Legal Bases of NSTP,

Law Concepts and

Principles
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• Show understanding of the National Service
Training Program (NSTP)

• Recognize the Civic Welfare Training Service

(CWTS) as the component of NSTP that aims
to help alleviate social problems through
the different community services, and;

• Express commitment to be actively involved

in various community services.
 History of NSTP
(Syjuco, JG. Military Education in the Philippines)

EARLY YEARS

• The Spanish Years – During the Spanish colonial years, there

was a training course, similar to what is presently known as
ROTC; at the University of Sto. Tomas
• Modern ROTC Begins – To most contemporary writers however,
real ROTC in this country did not start until 1912, when military
instruction was conducted at the University of the Philippines
• ROTC in World War II – Records show that the products of ROTC
were called to the colors in 1942 and, during the occupation,
proved their worth on the battlefield.
• Post-war Training Executive Order No. 59 – made mandatory for
all colleges and universities the inclusion of the ROTC Course in
their respective curricula.
POST MARCOS ERA

• The CMT Years – Citizen Military Training

replaces ROTC
• The Return of ROTC – Republic Act 7077, or
the AFP Reservist Act

PRESENT DAY

• ROTC Crisis of 2001 – Student protests threaten

the very existence of ROTC
• Mandatory No-More – The end of mandatory
ROTC in the Philippines, and the establishment of
the National Service Reserve Corps (NSRC)
 The NSTP Act
Republic Act 9163 also known as the NSTP Act
of 2001, was created from the combination of
Senate Bill 1824 and House Bill 3593. This
program comprises of the following
components: ROTC, Civic Welfare Training
Services(CWTS), and Literacy Training Services
(LTS), which are made optional which
freshman students can choose from at the
start of the enrolment. State Universities and
Colleges (SUCs) and other institutions of
higher learning are required to offer ROTC and
CWTS Program.
The NSTP is also known as “An Act
Establishing the National Service Training
Program for Tertiary Level Students,
Amending for the Purpose Republic Act No.
7077 and Presidential Decree No. 1706, and
for other Purposes” or Republic Act 9163. It
was signed into law in January 23, 2022 by
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, amidst the various
calls of dissenting sectors for its abolition or
reform.
 Bases under the
Constitution
This law was enacted pursuant to the principle of the State under
the 1987 Constitution to serve and Protect the people which can
be realized through a compulsory personal, military or civil
service.
It invoked the conditional provision regarding the “duty of the
state to serve and protect its citizens,” specifically Article II
(Declaration of Principles and State Policies), Section 2, 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.”
Primary Objective of NSTP
The primary objective of the NSTP law is to promote
the role of the youth in nation-building. As such, it
aims to encourage the youth to become civic and/or
military leaders and volunteers who could be called
upon by the nation in cases their services are needed.

It 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
especially designed to enhance the youth’s active
contribution to the general welfare.
 Components of NSTP
As per Sec.4 of RA 9163, the NSTP which is a mandatory requirement of all
the baccalaureate degree courses and of at least two(2)-year technical-
vocational courses, has the following service components:

 Reserved Officers’ Training Corps(ROTC) which upon the effectivity

of the law is made voluntary and optional.

 Literacy Training Service. This program is designed to train students

to become teachers of literacy and numeracy skills to school children, out
of school youth, and other segments of society in need of their service
(Sec.3c).

 Civic Welfare Training Service. It 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 (Sec.3 d).
Civic Welfare Training Service
(CWTS)

Section 15 (4) of Batas Pambansa Bilang 232

provides that “It is the duty and responsibility
of students to participate actively in civic
affairs and be involved in the promotion of
the general welfare of the people, particularly
in the social, economic and cultural
development of their community and in the
attainment of a just, compassionate and
orderly society.
What may be taught?

 Patriotism
 MoralValues
 Respect for rights of civilians
 Adherence to Constitution
Coverage of NSTP

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
component as requisite for graduation.
Implementing Rules and
Regulations of the National
Service Training Program
(NSTP) issued by Commission
on Higher Education (CHED)
dated 10 April 2022:
 Coverage
All incoming freshmen students, male and
female, starting school year 2022-2003,
enrolled in any baccalaureate and in the least
two (2) year technical-vocational or associate
courses are required to complete one (1) NSTP
component of their choice as a graduation
requirement.

All higher and technical-vocational institutions,

public and private, must offer at least one
NSTP component.
State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) must
offer ROTC and at least one other NSTP
component, namely LTS or CWTS.

The Philippine Military Academy (PMA)

Philippine Merchant Academy (PMMA), and
other similar SUCs of similar nature, in view
of the special character of these institutions
are not covered by the NSTP Law.
Private Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs)
and Technical-Vocational Educational
Institutions (TVEIs) with at least 350 student
cadet may offer ROTC and consequently
establish and maintain a Department of
Military Science and Tactics, which is still
subject to the existing rules and regulations
of the Armed Forces of the Philippines(AFP).
Duration and Equivalent Course
Unit

Each of the aforementioned NSTP program

components shall be undertaken for an
academic period of two (2) semesters. It shall
be credited for three (3) units per semester
for fifty-four (54) to ninety (90) training hours
per semester.
What is National Service Reserve
Corps?
 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
may be tapped by the State for literacy and
civic welfare, through the joint efforts of
DND, CHED, and TESDA.