Congress of the Philippines

Twelfth Congress
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9163 !n"!r# $3% $&&$
AN ACT E'TABLI'(IN) T(E NATIONAL 'ER*ICE TRAININ) PRO)RA+ ,N'TP- .OR
TERTIAR/ LE*EL 'TU0ENT'% A+EN0IN) .OR T(E PURPO'E REPUBLIC ACT NO. 1&11
AN0 PRE'I0ENTIAL 0ECREE NO. 11&6% AN0 .OR OT(ER PURPO'E'
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:
'e2tion 1. Short Title - This Act shall be known as the "National Service Training Program (NSTP) Act
of 2001"
'e2tion $. Declaration of Policy - !t is hereb" affirme# the $rime #%t" of the government to serve an#
$rotect its citi&ens !n t%rn' it shall be the res$onsibilit" of all citi&ens to #efen# the sec%rit" of the State
an# in f%lfillment thereof' the government ma" re(%ire each citi&en to ren#er $ersonal' militar" or civil
service
)ecogni&ing the "o%th*s vital role in nation-b%il#ing' the State shall $romote civic conscio%sness among
the "o%th an# shall #evelo$ their $h"sical' moral' s$irit%al' intellect%al an# social well-being !t shall
inc%lcate in the "o%th $atriotism' nationalism' an# a#vance their involvement in $%blic an# civic affairs
!n $%rs%it of these goals' the "o%th' the most val%able reso%rce of the nation' shall be motivate#' traine#'
organi&e# an# mobili&e# in militar" training' literac"' civic welfare an# other similar en#eavors in the
service of the nation
'e2tion 3. Definition of Terms - +or $%r$oses of this Act' the following are hereb" #efine# as follows,
(a) "National Service Training Program (NSTP)" is a $rogram aime# at enhancing civic
conscio%sness an# #efense $re$are#ness in the "o%th b" #evelo$ing the ethics of service an#
$atriotism while %n#ergoing training in an" of its three (-) $rogram com$onents !ts vario%s
com$onents are s$eciall" #esigne# to enhance the "o%th*s active contrib%tion to the general
welfare
(b) ")eserve .fficers* Training /or$s ().T/)" is a $rogram instit%tionali&e# %n#er Sections -0
an# -1 of )e$%blic Act No 2022 #esigne# to $rovi#e militar" training to tertiar" level st%#ents
in or#er to motivate' train' organi&e an# mobili&e them for national #efense $re$are#ness
(c) "3iterac" Training Service" is a $rogram #esigne# to train st%#ents to become teachers of
literac" an# n%merac" skills to school chil#ren' o%t of school "o%th' an# other segments of
societ" in nee# of their service
(#) "/ivic 4elfare Training Service" refers to $rograms or activities contrib%tor" to the general
welfare an# the betterment of life for the members of the comm%nit" or the enhancement of its
facilities' es$eciall" those #evote# to im$roving health' e#%cation' environment'
entre$rene%rshi$' safet"' recreation an# morals of the citi&enr"
(e) "Program com$onent" shall refer to the service com$onents of the NSTP as en%merate# in
Section 5 of this Act
'e2tion 3. Establishment of the ational Service Training Program! - There is hereb" establishe# a
National Service Training Program' which shall form $art of the c%rric%la of all baccala%reate #egree
co%rses an# of at least two (2)-"ear technical vocational co%rses an# is a re(%isite for gra#%ation'
consisting of the following service com$onents,
(1) The )eserve .fficers* Training /or$s ().T/)' which is hereb" ma#e o$tion an# vol%ntar"
%$on the effectivit" of this Act6
(2) The 3iterac" Training Service6 an#
(-) The /ivic 4elfare Training Service
The ).T/ %n#er the NSTP shall instill $atriotism' moral virt%es' res$ect for rights of civilians'
an# a#herence to the /onstit%tion' among others /iti&enshi$ training shall be given em$hasis in
