Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 10699)
The short title of Republic Act No. 10699 is the 'National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act.'
The State promotes excellence in sports by looking after the welfare of national athletes and coaches competing for the country and by providing benefits and incentives for those who win in international sports competitions and bring honor and recognition to the country.
Athletes with disabilities are persons with disabilities as defined under Republic Act No. 7277, Filipino citizens recognized and accredited by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and the National Paralympic Committee of the Philippines (NPC PHIL), who have represented the country in international sports competitions.
International sports competitions include regular major competitions like the Olympic Games, Asian Games, Southeast Asian Games, world-level and Asian-level championships with specified minimum country participation, and qualifying competitions for world-level games, excluding competitions granting prize money.
National athletes are Filipino citizens who are members of the national training pool, recognized and accredited by the POC and PSC, including athletes with disabilities. National coaches are Filipino citizens, members of the national coaches training pool, and recognized and accredited by appropriate sports bodies, who have represented the country as official coaches in international competitions.
Benefits include a 20% discount on transportation, hotels, restaurants, medicine, sports equipment; discount on cultural and recreational admissions; free medical and dental consultations; coverage under NHIP; social security program; priority in livelihood and housing programs; and use of training centers.
They are entitled to full tuition fees scholarship from state colleges or universities for a degree program and priority in availing of state scholarship grants from CHED and TESDA, with encouragement for private institutions to adopt similar programs.
They receive a lump sum amount equal to 25% of their total cash incentives computed from the start of their active sports career to their retirement date, payable within 60 days after filing retirement papers.
Gold medalists receive 10 million pesos for Summer and Winter Olympics; silver medalists receive 5 million pesos; and bronze medalists receive 2 million pesos. Different amounts apply for other international competitions as specified in the law.
Coaches who have personally trained athletes who win in international competitions at least six months prior receive 50% of the cash incentives awarded to the athletes. If there are multiple coaches, the incentive is divided among them.
For first violations, fines range from P50,000 to P100,000 or imprisonment from six months to two years, or both. For subsequent violations, fines range from P100,000 to P200,000 or imprisonment from two to six years, or both.
They may be punished with imprisonment of not less than six months or a fine of not less than P5,000 but not more than P50,000, or both, at the court's discretion.
Fund sources include the net cash income of PAGCOR remitted to the National Sports Development Fund of the PSC and 50% of the national government's share in PAGCOR's gaming revenue, among others.
Benefits and privileges are availed upon presentation of a valid PSC-issued identification card, renewable annually, and they cannot be combined with similar benefits under other existing laws.
National athletes who have already won and claimed benefits under the repealed Republic Act No. 9064 are deemed to have fully claimed their incentives. Those who have not must claim within three years from the effectivity of this Act, or else lose eligibility.