SEN. Bong Go on Monday sponsored Senate Bill 1743, which seeks to amend Republic Act (RA) 10699, also known as the National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act.
The measure aims to ensure that para-athletes and their coaches receive incentives equal to those provided to other national athletes.
Go, chairman of the Committee on Sports, said the measure addresses long-standing disparities in incentives for athletes with disabilities who compete in international tournaments, including the Asean Para Games.
RA 10699 was enacted to expand incentives for Filipino athletes and coaches, recognizing their role in bringing pride to the country. However, Go noted that current provisions result in disproportionate benefits for para-athletes compared to their able-bodied counterparts, despite competing at the same level of excellence.
“This bill aims to recognize our athletes with disabilities on equal footing with all national athletes by ensuring that they receive fair and just incentives for their achievements,” Go said during a plenary session. “Their gold, silver, and bronze medals carry the same honor for our country.” He emphasized that para-athletes undergo the same rigorous training, noting that disability should never be a basis for reduced recognition or compensation.
“They worked hard for every medal, for every match, and for every victory,” he said. “It is not their fault that some of them were born with disabilities. They deserve the same respect, honor, and support.” The senator cited the Philippines’ strong performance in the recently concluded Asean Para Games, where Team Philippines secured 45 gold, 37 silver, and 52 bronze medals. The team finished fourth overall, the country’s best ranking in the history of the multisport event.
