Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ________ 
Introduced by Hon. John Marvin “Yul Servo” C. Nieto 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
An athlete is more than his victories, more than the medals on his chest and is 
certainly more than his failures. More so for national athletes, a weightlifter trains 
her strength everyday in various ways, making her resilient to the weight that she 
carries all for the honor she can give to her country; a swimmer has to swim hundreds 
and thousands of meters during training, a boxer has to suffer through every muscle 
pain and body ache to be stronger; like any sports hero, all will be worth it when 
they bring honor and glory to the Philippines. 
More than the glory and honor that each international competition has brought 
our country, it shows their passion for the sport and love for the country and it brings 
forth a strong feeling of nationalism and patriotism for bringing honor to the country. 
They serve as inspirations for young Filipino athletes to strive harder for our beloved 
country. In the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics, the Philippines finally gained 
its first gold medal through Hidilyn Diaz– who had won silver in the 2016 Rio 
Olympics. Alongside her victory is Nesthy Petecio’s silver medal from the women’s 
featherweight boxing, Carlo paalam bagging the men’s flyweight olympic silver 
medal and Eumir Marcial taking home the men’s middleweight class olympic bronze 
medal.  
It is high time that we recognize athletes competing internationally, bringing 
pride, honor, and glory to our country through their respective sports. They are the 
true testament that hardwork and perseverance can bring forth victory. More than 
athletes, they are heroes that need to be recognized and valued as such. This Act 
seeks to grant distinctive honor and privileges to sports heroes and establish the 
Hidilyn Diaz Endowment Fund which shall be utilized to provide lifetime 
emoluments to National athletes and support their needs so that they may continue 
January 11, 2022
8:00 am
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to participate in local competitions and or represent the country in international 
competitions.  
In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
HON. JOHN MARVIN “YUL SERVO” C. NIETO 
Representative, 3rd District of Manila City 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ________ 
Introduced by Hon. John Marvin “Yul Servo” C. Nieto 
AN ACT 
GRANTING DISTINCTIVE HONORS AND PRIVILEGES TO NATIONAL 
ATHLETES, CREATING A NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FUND FOR 
SPORTS HEROES, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
the Congress assembled:  
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Bayaning Atletang 
Pilipino Act”.  
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is the declared policy of the State to proote 
excellence in the field of sports and foster the values of sportsmanship, patriotism, 
ad nationalism to support nation-building and development.  
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. – For purposes of this Act, the following terms 
are hereby defined as follows:  
a. International sports competition shall refer to international sports
competitions under the following categories:
1. Regular major competitions, such as but not limited to, the Summer
Olympic Games, Winter Olympic Games, Asian Games, Asian Winter
Games, Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, Youth Olympic Games,
Paralympic Games, Asian Park Games, Asian Indoor and Martial Arts
Games, Asian Beach Games, and Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) Para Games;
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2. World-level championships 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; and 
4. Qualifying competitions for World-level games with at least ten (10) 
countries participating; 
 
b. National Academy of Sports or NAS shall refer to the NAS System 
established under Republic Act No. 11470 or any of its existing or future 
campuses which aims to provide quality and enhanced secondary education 
program integrated with a special curriculum on sports. 
 
SECTION 4. The Order of National Athletes. – There is hereby established the 
Order of National Athletes (Orden ng mga Pambansang Atleta) which shall be the 
highest honor the Government of the Philippines shall confer to its outstanding 
sports heroes who have brought immense pride and honor to the country and have 
dedicated their lives towards the advancement of their sports. 
 
The Order shall be under the National Orders of Cultural and Scientific Merit 
pursuant to the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Executive Order No. 236, s. 
2003. It shall be administered by the Komite ng Bayaning Atletang Filipino, 
otherwise known as the Committee, created under Section 8 of this Act, and 
conferred by the President of the Philippines upon recommendation by the 
Committee. 
 
Olympic medalists shall automatically be conferred :he Order, which shall be 
retroactive from the effectivity of this Act. 
 
Awardees of the Order of National Athletes shall enjoy the following privileges: 
a. The rank and title of National Athlete, as proclaimed by the President of the 
Philippines; 
b. The National Athlete medallion and citation; 
c. Lifetime emolument and material benefits such as: 
1. A cash award to be determined by the Committee, net of taxes for living 
awardees; 
2. A cash award to be determined by the Co11mittee, net of taxes for 
posthumous awardees and payable to legal heir/s; 
3. A monthly life pension and medical and hospitalization benefits; 
4. Life insurance coverage for awardees who are still insurable; 


5. A place of honor in state functions, national commemoration 
ceremonies, and all other sports and cultural events; and 
6. A state funeral, the arrangements for and the expenses of which shall 
be borne by the Government upon the death of the National Athlete. 
 
SECTION 5. The National Medal of Excellence in Sports. – There is hereby 
establshed the National Medal of Excellence in Sports (Pambansang Medalya ng 
Katangi-tanging Husay sa Isports) for outstanding individual and team achievements 
in international sports competitions. The President of the Philippines shall confer the 
National Medal of Excellence in Sports upon recommendation by the Committee. 
 
