Philippine Sports Commission

PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS

2023-2028

I. INTRODUCTION

SPORTS can advance values, human progress, peace, social cohesion, and nation-building.

Nelson Mandela perfectly captured the value of sports at the inaugural Laureus World Sports
Awards, declaring that:

“Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire.
It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does.
It speaks to youth in a language they understand.”

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO International
Charter on Physical Education and Sports, of which the Philippines is a signatory, underscores
the following:

o The practice of physical education, physical activity, and sport is a fundamental right of
all;
o Physical education, physical activity, and sports can yield a wide range of benefits to
individuals, communities, and society at large;
o All stakeholders must participate in creating a strategic vision, identifying policy
options and priorities;
o Physical education, physical activity, and sports programs must inspire lifelong
participation;
o All stakeholders must ensure that their activities are economically, socially, and
environmentally sustainable;
o Research, evidence, and evaluation are indispensable components of the
development of physical education, physical activity, and sport;
o Teaching, coaching and administration of physical education, physical activity, and
sports must be performed by qualified personnel;
o Adequate and safe spaces, facilities, and equipment are essential to quality physical
education, physical activity, and sport;
o Safety and the management of risk are necessary conditions of quality provision;
o Protection and promotion of the integrity and ethical values of physical education,
physical activity, and sport must be a constant concern for all;
o Physical education, physical activity, and sports can play an essential role in the
realization of development, peace, and post-disaster and post-conflict objectives;
o International cooperation is a prerequisite for enhancing the scope and impact of
physical education, physical activity, and sport.

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II. MANDATES AND NATIONAL POLICIES IN PHILIPPINE SPORTS

Section 17 under Article II (Declaration of Principles and State Policies) of the 1987
Philippine Constitution stresses that:

“the State shall give priority to education, science and technology, arts,
culture, and sports to foster patriotism and nationalism, accelerate
social progress, and promote total human liberation and development.”

Section 19 of Article XIV of the 1987 Philippine Constitution provides that:

“the State shall 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.” It also
provides that priority attention shall be given to the needs of “the
underprivileged, sick, elderly, disabled, women and children.”

The UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) inspires global action for
development in the field of Sport for Development and Peace, noting:

“Sport is an important enabler of sustainable development. We

recognize the growing contribution of sport to the realization of
development and peace in women and young people, individuals, and
communities, as well as to health, education, and social inclusion
objectives.

“Sport contributes to well-being regardless of age, gender, or ethnicity.

It is enjoyed by all, and its reach is unrivaled. Given the personal and
social development benefits sport offers, increasing access and
participation is a primary development goal. Sport, in its most basic
form, encourages balanced participation and has the capacity to
promote gender equality. It contributes to making cities and
communities more inclusive. Additionally, sport can be used as a
meaningful tool for the prevention of conflict and the promotion of long-
lasting peace, since sport and its universality has the ability to transcend
cultures.”

Republic Act 11470, signed on 9 June 2020, established the National Academy of Sports
System, aiming “to develop the athletic skills and talents of students in world-class sports
facilities which are at par with international standards.” The NAS System is attached to the

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Department of Education (DepEd) in close coordination with the Philippine Sports
Commission (PSC). Under the law, the New Clark City Sports Complex will serve as the
location of the NAS campus, with the Bases Conversion and Development Authority
(BCDA)in charge of the construction of classrooms, dormitories, other sports facilities, and
related amenities.

Republic Act No. 11214, signed on 14 February 2019, created the Philippine Sports Training
Center (PSTC) to develop athletes in the national team and the country's grassroots
programs. It will also serve as the official home of Philippine Sports, the Rizal Memorial
Sports Complex, and a sports science and research hub led by the Philippine Sports
Commission (PSC) services.

Republic Act 10699, signed on 13 November 2015, also known as the “National Athletes
and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act.” This act is aimed to promote excellence in sports
by providing benefits and incentives for national athletes and other athletes who win in
international sports competitions and bring honor and recognition to the country. National
athletes who represented the country in international sports competitions and who won
gold, silver, and bronze medals in international sports competitions shall be entitled to cash
incentives upmost to PHP10,000,000.00 for winning an Olympic Gold Medal. Coaches of
national athletes shall also be entitled to cash incentives if they have personally trained and
rendered service to the athletes or teams who win in international competitions. The cash
incentives and retirement benefits under this act shall be taken from the net cash income
of the PAGCOR, to be remitted directly as a special account to the PSC National Sports
Development Fund (NSDF).

