Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS.
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 5474

Introduced by CIBAC Party-List Representatives
Eduardo “Bro. Eddie” C. Villanueva and Domingo C. Rivera

AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING SPORTS VARSITY TEAMS IN
ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Sports engagement is a vital part in achieving holistic development among the
youth. It is proven to not only promote physical fitness but also foster positive values
to those who engage with them, such as resourcefulness, discipline, respect,
teamwork, and the likes. Sports also provide healthy leisure options to young people
and give them more opportunities for personal growth in order to become the assets
of our nation

Article Il, Section 17 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution stresses 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." Furthermore, Article XIV, Section 19 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.”

While there exist several programs to fulfill the abovementioned constitutional
mandates, a gap seems to exist in the country's programs in sports, more particularly,


as the Philippine Sports Commission pinpointed, in (1) spreading awareness in the
positive impacts of sports and (2) providing access to it.’

In response to this, this bill seeks to enjoin the establishment of varsity teams
in public and private elementary and secondary schools. The Department of Education
(DepEd) is hereby tasked to focus on the inclusion and strengthening of sports
programs for athletes in their formative years. The DepEd shall be responsible in the
training of coaches, provision of admission system for potential athletes, profiling of
student athletes, securing the equipment for sports varsity, and other activities vital to
the objective of this program

Institutionalizing sports varsity teams in basic education can pave the way for
the provision of training facilities, which will provide young athletes more opportunities
to play athletically at a higher level. Thus, this bill is also expected to help in the
country’s goal of producing high-caliber athletes who can well-represent the
Philippines in intemational sports competition, as it is proven that early exposure to
sports is optimal for athletes’ development.

For the reasons stated herein, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

iS oihiy
HON. EDUARDO “BRO. EDDIE” C. VILLANUEVA

Laie

1 Philippine Sports Commission. Five-Year Sports Development Plan (Second Cycle), 2017-2022.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS.
First Regular Session

474
House Bill No.

Introduced by CIBAC Party-List Representatives
Eduardo ‘Bro. Eddie’ C. Villanueva and Domingo C. Rivera

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:

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Sports Varsity Teams in
Basic Education Act.”

SECTION 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 intemational 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.

SECTION 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
sports events that it holds according to the schoo''s after-school sports program, and
the interests of the students, coaches and the community.


The establishment of varsity teams in traditional and indigenous games, dances and
sports shall also be encouraged

SECTION 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.

SECTION 5. Identification of Athletes. — The Department of Education (DepEd) shall
provide a sports varsity selection and admission system.

All K-12 leamers who are officially enrolled in Elementary, Junior High School, Senior
High School, Open High School and Alternative Leaming 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.

SECTION 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

SECTION 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, shalll also develop
programs to train varsity coaches to become certified trainers based on international
standards.

SECTION 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


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SECTION 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.

SECTION 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.

SECTION 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.

SECTION 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 sports 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.

SECTION 13. Incentives. - The DepEd shall develop an incentives and rewards
system for schools that have supported the organization and development of their
varsity teams.

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.

SECTION 14. Appropriation. - The funds necessary for the institutionalization of
sports varsity teams, especially the provision of equipment, in elementary and
secondary schools, shall come from the regular appropriation of DepEd.


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SECTION 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.

SECTION 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

SECTION 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.

SECTION 18. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after publication
in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,