Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Constitution Hills, Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

5728

HOUSE BILL Nt

Introduced by Hon. FREDERICK W. SIAO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Every medal earned and every new competition record set in international sports
competitions are milestones in a lifelong journey of learning and both intensive and
extensive application of multidisciplinary training. These milestones deserve
commensurate and appropriate formal recognition in terms of qualification to join or
progress in the civil service in the Philippines and in the profession of sports.

This bill recognizes the daily toil of aspiring athletes and players, especially those
from backgrounds of poverty, marginalization, or injustice, in the thousands of
gymnasiums, fitness centers, stadiums, courts, other sports facilities, and even the roads
and fields they have turned into their practice and competition venues. Truly, “those who
have less in life, should have more in law,” as President Ramon Magsaysay so eloquently
said with words that reverberate through Philippine history.

In focus in this pivotal legislative measure, are the Filipino athletes, as well as
their coaches, trainors, and competition officials, who have overcome tremendous odds
and have devoted their lives to sports excellence and demonstrated their love of country
by representing the Philippines with sterling achievement.

This bill is one of a tandem of bills recognizing the professional level of expertise
of Filipino athletes who set international records or win in established and reputable
international sports competitions, including those sanctioned or recognized by the
Olympic movement’s world governing bodies for sports.

In this bill, it is proposed that a podium finish, which means reaching the top three
ranks for gold, silver and bronze, or the setting of new competition records in such
international competitions shall automatically entitle the athletes civil service eligibility
for implementation by the Civil Service Commission because such accomplishments are
manifest proof of the high-level of professional expertise of the achieving athletes.

This bill is consistent with the Philippine Qualifications Framework Act. This bill
also updates the PQF Act (RA 10968) by giving the PQF — National Coordinating
Council the authority to apply the appropriate academic equivalency to the demonstrated
competence of the internationally-accomplished athletes as evidenced by either the
podium finish or the setting of a new competition record, to be credited toward the award


of either a baccalaureate degree or a masteral degree by a higher education institution
accredited by the Commission on Higher Education to implement the Expanded Tertiary
Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP).

This bill also specifies that qualifying or participating in international regional
competitions recognized by the world sports governing bodies, the Asian Games, the
Olympic qualifying tournaments, world championships, and the Olympics, shall also
merit the award of appropriate and commensurate credit in the context of the Continuing
Professional Development Act (RA 10912), the PQF Act (RA 10968), and the
equivalency program of the Commission on Higher Education known as the ETEEAP.

Furthermore, the spirit and intent of this bill is similar to the Grant of Foreign
School Honor Graduate Eligibility as expressed in the Civil Service Commission’s

Resolution No. 1302714 promulgated on 17 December 2013.

In view of the foregoing, swift passage of this bill is earnestlysgught.

Lone Dighrict, Iligan City


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Constitution Hills, Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL N¢ paze

Introduced by: Hon. FREDERICK W. SIAO

AN ACT
GRANTING AUTOMATIC CIVIL SERVICE PROFESSIONAL ELIGIBILITY
AND CAREER PATHS TO ATHLETES, THEIR COACHES, TRAINORS, AND
MANAGEMENT TEAM, WHO ACHIEVE PODIUM FINISH OR SET NEW
COMPETITION RECORDS IN INTERNATIONAL SPORTS COMPETITIONS,
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “International Filipino
Sports Achievers Recognition and Career Development Act.”

Section 2. Automatic Grant of Civil Service Professional Eligibility. All
Filipino athletes, their coaches, trainors, and management team, who achieve podium
finish in international sports competitions or set new competition records in such sports
events, shall be automatically entitled to civil service professional eligibility that will
qualify them for permanent appointment in regular plantilla positions in government or
similar to the Grant of Foreign School Honor Graduate Eligibility as expressed in the
Civil Service Commission’s Resolution No. 1302714 promulgated on 17 December 2013.

For Filipino athletes and players who are already in the civil service when they
earned their medal-winning or record-setting international sports achievement, they shall
be promoted two salary grades higher than their current salary grade.

Section 3. Sports Development Office in every Local Government Unit. There
is hereby established a Sports Development Office (SDO) in every province, city,
municipality, and barangay in the country. The SDO shall have regular plantilla
positions. It shall be headed by a Sports Director and staffed with at least five (5) Sports
Coaches, three Physical Conditioning Specialists, and three (3) Administrative/Clerical
Personnel.

The local government chief executive may augment this core of regular plantilla
personnel with job order, contractual, and casual personnel, subject to the availability of
funds, upon recommendation of the Sports Director, and approval of the Provincial
Board, City Council, Municipal Council, or Barangay Council as the case may be.


Section 4. Academic Degree Equivalency of International Sports
Achievement. Consistent with the Philippine Qualifications Framework (PQF) as
established in Republic Act 10968, the PQF — National Coordinating Council is hereby
authorized to apply the appropriate academic equivalency to the demonstrated
competence of the internationally-accomplished athletes as evidenced by either the
podium finish or the setting of a new competition record, to be credited toward the award
of either a baccalaureate degree or a masteral degree by a higher education institution
accredited by the Commission on Higher Education to implement the Expanded Tertiary
Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP).

Section 5. Crediting International Sports Achievement for Continuing
Professional Development and Tertiary Education Equivalency. Qualifying or
participating in international regional competitions recognized by the world sports
governing bodies, the Southeast Asian Games, the Asian Games, the Olympic qualifying
tournaments, world championships, and the Olympics, shall also merit the award of
appropriate and commensurate credit consistent with the Continuing Professional
Development Act (RA 10912), the PQF Act (RA 10968), and the equivalency program of
the Commission on Higher Education known as the Expanded Tertiary Education
Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP).

Section 6. Appropriations. Funding for the implementation of this Act shall be
provided in the annual General Appropriations Act. Funding support for the sports
development offices of local governments shall come from the internal revenue allotment
of the LGUs. An LGU Sports Development Support Fund is hereby established and with
which the Department of Budget and Management shall set aside the IRA funds for the
SDOs of LGUs.

Section 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The Civil Service Commission,
the Department of Interior and Local Government, the Philippine Sports Commission,
and the Department of Budget and Management shall jointly formulate the implementing
rules and regulations necessary to implement this Act not later than ninety (90) days after
the effectivity of this Act.

Section 8. 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 9. Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders, and administrative
orders or parts thereof inconsistent with any provision of this Act are hereby repealed or
amended accordingly.

Section 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after
its publication in the online version of the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of

general circulation or with established internet website presence.

Approved.