SENATOR Francis Pangilinan is pushing for stronger safeguards to protect the safety, health, and welfare of student-athletes through proposed amendments to the Student-Athletes Protection Act.

Senate Bill No. 2268 seeks to amend Republic Act No. 10676 to address gaps in existing protections for student-athletes participating in school-sanctioned athletic activities.

Under the proposed measure, schools and athletic organizations would be required to establish national safety standards, emergency preparedness measures, and protocols for reporting serious incidents.

The bill also seeks to strengthen medical protection and supervision, ensure access to mental health support, and establish guidelines for concussion management and athletes’ safe return to play.

It likewise seeks to prohibit unsafe practices, including hazing and abusive training methods, while strengthening accountability mechanisms for schools, coaches, and athletic organizations responsible for student-athletes’ welfare.

Pangilinan said the proposed amendments also recognize student-athletes’ rights to informed consent, access to academic information, and protection against retaliation when reporting unsafe conditions or misconduct.

In the bill’s explanatory note, the senator stressed that athletic excellence should never come at the expense of students’ safety, health, or dignity.

He said the proposed measure aims to ensure that student-athletes can pursue their sporting ambitions in a safe and supportive environment, with schools and athletic organizations held accountable for protecting their welfare.

The measure is anchored on the 1987 Constitution’s recognition of the role of sports in nation-building and its mandate to promote physical education and sports programs that foster discipline, teamwork, and excellence.