National Service Training Program

Lucban, Quezon

CHAPTER 1
THE NATIONAL SERVICE TRAINING PROGRAM
(Republic Act 9163)

I. Overview

The Philippine Constitution provides that the defense of the state is a primary duty of the
government and the people, and in fulfillment of this duty, all citizens may be required by law to
render personal military or civil service. It further states that it is the duty of the citizen to
contribute to our country’s development in the attainment and preservation of a just and orderly
society. The National Service Training Program (NSTP) Act of 2001 mandates all citizens, both
male and female, to fulfill the civic duty.

Responding to the needs of our developing country today and in the foreseeable future, it is
equally vital to develop and enhance civic consciousness among the young generation to ensure
national security and development. NSTP, therefore, enables the youth, as the most valuable
resource of the Filipino nation, to be motivated, developed and utilized in regard to their
responsibilities as citizens and in fulfillment of their civil obligation.

II. Learning Objectives

At the end of this chapter, the students should be able to:

1. Familiarize with the National Service program history and appreciate the value of
NSTP as a citizenship training program;
2. Review the Philippine Preamble and re-instill its concept;
3. Develop the youth to become civic or military leaders and volunteers through a
modified, re-structured and reinforced training package.

III. Discussion/Lesson Proper

Evolution of the National Service Training Program

The implementation of the National program for service and training of the youth in the
country began with the creation of Commonwealth Act No. 1, otherwise known as the National
Defense Act. A legislative act that provides basis for the national defense of the country. It
should be notice also that same law that required college students, particularly males, to finish
two years, equivalent to 4 semesters of military training as a modality to institutionalize the
reservist system in eh national defense of the country.

In the year 1980, the National Defense Act was enacted to give existence to Presidential
Decree No. 1706, otherwise known as the national Service Law which mandates compulsory
national service to all Filipino citizens. The program composed of three main components
namely: Civic Welfare Service (CWS), Law Enforcement Service (LES) and Military Science.
Based from the PD No. 1706 College students were given an option to choose one from among
these components in compliance with this requirement for tertiary education.

As the year passed, National Service Program in the country once again reorganized and
offer an alternative in neutralizing people’s aversion to the military program during the school
year 2001-2002, the creation and implementation of the Republic Act No. 9163 other known as
the National Service Training Program wherein the students has the option to choose program
component of their choice as a requirement for graduation.

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Lucban, Quezon

Legal Bases of NSTP

a. The 1987 Philippine Constitution
b. Commonwealth Act No. 1 (National Defense Act)
c. Presidential Decree No. 1706 (National Service Law)
d. Republic Act No. 7077 (The Citizen Armed Forces of the Philippines Reservist Law)
e. Republic Act No. 9163 (NSTP Act of 2001)

Frequently Asked Questions about NSTP

1. What is the National Service Training Program Law?

The National Service Training Program (NSTP) Law as embodied in Republic Act 9163
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 specifically designed to enhance the youth’s active
contribution to the general welfare.

2. What are the Program components of the NSTP?

a. The Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) is designed to provide military
training to tertiary level students in order to motivate, train, and mobilize them for
national defense preparedness

b. The Civic Welfare Training Service (CWTS) refers to 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 developed to improving health,
education, environment, entrepreneurship, safety recreation and moral of the citizenry
and other social welfare services.
c. The Literacy Training Service (LTS) is designed to train the students to teach
literacy and numeracy skills to school children, out of school youth and other
segments of society in need of their services.

3. Who shall take the NSTP?

All incoming freshmen students, male and female, enrolled in any baccalaureate and in at
least two (2) year technical-vocational or associate courses, are required to complete one
(1) NSTP component of their choice as a graduate requirement.

4. How will the NSTP be taken up?

Each of the NSTP components shall be undertaken for an academic period of two (2)
semesters and credited for three (3) units per semester with 54 to 90 training hours per
semester.

