EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
First Regular Session
SENATE
157
S. B. NO
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’19 
JUL -2  
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RECEiVtL' J i
Introduced by Senator JOEL VILLANUEVA
AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING SPORTS VARSITY TEAMS IN 
ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS 
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Article XIV Section 19 of the 1987 Constitution provides that “[t]he 
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. All educational institutions shall 
undertake regular sports activities throughout the country in cooperation with 
athletic clubs and other sectors. ”
Republic Act No. 9155 otherwise known as the “Governance of Basic 
Education Act of 2001” and Republic Act No. 5708 or “The Schools Physical 
Education and Sports Development Act of 1969’ also provides that integrated 
physical education and school sports and physical fitness program shall 
remain part of the basic education curriculum and shall be undertaken by the 
Department of Education.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization 
(UNESCO), consistent with its mandate of promoting interdependence among 
nations, has also identified the practice of sports as an instrument for 
promoting peace and as a powerful tool to strengthen social ties and 
networks.1
Numerous studies in the field of Educational Psychology also pointed 
out the importance of early experience or exposure in later development.
Sport for Peace and Development. Retrieved from: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/social-
and-human-sciences/themes/physical-education-and-sport/sport-for-peace-and-development/
(date last accessed: June 27, 2019)


suggesting that optimal athletic skills development should commence from 
early childhood to late adulthood. Hence, to optimize the development of 
Filipino athletes and future champions and to help them acquire positive 
values such as empathy and respect for others, institutionalizing varsity sports 
teams in elementary and secondary levels, especially in the public schools, 
becomes a necessity.
To this end, the Department of Education, the agency in charge of the 
country s basic education cycle or the K-12 system, should ensure greater 
focus on the formative years of the country’s pool of athletes. The 
organization and development varsity sports teams in basic education, along 
with after-school sports programs (ASSP), will improve the identification, 
selection and long-term training of athletes in various sporting events.
Through a varsity system, student-athletes in K-12 will have better 
chance to play athletically at a higher level. Furthermore, an institutionalized 
varsity sports team in basic education can pave the way for the provision of 
training equipment and upkeep of modern facilities that can help improve the 
training of young athletes.
However, since long-term training of student athletes is expensive, 
both public and private elementary and secondary schools are encouraged to 
network with parent-teachers associations, local governments, business 
community and other organizations to provide the much-needed assistance 
for varsity sports in schools.
Helping Filipino athletes to hone their skills at a very early age is a 
necessity and an urgency. In the 29th South East Asian Games in Kuala 
Lumpur, Malaysia, the Philippines missed its projection of 50 gold medals and 
absorbed its poorest finish in terms of gold medal production in the last 18 
years. In the past two editions of SEA Games in Myanmar and Singapore in 
2013 and 2015, respectively, the Philippine contingent won only 29 gold 
medals.2
Thus, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought to develop 
a pool of Filipino athletes and future champions and to improve the country’s 
performance in international competitions, especially the SEA Games.
SENATOR idOEL VILLANUEVA
2 2017, August 28. “Team PH braces for worst SEA Games output in 18 years.” Retrieved 
from: 
http://news.abs-cbn.eom/sports/08/28/17/team-ph-braces-for-worst-sea-games-output- 
in-18-years (date last accessed: June 27, 2019)


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
First Regular Session
SENATE
S. B. NO.
157
' I 
.
o{ t l j r ' r ■ ■ • i- 
i n
*19 JUL -2 All '49
RECEIV'D ’
Introduceci by Senator JOEL VILLANUEVA
AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING SPORTS VARSITY TEAMS IN 
ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS 
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled:
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SECTION 1. Short Title. -  This Act shall be known as the ‘Sports Varsity 
Teams in Basic Education Act."
SEC 2. Declaration of Policy. -  It is hereby declared the policy of the State 
to 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.
To this end, the state shall provide opportunities for optimal and long-term 
development of Filipino athletes by expanding the base of student athletes, 
increasing the time and frequency for their early exposure, training and 
competition through the institutionalization of sports varsity teams in the basic 
education cycle.
SEC 3. Organization and Development of Sports Varsity Teams. -  To
ensure the optimal and long-term development of Filipino athletes, public and 
private elementary and secondary schools, shall, as far as practicable, 
organize and develop sports varsity teams. The school shall endeavor to 
gradually expand the number of sport events that holds according to the 
school’s after-school sports program, and the interests of the students, 
coaches and the community.


