Input 1: History of NSTP

Prior to National Service Training Program (NSTP) Act of 2001, several

legal precedents have been enacted to address the need of national defense, security,
and general welfare of the state. These includes:

Commonwealth Act No. 1

For most Philippine military historians, real ROTC in the Philippines did not
start until 1912, when the Philippine Constabulary started conducting military
instruction at the University of the Philippines. Thus, the first ROTC unit in the country
was established in the University of the Philippines and instruction started on July 3,
1922. Other institutions then formed their respective ROTC units including National
University, Ateneo de Manila, Liceo de Manila, & Colegio de San Juan de Letran.
These units remained independent of each other until 1936, when the Office of the
Superintendent, ROTC Units, Philippine Army, was activated to administer, supervise
and control, as well as to supply, all ROTC units that existed throughout the country.
On December 21, 1935, Commonwealth Act No. 1, otherwise known as the
"National Defense Act of 1935” enacted by the National Assembly of the Philippines
on 21 December 1935 signed by Former President Manuel L. Quezon. , provided the
legal basis for the conduct of ROTC instruction in the country and provided a purpose
to create an Independent Philippine Military. As further supported with Executive
Order (EO) 207, S. 1939, it states that “all colleges and universities and similar
institutions of learning having a total enrolment of one hundred students or more, upon
proper receipt of notification from the Chief of Staff, Philippine Army, shall include a
course of military instruction, commonly known as ROTC Course as a compulsory
portion of their respective curricula for all physically fit male citizens of undergraduate
status, and shall faithfully conduct the course in accordance with the policies and
regulations approved by the President of the Philippines.” In the year 1941 around 33
colleges and universities nationwide was able to maintained ROTC units. However,
with the onset of World War II, all units were closed.
 National Defense Act of 1935 stipulates the obligation to undergo military
training which shall begin with youth in school, commencing at the age of ten (10)
years until he shall reach the age of twenty-one (21) years when he shall become
subject to service with the colors. If at eighteen to twenty-one years of age the youth
is not attending any school or college, he shall enter the Junior Reserve subject to the
exemptions prescribed in section eighty-seven of this Act. This training prior to service
shall be termed "Preparatory Military Training”. It mandates “all able-bodied male
citizens between the ages of twenty (20) years and fifty-one (51) years, both inclusive,
except those specifically exempted” for obligatory military service. (Commonwealth
Act No. 1 | GOVPH, 1935)

Presidential Decree No. 1706

Commonwealth Act No. 1 known as National Defense Act of 1935 was then
amended by President Ferdinand Marcos on 8 August 1980 with Presidential Decree
(PD) No. 1706 otherwise known as the National Service Law. The law made National
Service compulsory to Filipino citizens to any of the three (3) categories of national
service: civic welfare service; law enforcement service; and military service. Terms
referred to Commonwealth Act 1 was also amended in PD 1706 such as: from “military
service” to “national service” and from “military training” to “training to national
service”.

Republic Act 7077

In June 27, 1991, Republic Act 7077 otherwise known as the Citizen
Armed Forces or Armed Forces of the Philippines Reservist Act was enacted into
law. It provided for the organization, administration, training, maintenance, and
utilization of the citizen armed force or the armed forces of the Philippines and for
other purposes. It mandated the establishment of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps
Units in schools.
Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) was implemented on the following
basis:
 a) Section 4, Article II of the 1987 Philippine Constitution which states that “The
prime duty of the Government is to serve and protect the people. The
Government may call upon the people to defend the State and, in the fulfillment
thereof, all citizens may be required, under conditions provided by law, to
render personal, military or civil service;” and
b) Presidential Decree No. 1706 otherwise known as the National Service Law
which provided for compulsory National Service for Filipino Citizens.

In 1995, an expanded ROTC was conceptualized. When the Implementing

Rules and Regulations (IRR) of RA 7077 were promulgated the voluntary nature of
ROTC was integrated. All baccalaureate students were required to enroll in the
military training service component of the Expanded ROTC but after completing the
two (2) semesters of Military Training Service (MTS), the student was given the choice
to continue and attend another two (2) Semesters of MTS or two (2) semesters each
of Law Enforcement Service (LES) and Civic Welfare Service (CWS) to Qualify for
graduation in their respective Baccalaureate Courses.

Republic Act 9163

In 2001, discontent over the implementation of ROTC has reached its peak.
Various demonstrations were staged due to complaints about its content, conduct,
competence of its training staff and the corruption that has been going for years. The
school administrators especially the students did not find its relevance anymore.
Protests for the abolition of ROTC became high and intense when Cadet Sergeant
Major Mark Welson Chua was brutally murdered, allegedly by members of the
University of Santo Tomas (UST) ROTCU training staff. He was reported to have been
abducted and, three days later, his corpse was found in a river beside the Jones
Bridge in Escolta. Three years later, his fellow cadet was found guilty and sentenced
to death by the Manila Regional Trial Court.
Various bills were proposed in response to the protests. With the urgent
need to have a new ROTC law. In 2002, Republic Act No. 9163 established the
National Service Training Program for tertiary level students passed by the House of
 Representatives and the Senate of the Republic of the Philippines on December 19,
2001 and was approved by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on January 23, 2002.
It provided all students with three (3) service components: Civic Welfare Training
Service, Literacy Training Service, Reserve Officers’ Training Corps. Its
implementation started in the School Year 2002-2003. The passage of Republic Act
No. 9163 amended: Commonwealth Act No. 1, P.D. 1706 and R.A 7077.

House Bill (HB) 8961

The attempt to reinstate the mandatory Reserve Officers' Training Corps
(ROTC) program, the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading
House Bill No. 8961 or the proposed “Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) Act,”
which seeks to institutionalize, develop, train, organize and administer basic ROTC in
Grades 11 and 12 in all public and private educational institutions.
According to Rappler’s report, “the bill has a long way to go, however, as its
Senate version remains pending at the committee level. It would have to go through
successful 2nd and 3rd readings in the upper chamber before President Rodrigo
Duterte may sign it into law.”

Republic Act 9163 (Refer to Annex 1)

The Philippine Congress crafted a new version of E-ROTC in January 2002.

Representative Harlin Abayon sponsored House Bill 3593 while the late Senator
Renato Cayetano sponsored Senate Bill 1824. Both bills had been consolidated into
the new law known as the Republic Act 9163 or the National Service Training Program
(NSTP). Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed it on January 23, 2002.
Republic Act 9163 and the NSTP Implementing Rules and Regulations
(IRR) emphasized that it aims at enhancing civic consciousness and defense
preparedness of the youth by Developing the ethics of service and patriotism
while undergoing training in any of the three (3) components that are specifically
designed to enhance the youth’s active contribution to the general welfare will be more
significant and productive to their leadership and social participation. The three
components are Literacy Training Service (LTS), Civic Welfare Training Service
(CWTS) and the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC).