Philippine National Games Act

TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES First Regular Session 2 JUL -9 74:00 SENATE F.:5 Senate Bill No. Introduced by Senator Juan Miguel F. Zubiri AN ACT EXPANDING AND INSTITUTIONALIZING THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL GAMES AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR EXPLANATORY NOTE The realm of sports is in a state of continual evolution, demanding athletes to strive to remain abreast of these progressive developments. However, various challenges emerge as impediments for athletes to keep pace with such advancements, prompting government intervention as a vital proponent to ensure the equitable treatment of all athletes. Government must assist in granting them accessible platforms that foster growth, venues for skill refinement, and opportunities that incentivize industrious efforts.

Section 19, Article XIV of the 1987 Constitution mandates that the state advocate

physical education as well as incentivize sports initiatives including league competitions, amateur sports, and training for international contests. This overarching objective aims to cultivate self-discipline, teamwork, and excellence thereby nurturing a vigilant and healthy populace. In line with this, all educational establishments are obligated to undertake nationwide sports engagements in partnership with athletic clubs and other relevant sectors. The primary objective of this measure is the establishment of a cohesive and all- encompassing national sports program, strategically interlinking grassroots sports promotion with the progression of elite sports development. This framework concurrently serves as a platform for national sports associations to facilitate the propagation of their distinct sports initiatives at the grassroots level. Moreover, it endeavors to broaden the scope for talent identification, selection, and recruitment of athletes, thereby establishing a vigorous foundation for athletic potential. The provisions in this measure advocate for the formal establishment of the Philippine National Games Act (PNG) for the purpose of highlighting the extensive

potential inherent in Filipinos which will also pave the way for the discovery of the country's homegrown athletic talent. These games will serve as a vital platform for developing athletes and will give them the opportunity to exhibit their latent talents while also encouraging the youth to actively participate in such pursuits. Moreover, the bill aspires to stand as a testament to the principles of equality and inclusivity, reinforced by its commitment to affording paralympic competitions and athletes due recognition and equitable compensation, akin to their non-disabled counterparts. The commendable achievements of athletes with disabilities merit due recognition and honor which this bill seeks to address. In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought. JUAN MIGUEL F. ZUBIRI

TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES First Regular Session P4:00 SENATE Senate Bill No. Introduced by Senator Juan Miguel F. Zubiri AN ACT EXPANDING AND INSTITUTIONALIZING THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL GAMES 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 "Philippine National Games

Act."

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - Section 19 (1), Article XIV of the 1987 Constitution

provides that the State shall promote physical education and encourage sports programs, league competitions, and amateur sports, including training for international sports competitions, to foster self-discipline, teamwork, and excellence for the development of a healthy and alert citizenry. As a signatory to the Convention on the 9 Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the State adheres to its commitment to encourage and promote the participation, to the fullest extent possible, of persons with disabilities in mainstream sporting activities at all levels. Pursuant thereto, the State shall institutionalize an inclusive national sports competition that will promote awareness and interest in sports, particularly in the countryside, generate wide participation of the citizenry in sports through the active involvement of local government units, and serve as the linkage between grassroots sports development and national amateur and elite sports development.

SEC. 3. Expansion and Institutionalization of the Philippine National Games. - The

Philippine National Games (PNG), the national multi-sport tournament organized by the Philippine Sports Commission, is hereby expanded and institutionalized. The PNG shall serve as the country's premier national sports competition and venue for the discovery of potential national and elite athletes. It shall be composed of a competition on sports for regular athletes and a competition on sports designed for para-athletes or athletes with disabilities. It shall be held once every two years and shall be participated in by athletes and para-athletes from the different provinces, highly urbanized cities (HUCs), and independent component cities (ICCs) of the country. The PNG shall have the following purposes and objectives: a) To provide a framework and structure for a truly integrated and comprehensive national sports program, linking grassroots sports promotion to elite sports development, including sporting events applicable to para-athletes or persons with disabilities; b) To encourage all local government units to promote the development of sports in