5. What if the NSTP program component chosen by a student is not offered in his/her
school?

School that do not meet the required number of students in order to conduct a program
component or do not offer the component chosen by the students shall allow them to
cross-enroll to other schools irrespective of whether that school is under CHED or
TESDA and for ROTC, whether they are managed by different AFP branches of service.
These students, however, shall be subjected to the existing rules and regulations
of their original school and the accepting school.

6. What if a male student has completed two semester of E-ROTC/NSP?

He is deemed to have complied with the NSTP requirements.

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Lucban, Quezon

7. What if a male student has only taken one (1) semester of Basic ROTC and E-
ROTC/NSP?
He shall take one more semester of any of the NSTP components to qualify for
graduation.

8. What will become of NSTP Graduates?

Graduates of the non-ROTC components shall belong to the National Service Reserve
Corps (NSRC) that could be tapped by the state for literacy and civic welfare activities.
Graduates of the ROTC component shall form only part of the AFP Citizen Armed
Force, subject to DND requirements.

9. How can a student continue to qualify for enlistment in the AFP Reserve Force?
He/she may qualify for enlistment in the AFP Reserve Force as long as he/she has
completed the two (2) semesters of Basic ROTC.

The Citizen Armed Forces of the Philippine Reservist Act. Republic Act No. 7077

Under this law, the Citizen Armed Force or alternately referred to as the Reserve Force shall be
organized, trained, developed and maintained as to ensure their readiness to immediately respond
to the call service.

Mission of the Reserve Force

 Provide the base for the expansion of the AFP in the event of war, invasion or rebellion;
 Assist in relief and rescue during disaster or calamities;
 Assist in socio-economic development; and
 Assist in the operation and maintenance of essential government or private utilities in
the furtherance of overall mission.
The graduates of 1) basic and advanced Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) and 2)
authorized basic military training instructions are considered enlisted reservists or reserve
officers.

3 Categories and Classification of Citizen soldiers of the AFP

 First Category Reserve;
 Second Category Reserve;
 Third Category Reserve

Category Age Classification of Reserve

First Category Reserve Between 18-35 Required to serve with Ready Reserve
years of age Units and will have assignments and
promotions in accordance with existing
policies of the AFP until transferred to
the Standby Reserve by virtue of their
age
Second Category Between 36-51 Standby Reserve may be mobilized or
Reserve years of age ordered to active duty only in times of
national emergency or war
Third Category Reserve Above 51 years Retired Reserve, if qualified and fit, may
of age be ordered to active duty in times of local
or national emergencies

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Lucban, Quezon

10. How much fee will be charged for an NSTP component?

No fee shall be collected for any of the NSTP component except basic tuition fees, which
should not be more than fifty percent (50%) of the charges of the school per academic
unit.

11. What student incentives can be provided when they take up NSTP?
The following incentives to students are to be provided they take up NSTP:

A program of assistance/incentives for ROTC students from DND which will be in

accordance with existing laws and regulations and subject to availability of funds.
School authorities concerned, CHED and TESDA shall ensure that health
insurances are provided to students enrolled in any of the NSTP components.
A special Scholarship Program for qualified NSTP shall be administered by
CHED and TESDA subject to the availability of funds.

12. Who is responsible for supervising the NSTP?

School authorities shall exercise academic and administrative supervision over the
design, formulation, adoption and implementation of the different NSTP components in
their respective schools. In case of ROTC, the school authorities and DND shall exercise
joint supervision over its implementation.

13. What lead agencies will monitor the implementation of the NSTP?
CHED Regional Office and the DND-AFP through the major Service Reserve
Commands and their ROTC Units shall oversee if the training conducted are in
consonance with the republic Act.

14. Is the NSTP available in all school and Universities?

All higher and Technical Vocational Educational Institutions shall be offering at least one
(1) of the NSTP components, while State Universities and Colleges will offer the ROTC
Component and at least one other NSTP component.

In summary, the main objective of the National Service Training Program is to stress the
role played by the youth, male and female alike, in the task of developing our nation via national
service training. As such, it aims to develop the youth their potential to become civic o military
leader and volunteers through a modified, re-structured and reinforced training package to be
ready to answer the call of service in the event of disasters or other emergencies.

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