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The establishment of varsity teams in traditional and indigenous games 
dances and sports shall also be encouraged.
SEC 4. Organization of Sports Varsity Team, — The organization of sports 
varsity teams shall consider the following:
a. Presence of competent and committed teacher-coaches;
b. Availability of facilities and equipment;
c. Administrative support; and
d. Support of the community.
SEC 5. Identification of Athletes. -  The Department of Education (DepEd) 
shall provide a sports varsity selection and admission system.
All K-12 learners who are officially enrolled in Elementary. Junior High School, 
Senior High School, Open High School and Alternative Learning Systems, 
especially those who participate in the after-school sports program (ASSP) 
and who can meet the following requirements shall be able to join the school’s 
sports varsity teams:
a. Must have passed the physical fitness tests and skill tests;
b. With parental consent; and
c. In good academic standing.
SEC 6. Selection and Deployment of Competent Coaches. — It shall be the 
responsibility of the school administration to secure the services of competent 
coaches. Teachers, including sports coordinator, trained in sports coaching 
shall be the priority in the selection of coaches.
Former outstanding athletes from among the parents or community residents 
may be tapped to serve as volunteer coaches in the sports where they excel 
and gained national or international recognition. Students and graduates of 
the Sports Track in the Senior High School (SHS) shall also be tapped to 
provide assistance in the training of Sports Varsity Teams.
The Sports Varsity Teams may also serve as a venue for the practicum and/or 
immersion of students in the Sports Track.
SEC 7. Recognition and Training of Coaches. - DepEd shall create a 
mechanism to provide incentives and/or recognition to volunteer coaches.
DepEd, in consultation with the Philippine Sports Commission, National 
Sports Associations, Philippine Olympic Committee and the private sector, 
shall also develop programs to train varsity coaches to become certified 
trainers based on international standards.


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SEC 8. Time and Frequency of Training. -  The implementing school has 
the discretion to determine the time and frequency of training of the varsity 
teams; provided, that the trainings shall be conducted after the regular class 
hours and shall not interfere with relevant academic activities of the students.
SEC 9. More Competition. — Aside from the calendar of regular sports 
competitions conducted by the DepED, private and public schools shall 
organize varsity match with neighboring schools. A league may be composed 
of public and private schools.
Elementary and secondary schools may also partner with existing stadiums 
and sports centers in the community to host varsity matches.
SEC 10. Equipment for Sports Varsity. -  It shall be the responsibility of the 
school administration to secure the equipment necessary to sustain the 
training of sports varsity teams. Such equipment may be sourced from regular 
budget and extra-budgetary means such as donations from the community.
The DepEd. in consultation with the Philippine Sports Commission, shall be 
responsible for maintaining a databank of standard facilities and equipment, 
their technical specifications, suppliers and indicative prices of these facilities 
and equipment for every sport covered in international competitions.
SEC 11. Performance Profiling of Student Athletes. -  There shall be a 
school-based profiling of student athletes. In case a student-athlete transfers 
to another school, it shall be the responsibility of his/her former coaches to 
transmit his/her athletic profile to the new school to ensure his/her proper 
recognition and continuous training and development. The profile of the 
student-athlete shall show results of his/her previous competition/s and 
improvement in clocking in the case of measurable sports.
All elementary and secondary schools shall register and update their student 
athletes’ profile from time to time.
SEC 12. Registry of Student Athletes. -  DepEd shall maintain a registry of 
student athletes and shall make this accessible to colleges and universities, 
Philippine Sports Commission, National Sports Associations, Philippine 
Olympic Committee and other private sport groups and organizations, subject 
to the requirements of the Philippine Data Privacy Act of 2012. The registry 
shall be used solely for identification of potential inclusion to varsity teams in 
colleges and/or universities, or in the case of the Philippine Sports 
Commission, for the selection of national athletes who shall represent the 
Philippines in international sporting events.
SEC 13. Incentives. - The DepEd shall develop an incentives and rewards 
system for schools that have supported the organization and development of 
their varsity teams.


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Teacher-coaches shall also be given service credits and/or additional 
compensation or overtime pay for work performed in excess of eight (8) hours 
in accordance with law.
SEC 14. Appropriation. -  The funds necessary for the institutionalization of 
sports varsity teams, especially the provision of eguipment, in elementary and 
secondary schools, shall come from the regular appropriation of DepEd.
SEC 15. Implementing Rules and Regulations. -  Within ninety (90) days 
from the effectivity of this Act, the DepEd Secretary and the Chairman of the 
Philippine Sports Commission, upon consultation with relevant stakeholders, 
shall promulgate the rules and regulations needed for the implementation of 
this Act.
SEC 16. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules, 
regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are 
hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
17. Separability Clause. -  If, for any reason, any section or provision of 
this bill is declared unconstitutional or invalid, other sections or provisions 
hereof shall remain in force.
SEC 18. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after 
publication in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,