Learning Concepts:

1. What is the legal basis of the National Service Training Program (NSTP)?

The National Service Training Program (NSTP) Law or RA 9163 also known as “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.” was enacted last
January 2002 to amend the Expanded ROTC. This program aimed to enhance 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 components of the NSTP?

a. Reserve Officers Training Corps [ROTC] - Refers to the program component, institutionalized
under Section 38 and 39 of Republic Act No. 7077, designed to provide military training to motivate,
train organize and mobilize them for national defense preparedness.

b. Civic Welfare Training Service [CWTS] - Refers to the program component 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 moral of the citizenry and other social welfare services.

c. Literacy Training Service [LTS] - Refers to the program component 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 are covered by the NSTP Law?

A. All incoming freshmen students, male, female, starting school year (SY) 2002-2003, 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 graduation requirement;
B. All higher and technical-vocational education institutions must at least offer one (1) of the NSTP
components.
C. State universities and colleges (SUC’S), shall offer the ROTC component and at least one (1)
other NSTP component.

D. The Philippine Military Academy (PMA), Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA),
Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA), and other SUC’s of similar nature, in view of the
special character of these institutions, are exempted from the NSTP.
E. Private higher education and technical-vocational education institutions with at least 350
student cadets may offer the ROTC component and consequently establish / maintain a
Department Of Military Science and Tactics (DMST), subject to the existing rules and regulations
of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
4. What is the duration and equivalent course unit of each of the NSTP Component?

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

5. What fees shall be charged to students taking any of the NSTP components?

No other fees shall be collected except basic tuition fees, which should not be more than 50% of the
charges of the school per academic unit.

6. Who are covered by the suspension of the ROTC requirement?

The completion of ROTC training as a requisite for graduation is set aside for students who
have completed all their academic requirements for their respective courses as certified by the
school on or before the effectively of the NSTP Act of 2001, which is March 23, 2002. The concerned
students may apply for graduation with their respective schools.

7. What happens to male students who are currently enrolled and have not taken nor
completed the ROTC requirements for graduation?

a. Male students who are not covered by Section 12 of this Rule and are currently enrolled but
have not taken any of the Military Service (MS), Civic Welfare Service (CWS) or Law Enforcement
Service (LES) shall be covered by the NSTP Law.
b. Male students who have completed two semesters of the Expanded ROTC (E-ROTC) / National
Service Program (NSP) are deemed to have complied with the NSTP requirement.
c. Male students who are not covered by Section 12 of this Rule and have taken only one (1)
semester of Basic ROTC or E-ROTC/NSP shall take any of the NSTP components to qualify for
graduation.
d. Students who want to qualify for enlistment in the Reserve Force or attend the advance ROTC
program shall undertake a special program for this purpose.

8. How are Clustering and Cross-Enrollment done?

e. Clustering of students from different education institutions during semestral or summer periods
may be done for any of the NSTP component, taking into account logistics, branch of service and
geographical locations. The host school shall be responsible in managing the Program.
f. Schools that do not meet the required number of students to maintain the optional ROTC and
any of the NSTP components, or do not offer the component chosen by the student shall allow
their students to cross-enroll to other schools irrespective of whether such school is under CHED
or TESDA; and in the case the students taking the ROTC component irrespective of whether the
two semesters hall be taken from different schools whose ROTC are managed by different
branches of service of the Armed forces of the Philippines(AFP).
9. Who will manage the NSTP implementation?

g. The school authorities shall exercise academic and administrative supervision on the design,
formulation, adoption and implementation of the different NSTP components in their respective
schools.
h. In the case of ROTC, the school authorities and Department of National Defense (DND), subject
to the policies, regulations and programs of DND on the military component of the training, shall
exercise joint supervision over its implementation.
i. Schools who have contracted CHED accredited or TESDA-recognized Non-Governmental
Organizations (NGOs) to formulate and administer training modules for any of the NSTP
components shall jointly exercise academic and administrative supervision with those NGOs.

j. CHED Regional Offices, TESDA, Provincial/District Offices and DND-AFP (through the Major
Service Reserve Commands), shall oversee and monitor the implementation of the NSTP under
their respective jurisdiction, to determine if the trainings are being conducted in consonance
with the objectives of the NSTP Law.

10. What are the Guidelines for the Accreditation of NGOs to Formulate and
Administer Training Modules?

CHED / TESDA shall jointly accredit NGOs which satisfy the following:

 Duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) / Cooperative Development
Authority (CDA);
 Have good track record of community service;
 Have qualified personnel with experience in program related implementation;
 Viable and sustainable organization; and

 Program of Instruction (POI) / Curriculum Program for Civic Welfare Training Service (CWTS)
which should include the dimensions of development such as Health and Nutrition, Safety and
Security, Recreation, Education and Training, Entrepreneurship and Social Welfare Concerns
particularly Dangerous Drugs Prevention and Control, Voters Awareness and Poverty Alleviation.
 Accreditation Certificate shall be issued for a maximum period of three (3) years subject to
renewal / revocation upon periodic evaluation.

11. What are the basic guidelines for the formulation of the NSTP Curriculum?

a. The curriculum shall be formulated by the Program coordinator duly approved by the school
authorities, copy furnished CHED / TESDA Regional Offices. It shall comply with the intent and
requirements of the NSTP and its components.
b. It shall provide for both lecture and practicum activities. NSTP Practicum activities shall be
separate from the practicum requirements of other subjects / courses.
c. The course syllabi shall clearly define the objectives, contents, activities, requirements and
student evaluation system.
d. Program coordinators and instructors / lecturers shall be duly qualified in terms of training and
experience, to handle their respective assignments.

12. What is CMO No. 5, series of 2003?

It is the utilization of the NSTP Trust Fund wherein:

 NSTP fee collected shall constitute a Trust Fund, 70% of which shall be exclusively for the
operation of the Program;

 The remaining 30% retained by the school, shall serve as contingency funds especially in un-
programmed activities not originally included in the Program of Expenditures (POE) prepared by
the ROTC Commandant or CWTS / LTS Coordinator and approved by the school head;
 The remaining fund balance shall be carried over the next semester;

 Expenditures / disbursement shall be subjected to periodic audits by the proper school

13. What is NSTP-One Summer Program (NSTP-OSP)?

NSTP-OSP is created under RA 9163 or the NSTP Act of 2001, especially Section 6 and jointly
devised, formulated and adopted by DND, CHED and TESDA.

NSTP-OSP is established for the three (3) components: ROTC, CWTS and LTS. This is intended for
graduating students in baccalaureate or at least two-year technical-vocational or associate courses,
who have yet to comply with the NSTP as a requirement for graduation, as well as for students, thus
allow them to concentrate on the academic subjects and other co-curricular concerns.

14. What is the National Service Reserve Corps (NSRC)?

NSRC is created under Section 11 of RA 9163 or the NSTP Act of 2001, composed of graduates of
the non-ROTC components: the CWTS and LTS. Members of this Corps maybe tapped by the State for
literacy and civic welfare activities, through the joint effort of DND, CHED, and TESDA.

Now that we have heard and discussed the legal foundations/basis of NSTP, as a
student therefore you are obliged to follow these rules as NSTP is a course
mandated by law for freshman, and the college students in entirety, to
undertake.