National Academy of Sports Establishment Act

State principles and program goals

Section 2 recognizes the State’s role to protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels and to make such education accessible to all.
Section 2 states that the State shall promote and protect the youth’s physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being.
Section 2 requires the establishment of a national sports program that promotes physical education, encourages sports programs, intramurals, league competitions, and amateur sports, and supports training for international competitions.
Section 2 directs the sports program to foster self-discipline, teamwork, and excellence and to develop athletes with patriotism and love of country.
Section 2 directs institutionalization of an educational system within a national sustainable sports program to produce world-class athletes.
Section 2 requires measures for admission of qualified students from all sectors, including indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, and other marginalized groups.

Scholarship secondary education purpose

Section 4 requires the NAS System to offer secondary education on a full scholarship basis.
Section 4 limits scholarship secondary education to natural-born Filipino citizens with considerable potential in sports.
The curriculum must be designed to address the education and special training needs of student-athletes.
The NAS System must provide holistic quality education to enable students to excel in their respective sports.
The NAS System must enable students to pursue their chosen profession or career.
Section 4 frames the educational model as integrated education and sports training.

Main campus, land use, and facility priority

Section 5 requires planning for establishing the main campus lasting not exceeding one (1) year from effectivity of the Act.
The NAS Main Campus shall be established at the existing New Clark City Sports Complex, Capas, Tarlac.
Section 5 requires sports facilities, housing, and amenities equipped according to current international standards, including sufficient classrooms and facilities.
BCDA must provide the land for the site by way of usufruct in perpetuity, subject to utilization as described for the NAS main campus facilities.
Section 5 makes BCDA in charge of constructing classrooms, dormitories, and other sports facilities, and related amenities as determined by the Board of Trustees at the New Clark City campus.
Section 5 grants the NAS System utmost priority in using existing facilities, dormitories, and infrastructure, which must be free of charge as long as utilized to carry out NAS System purposes, without prejudice to national and international sports events hosted in New Clark City coordinated with NAS System management.

Leadership structure and governance

Section 6 establishes an Executive Director to lead and administer the NAS System.
The Executive Director’s term is five (5) years.
The Executive Director is elected by the members of the Board, following implementing rules and qualifications, preferably with a Master’s degree in sports education, sports science, education, management, and substantial experience managing an educational institution.
Section 6 empowers the Board to fix the Executive Director’s compensation subject to the Compensation and Position Classification System.
Section 6 makes the Executive Director responsible for NAS administration and operation and coordination of Board policies and guidelines.
Section 7 establishes a Board of Trustees to govern the NAS System.

Board of Trustees composition

Section 7 provides that the Board consists of:
- the DepEd Secretary as Chairperson;
- the Chairperson of the PSC as Vice Chairperson;
- the Executive Director of the NAS System;
- the President of the Philippine Olympic Committee;
- the Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED); and
- two (2) representatives from the private sector with known expertise in sports, education, or both.
The two private-sector representatives are elected by Board members.
Private-sector representatives serve a term of two (2) years, renewable for another two (2) years, without reappointment.
Section 8 vests the exercise of NAS System powers exclusively in the Board.

Board powers, approvals, and program decisions

Section 8 grants the Board specific powers and duties, in addition to general corporate-administration powers under Section 35 of Republic Act No. 11232 (Revised Corporation Code of the Philippines).
The Board formulates policies, guidelines, and criteria to rationalize the establishment, administration, and operation of sports high schools under the NAS System in accordance with a national sports program.
The Board identifies satellite branches and regional campuses for later expansion after establishment of the main campus.
The Board approves the curricula, course of study, and rules of discipline drawn up by the Executive Committee, ensuring curricula address student-athlete training needs while delivering holistic and quality education.
The Board formulates personnel organization policies, including appointment, promotion, retention or renewal of contracts, compensation, removal for just cause, rewards, incentives, and other conditions of employment for NAS administrators, faculty, and staff.
The Board approves appointments and contracts entered into by the Executive Director related to employment of administrative officers, teachers, lecturers, and other school employees.
The Board determines conditions for acceptance of paying students for special programs and trainings (such as sports camps and clinics), including qualifications and criteria.
The Board provides and approves fellowships and trainings for administrators, faculty, and staff.
The Board approves the grant of scholarships, stipends, and other allowances to deserving students based on guidelines and implementing rules and regulations.
The Board establishes selection and admission criteria that include national competitive trials and examinations.
The Board recruits the best student athletes from different regions of the Philippines for enrollment.
The Board develops each student’s athletic potential together with a sound and strong academic base.
The Board provides a training program aimed at producing athletes who can compete in international competitions.
The Board approves issuance of certificates or diplomas to successful graduation candidates.
The Board receives and appropriates sums provided by law for NAS System support.
The Board receives in trust legacies, gifts, and donations of real and personal properties of all kinds and administers them for NAS benefit or aid to students.
The Board enacts rules and regulations necessary to carry out NAS purposes, provided they are not contrary to law.
The Board performs any other acts incident to or required by its creation.

Foreign coaches and trainer requirements

Section 9 authorizes the Board to approve hiring licensed foreign coaches, trainers, and consultants.
The PSC must certify the necessity of hiring, including a justification that the required competence and skills are not locally available or proven to be incomparable with local counterparts.
The Board must provide guidelines and mechanisms ensuring new knowledge and training methods from foreign coaches are passed on to student-athletes and local coaches and trainers of the NAS System.

Board meetings, quorum, and per diem

Section 10 requires the Board to convene at least once every quarter of the NAS System school calendar.
On effectivity, the Board must immediately convene monthly meetings for choosing and appointing the Executive Director, members from the academe and sports community, and an organization plan for the NAS System.
The Chairperson may call special meetings when necessary.
Section 10 requires members be notified in writing at least three (3) calendar days before special meetings.
A majority of all Board members holding office at the time of the meeting constitutes a quorum.
Section 10 requires the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson be present for quorum.
In the absence of the Chairperson, an Undersecretary of the DepEd designated by the Chairperson serves as alternate.
Members not receiving regular compensation from government receive reasonable per diem, determined by the Board, subject to rules observed by boards of similar specialized institutions.

Oversight, reporting, and auditing

Section 11 requires the Board to submit a detailed report to the Commission on Audit (COA), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), and Congress.
The report must include financial statements, statement of assets and liabilities, other revenue sources and program for expenditures, physical and financial accountability reports, and other similar reportorial requirements.
The report is due on or before the fourteenth (14th) day of February of each year.
Section 11 mandates that all NAS System accounts and expenses are audited by the COA or its duly authorized representative.

Executive committee, deputy executive director

Section 12 creates an Executive Committee consisting of the Executive Director, the Deputy Executive Director, heads of departments of the NAS System, and other ranking faculty members or officials determined by the Board.
Section 12 gives the Executive Committee power to screen and select students for admission and recipients of scholarships, stipends, and other allowances.
Section 12 requires the Executive Committee to develop curricula, course of study, and rules of discipline.
Section 12 requires the Executive Committee to develop students’ athletic potentials through training programs aimed at international-competition readiness.
Section 12 makes the Executive Committee implement and execute Board-laid policies and perform other functions and duties prescribed by the Board.
Section 13 establishes a Deputy Executive Director to assist the Executive Director.
In the absence of the Executive Director, the Deputy Executive Director assumes the Executive Director’s administrative and supervisory functions.
Section 13 requires the Deputy Executive Director’s compensation be fixed by the Board.
Section 13 requires appointment by the Chairperson, subject to approval of Board members and subject to the Compensation and Position Classification System.

