MODULE I

The Guiding Principles of the National Service Training Program (NSTP)

Introduction

The National Service Training Program (NSTP) Act of 2001 (RA 9163) has allowed
the students to choose from three different component programs that promote civic
consciousness. It is not anymore a matter of getting a training and earning units for graduation
through exhausting drills on the field but also something worthwhile, helping communities.

There is a renewed recognition of the role of the youth in promoting community change
as highlighted in the Act, Section 2. As the most valuable resource of the nation, the youth
shall be motivated, trained, organized and involved in military, literacy, civic welfare programs
and other similar endeavors in the service of the nation.

Objectives

At the end of the course, the students should be able to identify their role in nation
building in response to the need for community change.

1. Identify the different role of youth in nation building.

2. Know the foundations of NSTP/CWTS
3. List down the guiding principles in implementing NSTP/CWTS.
4. Value the importance of NSTP/CWTS in nation building.
5. Explain the guiding principles of the National Service Training Program.
6. Differentiate the three program components of the National Service Training
Program.

Part I. The Expanded Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) Program

The Expanded Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) Program Experience

The Expanded Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) Program was mandated by
the basic constitutional provisions that the state shall promote and protect the physical, moral,
spiritual, intellectual and social well-being of its citizenry. The Head Quarters of the Armed
Forces of the Philippines directive dated June 1994 established the Expanded ROTC Program.

The implementation of the Expanded Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC)

Program started during the School Year 1996-1997. On February 9, 1996, the Commission on
Higher Education (CHED) issued CHED Memorandum Order No. 10, Series of 1996 on the
“Revised Guidelines in the Implementation of the Expanded ROTC Program. The offering of
the three components of the Expanded ROTC Program namely, Military Training Service
(MTS), Law Enforcement Service (LES) and Civic Welfare Service (CWS) was declared
mandatory for all Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The Expanded ROTC Program
enables the cadets who are in the last year of the basic military training to choose from the three
components.
 Article 3, Section 7 of RA 7077 stated that “the mission of the Citizen Armed Force,
alternately referred to as the Reserve Force, is to provide the base for the expansion of the
Armed Forces of the Philippines in the event of war, invasion or rebellion, to assist in relief
and rescue during disasters or calamities, to assist in socio-economic development and to assist
in the operation and maintenance of essential government or private utilities in the furtherance
of overall mission.”

Likewise, the Expanded ROTC Program was established to sustain the ROTC Program
as one of the fertile sources of manpower for the AFP Reserve Force, to provide the students
enrolled in the initial baccalaureate degree programs with options other than military training
to satisfy the requirement for graduation thereof and to provide a forum for the implementation
of the National Service Law.

The three components of the Expanded ROTC Program:

1. Cadets who were enrolled in Military Service (MS) underwent basic training on parade
drills, military courtesy and discipline and combat training.

2. Those who opted for Law Enforcement Service (LES) were given training on law
enforcement services.

3. The Civic Welfare Service (CWS) option was consisted of activities designed to encourage
the youth to contribute in the improvement of the general welfare and the quality of life for the
local community. Emphasis here was given to health, education, safety, livelihood, and morale
of the citizenry. Lectures focused on loyalty, patriotism, nation-building, civic-consciousness
and other values.

Part II. The National Service Training Program (NSTP)

The National Service Training Program (NSTP) Act of 2001

The National Service Training Program (NSTP) Act of 2001, RA 9163, has been signed
into law by her Excellency, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, in response to the public
clamor for reforms in the Reserved Officers Training Corps (ROTC) Program.

Republic of the Philippines

Congress of the Philippines
Metro Manila

Twelfth Congress

First Regular Session

Begun and held in Metro Manila, on Monday, the twenty-third day of July, two thousand one.

[REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9163]

AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE NATIONAL SERVICE TRAINING PROGRAM (NSTP)

FOR TERTIARY LEVEL STUDENTS. AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC
ACT NO. 7077 AND PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1706 AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the “National Service Training Program
(NSTP) Act of 2001.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. It is hereby affirmed the prime duty of the government
to serve and protect its citizens. In turn, it shall be the responsibility of all citizens to defend
the security of the State and in fulfillment thereof, the government may require each citizen to
render personal, military or civil service.
Recognizing the youth’s vital role in nation building, the State shall promote civic
consciousness among the youth and shall develop their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual
and social well-being. It shall inculcate in the youth patriotism, nationalism, and advance their
involvement in public and civic affairs.

In pursuit of these goals, the youth, the most valuable resource of the nation, shall be motivated,
trained, organized and mobilized in military training, literacy, civic welfare and other similar
endeavors in the service of the nation.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. For purposes of this Act, the following are hereby defined
as follows:

(a) “National Service Training Program” (NSTP)” is a program aimed at enhancing civic
consciousness and defense preparedness in the youth by developing the ethics of service and
patriotism while undergoing training in any of its three (3) program components. Its various
components are specially designed to enhance the youth’s active contribution to the general
welfare.

(b) “Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC)” is a program institutionalized under Sections
38 and 39 of Republic Act No. 7077 designed to provide military training in tertiary level
students in order to motivate, training, organize and mobilize them for national defense
preparedness.

(c) “Literacy Training Service” is a program designed to train students to become teacher
literacy and numeracy skills to school children, out of school youth, and other segments of
society in need of their need

(d) “Civic Welfare Training Service” refers to programs or activities contributory to the
general welfare and the betterment of life for the members of the community or the
enhancement of its facilities, especially those devoted to improving health, education,
environment, entrepreneurship, safety, recreation and morals of the citizenry.
(e) “Program component” shall refer to the service components of the NSTP as enumerated in
section 4 of this Act.

SECTION 4. Establishment of the National Service Training Program. There is hereby

established a National Service Training Program (NSTP), which shall form part of the curricula
of all baccalaureate degree courses and of at least two (2) year technical – vocational courses
and is a requisite for graduation, consisting of the following services components:
(1) The Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC), which is hereby made optional and
voluntary upon the affectivity of this Act;

(2) The Literacy Training Service, and

(3) The Civic Welfare Training Service

The ROTC under the NSTP shall instill patriotism, moral, virtues, respect for rights of civilians,
and adherence to the Constitution, among others. Citizenship training shall be given emphasis
in all three (3) program components.

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Technical Education and Skills
Development Authority (TESDA), in consultation with the Department of National Defense
(DND), Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC), Coordinating
Council of Private Educational Associations of the Philippines (COCOPEA) and other
concerned government agencies, may design and implement such other program components
as may be necessary in consonance with the provisions of this Act.

SECTION 5. Coverage. Students, male and female, of any baccalaureate degree course or at
least two (2) – year technical – vocational courses in public and private educational institutions
shall be required to complete one (1) of the NSTP components as requisite for graduation.
SECTION 6. Duration and Equivalent Course Unit. Each of the aforementioned NSTP
program components shall be undertaken foe an academic period of two (2) semesters.
In lieu of the two (2) – semester program for any of the components of the NSTP, a one(1) –
summer program may be designed, formulated and adopted by the DND, CHED, and TESDA.
SECTION 7. NSTP Offering in Higher and Technical-Vocational Educational Institutions.
All higher and technical-vocational institutions, public and private, must offer at least one of
the program components. Provided, that State universities and colleges shall offer the ROTC
component and at least one other component as provided herein: Provided, further, that private
higher and technical – vocational education institutions may also offer the ROTC if they have
at least three hundred and fifty (350) cadet students.

In offering the NSTP whether during the semestral or summer periods, clustering of affected
students from different educational institutions may be done, taking into account logistics,
branch of service and geographical considerations. Schools that do not meet the required
number of students to maintain the optional ROTC and any of the NSTP components shall
allow their students to cross-enroll to other schools irrespective of whether or not the NSTP
components in said schools are being administered by the same or another branch of service of
the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), CHED and TESDA to which schools are identified.

