Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. _______________
Introduced by ANG PROBINSYANO
Party-List Representative Alfred Delos Santos
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The country's national athletes are our modern-day heroes. They dedicate years
of blood, sweat, and tears in honing their craft and skills. They bring honor, glory, and
prestige
every
time
they
represent
the
country
in
international
competitions.
Excellence in sports requires not only physical aptitude but more importantly, mental,
and emotional fortitude. But how can we expect our national athletes to focus on their
training if they still must worry if they will be able to financially sustain themselves
and their families?
The 1987 Constitution provides that the State shall give priority to education,
science and technology, arts, culture, and sports to foster patriotism and nationalism,
accelerate social progress, and promote total human liberation and development.1 It
further provides that the 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.2
The government tries its best to perform its mandate under the Constitution,
encouraging participation in sports through the provision of support and assistance to
our national athletes. Although the current system has provided them with allowance,
this mechanism is still not sufficient and is haunted by uncertainties. In fact, the
allowances of national athletes were reduced to half for a period of time during the
onset of the pandemic because of a lack of available funds.3 Many athletes rely on the
allowance to support not only themselves but also their families. After all, their
training demands time and effort and they can no longer have a separate full-time
occupation. Their sport is their profession.
To respond to these realities, this bill is proposed to provide an opportunity for
national athletes and coaches to be regularized employees of the government thereby
securing their benefits and remuneration. Their dedication to fight for the flag and the
3 Pigeon Lobien. “Cordillera athletes tighten belt as allowance cut to half”. Philippine News
Agency. (June 9, 2020). https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1105327
2 1987 CONST. Art. XIV, Sec. 19 (1).
1 1987 CONST. Art. II, Sec. 17.
September 12, 2022
12:31 pm
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country is their service to our nation. In exchange for their services, this bill proposes
the following:
1. Regularization
of
National
Athletes
and
Coaches. – subject to certain
qualifications, national athletes and coaches shall have the option to be
employed as regular employees by the government. They shall receive all
benefits entitled to regular employees in the civil service. To this extent, they
will have the security of their benefits since the funding will be a regular part of
the general appropriations of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and will
no longer depend on the revenue from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming
Corporation (PAGCOR).
The proposed salary grades for the positions of national athletes and coaches
are determined ensuring that mandatory deductions for contributions will not
reduce their net income to less than the current allowance that they are
receiving.
2. Membership in the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS). – Being
employees of the government, national athletes and coaches will be eligible to
become members of the GSIS. This will allow them to receive a higher pension
upon their retirement.
3. Priority Athlete Benefit. – National athletes employed as regular employees
who garnered medals during international competitions shall be entitled to an
additional allowance of three thousand pesos (Php 3,000.00) per month for a
period of twelve (12) months.
This measure aims to dignify our national athletes and coaches. This is to
inform them that their dedication and services to our country are always deeply
appreciated.
This bill is also named in honor of “Asia's fastest woman of the 1980s”, Lydia
De Vega, who has brought glory and prestige to our country in the sport of track and
field.
She
succumbed
in
her
battle
against
cancer on August 10, 2022. We
commemorate her memory and legacy in the hopes that she will inspire the younger
generation to strive for excellence.
It is for the foregoing premises that the approval of this bill is earnestly sought.
ALFRED C. DELOS SANTOS
Representative, Ang Probinsyano Party-List


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. _______________
Introduced by ANG PROBINSYANO
Party-List Representative Alfred Delos Santos
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE EMPLOYMENT OF NATIONAL ATHLETES AND
COACHES AS REGULAR EMPLOYEES OF THE GOVERNMENT THEREBY
SECURING THEIR SALARIES AND BENEFITS
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Lydia De Vega Act of
2022”
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – The State shall promote excellence in sports
by securing and advancing the welfare of national athletes and coaches competing to
represent the country and by providing regular and sufficient financial support for
national athletes and coaches who win in international sports competitions bringing
honor, glory, and prestige to the country.
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. – As used in this Act, the following terms shall
mean:
a) “Athletes with Disabilities” shall refer to persons with disabilities, as defined
under R.A. No. 7277, otherwise known as the “Magna Carta for Disabled
Persons”, as amended, who are Filipino citizens, recognized and accredited
by
the
Philippine
Sports
Commission
(PSC)
and National Paralympic
Committee of the Philippines (NPC PHIL), and who have represented the
country in international sports competitions.
b) “International
sports
competitions”
shall
refer
to
international
sports
competitions under the following categories:
1) Regular major competitions:
i.
Summer Olympic Games
ii.
Winter Olympic Games
iii.
Asian Games
iv.
Asian Winter Games
v.
Southeast Asian Games
vi.
Youth Olympic Games
vii.
Paralympic Games
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viii.
Asian Para Games
ix.
Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games
x.
Asian Beach Games
xi.
ASEAN Para Games
2) World-level championships which are 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;
4) Qualifying competitions for world-level games with at least ten (10)
countries participating.
c)
“National athletes” shall refer to athletes including persons with disabilities
who are Filipino citizens, members of the national training pool, recognized
and accredited by the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and the PSC,
including athletes with disabilities who are recognized and accredited by the
NPC
PHIL
and
the
PSC
and
who
have
represented
the
country
in
international sports competitions.
d) “National coaches” 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 the NPC PHIL in the
case of the AWD coaches who have represented the country as official
coaches to national athletes in international sports competitions.
SECTION
4. Regularization of National Athletes and Coaches. – Qualified
national athletes and coaches shall be employed as regular employees by the
government. They shall receive all benefits entitled to regular employees in the civil
service.
The PSC shall determine the optimum number of plantilla positions to be
created corresponding to the position titles under Sections 5 and 6 of this Act. The
PSC shall annually conduct an assessment to determine whether there is a need to
create additional plantilla positions.
National athletes and coaches that will be employed as regular employees under
this Act shall no longer be entitled to receive the basic and meal allowances granted to
national athletes and coaches under the National Sports Development Program and
Priority Athletes Program charged against the National Sports Development Fund in
accordance with Section 26 of R.A. No. 6847, otherwise known as “The Philippine
Sports Commission Act”.
A national athlete or coach who shall opt not to be employed as a regular
employee of the government under this Act may still receive basic and meal allowances
under other programs of the government such as the National Sports Development
Program and the Priority Athletes Program of the PSC.
Regularization under this Act is not a prerequisite for membership of a national
athlete or coach in the national training pool.