SECTION 6. The Balangay Medal for Sportsmanship. – There is hereby 
established the Balangay Medal for Sportsmanship (Gawad Balangay) for heroic 
sportsmanship shown by athletes during international and local competitions 
exemplifying the values of honesty, fairness, selflessness, sacrifice, amity, and 
goodwill. The President of the Philippines shall confer the Balangay Medal for 
Sportsmanship upon recommendation by the Committee. 
 
SECTION 7. Coaching Excellence Medal. – There is hereby established the 
Coaching Excellence Medal (Gabay ng Atletang Pilipino) for coaches who have 
gone above and beyond in nurturing athletes to reach their full potential and lead the 
team to victory in international sports competitions. The President of the Philippines 
shall confer the Coaching Excellence Medal upon recommendation by the 
Committee. 
 
SECTION 8. Priority of Awardees and/or their Dependents in the National 
Academy of Sports Scholarship. – Awardees under this Act shall have the option 
and priority to enroll, on a full-scholarship basis, in the National Academy of Sports 
System Main Campus or any regional nationally-funded high schools for sports. In 
case the awardee has completed his/her secondary education, or in the case of a 
posthumous awardee, his/her legal heir may be prioritized in the entry into the 
National Academy of Sports or any regional nationally-funded high school for 
sports, subject to the requirements and qualifications as may be set by the NAS or 
the high school concerned. 
 
SECTION 9. Komite ng Bayaning Atletang Filipino. – The Committee shall be 
under the Office of the President. The Committee shall be composed of the 
following: 
a. Chairperson of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), as Chairman; 


b. Secretary of the Department of Education or an authorized representative, as 
Member; 
c. Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education or an authorized 
representative, as Member; 
d. President of the Philippine Olympic Committee or an authorized 
representative, as Member; 
e. Chairperson of the Athletes' Commission or an authorized representative, as 
Member; 
f. Chairperson of the National Youth Commission or an authorized 
representative, as Member; and, 
g. Chairperson of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines or an 
authorized representative, as Member. 
SECTION 10. Role and Function of the Komite ng Bayaning Atletang Pilipino. – 
The Committee shall approve the criteria, standards, nomination and selection 
processes, and benefits and privileges of the recipients of the awards under this Act. 
 
The Committee shall likewise be the administrator of the Hidilyn Diaz Endowment 
Fund for Sports Heroes. 
 
SECTION 11. Hidilyn Diaz Endowment Fund for Sports Heroes. – There is 
hereby established a Hidilyn Diaz Endowment Fund for Sports Heroes to exclusively 
fund the benefits provided in this Act and support the continuous training of all the 
awardees and their participation or exposure in international sports competitions. 
a. The amount of One Billion Pesos (P1 ,000,000,000.00) is hereby appropriated 
as seed money of the Endowment Fund; Provided, That no grant shall be 
awarded by the Committee except from the interest drawn from the Fund; 
Provided, further, that no grant shall be awarded until after one (1) year from 
the organization of the Fund; 
b. The private portion of the Fund shall be raised from the donations and other 
conveyances by gratuitous title, including funds, materials, property, and 
services,; 
c. Contribution to the Fund shall be deductible for income tax purposes in 
accordance with Section 34 (h)(2)(a) of the National Internal Revenue Code; 
d. For the sound and judicious management of the Fund, the Committee shall 
appoint a reputable government-accredited investment institution as Fund 
Manager, subject to guidelines promulgated by the Committee and applicable 
government auditing and accounting rules; 
e. The Committee shall be the administrator of the Fund and shall prepare the 
implementing guidelines and decision-making mechanisms, subject to the 
following: 


1. Unless otherwise stipulated by the private donor, only earnings of 
private contributions shall be used; 
2. No part of the seed capital of the Fund, including earnings thereof, shall 
be used to underwrite overhead expenses for administration; 
3. The Committee shall organize a separate staff to be headed by a 
comptroller appointed by and directly responsible and accountable to 
the Committee; and 
4. The Fund shall be audited annually by an independent external auditor 
or the Commission on Audit, as may be appropriate. 
 
SECTION 12. Existing Incentives, Benefits, and Privileges. – The incentives, 
benefits, and privileges provided under this Act shall not diminish or affect existing 
incentives, benefits, and privileges provided in existing laws. 
 
SECTION 13. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The Committee shall 
promulgate the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) within ninety (90) days 
from the effectivity of this Act. 
 
SECTION 14. Appropriations. – The amount of One Billion Pesos 
(P1,000,000,000.00) is hereby appropriated to serve as seed money for the Hidilyn 
Diaz Endowment Fund for Sports Heroes as provided in Section 11 of this Act. The 
amount necessary for the initial implementation of this Act shall be charged against 
the current year's appropriations of the PSC. Thereafter, such appropriations 
necessary for the implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General 
Appropriations Act. 
 
SECTION 15. Separability. – If any provision or part of this Act is declared invalid 
or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected shall continue to 
be in full force and effect. 
 
SECTION 16. Repealing Clause. – All laws, executive orders, and administrative 
orders, or parts thereof that are inconsistent with any provision of this Act are hereby 
repealed or amended accordingly. 
 
SECTION 17. Effectivity Clause. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after 
its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved, 
 
 
 


  
 
Approved,