QuestionsQuestions (Republic Act No. 11470)
RA 5708 is titled the “Schools Physical Education and Sports Development Act of 1969.” It promotes and finances an integrated physical education and sports development program for schools in the Philippines.
The Department of Education.
The law provides that physical education should develop proper appreciation of physical development alongside mental development; sports activities should offer opportunities for athletic development (including grace, coordination, stamina, and strength); physical education should be well-rounded—addressing physical growth, social training, personal discipline, and for gifted students, superior athletic achievement; and sports development requires effective planning/administration with adequate facilities and stable financing.
The Secretary of Education must prescribe by regulation the program of activities in the Bureau of Public Schools, Bureau of Private Schools, and Bureau of Vocational Education.
(1) Health education and nutrition with increased emphasis on food production; (2) general physical fitness for all pupils/students through daily calisthenics and a daily period for physical education including folk dancing and gymnastics; (3) competitive athletics starting in intermediate grades to identify promising athletes for further development in secondary schools; (4) intramural and inter-unit athletic competition within schools/districts/provinces with recognition and incentive awards; and (5) an annual program of athletic competition within/between regions and in interscholastic or national meets formulated by athletic associations organized by each bureau.
The Secretary of Education must seek the recommendation of the Department of Health through its Secretary regarding the general physical fitness program and the program of health education.
It includes: the Assistant Secretary for Physical Education (Chairman); the Director of Public Works; the Physical Director of the University of the Philippines; three coordinators representing the Bureau of Public Schools, Bureau of Vocational Education, and Bureau of Private Schools; and the President of the Philippine Amateur Athletic Federation (PAAF).
The Assistant Secretary for Physical Education (Chairman) is appointed by the President with consent of the Commission on Appointments. The three coordinators (division superintendent-level) are appointed by the Secretary of Education.
He/She oversees promotion and coordination of the schools’ physical education and sports development program under the Secretary of Education and serves as Executive Director of the Commission.
It must submit an annual report to the Secretary of Education, who then makes appropriate recommendations to the President and Congress.
There must be: a physical education supervisor in each division of the Bureau of Public Schools; a regional physical education supervisor for each region of the Bureau of Private Schools; and nine physical education supervisors in the Bureau of Vocational Education assigned by geographical area. They are appointed by the Secretary of Education upon recommendation of the respective bureau directors, with priority among highest qualified ranking supervisors from their respective bureaus.
Within one year from effectivity, the Department of Education undertakes a five-year coach development program in coordination with UP, PAAF, and the AFP. Phase one is national training of coaching instructors for each region in each bureau; Phase two is provincial-level training by graduate coaching instructors; Phase three is school-level seminars/clinics. It is financed from national appropriations.
It allows scholarships of six months to one year to the National College of Physical Education or UP, and coaching clinics with specialists invited from abroad. Scholarships are available to participants from the Bureau of Public Schools, Bureau of Private Schools, Bureau of Vocational Education, and AFP; the supplementary training is also open to participants from private schools/colleges/universities at the expense of the sponsoring institution.
A ten-year program for construction and development of sports centers in each province, financed from Commission funds. Centers must have standard grounds and facilities for track and field and ball games, gymnasia, swimming pools, dormitory and cafeteria facilities, and facilities for coaches and athletes in training for regional/inter-scholastic/national meets.
Each college and university student (public and private) may be charged an athletic fee not exceeding ten pesos per annum. The total collected each year must be exclusively expended for the promotion of the schools’ physical education and sports center development program. No other athletic fee of any kind or under any denomination may be charged by any school.
(a) Section 13 authorizes annually for five consecutive years starting with the fiscal year next following approval: five million pesos as a revolving fund for the five-year physical education and sports development program, subject to Commission rules approved by the Secretary of Education. (b) Section 14 authorizes annually for ten consecutive years starting with the fiscal year next following approval: five million pesos deposited with the Philippine National Bank as funds of the Commission for sports center development; unexpended balances after termination transfer to the Department of Education for schools sports development program under rules prescribed by the President.