all three (-) $rogram com$onents
The /ommission on 7igher 8#%cation (/789) an# Technical 8#%cation an# Skills
9evelo$ment A%thorit" (T8S9A)' in cons%ltation with the 9e$artment of National 9efense
(9N9)' Phili$$ine Association of State :niversities an# /olleges (PAS:/)' /oor#inating
/o%ncil of Private 8#%cational Associations of the Phili$$ines (/./.P8A) an# other concerne#
government agencies' ma" #esign an# im$lement s%ch other $rogram com$onents as ma" be
necessar" in consonance with the $rovisions of this Act
'e2tion 4. Coverage - St%#ents' male an# female' of an" baccala%reate #egree co%rse or at least two (2)-
"ear technical vocational co%rses in $%blic an# $rivate e#%cational instit%tions shall be re(%ire# to
com$lete one (1) of the NSTP com$onents as re(%isite for gra#%ation
'e2tion 6. Duration and E"uivalent Course #nit - 8ach of the aforementione# NSTP $rogram
com$onents shall be %n#ertaken for an aca#emic $erio# of two (2) semesters
!n lie% of the two (2) semester $rogram for an" of the com$onents of the NSTP' a one (1)-s%mmer
$rogram ma" be #esigne#' form%late# an# a#o$te# b" the 9N9' /789' an# T8S9A
'e2tion 1. STP $ffering in Higher and Technical%&ocational Educational 'nstitutions - All higher an#
technical-vocational instit%tions' $%blic an# $rivate' m%st offer at least one of the $rogram com$onents6
Provi#e#' that State %niversities an# colleges shall offer the ).T/ com$onent an# at least one other
com$onent as $rovi#e# herein6 Provi#e#' f%rther' that $rivate higher an# technical-vocational e#%cation
instit%tions ma" also offer the ).T/ if the" have at least three h%n#re# an# fift" (-;0) ca#et st%#ents
!n offering the NSTP whether #%ring the semestral or s%mmer $erio#s' cl%stering of affecte# st%#ents
from #ifferent e#%cational instit%tions ma" be #one' taking into acco%nt logistics' branch of service an#
geogra$hical consi#erations Schools that #o not meet the re(%ire# n%mber of st%#ents to maintain the
o$tional ).T/ an# an" of the NSTP com$onents shall allow their st%#ents to cross-enroll to other
schools irres$ective of whether or not the NSTP com$onents in sai# schools are being a#ministere# b"
the same or another branch of service in the Arme# +orces of the Phili$$ines (A+P)' /789 an# T8S9A
to which schools are i#entifie#
'e2tion 5. (ees and 'ncentives - 7igher an# technical vocational instit%tions shall not collect an" fee for
an" of the NSTP com$onents e<ce$t basic t%ition fees' which shall not be more than fift" $ercent (;0=)
of what is c%rrentl" charge# b" schools $er %nit
!n the case of ).T/' the 9N9 shall form%late an# a#o$t a $rogram of assistance an#>or incentive to
those st%#ents who will take the sai# com$onent
The school a%thorities concerne#' /789 an# T8S9A shall ens%re that gro%$ ins%rance for health an#
acci#ent shall be $rovi#e# for st%#ents enrolle# in an" of the NSTP com$onents
'e2tion 9. Scholarships - There is hereb" create# a S$ecial Scholarshi$ Program for (%alifie# st%#ents
taking the NSTP which shall be a#ministere# b" the /789 an# T8S9A +%n#s for this $%r$ose shall be
incl%#e# in the ann%al reg%lar a$$ro$riations of the /789 an# T8S9A
'e2tion 1&. )anagement of the STP Components - The school a%thorities shall e<ercise aca#emic an#
a#ministrative s%$ervision over the #esign' for%m%lation' a#o$tion an# im$lementation of the #ifferent
NSTP com$onents in their res$ective schools6 Provi#e#' That in case a /789- or T8S9A-accre#ite#
non government organi&ation (N?.) has been contracte# to form%late an# a#minister a training mo#%le