Memorandum Circular 49, series of 2013, established the Laro’t Saya sa Parke (LSP) as a
park-based sports for fun and recreation program to be held every Saturday and Sunday. It
aims to promote an active lifestyle by engaging Filipino families in sports and physical
fitness activities. This aligns with the Philippine Sports Commission’s (PSC) mandate of
promoting physical education, fostering physical fitness, self-discipline, teamwork, and
excellence to develop a healthy and alert citizenry through a unified national sports
promotion and development program.

Republic Act No. 10588, signed on 27 May 2013, institutionalized the Palarong Pambansa
as the co-curricular activity and laboratory in Physical Education and sports of the
Department of Education (DepEd). The Palarong Pambansa’s main objectives are to serve
as a venue for talent identification, selection, and recruitment of student-athletes and
encourage the local government units (LGUs) to take a proactive role in the promotion of
the DepEd’s national school sports program. For its part, the Philippine Sports Commission
(PSC) is tasked to ensure the success of the Palarong Pambansa.

The PSC, in cooperation with the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and through the

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appropriate NSAs, shall make available its manpower and technical resources and facilities
for the Palarong Pambansa and other school-based sports and physical education
programs of the DepEd and formulate and implement a training program for outstanding
athletes of the Palarong Pambansa to ensure the continuity of their athletic development
and education.

Executive Order 44 of 1998 established the Philippine Youth Games – Batang Pinoy while
Executive Order 163 of 1994 established the Philippine National Games. Both programs
have become an integral part of the national policy and program for sports development
at the grassroots level. The Batang Pinoy and PNG also serve as a recruitment base for
sports specialization, including training for other high-level leagues, national tournaments,
and intentional competitions.

Executive Order 63 series of 1993 centers on the creation of the National, Regional,
Provincial, City, Municipal, and Barangay Physical Fitness and Sports Development Councils
(PFSDC). The Council serves as the nationwide organizational network to assist the PSC in
the planning, information dissemination, and actual implementation and monitoring of the
National Policy and Program of “Sports for All.” Its primary functions include overseeing the
performance of the physical fitness and sports program and activities in consultation with
other public and private entities concerned in their respective localities and assisting in the
identification, recruitment, and training of gifted and talented athletes from their areas to
ensure a wide base for the selection of national athletes who will represent the country
among other things.

Executive Order 64 series of 1993 centers on the national policy of “Sports for All” which
shall make accessible to all Filipinos—regardless of age, gender, talent, and capabilities–a
program of physical fitness and sports; and preserve and promote the desirable traditional
and universal values in physical fitness and sports. This includes Women in Sports, Para
Sports, and Indigenous Peoples Sports.

Republic Act No. 7549, signed on 22 May 1992, provides that all prizes and awards granted
to athletes in local and international sports tournaments and competitions held in the
Philippines or abroad and sanctioned by their respective national sports associations shall
be exempt from income tax: Provided, that such prizes and awards given to said athletes
shall be deductible in full from the gross income of the donor: Provided, further, that the
donors of said prizes and awards shall be exempt from the payment of donor's tax.

Finally, Section 6 of Republic Act 6847 mandates the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) to
set the priorities and direction of a national sports agenda, giving emphasis to grassroots
participation. It was enacted into law on January 24, 1990, as the sole policy-making and
coordinating body of all amateur sports development programs and institutions in the
Philippines. Based on its mandate, its primary function is “to provide the leadership,

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formulate the policies, and set the priorities and directions of all national sports promotion
and development, particularly giving emphasis on grassroots participation.”

III. THE PLAN: TOWARDS SUSTAINED AND INCLUSIVE PHILIPPINE SPORTS

The five-year National Sports Development Plan 2023-2028 aims to ensure the long-term
viability of multi-sectoral and grassroots programs provide the necessary support for Filipino
athletes in their quest to bring honor and glory to the country.

