Benefits at incentives ng national athlete

ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta @Magtanong Kay Attorney | September 21, 2023

Dear Chief Acosta,

Ako ay isang national athlete na nagrerepresenta sa Pilipinas sa larong chess. Bilang national athlete, ako ay rehistrado sa Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) at accredited ng Philippine Olympic Committee (POC). Noong nakaraang buwan ay kinailangan kong bumiyahe mula Maynila patungong Cebu, subalit, nang ipinakita ko ang aking Philippine National Sports Team ID, at maging ang kaakibat nitong booklet, ay tumanggi ang airline company na bigyan ako ng diskwento sapagkat wala diumanong nakasaad na diskwento para sa mga atleta sa kanilang mga panuntunan.

Maaari ba iyon? - Gener

Dear Gener,

Ang batas na sasaklaw patungkol sa iyong katanungan ay ang Republic Act No. 10699 o mas kilala bilang “National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act.” Nakasaad sa Section 4 ng nasabing batas na:

“SECTION 4. Benefits and Privileges for National Athletes and Coaches. — Any national athlete and coach, as defined herein and who is currently registered as such, shall be entitled to the following:

a. The grant of twenty percent (20%) discount from all establishments relative to the utilization of transportation services, hotels and other lodging establishments, restaurants and recreation centers and purchase of medicine and sports equipment anywhere in the country for the actual and exclusive use or enjoyment of the national athlete and coach.”

Kaugnay nito, nakasaad sa kaakibat na Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) ng nasabing batas na:

“SECTION 1. Issuance of Philippine National Sports Team Member Card (ID) and Booklet. — Upon submission of the required documentary requirements and compliance with reasonable procedures to be enforced by the PSC, the Chairman of the PSC shall issue a Philippine National Sports Team (PNSTM) Identification Card and Booklet to the national athlete and national coach. The PNSTM Card and Booklet shall be valid for two (2) years and shall be subject to renewal thereafter.

SECTION 2. Availment. — The benefits and privileges provided herein and other benefits granted to the national athletes and national coaches shall be for the actual and exclusive use or enjoyment of the national athlete or national coach.

It shall be availed by the said athlete or coach upon presentation of a valid PNSTM Identification Card. In certain cases as provided herein, a Booklet or other certification showing that the availment is for the actual and exclusive use and enjoyment of the national athlete or national coach may be required.

SECTION 11. Penalties. — (a) Any person violating the provisions of Section 4(a) and (b) of this Act shall suffer the following penalties:

1. For the first violation, a fine of not less than fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00) but not exceeding one hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) or imprisonment of not less than six (6) months but not more than two (2) years, or both, at the discretion of the court;

2. For any subsequent violation, a fine of not less than one hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) but not exceeding two hundred thousand pesos (P200,000.00) or imprisonment of not less than two (2) years but not more than six (6) years, or both, at the discretion of the court.

Upon filing of an appropriate complaint, and after due notice and hearing, the proper authorities may also cause the cancellation or revocation of the business permit, permit to operate, franchise and other similar privileges granted to any business entity that fails to abide by the provisions of this Act.”

Ayon sa batas, at kaakibat nitong IRR, kasama sa mga benepisyo ng isang national athlete o coach ang 20% diskwento sa pamasahe sa pampublikong transportasyon.

Upang matamasa ang nasabing diskwento, kinakailangan na ipakita ng nasabing national athlete o coach ang kanyang PNSTM ID at Booklet na nagpapatunay na siya ay isang lehitimong national athlete o coach. Nakasaad din sa nasabing batas na ang sinumang susuway sa nabanggit na probisyon ay maaaring pagmultahin ng halagang Php 50,000.00 hanggang Php200,000.00 o pagkakakulong ng hindi bababa sa anim na buwan at hindi hihigit sa anim na taon.

Malinaw ring nakapaloob sa mga nabanggit na probisyon na ang paglabag sa batas ay maaaring mauwi sa kanselasyon o pagbawi ng business permit, permit to operate, o prangkisa ng negosyo. Kaya naman hindi maaaring ipagkait sa iyo ang nasabing diskwento nang dahil lamang diumano ay walang diskwento sa mga atleta sa panuntunan ng kumpanya.

Sana ay nabigyan namin ng linaw ang iyong katanungan. Ang payong aming ibinigay ay base lamang sa mga impormasyon na iyong inilahad at maaaring magbago kung mababawasan o madaragdagan ang mga detalye ng iyong salaysay.

Maraming salamat sa iyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.