for an" of the NSTP com$onents' s%ch aca#emic an# a#ministrative s%$ervision shall be e<ercise#
@ointl" with that accre#ite# N?.6 Provi#e#' f%rther' That s%ch training mo#%le shall be accre#ite# b" the
/789 an# T8S9A
The /789 an# T8S9A regional offices shall oversee an# monitor the im$lementation of the NSTP
%n#er their @%ris#iction to #etermine if the trainings are being con#%cte# in consonance with the
ob@ectives of this Act Perio#ic re$orts shall be s%bmitte# to the /789' T8S9A an# 9N9 in this regar#
'e2tion 11. Creation of the ational Service Reserve Corps - There is hereb" create# a National Service
)eserve /or$s' to be com$ose# of the gra#%ates of the non-).T/ com$onents Aembers of this /or$s
ma" be ta$$e# b" the State for literac" an# civic welfare activities thro%gh the @oint effort of the 9N9'
/789 an# T8S9A
?ra#%ates of the ).T/ shall form $art of the /iti&ens* Arme# +orce' $%rs%ant to )e$%blic Act No
2022
'e2tion 1$. 'mplementing Rules! - The 9N9' /789 an# T8S9A shall have the @oint res$onsibilit" for
the a#o$tion of the im$lementing r%les of this Act within si<t" (B0) #a"s from the a$$roval of this Act
These three (-) agencies shall cons%lt with other concerne# government agencies' the PAS:/ an#
/./.P8A' N?.s an# recogni&e# st%#ent organi&ations in #rafting the im$lementing r%les
The im$lementing r%les shall incl%#e the g%i#eline for the a#o$tion of the a$$ro$riate c%rric%l%m for
each of the NSTP com$onents as well as for the accre#itation of the same
'e2tion 13. Transitory Provisions - St%#ents who have "et to com$lete the Casic ).T/' e<ce$t those
falling %n#er Section 15 of this Act' ma" either contin%e in the $rogram com$onent the" are c%rrentl"
enrolle# or shift to an" of the other $rogram com$onents of their choice6 Provi#e#' That in case he shifts
to another $rogram com$onent' the Casic ).T/ co%rse he has com$lete# shall be co%nte# for the
$%r$ose of com$leting the NSTP re(%irement6 Provi#e#' f%rther' That once he has shifte# to another
$rogram com$onent' he shall com$lete the NSTP in com$onent
'e2tion 13. Suspension of R$TC Re"uirement - The com$letion of ).T/ training as a re(%isite for
gra#%ation is hereb" set asi#e for those st%#ents who #es$ite com$leting all their aca#emic %nits as of
the effectivit" of this Act have not been allowe# to gra#%ate
'e2tion 14. Separability Clause - !f an" section or $rovision of this Act shall be #eclare#
%nconstit%tional or invali#' the other sections or $rovisions not affecte# thereb" shall remain in f%ll force
an# effect
'e2tion 16. *mendatory Clause - Section -; of /ommonwealth Act No 1' 8<ec%tive .r#er No202 of
11-1' Sections 2 an# - of Presi#ential 9ecree No 120B' an# Sections -0 an# -1 or )e$%blic Act No
2022' as well as all laws' #ecrees' or#ers' r%les an# reg%lations an# other iss%ances inconsistent with the
$rovisions of this Act are hereb" #eeme# amen#e# an# mo#ifie# accor#ingl"
'e2tion 11. Effectivity - This Act shall take effect fifteen (1;) #a"s after its $%blication in two (2)
news$a$ers of national circ%lation' b%t the im$lementation of this Act shall commence in the school "ear
of 2002-200-
A$$rove#'
(Sg#).RAN6LIN +. 0RILON
Presi#ent of the Senate
(Sg#)O'E 0E *ENECIA% R.
S$eaker of the 7o%se of )e$resentatives
This Act which is a consoli#ation of 7C No -;1- an# SC No 1025 was finall" $asse# b" the 7o%se
of )e$resentatives an# the Senate on 9ecember 11' 2001
(Sg#)O'CAR ). /ABE'
Secretar" of the Senate
(Sg#)ROBERTO P. NA7ARENO
Secretar" ?eneral
7o%se of )e$resentatives
A$$rove#, Dan%ar" 2-' 2002
)LORIA +ACAPA)AL8ARRO/O
Presi#ent of the Phili$$ines