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 "National Athletes, Coaches and Trainers Benefits and Incentives Act of 2001" or "Sports Benefits and Incentives Act of 2001."

SEC. 2. Statement of Policy. - The State shall promote excellence in sports and through sports by providing for the welfare of national athletes, coaches and trainers competing for the country and particular benefits and incentives for those who have brought honor and recognition to the country by winning in international competitions.

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the following terms shall be defined as follows:

1. National Athletes - shall refer to athletes who are Filipino citizens, members of the national training pool, recognized and accredited by the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and who have represented the country in international competitions;
   
2. National Coaches and Trainers - shall refer to coaches and trainers who are Filipino citizens, members of the national coaches and trainers pool, recognized and accredited by the PSC and who have represented the country as official coaches and trainers to national athletes in international competitions;
   
3. International Competitions - shall refer to international sports competitions which are sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) or held every four (4) years including qualifying championships in team sports wherein only one (1) or two (2) countries may qualify for the Olympics or World Championships.

Competitions granting prize money or those held in honor of any personality or sponsor shall not be included.

Sec. 4. Benefits and Privileges for National Athletes, Coaches and Trainers. -Any national athlete, coach and trainer who is currently registered as such before the PSC shall be entitled to the following:

1. the grant of twenty percent (20%) discount from all establishments relative to the utilization of transportation services, hotels, and other lodging establishments, restaurants and recreation centers and purchase of medicine and sports equipment anywhere in the country;
   
2. minimum of twenty percent (20%) discount on admission fees charged by theaters, cinema houses and concert halls, circuses, carnivals, and other similar places of culture, leisure and amusement;
   
3. free medical and dental consultations in private or public hospitals and similar establishments anywhere in the country and medical insurance program to be provided by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHIC);
   
4. a comprehensive social security program to be formulated by the Social Security System within one hundred eighty (180) days from the approval of this Act;
   
5. priority in existing livelihood programs being undertaken by various government agencies subject to the guidelines and qualifications by the implementing body; and
   
6. priority in national housing programs, affordable "pabahay" loans and other housing opportunities subject to the guidelines and qualifications set by the National Housing Authority (NHA) or the Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF).

Such privately-owned establishments shall enjoy tax credits equivalent to the discounts extended to the athletes.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) shall, as soon as possible, provide for the rules and regulations for the implementation of this Act.

SEC. 5. Scholarships. -A national athlete who wins in an international competition or any one qualified member of his/her immediate family within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity shall be entitled to scholarship benefits in the form of tuition fees in state colleges and universities in order to complete a college or university degree. The winning national athlete shall likewise be given priority in the availment of state college and university scholarship grants.

Likewise, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) shall give priority to winning national athletes who seek scholarship grants and study under their programs subject to the qualifications for all applicants.

Private colleges and universities shall likewise be encouraged to adopt a similar program in their institutions for winning national athletes.

SEC. 6. Retirement Benefits. -Any national athlete, coach and trainer who wins in an international competition or has coached or trained such winning national athlete shall receive a lump sum amount equivalent to twenty-five percent (25%) of his/ her total cash incentives computed from the start of his /her active sports career as a member of the national training pool or national coaches and trainers pool up to the last day of retirement from active competition or training as certified by the PSC. Such lump sum amount shall be extended sixty (60) days after the filing of the retirement papers.

SEC. 7. Death Benefits. - Upon the death of any national athlete, coach and trainer, his/her primary beneficiaries shall be entitled to a lump sum benefit of Thirty thousand pesos (P30,000) to cover for his/her funeral services: Provided, That if he/she has no primary beneficiaries, his/her secondary beneficiaries shall be entitled to said benefits.

For purposes of this Act, primary beneficiaries shall refer to the legitimate spouse, legitimate or illegitimate children. Secondary beneficiaries shall refer to the parents, and in their absence, to the brothers or sisters of such athlete, coach and trainer.

SEC. 8. Cash Incentives for National Athletes. - National athletes who win gold, silver and bronze medals in international competitions shall be entitled to cash awards in the following amounts:

1. INDIVIDUAL EVENTS
   
   
   1. For gold medalists:
      
      
      1. Five million pesos (P5,000,000) for Olympic Games;
         
      2. Two million five hundred thousand pesos (P2,500,000) for quadrennial World Championships;
         
      3. One million pesos (P1,000,000) for Asian Games; and
         
      4. One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000) for Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games).
      