Pananagutan ng may-ari ng sasakyang ginamit ng lasing na driver

ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta @Magtanong Kay Attorney | September 20, 2023

Dear Chief Acosta,

Mayroon akong limang sasakyan na nakarehistro bilang Transportation Network Vehicle Service (TNVS). Ang isa sa aking mga drivers ay natagpuang nagmamaneho habang nasa ilalim ng impluwensya ng alkohol. Maaari ba akong managot para rito? - Alex

Dear Alex,

Para sa iyong kaalaman, ang Seksyon 13 ng Republic Act No. 10586, o kilala bilang “Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013,” ay nagsasaad ng mga sumusunod:

“SEC. 13. Direct Liability of Operator and/or Owner of the Offending Vehicle. – The owner and/or operator of the vehicle driven by the offender shall be directly and principally held liable together with the offender for the fine and the award against the offender for civil damages unless he or she is able to convincingly prove that he or she has exercised extraordinary diligence in the selection and supervision of his or her drivers in general and the offending driver in particular.

This section shall principally apply to the owners and/or operators of public utility vehicles and commercial vehicles such as delivery vans, cargo trucks, container trucks, school and company buses, hotel transports, cars or vans for rent, taxi cabs, and the like.”

Alinsunod sa nasabing probisyon, maaari kang direkta at pangunahing managot, kasama ang nagkasalang driver para sa multa at/o pinsalang sibil. Sa kabilang banda, maaari kang ma-exempt sa nasabing pananagutan kung mapatutunayan mong nagsagawa ka ng pambihirang kasipagan sa pagpili at pangangasiwa ng iyong mga drivers (sa pangkalahatan) at ng nagkasalang driver (sa partikular).

Sana ay nabigyan namin ng linaw ang iyong katanungan. Ang payong aming ibinigay ay base lamang sa mga impormasyon na iyong inilahad at maaaring magbago kung mababawasan o madaragdagan ang mga detalye ng iyong salaysay.

Maraming salamat sa iyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.

Reassignment o pag-transfer sa empleyado na isinasailalim sa imbestigasyon

ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta @Magtanong Kay Attorney | September 19, 2023

Dear Chief Acosta,

Ang kaibigan ko na nagtatrabaho bilang kahera ay iniimbestigahan ng kumpanya dahil diumano sa nawawalang pera sa kanyang kustodiya. Inilipat siya bilang kahera sa malapit na branch habang hinihintay ang resulta ng imbestigasyon. Bakit pinarusahan agad ng paglipat ang kaibigan ko gayong patuloy pa rin ang nasabing imbestigasyon? - Patricia

Dear Patricia,

Ang sagot sa iyong katanungan ay tinalakay ng ating Kagalang-galang na Korte Suprema sa kasong “Constancia Duldulao. vs. The Court of Appeals, et. al.” (G.R. No. 164893, 1 March 2007), na isinulat ni Kagalang-galang na Kasamang Mahistrado Dante O. Tinga, kung saan nakasaad sa desisyon nito ang mga sumusunod:

“Petitioner argues that she was denied her right to due process when she was transferred to another department even before she was able to file her answer. Reassignments made by management pending investigation of irregularities allegedly committed by an employee fall within the ambit of management prerogative. The transfer, while incidental to the pending charges against the petitioner, was not meant to be a penalty, but rather a preventive measure to avoid further damage to the College of Law. It was not designed to be the culmination of the then on-going administrative case against petitioner. Hence, the order of transfer prior to the submission of her answer cannot be deemed a violation of her right to due process.

This Court has, in several instances, upheld reassignments/transfers pending investigations of the irregularities allegedly committed by employees, the rationale being that the purpose of reassignments is no different from that of a preventive suspension which management could validly impose as a measure of protection of the company’s property pending investigation of any malfeasance or misfeasance committed by the employee.”

Batay sa nabanggit na desisyon, ang paglipat na ginawa ng kumpanya habang nakabinbin ang imbestigasyon sa nawawalang pera na nasa kustodiya ng iyong kaibigan ay saklaw ng prerogatiba ng pamamahala. Ang layunin nito ay proteksyunan ang ari-arian ng kumpanya habang nakabinbin ang imbestigasyon ng anumang kamalian o maling gawain na ginawa ng empleyado nito. Hindi ito isang parusa kundi isang pamamaraan ng pagbibigay-proteksyon sa ari-arian ng kumpanya.

Samakatuwid, ang paglipat sa iyong kaibigan ay hindi ipinataw bilang parusa, ngunit sa halip ay isang hakbang upang maiwasan ang karagdagang pinsala sa kumpanya.

Sana ay nabigyan namin ng linaw ang iyong katanungan. Ang payong aming ibinigay ay base lamang sa mga impormasyon na iyong inilahad at maaaring magbago kung mababawasan o madaragdagan ang mga detalye ng iyong salaysay.

Maraming salamat sa iyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.