A House panel on Tuesday, Nov. 8, approved four proposed measures that would institutionalize Philippine National Games that will serve as a training ground for budding athletes that will develop the local sports scene.
In a majority vote of the Committee on Youth and Sports Development 2nd Regular Meeting, chaired by Isabela 5th District Rep. Faustino Michael Carlos Dy III, the members also agreed that P200 million be allocated for the program, as well as one percent annual Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) from the respective local government units (LGUs).
The meeting took up the consolidation of House Bills (HBs) 934, 1954, 2968, and 4881, or the “Philippine National Games Act of 2022,” which will institutionalize the creation and funding of the Philippine National Games.
A substitute bill of the consolidated measures will be prepared by the committee secretariat.
In their respective explanatory notes, Leyte 4th District Rep. Richard Gomez and Malasakit@Bayanihan Party-list Rep. Anthony Rolando Golez Jr. underscored the role of the LGUs in the promotion of sports in the country, particularly billiards, bowling, fencing, weightlifting, shooting, and rowing, which the Philippines has been excelling in.
“This Act hopes to institutionalize a truly comprehensive national grassroots sports program, that will harness the vast potentials of the citizenry in discovering and developing champion athletes who could excel in international competition, thus giving our country pride and international goodwill and addressing the long-standing problems of Philippine sports in general,” Gomez said in the explanatory note of HB 934.
Aside from the games he mentioned in the explanatory note, the actor-turned-lawmaker also wanted to include cycling, gymnastics, track & field, volleyball, archery, badminton, boxing, football, martial arts (taekwondo, karate, jujitsu, judo), golf, table tennis, tennis, baseball, and softball as among the sports in which the Filipinos could improve upon.
“The salient features in the bill that I like to bring up to this body—the Philippine National Games shall be the government’s premiere national sports competition, which will be held every evert years or biennial event. The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) shall be the governing body of the Philippine National Games programs and form an executive committee,” he told his colleagues during the hearing.
As one of the most avid sports fans in the world, Filipino athletes like Manny Pacquiao, Efren "Bata" Reyes, and Hidilyn Diaz “have brought the Philippines much recognition in the field,” Golez said in his HB 2968’s explanatory note.
He explained the creation of the Philippine National Games as “a more comprehensive version of the "Palarong Pambansa.”
“Building on the growing support for the field of sports in the country, it is pivotal that the country discovers and develops its local talents in every sport,” the lawmaker said.
“It aims to up the ante of the ‘Palarong Pambansa’ by utilizing the LGUs to cater to its local athletes and help them in competing within their chosen sport through various national tournaments and programs. With the cooperation of both the public and private sectors in the field of sports, the Philippine National Games shall serve as the training ground for budding athletes,” he added.
Under the proposed measures, Gomez initially suggested that P50 million be earmarked from the General Appropriation Fund of the PSC to prepare, organize, and operate the national games.
He and Golez also proposed that one percent of the respective LGUs’ annual IRA be appropriated for the training of the local athletes.
“Budgetary support for the program shall be provided for through this bill, in the hopes that this will further enkindle the confidence of our athletes that the country is truly rooting for their success,” Golez wrote in the explanatory note.
During the hearing, PSC Chairman Noli Eala expressed support for the bill because “we believe that it is time to finally institutionalize the games.”