the countryside, covering all provinces, cities, municipalities and barangays; c) To serve as a venue for the National Sports Associations in promoting their respective sports at the grassroots level and providing the necessary linkages with local government units; and d) To widen the base for talent identification, selection, and recruitment of athletes and para-athletes who shall constitute the national pool to be trained for international sports competitions. 9 SEC. 4. Participation in the PNG. - To generate awareness and ensure the wide 10 participation of athletes with the potential to become national amateur and elite athletes and para-athletes, local government units, through their barangay, municipal, city and provincial Local Sports Councils, shall encourage, promote or organize local sports competitions within their respective jurisdictions as well as recruit, train and select athletes and para-athletes for sporting events competed at the PNG. Provinces, in collaboration with component cities and municipalities under their 17 jurisdiction, HUCs and ICCs may form and send their delegations to the qualifying competitions and, thereafter, to the national championship competition of the PNG. Athletes and para-athletes who will form part of the delegation of the participating provinces and cities to the PNG must be Filipinos by birth, or whose parents are of Filipino ancestry, or have been naturalized as Filipinos by law, and whose age must comply with the minimum age requirement of the concerned National Sports Association for the particular sport. No athlete or para-athlete shall carry, represent or promote any public or private organization, enterprise or sponsor in the PNG.

SEC. 5. Sporting Events. - The sporting events that will be competed in at the PNG

shall be determined by the PNG Coordinating Committee created under Section 6 of this Act: Provided, That these sporting events are aligned with the sporting events participated in by the Philippines in the Southeast Asian Games, ASEAN Para Games, Asian Games, Asian Para Games, Olympics, Paralympic Games and other international sports competitions: Provided, further, That mandatory sporting events in the Olympic and Paralympic Games shall, as far as practicable, be included in the PNG, subject to the availability of sports facilities and venues in the LGU where the PNG will be held: Provided, finally, That the host LGU may recommend the inclusion of local sports to promote and showcase its socioeconomic and cultural uniqueness through the PNG.

SEC. 6. Creation of the Philippine National Games Coordinating Committee. - To ensure

the attainment of the purposes and objectives of this Act, there is hereby created the Philippine National Games Coordinating Committee, hereinafter referred to as the PNG Coordinating Committee. It shall be the policy-making and coordinating body for the preparation and conduct of the PNG. The PNG Coordinating Committee shall be the proprietary owner of the phrase "Philippine National Games" and its related symbols, logos, and concepts.

SEC. 7. Powers and Functions of the PNG Coordinating Committee. - The PNG

Coordinating Committee shall have the follewing powers and functions: a) To formulate plans, policies and guidelines that shall govern the conduct of the PNG, and the relationships among the organizations involved; • To recognize the provincial and city Local Sports Councils that will be aive schority to register athletes and teams in the PNe

c) To determine the host and schedule of the PNG; d) To coordinate with the Department of Budget and Management and other government agencies on the needed funding and technical assistance in the implementation of this Act; e) To determine the sports to be included in the PNG based on the appropriated budget in a giver year, subject to the conditions set in Section 5 hereof; f) To develop programs and policies that shall promote the PNG and ensure multi- sectoral support to the PNG as the country's premier sports event; and g) To exercise such other functions as may necessary for the effective implementation of this Act.

SEC. 8. Composition of the PNG Coordinating Committee. - The PNG Coordinating

Committee shall be composed of the following: a) Chair: Chairperson of the Philippine Sports Commission b) Vice-Chair: Undersecretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, in charge of Sports Development at the local levels c) Members: i. Undersecretary of the Department of Education in charge of the Palarong Pambansa ii. Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education iii. President of the Philippine Olympic Committee iv. President of the Philippine Paralympic Committee v. President of the League of Provinces of the Philippines Vi. President of the League of Cities of the Philippines Vil. President of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines vili. President of the Liga ng mga Barangay IX. Chairperson, Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations of the Philippines The members of the PNG Coordinating Committee, except the Chair and Vice-Chair, may be represented by the next-in-rank officers of their agencies or organizations, as the case may be.

SEC. 9. Roles of Government Agencies and Private Associations. - In addition to the

duties and responsibilities that may be assigned to them by the PNG Coordinating Committee, the following government agencies and private associations shall perform the following: a) Philippine Sports Commission: i. To carry out the overall management of the PNG; ii. To form an Executive Committee and Working Committees, composed of PSC officials, which shall implement, the policies and activities set by the PNG Coordinating Committee and lead inter-agency coordination; and To coordinate with the DBM and other government agencies to secure the needed funding and technical assistance in the implementation of this Act. b) Department of the Interior and Local Government:

i. To mandate all LGUs to coordinate, cooperate, and support the plans, programs and activities of the PNG through the issuance of corresponding memorandum circulars or department orders and guidelines within its jurisdiction to help carry out the objectives of the PNG; and ii. To direct the Philippine National Police to prepare and implement a comprehensive security plan for the LGU venues where the PNG shall be held. c) League of Provinces of the Philippines, League of Cities of the Philippines, League of Municipalities of the Philippines and Liga ng mga Barangay: i. To encourage the implementation of the PNG in their respective member local government units; and ii. To assist in disseminating information on the PNG within their respective jurisdictions to encourage the active participation of their members. d) Department of Education: i. To align the Palarong Pambansa calendar of activities, programs and policies to the conduct of the PNG; ii. To allow the use of its sports facilities, school buildings and classrooms as may be necessary for the conduct of the PNG; and iii. To issue memorandum circulars or department orders and guidelines within its jurisdiction to implement the objectives of the PNG. e) Commission on Higher Education: i. To promote the program and activities of the PNG to all higher educational institutions; ii. To recommend to the state universities and colleges the use of their sports facilities, school buildings and classrooms as may be necessary for the conduct of the PNG; and ill. To issue memorandum circulars or department orders on the alignments of tertiary sports events and calendar of activities to the PNG. f) Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations of the Philippines: i. To promote the program and activities of the PNG to all private educational institutions; ii. To take into consideration in its calendar of activities, programs and policies the conduct of the PNG; and To encourage private educational institutions to allow the use of their sports facilities, school buildings and classrooms as may be necessary for the conduct of the PNG. g) Local Government Units: i. Organize multi-sectoral Local Sports Councils, to be headed by the local chief executive, that will coordinate the implementation of an annual palaro at the barangay, municipal, city and provincial levels, pursuant to the mandates under Sections 389 (b) (m), 444 (B) (1) (xix), and 465 (b) (1) (xix) of the Local Government Code of 1991, as amended; ii. Through the Local Sports Councils, implement the following: a) Encourage, promote and organize local sports competitions within their respective jurisdictions; b) Recruit, train, and select athletes who will participate in the PNG; and c) Develop and maintain a pool of local athletes and provide them with

the necessary assistance; ill. For provincial and city Local Sports Councils: a) Register an athlete in sporting events of the PNG, including its regional and cluster qualifying competitions: Provided, That the athlete is not under any sanction of a National Sports Association of an International Federation: Provided, further, That no athlete who participated in a local sports competition organized by a Local Sports Council and subsequently represented the provincial or city sports delegation shall be permitted to transfer and represent another provincial or city sports delegation; and b) Be responsible for the entire delegation registered in the PNG, and ensure their athletes' compliance with the PNG's eligibility rules. h) Philippine Olympic Committee: i. Supervise the National Sports Association involved in the PNG; and 1) National Sports Associations/ Philippine Paralympic Committee: i. To set the qualifications for athletes and para-athletes who will be participating in different sporting events, based on the international federations' rules and regulations; To provide technical assistance in the conduct of their respective sports competitions in the PNG, including the appointment of qualified officiating officials; and iii. To allow the participation of all national athletes, registered by the LSCS, regardless of their membership status with their respective NSAs: Provided, That the athlete conforms and agrees to abide by the competition rules and regulations of their respective NSAs and PNG; and Provided, That the athlete is not under any disciplinary sanction, or is otherwise suspended by the concerned NSA or International Federation, consistent with the rules of their respective sports.

SEC. 10. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the implementation of this Act

shall be included in the budget of the Philippine Sports Commission in the annual general appropriations acts.

SEC. 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days from the start

of the effectivity of this Act, the PSC, in coordination with the DILG, DepEd, CHED, POC, and NSAs, shall promulgate the rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 12. Separability Clause. - If any part or provision of this Act is hels invalid or

unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected shall remain in full force and effect. amended, modified or repealed accordingly.

SEC. 14. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days from its

publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. Approved,