SECTION 8. Fees and Incentives. Higher and Technical-vocational institutions shall not
collect any fee for any of the NSTP components except basic tuition fees, which shall not be
more than fifty percent (50%) of what is currently charged by schools per unit.
In the case of the ROTC, the DND shall formulate and adopt a program of assistance and/or
incentive to those students who will take the said component.
The school authorities concerned, CHED and TESDA shall ensure that group insurance for
health and accident shall be provided for students enrolled in any of the NSTP components.

SECTION 9. Scholarships. There is hereby created a Special Scholarship Program for

qualified students taking the NSTP which shall be administered by the CHED and TESDA.
Funds for this purpose shall be included in the annual regular appropriations of the CHED and
TESDA.

SECTION 10. Management of the NSTP Components. The school authorities shall exercise
academic and administrative supervision over the design, formulation, adoption and
implementation of the different NSTP components in their respective schools. Provided, That
in case a CHED – or TESDA – accredited non-government organization (NGO) has been
contracted to formulate and administer a training module for any of the NSTP components,
such academic and administrative supervision shall be exercised jointly with that accredited
NGO. Provided, further, That such training module shall be accredited by the CHED and
TESDA.

The CHED and TESDA regional offices shall oversee and monitor the implementation of the
NSTP under their jurisdiction to determine if the trainings are being conducted in consonance
with the objectives of this Act. Periodic reports shall be submitted to the CHED, TESDA and
DND in this regard.

SECTION 11. Creation of the National Service Reserve Corps. There is hereby created a
National Service Reserve Corps, to be composed of the graduates of the non-ROTC
components. Members of this Corps may be tapped by the State for literacy and civic welfare
activities through the joint effort of the DND, CHED and TESDA.

Graduates of the ROTC shall form part of the Citizens’ Armed Force, pursuant to Republic Act
No. 7077.

SECTION 12. Implementing Rules. The DND, CHED and TESDA shall have the joint
responsibility for the adoption of the implementing rules of this Act.

These three (3) agencies shall consult with other concerned government agencies, the PASUC
and COCOPEA, NGOs and recognized student organizations in drafting the implementing
rules.

The implementing rules shall include the guidelines for the adoption of the appropriate
curriculum for each of the NSTP components as well as for the accreditation of the same.

SECTION 13. Transitory Provision. Students who have yet to complete the Basic ROTC,
except those falling under section 14 of this Act, may either continue in the program component
they are currently enrolled or shift to any of the other program components of their choice:
Provided, that in case he shifts to another-program component, the Basic ROTC courses he has
completed shall be counted for the purpose of completing the NSTP requirement: Provided,
further, that once he has shifted to another program component, he shall complete the NSTP in
that component.

SECTION 14. Suspension of ROTC Requirement. The completion of ROTC training as a

requisite for graduation is hereby set aside for those students who despite completing all their
academic units as of the effectivity of this Act have not been allowed to graduate.

SECTION 15. Separability Clause. If any section or provision of this Act shall be declared
unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions not affected thereby shall remain
in full force and effect.
SECTION 16. Amendatory Clause. Section 35 of Commonwealth Act No.1, Executive Order
No. 207 of 1939, sections 2 and 3 of Presidential Decree No.1706, and sections 38 and 39 of
Republic Act No. 7077, as well as all laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations and other
issuances inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby deemed amended and modified
accordingly.

SECTION 17. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
two(2) newspapers of national circulation, but the implementation of this Act shall commence
in the school year of 2002-2003.

Activity 1 - Sharing (Answer the following questions and write it on any sheet of paper.
Capture it and please send it to my personal account not on the group chat. Deadline: 8:00
pm, today.)

1. Compose a narrative report about your experience in doing outreach activity with the
following guide questions:

a. Have you joined any civic activities? Outreach activities? When was the last time you
participated? What were the implications of the activities to you as a youth?

b. Are you a member of any civic organization? Why did you join? Why did you not
join? If you are a member, describe the organization you are in, its purpose. What have
you contributed to the by being a member of the organization?