House Panel Approves Tax Exemptions for Athlete Donations

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The House committee on ways and means approved a bill on Monday granting tax exemptions for donations to national athletes competing in international sports competitions.


House Bill 421, championed by Albay Representative Joey Salceda, was passed just a day after Filipino gymnast Carlos Yulo secured his second Olympic gold medal.


Salceda, a principal author of the bill, stressed the importance of the tax exemption in ensuring Filipino athletes have the resources needed for their training and pursuit of Olympic dreams. He highlighted Yulo’s journey, which began at age 12 and culminated in Olympic success over a decade later.


"The journey to victory starts long before the competition day, in the years of hard work leading up to it. House Bill 421 exempts not only prizes awarded post-victory but also donations for training one year before the competition. Dedication and persistence in training win over sheer talent," Salceda said.


He advocated for incentivizing the preparation phase rather than just the prize itself.


“Champions are not made overnight,” Salceda reiterated.


The bill also states that exemptions will apply to donations made from January 1, 2024, onwards. Salceda proposed an additional measure to exempt all donations to the Philippine Sports Commission or the Philippine Olympic Committee from taxes, regardless of timing.


“In the future, I plan to propose that all donations for athlete training be tax-exempt, provided they go through the Philippine Olympic Committee or the Philippine Sports Commission,” he said.


Salceda emphasized the need to support athletes during their preparation rather than merely celebrating their victories.


House Speaker Martin Romualdez announced that the House of Representatives would award Yulo at least P6 million for his dual gold medal achievements at the Paris Olympics, marking a historic milestone for the Philippines.


Yulo clinched his first gold in men’s artistic gymnastics floor exercise with two perfect landings from highly challenging tumbling passes. Shortly after, he secured another gold on vault with the highest difficulty score and flawless execution.


Romualdez also mentioned that Congress is considering increasing government benefits for Olympic medalists, potentially including a monthly pension and amendments to the National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act (Republic Act 10699).


“We are contemplating a lifetime pension for Filipino Olympic medalists, starting either upon their retirement or when they turn 40,” Romualdez said.


“We want our athletes to enjoy lifetime support for their dedication and hard work,” he added.

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