TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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First Regular Session 
)
2b J'JL -9 ? A :00
SENATE 
Senate Bill No.
tv-i-.
Introduced by Senator Juan Miguel F. Zubiri
AN ACT
EXPANDING AND INSTITUTIONALIZING THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL 
GAMES AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The realm of sports is in a state of continual evolution, demanding athletes to 
strive to remain abreast of these progressive developments. However, various 
challenges emerge as impediments for athletes to keep pace with such advancements, 
prompting government intervention as a vital proponent to ensure the equitable 
treatment of all athletes. Government must assist in granting them accessible platforms 
that foster growth, venues for skill refinement, and opportunities that incentivize 
industrious efforts.
Section 19, Article XIV of the 1987 Constitution mandates that the state advocate 
physical education as well as incentivize sports initiatives including league competitions, 
amateur sports, and training for international contests. This overarching objective aims 
to cultivate self-discipline, teamwork, and excellence thereby nurturing a vigilant and 
healthy populace. In line with this, all educational establishments are obligated to 
undertake nationwide sports engagements in partnership with athletic clubs and other 
relevant sectors.
The primary objective of this measure is the establishment of a cohesive and all- 
encompassing national sports program, strategically interlinking grassroots sports 
promotion with the progression of elite sports development. This framework 
concurrently serves as a platform for national sports associations to facilitate the 
propagation of their distinct sports initiatives at the grassroots level. Moreover, it 
endeavors to broaden the scope for talent identification, selection, and recruitment of 
athletes, thereby establishing a vigorous foundation for athletic potential.
The provisions in this measure advocate for the formal establishment of the 
Philippine National Games Act (PNG) for the purpose of highlighting the extensive
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potential inherent in Filipinos which will also pave the way for the discovery of the 
country's homegrown athletic talent. These games will serve as a vital platform for 
developing athletes and will give them the opportunity to exhibit their iatent taients 
while also encouraging the youth to actively participate in such pursuits. Moreover, the 
bill aspires to stand as a testament to the principles of equality and inclusivity, 
reinforced by its commitment to affording paralympic competitions and athletes due 
recognition and equitable compensation, akin to their non-disabled counterparts. The 
commendable achievements of athletes with disabilities merit due recognition and 
honor which this bill seeks to address.
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
IGUEL F. ZUBIRI


TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
First Regular Session
SENATE
301
23 JUL -9 
-00
Senate Bill No.
Introduced by Senator Juan Miguel F. Zubiri
AN ACT
EXPANDING AND INSTITUTIONALIZING THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL 
GAMES AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled:
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SECTION
Act."
1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Philippine National Games
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - Section 19 (1), Article XIV of the 1987 Constitution 
provides that the State shall promote physical education and encourage sports 
programs, league competitions, and amateur sports, including training for international 
sports competitions, to foster self-discipline, teamwork, and excellence for the 
development of a healthy and alert citizenry. As a signatory to the Convention on the 
Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the State adheres to its commitment to encourage 
and promote the participation, to the fullest extent possible, of persons with disabilities 
in mainstream sporting activities at all levels. Pursuant thereto, the State shall 
institutionalize an inclusive national sports competition that will promote awareness and 
interest in sports, particularly in the countryside, generate wide participation of the 
citizenry in sports through the active involvement of local government units, and serve 
as the linkage between grassroots sports development and national amateur and elite 
sports development.
SEC. 3. Expansion and Institutionalization of the Philippine National Games. - The 
Philippine National Games (PNG), the national multi-sport tournament organized by the 
Philippine Sports Commission, is hereby expanded and institutionalized.
The PNG shall serve as the country's premier national sports competition and 
venue for the discovery of potential national and elite athletes. It shall be composed of a 
competition on sports for regular athletes and a competition on sports designed for 
para-athletes or athletes with disabilities. It shall be held once every two years and shall 
be participated in by athletes and para-athletes from the different provinces, highly 
urbanized cities (HUCs), and independent component cities (ICCs) of the country.
The PNG shall have the following purposes and objectives:
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a) To provide a framework and structure for a truly integrated and comprehensive 
national sports program, linking grassroots sports promotion to elite sports 
development, including sporting events applicable to para-athletes or persons 
with disabilities;
b) To encourage all local government units to promote the development of sports in


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the countryside, covering all provinces, cities, municipalities and barangays;
c) To serve as a venue for the National Sports Associations in promoting their 
respective sports at the grassroots level and providing the necessary linkages 
with local government units; and
d) To widen the base for talent identification, selection, and recruitment of athletes 
and para-athletes who shall constitute the national pool to be trained for 
international sports competitions.
SEC. 4. Participation in the PNG. - To generate awareness and ensure the wide 
participation of athletes with the potential to become national amateur and elite athletes 
and para-athletes, local government units, through their barangay, municipal, city and 
provincial Local Sports Councils, shall encourage, promote or organize local sports 
competitions within their respective jurisdictions as well as recruit, train and select 
athletes and para-athletes for sporting events competed at the PNG.
Provinces, in collaboration with component cities and municipalities under their 
jurisdiction, HUCs and ICCs may form and send their delegations to the qualifying 
competitions and, thereafter, to the national championship competition of the PNG.
Athletes and para-athletes who will form part of the delegation of the participating 
provinces and cities to the PNG must be Filipinos by birth, or whose parents are of 
Filipino ancestry, or have been naturalized as Filipinos by law, and whose age must 
comply with the minimum age requirement of the concerned National Sports Association 
for the particular sport.
No athlete or para-athlete shall carry, represent or promote any public or private 
organization, enterprise or sponsor in the PNG.
SEC. 5. Sporting Events. - The sporting events that will be competed in at the PNG 
shall be determined by the PNG Coordinating Committee created under Section 6 of this 
Act: Provided, That these sporting events are aligned with the sporting events 
participated in by the Philippines in the Southeast Asian Games, ASEAN Para Games, 
Asian Games, Asian Para Games, Olympics, Paralympic Games and other international 
sports competitions: Provided, further. That mandatory sporting events in the Olympic 
and Paralympic Games shall, as far as practicable, be included in the PNG, subject to the 
availability of sports facilities and venues in the LGU where the PNG will be held: 
Provided, finaily. That the host LGU may recommend the inclusion of local sports to 
promote and showcase its socioeconomic and cultural uniqueness through the PNG.
SEC. 6. Creation of the Philippine National Games Coordinating Committee. - To ensure 
the attainment of the purposes and objectives of this Act, there is hereby created the 
Philippine National Games Coordinating Committee, hereinafter referred to as the PNG 
Coordinating Committee. It shall be the policy-making and coordinating body for the 
preparation and conduct of the PNG. The PNG Coordinating Committee shall be the 
proprietary owner of the phrase "Philippine National Games" and its related symbols, 
logos, and concepts.
SEC. 7. Powers and Functions of the PNG Coordinating Committee. - The PNG 
Coordinating Committee shall have the following powers and functions:
a) To formulate plans, policies and guidelines that shall govern the conduct of the 
PNG, and the relationships among the organizations involved;
b) To recognize the provincial and city Local Sports Councils that will be given 
authority to register athletes and teams in the PNG;


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c) To determine the host and schedule of the PNG;
d) To coordinate with the Department of Budget and Management and other 
government agencies on the needed funding and technical assistance in the 
implementation of this Act;
e) To determine the sports to be included in the PNG based on the appropriated 
budget in a giver year, subject to the conditions set in Section 5 hereof;
f) To develop programs and policies that shall promote the PNG and ensure multi­
sectoral support to the PNG as the country's premier sports event; and
g) To exercise such other functions as may necessary for the effective 
implementation of this Act.
SEC. 8. Composition of the PNG Coordinating Committee. - The PNG Coordinating 
Committee shall be composed of the following:
a) Chair: Chairperson of the Philippine Sports Commission
b) Vice-Chair: Undersecretary of the Department of the Interior and Local 
Government, in charge of Sports Development at the local levels
c) Members:
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Undersecretary of the Department of Education in charge of the Palarong 
Pambansa
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Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education
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President of the Philippine Olympic Committee
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President of the Philippine Paralympic Committee
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President of the League of Provinces of the Philippines
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President of the League of Cities of the Philippines
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President of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines
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President of the Liga ng mga Barangay
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Chairperson, Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations of the 
Philippines
The members of the PNG Coordinating Committee, except the Chair and Vice-Chair, may 
be represented by the next-in-rank officers of their agencies or organizations, as the 
case may be.
SEC. 9. Roles of Government Agencies and Private Associations. - In addition to the 
duties and responsibilities that may be assigned to them by the PNG Coordinating 
Committee, the following government agencies and private associations shall perform 
the following:
a) Philippine Sports Commission:
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To carry out the overall management of the PNG;
ii. 
To form an Executive Committee and Working Committees, composed of PSC 
officials, which shall implement the policies and activities set by the PNG 
Coordinating Committee and lead inter-agency coordination; and
iii. 
To coordinate with the DBM and other government agencies to secure the 
needed funding and technical assistance in the implementation of this Act.
b) Department of the Interior and Local Government:


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i. 
To 
mandate all LGUs to coordinate, cooperate, and support the plans,
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programs and activities of the 
PNG through the issuance 
of corresponding
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memorandum circulars or department orders 
and guidelines 
within its
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jurisdiction to help carry out the objectives of the PNG; and
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ii. 
To 
direct the Philippine National Police to prepare and implement a
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comprehensive security plan for the LGU venues where the PNG shall be held.
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c) League of Provinces of the Philippines, League of Cities of the Philippines, League
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of Municipalities of the Philippines and Liga ng mga Barangay:
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i. 
To encourage the implementation of the PNG in their respective member local
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government units; and
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ii. 
To assist in disseminating information on the PNG within their respective
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jurisdictions to encourage the active participation of their members.
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d) Department of Education:
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i. 
To align the Palarong Pambansa calendar of activities, programs and policies
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to the conduct of the PNG;
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ii. 
To allow the use of its sports facilities, school buildings and classrooms as
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may be necessary for the conduct of the PNG; and
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iii. 
To issue memorandum circulars or department orders and guidelines within
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its jurisdiction to implement the objectives of the PNG.
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e) Commission on Higher Education:
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i. 
To promote the program and activities of the PNG to all higher educational
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institutions;
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ii. 
To recommend to the state universities and colleges the use of their sports
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facilities, school buildings and classrooms as may be necessary for the
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conduct of the PNG; and
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iii. 
To issue memorandum circulars or department orders on the alignments of
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tertiary sports events and calendar of activities to the PNG.
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f) Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations of the Philippines:
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i. 
To promote the program and activities of the PNG to all private educational
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institutions;
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To take into consideration in its calendar of activities, programs and policies
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the conduct of the PNG; and
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iii. 
To encourage private educational institutions to allow the use of their sports
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facilities, school buildings and classrooms 
as may be necessary for the
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conduct of the PNG.
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g) Local Government Units:
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i. 
Organize multi-sectoral Local Sports Councils, to be headed by the local chief
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executive, that will coordinate the implementation of an annual palaro at the
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barangay, municipal, city and provincial levels, pursuant to the mandates
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under Sections 389 (b) (m), 444 (B) (1) (xix), and 465 (b) (1) (xix) of the
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Local Government Code of 1991, as amended;
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ii. 
Through the Local Sports Counci^, implement the following:
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a) Encourage, promote and organize local sports competitions within their
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respective jurisdictions;
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b) Recruit, train, and select athletes who will participate in the PNG; 
and
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c) Develop and maintain a pool of local athletes and provide them with


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will be 
international
the necessary assistance;
iii. For provincial and city Local Sports Councils:
a) Register an athlete in sporting events of the PNG, including its regional and 
cluster qualifying competitions: Provided, That the athlete is not under any 
sanction of a National Sports Association of an International Federation: 
Provided, further. That no athlete who participated in a local sports 
competition organized by a Local Sports Council and subsequently 
represented the provincial or city sports delegation shall be permitted to 
transfer and represent another provincial or city sports delegation; and
b) Be responsible for the entire delegation registered in the PNG, and ensure 
their athletes' compliance with the PNG's eligibility rules.
h) Philippine Olympic Committee:
Supervise the National Sports Association involved in the PNG; and
National Sports Associations/ Philippine Paralympic Committee:
To set the qualifications for athletes and para-athletes who 
participating in different sporting events, based on th 
federations' rules and regulations;
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To provide technical assistance in the conduct of their respective sports 
competitions in the PNG, including the appointment of qualified officiating 
officials; and
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To allow the participation of all national athletes, registered by the LSCs, 
regardless of their membership status with their respective NSAs: Provided, 
That the athlete conforms and agrees to abide by the competition rules and 
regulations of their respective NSAs and PNG; and Provided, That the athlete 
is not under any disciplinary sanction, or is otherwise suspended by the 
concerned NSA or International Federation, consistent with the rules of their 
respective sports.
SEC. 10. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the implementation of this Act 
shall be included in the budget of the Philippine Sports Commission in the annual 
general appropriations acts.
SEC. 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days from the start 
of the effectivity of this Act, the PSC, in coordination with the DILG, DepEd, CHED, POC, 
and NSAs, shall promulgate the rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this 
Act.
SEC. 12. Separability Clause. - If any part or provision of this Act is hels invalid or 
unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected shall remain in full force and effect.
SEC. 13. Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders, issuances, decrees, and rules 
and regulations inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of this Act are deemed 
amended, modified or repealed accordingly.
SEC. 14. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days from its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a n^spaper of general circulation.
Approved,