Bayaning Atletang Pinoy Act
Filed on July 8, 2025, and referred to the Committees on Sports, Ways and Means, and Finance; it has been pending in the committee since then with no recorded action.
The bill addresses the need for recognition and support for Filipino athletes who achieve international success.
The bill responds to the growing recognition of Filipino athletes on the international stage.
Bayaning Atletang Pinoy Act
The Bayanig Atletang Pinoy Act aims to honor national athletes by establishing the Order of National Athletes, creating a National Endowment Fund for Sports Heroes, and appropriating funds for their benefits and training.
Compared with current law:
No specific honors or funding for national athletes.
Establishes a formal recognition system and funding for national athletes.
The Act aims to grant distinctive honors and privileges to national athletes, establish a National Endowment Fund for Sports Heroes, and appropriate funds for their benefits and training.
Source · full text✦ Dashed tags are AI-suggested nuance; solid tags follow the committee taxonomy.
Stalled: the bill has sat in committee for over two months with no action since its referral on August 5, 2025.
No floor deliberations yet — this measure has not reached plenary. Its committee-stage actions appear under Legislative history above.
TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) REPUBLIC OF SEE PHILIPPINES, First Regular Session JUL -8 P5:29 SENATE S. No. - Introduced by Senator MARK A. VILLAR AN ACT GRANTING DISTINCTIVE HONORS AND PRIVILEGES TO NATIONAL ATHLETES, CREATING A NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FUND FOR SPORTS HEROES, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR EXPLANATORY NOTE Filipino athletes continue to score historic wins, gain international prominence and dominate global sporting events. Recently, a number of exemplary Filipino athletes, such as Carlos Yulo and Hidilyn Diaz, competing under the national flag, brought home top honors, distinct recognitions and medals from different competitions, contributing to the growing source of national pride. Behind the successes and achievements are stories of hardships and countless sacrifices each athlete had to endure in order to make their own mark and bring home the bacon. Thus, in recognizing the contributions of these exceptional athletes, this bill seeks to grant distinctive honors and privileges to them. This bill likewise aims to establish the National Endowment Fund for Sports Heroes, which shall be exclusively used to fund the benefits provided under this Act and to support the continuous training of all the awardees and their participation or exposure in international competitions. In light of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought. MARK A. VILLAR
TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) REPURCE OF SEEP PINES S First Regular Session 25 JUL -8 75:29 SENATE S. No. — Introduced by Senator MARK A. VILLAR 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 House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:
Section 1. Short Title. - This act shall be known as the "Bayaning Atletang Pinoy
Act."
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the declared policy of the State to promote
4 excellence in the field of sports and foster the values of sportsmanship, patriotism, 5 and nationalism in order to support nation-building and development.
Sec. 3. The Order of National Athletes. - There is hereby established the Order
7 of National Athletes (Orden ng mga Pambansang Atleta) which shall be the highest 8 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 Executive Order No. 236, S. 2003. It shall be administered by the Komite ng Bayaning Atletang Filipino, otherwise known as the Komite, created under Section 6 of this Act, and conferred by the President of the Philippines upon recommendation by the Committee. 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 emoluments and material benefits, such as: i) A cash award to be determined by the Committee, net of taxes for living awardees; ii) A cash award to be determined by the Committee, net of taxes for posthumous awardees, payable to legal heir/s; ili) A monthly life pension and medical and hospitalization benefits; iv) Life insurance coverage for awardees who are still insurable; v) A place of honor in state functions, national commemoration ceremonies, and all other sports and cultural events; and, vi) A state funeral, the arrangements for and the expense of which shall be borne by the Government, upon the death of the National Athlete.
Sec. 4. The National Medal of Excellence in Sports. - There is hereby
established the Natlonal Medal Excellence in Sports (Pambansang Medalya ng Katangi- tanging Husay sa Isports) for outstanding individuals 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.
Sec. 5. The Balangay Medal for Sportsmanship. -There Is hereby established
the Balangay Medal for Sportsmanship (Gawad Balangay) for heroic sportsmanship shown by athletes during internatlonal and local competitions exemplifying the values of honesty, fairness, selflessness, sacrifice, amity and good will. The President of the Philippines shall confer the Balangay Medal for Sportsmanship upon recommendation by the Committee.
Sec. 6. Komite ng Bayaning Atletang Filipino. - The Komite ng Bayaning
27 Atletang Filipino shall be under the Office of the President, and 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 Athletes' Commission or an authorized representative, as Member; f) Chairperson of the National Youth Commission or an authorized representative, as Member; g) Chairperson of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines or an authorized representative, as Member. For the purposes of this Act, all authorized representatives shall have at least a rank of Assistant Secretary.
Sec. 7. Role and Function of the Komite ng Bayaning At/etang Filipino. - The
Komite shall approve the criteria, standards, nomination and selection processes, and benefits and privileges of the recipients of the awards under this Act.
Sec. 8. National Endowment Fund for Sports Heroes. - There is hereby
established a National Endowment Fund for Sports Heroes to exclusively fund the benefits provided in this Act and to support the continuous training of all the awardees 19 and their participation or exposure in international 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 Komite 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) Government corporations are hereby authorized to give grants to the Fund at their discretion, but not to exceed fifteen percent (15%) of their unimpaired surplus; c) The private portion of the Fund shall be raised from the donations and other conveyances, including funds, materials, property, and services, by gratuitous title;
d) Contribution to the Fund shall be deductible for income tax purposes in accordance with the provisions of Section 34 (h)(2)(a) of the National Internal Revenue Code, as amended; e) For the sound and judicious management of the Fund, the Committee shall appoint a reputable government-accredited investment institution as Fund Manager, subject to the guidelines promulgated by the Komite; f) The Committee shall be the administrator of the Fund, the Committee shall appoint a reputable government-accredited investment institution as Fund Manager, subject to the guidelines promulgated by the Komite; i) Unless otherwise stipulated by the private donor, only earnings of private contributions shall be used; ii) No part of the seed capital of the Fund, including earnings thereof, shall be used to underwrite overhead expenses for administration; iii) The Committee shall organize a separate staff to be headed by a comptroller appointed by and directly responsible and accountable to the Komite; and iv) There shall be an external auditor that will perform an annual audit of the Fund's performance.
Sec. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations- Within ninety (90) days from the
effectivity of this Act, the Komite shall promulgate the rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.
Sec. 10. Appropriations, - The amount of One billion pesos
(P1,000,000,000.00) to serve as seed money of the National Endowment Fund for Sports Heroes as provided in Section 8 of this Act is hereby appropriated. The amount necessary for initial implementation of this Act shall be charged against the current year's appropriations of the Philippine Sports Commission. Thereafter, such appropriations necessary for the continuation and enhancement of the program shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
Sec. 11. 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 31 full force and effect.
Sec. 12. Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders, administrative orders,
and parts thereof inconsistent with any provision of this Act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.
Sec. 13. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days
following its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. Approved,
Reproduced from the Senate document. The official PDF is the authoritative version.