SECTION 5. Position Titles and Qualifications of National Athletes. – The position
titles and corresponding qualifications and salary grades of national athletes shall be
as follows:
Position Title
Qualification
Salary Grade
National Athlete V
Olympic medalists and
world champions
21
National Athlete IV
World Cup and World
Championship silver and
bronze medalists, Asian
Games gold medalists,
chess grandmasters
20
National Athlete III
Asian Games silver and
bronze medalists, Asian
Cup and Asian
Championships gold
medalists, and Southeast
Asian Games gold
medalists
17
National Athlete II
Southeast Asian Games
and Southeast Asian Cup
and Southeast Asian
Championships silver
and bronze medalists
12
National Athlete I
Invitational and open
sport competition
medalists
6
The qualification under this section is without prejudice to other requirements
for national athletes already existing under applicable laws, rules, and regulations.


SECTION 6. Position Titles and Qualifications of National Coaches. – The
position titles and corresponding qualifications and salary grades of national coaches
shall be as follows:
Position Title
Qualification
Salary Grade
National Coach V
A national coach who
trains or has trained a
National Athlete V
20
National Coach IV
A national coach who
trains or has trained a
National Athlete IV
19
National Coach III
A national coach who
trains or has trained a
National Athlete III
16
National Coach II
A national coach who
trains or has trained a
National Athlete II
12
National Coach I
A national coach who
trains or has trained a
National Athlete I
6
The qualification under this section is without prejudice to the requirements for
national coaches already existing under applicable laws, rules, and regulations. The
PSC shall determine additional requirements for national coaches to ensure their
competency to train national athletes.
National athletes employed as regular employees of the government under
Section 5 of this Act, upon retirement from active competition or training, may be
employed as national coaches; Provided, that the salaries and other benefits that they
will receive as national coaches shall not be less than the salaries and other benefits
they have previously received as national athletes.
SECTION 7. Priority Athlete Benefit – National athletes employed as regular
employees
by
the
government
under
this
Act
who
garnered
medals
during
international competitions shall be entitled to a Priority Athlete Benefit in the amount
of three thousand pesos (Php 3,000.00) per month.
Qualified national athletes shall receive the Priority Athlete Benefit for a period
of twelve (12) months from the date of their international competition. Provided, that
the maximum amount that a national athlete may receive under this section shall be
three thousand pesos (Php 3,000.00) per month.


SECTION 8. Membership in the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS). –
National athletes and coaches employed as regular employees by the government
under this Act shall be members of the GSIS.
Section 4 (e) of R.A. No. 10699, otherwise known as the “National Athletes and
Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act”, is hereby repealed to the extent that the PSC
shall no longer be required to deduct and pay contributions for the Social Security
System (SSS) membership of national athletes and coaches; Provided, that national
athletes and coaches who are existing members of the SSS may continue paying their
voluntary contributions even when they are already covered by the GSIS under this
section.
SECTION 9. Termination of Employment. – In addition to other applicable
grounds for dismissal from government service existing under the law, the regular
employment of national athletes and coaches under this Act shall be terminated when
such national athletes and coaches are no longer members of the national training
pool.
SECTION 10. Capacity to be Brand Ambassadors and Endorsers. – National
athletes and coaches employed as regular employees under this Act shall retain their
capacity to enter into contracts for the purpose of becoming brand ambassadors,
endorsers, and recipients of sponsorships, subject to applicable laws, rules, and
regulations on taxation for the income that they will receive from such contracts.
SECTION 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The PSC, in consultation
with the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), the National Paralympic Committee of
the Philippines (NPC PHIL), the Department of Finance (DOF), the Bureau of Internal
Revenue (BIR), the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), and
other concerned agencies shall promulgate and issue the implementing rules and
regulations within ninety (90) days upon approval of this Act: Provided, that the failure
of
the
PSC
to
promulgate
the
rules
and
regulations
shall
not
prevent
the
implementation of this Act upon its effectivity.
SECTION
12.
Appropriations.
–
The
initial
amount
necessary
for
the
implementation of this Act shall be charged against the National Sports Development
Fund in accordance with Section 26 of R.A. No. 6847, otherwise known as “The
Philippine Sports Commission Act”; Provided, that the amount necessary for the
continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General
Appropriations Act.
SECTION 13. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act, or part hereof,
is held invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or provision not otherwise
affected shall remain valid and subsisting.
SECTION 14. Repealing Clause. – All provisions of laws, presidential decrees,
letters of instruction, and other presidential issuances that are incompatible or
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby deemed amended or repealed.
SECTION 15. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect within fifteen (15) days
after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,