows:

SEC. 9. Cash Incentives for Coaches AND TRAINERS. — Coaches, AND
TRAINERS of OLYMPIANS, RFO, and national athletes shall also be entitled to
cash incentives if they have personally trained and rendered service to the
OLYMPIANS, RFO, athletes, or teams who win in international competitions for at
least six (6) months prior to the international competition. Certification to this effect
by the individual athlete or team captain for team events shall be in writing, duly
attested by their respective national sports associations (NSAs).

SECTION 8. Section 12 of Republic Act No. 10699, as amended, is hereby further
amended to read as follows:

SEC. 12. Funding. — The amount necessary for the implementation of the cash
incentives, retirement, AND DEATH benefits under this Act shall be taken from the
net cash income of the PAGCOR, AND IN REVENUE COLLECTION FROM OFF-
TRACK BETTING AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS OF THE GAMES AND
AMUSEMENT BOARD to be remitted directly as a special account to the National



Sports Development Fund (NSDF) of the PSC. This is in addition to the regular
income share of the PSC pursuant to Republic Act No. 6847.

Provided, that any additional funding requirement necessary to implement the
increase of cash incentives, retirement AND DEATH benefits of this Act shall be
sourced from the fifty percent (50%) national government shares in the gaming
revenue of PAGCOR under Presidential Decree No. 1869, as amended.

A separate fund equivalent to not less than sixty percent (60%) of the existing
NSDF shall be automatically set aside for the training and preparation of national
athletes covered by this Act.

SECTION 9. Separability Clause. — If any provision or part of this Act shall be held
unconstitutional or invalid, other provisions, which are not affected thereby, shall continue
to be in full force and effect.

SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. — All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders,
tules, and regulations, or parts thereof that are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act
are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.

SECTION 11. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in the Official Gazette and at least one newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,