Registrar, treasurer, and records custody

Section 14 creates a Registrar to act as Board Secretary and keep all records of the NAS System.
The Registrar is appointed by the Executive Director with Board approval.
Section 15 creates a Treasurer to keep custody of NAS funds and properties.
The Treasurer is appointed by the Executive Director with Board approval.
Section 15 reiterates that NAS System accounts and expenses are audited by the COA or its duly authorized representative.

Personnel staffing and additional lecturer compensation

Section 16 requires the Executive Director, with Board approval, to employ professional and highly skilled managers, educators, teachers, coaches, trainers, sports and medical professionals, and other personnel with long and vast experience.
The hiring in Section 16 must be subject to the existing Compensation and Position Classification System.
Section 16 allows government officers or employees engaged as lecturers to receive compensation in addition to their salary.
The additional lecturer compensation rate is fixed by the Board and is subject to existing rules and regulations.
Additional compensation is allowed only when lecturers perform their duties outside of the regular office hours.

National taxes, customs duties, and withholding exemption

Section 17 provides that payment of national taxes, including customs duties, of the NAS System is charged against the Tax Expenditure Fund (TEF) under the annual General Appropriations Act.
Section 17 exempts the NAS System from withholding taxes on honoraria or fees paid by the NAS System to visiting lecturers or professors from abroad, subject to and pursuant to existing Philippine tax treaties.

Tax-exempt donations and deductions

Section 18 makes all grants, legacies, bequests or devises, gifts and donations for the benefit of the NAS System, its support and/or maintenance, or for aid to students tax-exempt.
Section 18 provides that such donations are fully deductible from the gross income of donors under the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC) of 1997, as amended.

Campuses and extension arrangements

Section 19 requires the Board to provide policies for organizing future regional nationally-funded high schools for sports.
Section 19 requires the Board to provide policies to enter into a memorandum of agreement with existing locally funded high schools for sports for consideration as extension campuses or branches of the NAS System.
Section 19 requires extension campuses be organized in coordination with the concerned local government unit, DepEd, and PSC, and in consultation with the DBM.

Joint congressional oversight

Section 20 creates a Joint Congressional Oversight Committee to oversee, monitor, and evaluate implementation of the Act.
Section 20 requires the Oversight Committee to have five (5) members each from the Senate and the House of Representatives.
The Senate members include the Chairpersons of the Committees on Basic Education, Arts and Culture and Youth and Sports Development and Finance.
The House members include the Chairpersons of the Committees on Basic Education and Culture and Appropriations.
Section 20 requires the House membership include at least one (1) minority member.

Funding and appropriations inclusion

Section 21 requires the Secretary of DepEd to immediately include in the Department budget the amount necessary for effective implementation of the Act to be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
Section 21 requires that upon effectivity, BCDA immediately include in its procurement plan the construction of classrooms, dormitories, and other sports facilities and related amenities for the NAS main campus.
Section 21 requires the procurement funding for the NAS main campus construction be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

Implementing rules timeline

Section 22 requires DepEd and PSC, in consultation and coordination with DBM, CHED, DPWH, BCDA, and other relevant stakeholders, to promulgate necessary rules and regulations for effective implementation.
The rules and regulations must be promulgated not later than thirty (30) days upon effectivity of the Act.
Section 22 provides that failure to promulgate the rules and regulations does not prevent implementation of the Act upon its effectivity.

Separability, repeals, and effectivity

Section 23 provides a separability rule: if any part or provision is declared unconstitutional or invalid, the remainder remains in full force and effect.
Section 24 supersedes conflicting laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, and other administrative issuances, rules, and regulations to the extent of inconsistency.
Section 25 makes the Act effective fifteen (15) days after publication in the Official Gazette or in a major daily newspaper of national circulation in the Philippines.
The Act was approved on JUN 09, 2020.
The Act’s legislative approval shows passage by the Senate on May 11, 2020 and by the House of Representatives on May 19, 2020.
The Act consolidates Senate Bill No. 1086 and House Bill No. 6312.