RA 9163

History of NSTP

Prior to the 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 were able to maintain 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 the 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 were 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

On 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:

Section 4, Article II of the 1987 Philippine Constitution 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

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 an overview

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.

Salient Feature of the Revised IRR

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).
Salient Features of the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the NSTP

 The Program of Study (syllabus) and enrollment forms shall bear the “NSTP” without stating
therein the three components. There shall be an orientation for all NSTP enrollees to be jointly
conducted by the ROTC, CWTS, and LTS coordinators/implementers. Students enrolled in the
first semester of the freshmen year shall be made to undergo a common module phase for 25
hours training period. Subjects covered are: citizenship training; drug addiction; disaster
awareness, preparedness and management; environmental protection; and other national
security concerns. Upon completion of the common module phase, the student must select the
specific NSTP service component that s/he will pursue.
 Earned NSTP units shall not be included in the computation of Grade Point Average (GPA) grades
of college graduating students.
 Graduates of the non-ROTC components of the NSTP shall belong to the National Service
Reserve Corps (NSRC) and could be tapped by the state for literacy and civic welfare activities,
especially in times of calamities through the joint efforts of DND, CHED and TESDA, in
coordination with DILG, DSWD and other concerned agencies/associations.
 Certificate of Completion with corresponding serial number issued by CHED, TESDA or DND,
shall be awarded to students who have successfully complied with the program requirements.