This Plan shall achieve its targets through sustained and inclusive growth, incorporating
athlete-centered, and forward-looking strategies relevant to present needs and issues.

Focusing on sports inclusivity redounds to a widespread propagation of Philippine sports

programs that could reach and benefit the greatest number of Filipino people. The
accessibility to sports needs to be felt and experienced by Filipinos across various
demographic and socio-economic segments.

To sustain the growth of Philippines sports would be to encourage every child to play, learn
and engage in at least one sport; Every family to spend time to play with their children or
provide a support system that enables them to embrace an active, healthy lifestyle; Every
community leaders to acknowledge that sport is the language of the youth, and a potent tool
to drive them away from undesirable activities – and thus must be provided with friendly
sporting opportunities, venues, and facilities.

Sustaining the growth and inclusivity of Philippines sports is developing the groundworks that
will eventually create a wide base of athletic talents – and offering them enabling mechanisms
to stimulate athletic excellence.

IV. DEVELOPMENT VISION

The vision for the Filipino nation is to develop a sporting culture that generates a healthy
lifestyle and widen the base of athletic talents and high-performing athletes. It provides the
people the opportunities to engage in sports, whether for recreation or competition, as this
will improve the quality of their lives and push the sports agenda as an integral part of
nation-building.

Sporting culture harnesses sport as a potent instrument in promoting human development

and peace. It also encourages the development of Filipino athletes who can excel and be at
par with the world’s best.

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V. NATIONAL SPORTS DEVELOPMENT PLAN FRAMEWORK

The National Sports Development Plan is anchored on a framework that sustains and
provides inclusive growth of Philippine sports through its two flagship programs: 1) The
Grassroots and Sports For All Development Program and 2) The High-level Sports
Development Program.

Grassroots and Sports For All Development Program

Grassroots and Sports For All Development Program is one of the mandates of the PSC to
offer programs and projects for the development of sports nationwide.

For the Grassroots Sports Development, the PSC offers competition programs such as the
Batang Pinoy and Philippines National Games, the skills development aspects of regional
athletes through Sports Clinics advocacies, the coaching competency development of
regional coaches by way of Training the Trainors projects, and Establishment of Regional
Training Centers.

For the Sports For All Development, the PSC has lined-up a number of institutional projects
to ensure participation in sports for enjoyment, for physical fitness, for generation of support
system, and for preservation of culture such as Women in Sports, Laro’t Saya, Indigenous
Peoples Games, and Pilipinas Para Games.

High-level Sports Development Program

High-level Sports Development Program is a program that prepares Filipino athletes to

become world-class. Among measures of excellence are performances in international
competitions, such as the Southeast Asian Games, Asian Games, Olympics, and other top-
level competitions.

It also provides the athletes the needed high-level training, facilities, resources, and
international exposures. A significant support mechanism through multi-sectoral, corporate
partnerships, and resource mobilization strategies shall be installed to enable a sustainable
and rationalized elite sports program, thereby also augmenting the National Sports
Development Fund and the GAA.

This program provides for significant support system for elite athletes through:

● High-Performance Training
● Training Facilities
● Foreign Coaches
● International Exposures

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 ● Quality Sports Equipment
● Advancement in Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation
● Sports Research

VI. STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS

The six (6) strategic directions of the Plan are as follows:

1. Sports Governance
o To enhance the capability and accountability of PSC to lead, manage, implement, and
assess sports programs in the country in accordance with the mandates under R.A.
6847
o Policy Statements:
➢ Maintenance of PSC QMS-ISO Certification
➢ Compliance with the Citizen’s Charter of Anti-Red Tape Act
➢ Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Engagements
➢ Digitalization

2. Sports Promotion and Awareness

o To enhance sports awareness of Filipinos on the role of sports as a vehicle for personal
and community development
o Programs and Projects:
➢ Maximize engagement and the involvement of Social Media Users in the PSC
Official Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Website
➢ Utilize all forms of media platforms including Print, Radio, and Social Media to
promote extensively the progress of the PSC and the agenda of sports
➢ Establish linkages and partnerships with all stakeholders, private and public, in the
promotion of sports

3. Sports Accessibility
o To make sports accessible to the greatest number of Filipinos through a grassroots
sports program that will provide sports activities at all levels leading to pathways to
success
o Programs and Projects:
➢ Grassroots Sports Development (Laro’t Saya, Batang Pinoy, Philippine National
Games, Sports Certification Courses, Training the Trainors, Establishment of
Regional Training Centers)
➢ Sports For All Development (Women in Sports, Indigenous Peoples Games, and
Philippine National Para Games)

4. High-Performance Sports Development

o To focus on sports training and support athletes’ international competitions to

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 develop world and international champions
o Programs and Projects:
➢ Support to National Athletes & Coaches by providing allowances and incentives,
International Exposures and Competitions, Uniforms and Equipment, Elite
Coaches, New Teachings in Sports Training, and Medical Services
➢ Financial Assistance to National Sports Associations

5. Sports Infrastructure and Support

o To improve the present sports infrastructure and to erect new sports facilities at par
with global standards
o Programs and Projects:
➢ Construction of the Philippine Sports Training Center
➢ Public-Private Partnership (PPP) for construction of sports facilities, enhanced
training support in sports sciences, technology, and innovation and other athletic
requirements

6. Sports Linkages
o To strengthen local and international linkages in sports
o Programs and Projects:
➢ International Bilateral Agreements
➢ Strengthen the Inter-Agency Cooperation Program
➢ Create a National Sports Development Council (NSDC) as the lead organization for
the grassroots programs of the PSC

LEAD AGENCY’S OPERATIONAL FRAMEWORK

The PSC Chairman and its Board of Commissioners provides supervisions and oversight
towards the overall implementation of this Plan.

As a policy-making body, it may review existing policies and programs as needed, and direct
support mechanisms and resources to be allotted for the implementation. Being the lead
Agency for this Plan, the PSC Board may likewise call on partners and stakeholders in sports
for linkages and various avenues of collaboration.

As head of the PSC, the Chairman shall directly institute all necessary means to ensure the
successful implementation of this Plan.

The Executive Director shall monitor this Plan’s implementation and provide overall
management of its programs and projects being carried out by assigned offices under the
PSC. The Executive Director shall be assisted by the Deputy Executive Director for
Administrative, Financial and Management Services (AFMS Bureau); and the Deputy
Executive Director for Coordinating Secretariat and Support Services (CSSS Bureau) in carrying

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out this task.

Various offices under the two bureaus have been placed in-charge of the implementation of
programs and projects under this Plan. Their respective assignments are in line with their
official functions as stated in Section 3 under Rule V of the Implementing Rules and
Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 6847.

FUNDING

The PSC’s main fund sources as mandated by law are the General Appropriations Act (GAA)
and National Sports Development (NSDF) Funds.

The General Appropriation Act (GAA) Fund is derived from the Agency’s projected
expenditures for personnel services, general services, procurement, maintenance, and other
operating expenses. It includes remittances from the Manila Jockey Club, Inc. (MJCI),
Philippine Racing Corporation (Philracom), and the Bureau of Customs (BoC) which are
collected under the Special Account in the General Fund (SAGF).

The National Sports Development Fund (NSDF), as presented in Section 1, Rule VII of the
Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 6847: is to finance the country’s
integrated sports development program, including the staging of national games and other
multi-level sports competitions, as well as the country’s participation in international sports
competitions such as, but not limited to the Olympics, Asian Games, and Southeast Asian
Games.

Government sources of the NSDF include proceeds from the Philippine Amusement and
Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), the
Philippine Racing Commission (Philracom), the Philippine Post Office, and other income
generated by the PSC such as venue rentals, sponsorships, and donations.

Private corporations are encouraged and enjoined to actively participate and contribute to
the growth of Philippine sports by way of sponsorships and donations, maximizing
opportunities for tax exemptions as provided for in RA 6847.

Mutually beneficial Public–Private Partnerships (PPP) for certain institutional and long-term
programs and infrastructure projects will be seriously considered between PSC and private
sector institutions.

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