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EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE  
 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES  
 
) 
First Regular Session  
 
 
 
) 
 
 
S E N A T E 
 
S. No. ________ 
 
 
 
Introduced by SENATOR RAMON BONG REVILLA, JR. 
 
 
AN ACT 
PRESERVING THE INDIGENOUS GAMES OF THE PHILIPPINES 
 
 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
 
 
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) declared that play is one of the 
most important tools on how children gain essential knowledge and skills. This was 
published in its report in 2018 which further said that “play opportunities and 
environments that promote play, exploration and hands-on learning are at the core of 
effective pre-primary programmes1.” Furthermore, UNICEF affirms that playtime helps 
in building a strong psychological base for children. It develops their social and 
emotional skills.  
 
 
In the Philippines, Filipinos have lived, enjoyed and mastered our home grown 
indigenous games. Indigenous games have shaped generations of Filipinos. 
Undoubtedly, these games have instilled values of camaraderie, teamwork and 
sportsmanship. Childhood is never the same without these indigenous games. 
 
 
Indigenous games, such as patintero, luksong tinik, taguan, sungka, sipa, are 
considered markers of our cultural heritage. Amid children’s attachment to gadgets 
                                                 
1 October 2018. Learning Through Play. UNICEF Publications. Accessed: 
https://www.unicef.org/sites/default/files/2018-12/UNICEF-Lego-Foundation-Learning-through-Play.pdf  
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and digital entertainments, the call to preserve indigenous games, thus, inevitably 
arises. 
 
 
This proposed measure seeks to do just that. It tasks the National Commission 
for Culture and the Arts, in coordination with the Department of Education, to initiate 
measures to preserve the traditional games in the country, among others.  
 
 
This proposal has passed the House of Representatives for two consecutive 
Congresses now. To ensure the preservation of indigenous games in the Philippines, 
and our culture and heritage in general, consideration of this bill is earnestly sought.  
 
 
 
 
RAMON BONG REVILLA, JR. 
 
 


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EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE  
 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES  
 
) 
First Regular Session  
 
 
 
) 
 
 
 
S E N A T E 
 
S. No. ________ 
 
 
 
Introduced by SENATOR RAMON BONG REVILLA, JR. 
 
 
AN ACT 
PRESERVING THE INDIGENOUS GAMES IN THE PHILIPPINES 
 
 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Congress assembled: 
 
Section 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the Philippine Indigenous 
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Games Preservation Act. 
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Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. – Article II, Section 22 of the Constitution provides 
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that the State shall recognize and promote the rights of indigenous cultural 
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communities within the framework of national unity and development. Furthermore, 
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Article 31.1 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples 
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enjoins all State signatories to take effective measures to recognize and to protect the 
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exercise of the indigenous peoples’ rights which include the maintenance, control, and 
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development of their cultural heritage, traditional knowledge and traditional 
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expression, oral traditions, literatures, designs, sports and traditional games, among 
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others.  
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Pursuant to the aforesaid mandates, it is incumbent upon the State to lay down 
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specific policy directives to promote the interest of our indigenous peoples and 
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strengthen our cultural heritage and historical roots.  The State shall take the 
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necessary steps to preserve the indigenous peoples’ games which serve as the best 
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avenue for their self-expression, and for promoting peace, harmony, goodwill and 
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camaraderie among them.  
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Sec. 3. Indigenous Games. – The term “indigenous games” refer to the 
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traditional sports and games or activities inherent to the different indigenous cultural 
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communities that reflect the rich cultural heritage, traditions or customs handed down 
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from generation to generation such as tribal archery, blowpipe, sibat, dug-out canoe 
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race, rock balancing, sumpit, sungka, kadang-kadang and other games distinct to the 
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indigenous communities. 
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Sec. 4. Annual Regional and National Indigenous Games. – The Philippine 
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Sports Commission (PSC), in coordination with the Philippine Olympic Committee 
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(POC) and the local government units (LGUs), shall conduct annual regional and 
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national indigenous sports competitions. 
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The host LGU, in consultation with the concerned indigenous cultural 
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communities, shall have the prerogative to choose which sports shall be included in 
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the regional and national indigenous sports competitions. 
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Sec. 5. Other Means of Preserving the Indigenous Games. – The National 
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Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), the National Commission on Indigenous 
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Peoples (NCIP), the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF), in coordination 
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with the Department of Education (DepEd), the Commission on Higher Education 
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(CHED), and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), shall initiate measures to 
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preserve indigenous games in the country, such as the inclusion of games as pat of 
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the curriculum in the basic and higher education system of schools, the production of 
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documentary or other useful means, and the conduct of regular demonstration of such 
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useful means, and the conduct of regular demonstration of such games in the 
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Palarong Pambansa and in other national sports events, and in appropriate school 
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activities. 
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The NCCA shall likewise conduct research on the various sports traditionally 
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played by different indigenous groups to ensure their preservation and development.  
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Sec. 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The PSC and the POC as the 
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lead agencies, in coordination with the NCCA, NCIP, DepEd, CHED, PIA, and LGUs, 
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shall promulgate the rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Act 
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within sixty (60) days after its effectivity. 
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Sec. 7. Separability Clause. – If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
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unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall 
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remain valid and subsisting. 
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Sec. 8. Repealing Clause. – All laws, presidential decrees or issuances, 
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executive orders, letter of instructions, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary 
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to, or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or 
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amended accordingly. 
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Sec. 6. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved.