Philippine National Games Act of 2025

'Off of the scoretary TWENTIETH CONGRESS JUL 10 P4:43 REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES First Regular Session ) RECEIVED BY: SENATE S. No. Introduced by Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" T. Go AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL GAMES AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR EXPLANATORY NOTE Article 14, Section 19 of the Philippine Constitution mandates the State to promote physical education and encourage sports programs, league competitions, and amateur sports, including training for international competitions, to foster self-discipline, teamwork, and excellence for the development of a healthy and alert citizenry. In view of this mandate, the State shall also develop programs and trainings that will encourage its citizens to participate in sports and other physical fitness programs. It is therefore high time that the State support a genuine comprehensive national grassroots sports program which serves as the country's premier national sports competition and venue for the nationwide talent search for identifying and developing outstanding athletes who have the potential to excel in various sports, and place the country at the forefront of international sports competitions. In the government's pursuit to execute the constitutional mandate on sports development, former President Fidel Ramos issued Executive Order 163 in 1994 which declared the Philippine National Games (PNG) as the centerpiece program of the

government's national physical fitness and sports development effort. However, the perennial lack of funding in grassroots sports development including the conduct of Philippine National Games, serves as an impediment for us to achieve the objectives of the Executive Order. The last Congress aimed to address this by passing the Philippine National Games Bill which was unfortunately vetoed. It is just right to reiterate that the Philippine National Games is not a duplication of the Palarong Pambansa since the latter is a school sports program of the Department of Education students generally 18 years old and below. Meanwhile, the Philippine National Games is a grassroots competition program of the Philippine Sports Commission for athletes 18 years old and above representing local government units. The PNG may also serve as a primary recruitment platform of the National Sports Associations in identifying athlete-members of the National Training Pool as even out-of-school youth and elite aduit athletes can join the PNG. This bill aims to provide a structure for a truly integrated and comprehensive national sports program, linking grassroots sports promotion to elite sports development, and encourage all local governments to promote the development of sports in the countryside covering all barangays, towns, municipalities, cities and provinces. The PNG will also harness the vast potentials of Filipinos in discovering and developing potential athletes in various sports who could form part of our national pool of athletes and excel in international sports competitions. The bill also encourages and assists various National Sports Association in promoting their respective sports at the grassroots level providing the necessary linkages with local government units. The passage of this bill will pave the way for improving our sports development programs and other initiatives that will promote the welfare of our Filipino athletes to further elevate our status in the sporting world.

• • In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought. SENATOR CHRISTOPHER LAWRENCE "BONG" T. GO

1-of tira TWENTIEH CONGRESS 25 JUL 10 P4:43 REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES First Regular Session ) RECEIVED BY: SENATE S. No. Introduced by Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" T. Go AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL GAMES AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 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 "Philippine National

2 Games Act of 2025."

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

4 provides that the State shall promote physical education and encourage sports programs, 5 league competitions, and amateur sports, including training for international sports 6 competitions, to foster self-discipline, teamwork, and excellence for the development of > a heathy and alert citizenry. Pursuant thereto, the State shall institutionalize an inclusive 8 national sports competition that will promote awareness and interest in sports, 9 particularly in the countryside, generate wide participation of the citizenry in sports through the active involvement of local government units (LGUs), 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 (PSC), is hereby expanded and institutionalized. The PNG

1 shall serve as the country's premier national multi-sports competition and venue for the 2 discovery of potential national and elite athletes. It shall be composed of sports 3 competitions for athletes and athletes with disabilities. It shall be held once every two 4 years and shall be participated in by athletes, including athletes with disabilities, from the 5 different provinces, in collaboration with municipalities under their jurisdiction, and cities 6 of the country: Provided, That the sports competition for athletes with disabilities shall 7 be held after the conclusion of the sports competition for athletes: Provided, further, That national sports associations, in accordance with Republic Act No. 6847 or 'The Philippine 9 Sports Commission Act", shall continue to conduct separate competitions and determine the athletes, coaches and other officials that will be part of the country's national team.

Sec. 4. Objectives. - The PNG shall have the following 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 athletes with disabilities; (b) To encourage all LGUs to promote the development of sports in all provinces, cities, municipalities and barangays; (c) To serve as a venue for the National Sports Associations (NSAs) in promoting their respective sports programs at the grassroots level and providing the necessary linkages with LGUs; (d) To serve as one of the feeder programs for the pool of student-athletes who shall be given priority in the grant of full scholarship on secondary education program at the National Academy of Sports (NAS), subject to the rules and regulations of the NAS; and (e) To widen the base for talent identification, selection, and recruitment of athletes, including athletes with disabilities, who shall constitute the national pool to be trained for international sports competitions.

SEC. 5. Participation in the PNG. - To generate awareness and ensure the wide

participation of athletes, including athletes with disabilities, with the potential to become national amateur and elite athletes, LGUs, through their barangay, municipal, city and

1 provincial Physical Fitness and Sports Development Councils (PFSDCs), shall encourage, 2 promote or organize local sports competitions within their respective jurisdictions as well as recruit, train and select athletes, including athletes with disabilities, for sporting events 4 competed at the PNG. Provinces, in collaboration with municipalities under their jurisdiction, and cities 6 shall form and send their delegations to the qualifying competitions and, thereafter, to 7 the national championship competition of the PNG. National government agencies, 8 government-owned or controlled corporations, state universities and colleges, and 9 constitutional commissions shall support and allow the participation of civilian, military, 10 and other uniformed personnel to the PNG through the provinces and cities where their personnel are residents. Athletes, including athletes with disabilities, who will form part of the delegation of the participating provinces and cities to the PNG must be Filipino citizens who comply with the minimum age requirement of the concerned NSA for the particular sport. No athlete who participated in a local sports competition organized by a PFSDC and subsequently represented the provincial or city sports delegation in the qualifying competitions of the PNG for a particular edition shall be permitted to transfer and represent another provincial or city sports delegation in the national championship competition of the PNG. The PNG shall take into consideration the activities and programs of the Palarong Pambansa and other local and international competitions to ensure that the welfare of the athletes is given paramount importance: Provided, That in case of overlapping competition schedules, the PSC, in coordination with concerned NSAs, shall issue guidelines on the prioritization of competitions: Provided, further, That international competitions where the Philippines is represented shall be prioritized.

SEC. 6. Feeder Sports Programs. - The Palarong Pambansa provided for under

Republic Act No. 10588, otherwise known as the "Palarong Pambansa Act of 2013", the Batang Pinoy Program of the PSC, and other local sports competitions organized by the 29 LGUs or the private sector, shall serve as the feeder system for the recruitment of athletes 30 by the LGUs for their participation in the various sporting events in the PNG.

SEC. 7. Sporting Events. - The official sports of the PNG shall include the following:

1) Aquatics <) Archery 3) Arnis 4) Athletics 5) Badminton 6) Baseball 7) Basketball 8) Billiard and Snookers 9) Bowling 10)Boxing 11)Canoe-Kayak 12)Chess 13)Cycling 14)Dancesport 15)Esports 16)Fencing 17)Floorball 18)Football 19) Futsal 20)Golf 21)Gymnastics 22)Handball 23) Hockey 24)Jiu-Jitsu 25)Judo 26) Karate 27) Lawn 28)Modern Pentathlon 29)Muay Thai

• 30)Pencak Silat 31)Petanque 32)Rowing 33)Rugby 34)Sailing 35)Sambo 36)Sepak Takraw 37)Shooting 38)Skateboarding 39)Softball 40)Soft Tennis 41)Squash 42 )Surfing 43)Swimming 44) Table Tennis 45) Taekwondo 46)Tennis 47) Triathlon/Duathlon 48) Volleyball 49)Weightlifting r 50)Wrestling 51)Wushu The sports to be competed in the PNG shall be aligned with the sports 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, That the 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, further, That, the PNG 29 Board may include new and emerging sports to be competed in the PNG: Provided, finally,

1 That the host LGU may recommend the inclusion of local sports to promote and showcase 2 its socioeconomic and cultural uniqueness through the PNG.

SEC. 8. Creation of the Philippine National Games Board. - To ensure the attainment

4 of the purposes and objectives of this Act, there is hereby created the Philippine National 5 Games Board, hereinafter referred to as the PNG Board. It shall be the policy-making and 6 coordinating body for the preparation and conduct of the PNG. The PNG Board shall be the proprietary owner of the phrase "Philippine National 8 Games" and its related symbols, logos, and concepts.

SEC. 9. Powers and Functions of the PNG Board. - The PNG Board shall have the

following powers and functions: (a) Formulate and approve plans, programs, policies and guidelines that shall govern the conduct of the PNG, and the relationships among the organizations involved; (b) Form an inter-agency Executive Committee, which shall be headed by a Secretary- General, and working committees on screening, registration, accreditation, billeting, and appeals, among others, as may be necessary; (c) Recognize the provincial and city PFSDCs that will be given authority to register athletes and teams in the PNG; (d) Determine the host and schedule of the PNG; (e) Determine the use of sports facilities, school buildings, and classrooms as may be necessary for the conduct of the PNG: Provided, That the PNG Board shall use the Department of Education (DepEd) classrooms only after all other facilities have been utilized; (f) Coordinate with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and other government agencies on the needed funding and technical assistance in the implementation of this Act; (g) Determine the sports to be competed in the PNG, subject to the conditions set in

Section 7 hereof;

(h) Provide incentives and rewards to host LGUs and winning LGUs; (i) Develop programs and policies that shall promote the PNG and ensure multi- sectoral support to the PNG;

0) Assess the conduct of the PNG and submit an annual report to Congress; and (k) To exercise such other functions as may be necessary for the effective implementation of this Act.

SEC. 10. Composition of the PNG Board. - The PNG Board shall be composed of the

following: (a) Chair: Chairperson of the PSC (b) Vice-Chair: Undersecretary of the DILG, in charge of Sports Development at the local levels (c) Members: i. Undersecretary of the DepEd, in charge of the Palarong Pambansa ii. Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) iii. President of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) iv. President of the Philippine Paralympic Committee (PPC) V. President of the League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP) vi. President of the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) vii. President of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) viii. President of the Liga ng mga Barangay (LnB) ix. Chairperson, Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations of the Philippines (COCOPEA The Members of the PNG Board, 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. The Members of the PNG Board shall be entitled to reimbursement of actual traveling and other expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties as Members thereof, subject to pertinent laws, rules and regulations.

SEC. 11. Secretary-General of the PNG. - The Secretary-General shall be appointed

by the Chairperson of the PNG Board from among the officials of the PSC. The Secretary- General shall submit to the PNG Board all plans, programs, and activities for the preparation, organization, and conduct of the PNG. The Secretary-General shall be assisted by a Secretariat, which shall be composed of existing personnel of the PSC, the 30 DILG, the DepEd, POC and the PPC.

SEC. 12. Roles of Government Agencies and Private Associations. - In addition to

the duties and responsibilities that may be assigned to them by the PNG Board, the following government agencies and private associations shall perform the following: (a) PSC: i. Carry out the overall management, coordination, and implementation of the PNG; ii. Coordinate with the DBM and other government agencies to secure the needed funding and technical assistance in the implementation of this Act; and ili. Enter into contracts or obligations essential for the accomplishment of plans, programs and activities for the PNG that were approved by the PNG Board. (b) DILG: i. 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. Direct the Philippine National Police to prepare and implement a comprehensive security plan for the LGU venues where the PNG shall be held. (c) LPP, LCP, LMP, and LnB: i. Encourage the implementation of the PNG in their respective member LGUs; and ii. Assist in disseminating information on the PNG within their respective jurisdictions to encourage the active participation of their members. (d) DepEd: i. Align the Palarong Pambansa calendar of activities, programs and policies to the conduct of the PNG; ii. Allow the use of its sports facilities, school buildings and classrooms as may be necessary for the conduct of the PNG;

IIi. Allow DepEd teachers, who are licensed or accredited technical officials of the NSAs, to officiate in the PNG; and iv. Issue memorandum circulars or department orders and guidelines within its jurisdiction to implement the objectives of the PNG. (e) CHED: i. Promote the program and activities of the PNG to all higher educational institutions; ii. Enjoin the state universities and colleges to allow the use of their sports facilities, school buildings and classrooms as may be necessary for the conduct of the PNG; and ili. Issue memorandum circulars or orders on the alignment of tertiary sports events and calendar of activities to the PNG. (f) COCOPEA: i. Promote the program and activities of the PNG to all private educational institutions; ii. Take into consideration in its calendar of activities, programs and policies the conduct of the PNG; and iii. 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) LGUs: i. Organize the multi-sectoral PFSDCs, 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) (13), 444 (b) (1) 27 (xix), 455 (b) (1) (xix), and 465 (b) (1) (xix) of the Local 28 Government Code of 1991, as amended; ii. Through the PFSDCs, in addition to their functions, 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; ili. For provincial and city PFSDCs: (a) Register an athlete in sporting events of the PNG, including its regional and cluster qualifying competitions; and (b) Be responsible for the entire delegation registered in the PNG, and ensure their athletes compliance with the PNG's eligibility rules. (h) POC and PPC: i. Supervise the NSAs involved in the PNG. (0) NSAs: ji. Set the qualifications for athletes and athletes with disabilities who will be participating in different sporting events, based on the international federations' rules and regulations; iii. Provide technical assistance in the conduct of their respective sports competitions in the PNG, including the appointment of qualified officiating officials; and iv. Allow the participation of all national athletes, registered by the PFSDCS, 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, further, 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; and (i) National Youth Commission: i. Promote and disseminate the program and activities of the PNG to all youth organizations and youth-serving organizations; ii. Encourage the youth, especially the out-of-school youth and youth with special needs, to actively participate in the conduct of the PNG in various roles possible; and Coordinate with various agencies in the implementation of this Act.

SEC. 13. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the implementation of this

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

SEC. 14. 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, 6 POC, the PPC, the LPP, the LCP, the LMP, the LnB, the NSAs, and the COCOPEA, shall 7 promulgate the rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 15. Separability Clause. - If any part or provision of this Act is held invalid or

9 unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected shall remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 16. Repealing Clause. - Section 2 of Executive Order No. 63, series of 1993,

is hereby amended. All laws, executive orders, issuances, decrees, and rules and regulations inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of this Act are deemed amended, modified or repealed accordingly.

SEC. 17. 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,