Stronger legal protections and safety reforms for student-athletes are being pushed following the deaths of Ateneo de Manila University basketball players Rene Clert Baterbonia and Divine Adili, with sports and education stakeholders backing measures to tighten coaching standards, strengthen safety protocols, and expand institutional accountability in school athletics.

The policy push emerged from the inaugural meeting of the Sports Stakeholders’ Panel on June 10, where sports and education agencies reached consensus on priority reforms aimed at strengthening athlete welfare and sports governance following the tragedy.

The panel was convened days after Ateneo confirmed the deaths of Baterbonia, 19, and Adili, 21, who drowned during a team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora. Investigations into the incident remain ongoing.

“At its core, this is about protecting athletes and ensuring that sport is a safe, credible, and empowering environment for all,” the panel said in a statement released after the meeting, which included the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Department of Education (DepEd), Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas (SBP), University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), and National Youth Commission (NYC).

Among the reforms backed by the panel is the proposed Sports Coaching Act, which seeks to regulate the coaching profession through a national registry, mandatory licensing and certification, and continuing professional development requirements for coaches and sports professionals.

“We must do our part to ensure that they are not only empowered to lead, but also educated, trained, and held to standards that promote athlete safety, welfare, and responsible coaching practices,” the panel said.

The stakeholders also committed to strengthening safety standards, risk management, and emergency response protocols across sports programs, including standardized safety measures for athlete training activities. The PSC also said it is expanding water safety education and preparedness programs for sports personnel.

Meanwhile, Senator JV Ejercito has filed Senate Bill No. 2269, or the proposed “Student-Athletes Comprehensive Protection Act of 2026,” which seeks to expand legal protections for student-athletes.

The bill seeks to amend Republic Act No. 10676, or the Student-Athletes Protection Act, by broadening safeguards beyond competitions to include official practices, training sessions, conditioning programs, tryouts, team-building activities, sports clinics, off-campus athletic activities, and other school-sanctioned events. 

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