      
   2. For silver medalists:
      
      
      1. Two million five hundred thousand pesos (P2,500,000) for Olympic Games;
         
      2. One million pesos (P1,000,000) for quadrennial World Championships;
         
      3. Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000) for Asian Games; and
         
      4. Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000) for the SEA Games,
      
      
   3. For bronze medalists:
      
      
      1. One million pesos (P1,000,000) for Olympic Games;
         
      2. Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000) for quadrennial World Championships;
         
      3. One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000) for Asian Games; and
         
      4. Ten thousand pesos (P10,000) for the SEA Games.
   
   
2. TEAM EVENTS
   

For competitions with less than five (5) participants per team, the team shall receive the same cash awards for individual medal winners as herein provided, to be divided equally among the team members actually present during the competition.

For competitions with five (5) or more participants per team, the team shall receive twice the cash awards for individual winners to be divided equally among the team members actually present during the competition:

Provided, That for demonstration and exhibition sports events in the Olympic Games, winning national athletes shall receive fifty percent (50%) of the cash awards for Olympic medalists as herein provided:

Provided, further, That for SEA Games, monetary incentives shall be given starting 2001 to the winning athletes or teams who have equaled or surpassed the existing game records or the previous placings in non-measurable events.

SEC. 9. Benefits, Privileges and Incentives for Past Achievers. - Any national athlete who, prior to the enactment of this Act, had won gold, silver or bronze medals in international competitions except SEA Games, shall be entitled to the benefits and privileges provided under Section 4 and fifty percent (50%) of the cash incentives provided under Section 8 of this Act. Such incentives shall be the difference between the cash award received under Administrative Order No. 352 and the cash award provided under this Act.

SEC. 10. Incentives for Coaches and Trainers. - Coaches and trainers shall also be entitled to cash awards if they have personally trained and rendered service to the athletes or teams at least one (1) year prior to the international competition. Certification to this effect by the individual athlete or team captain shall be in writing.

The incentives for the coaches and trainers shall be equivalent to fifty percent (50%) of the cash awards for gold, silver and bronze medalists.

There is hereby created a body to be known as the Philippine Coaches Accreditation Council that shall accredit and recognize coaches and trainers. It shall be composed, among others, of representatives from the PSC, POC and the academic community, preferably a professor in physical education or sports science.

SEC. 11. Adjustment of Cash Incentives. - The PSC is hereby authorized to adjust the schedule of incentives in Section 8 hereof, based on studies, consultations and public hearings with relevant agencies to reflect the economic needs of the athletes. No memorandum, order, or issuance shall diminish the prescribed schedule of incentives. Donations and gifts from individuals, institutions or groups shall be construed as distinct and separate from the cash incentives provided herein.

SEC. 12. Funding. - The amount necessary for the implementation of the cash incentives and retirement benefits program of this Act shall be taken from the net cash income of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), to be remitted directly as a special account to the National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) of the PSC. This is in addition to the regular income share of the PSC pursuant to Republic Act No. 6847.

A separate fund equivalent to not less than sixty percent (60%) of existing NSDF shall be automatically set aside for the training and preparation of national athletes covered by this Act.

Not less than five percent (5%) of the NSDF shall be set aside for the selection of individual athletes at the elementary and high school levels in track and field, swimming, badminton, pingpong and similar individual sports events where the Philippines can develop into world class competitors. Said fund shall be administered by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS).

SEC. 13. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The PSC, in coordination with the POC, DECS, CHED, TESDA, among others, and other concerned agencies shall promulgate and issue the Implementing Rules and Regulations within sixty (60) days upon approval of this Act.

SEC. 14. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part of this Act, or the application thereof to any person or circumstances, is held invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining sections of this Act or the application of such provision or part hereof to other persons or circumstance shall remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 15. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, issuances, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SEC. 16. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its approval and publication in the Official Gazette and/or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation, whichever comes earlier.

Approved, April 5, 2001.