Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Eighteenth Congress
First Regular Session

2695

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by: CONGRESSMEN ISIDRO T. UNGAB, PAOLO Z. DUTERTE, CARLO.
LISANDRO L. GONZALES, ERIC G. YAP.

AN ACT INSTITUTING THE CITIZEN SERVICE TRAINING COURSE, ESTABLISHING THE
(CITIZEN SERVICE CoRPS, CREATING THE CITIZEN SERVICE MOBILIZATION COMMISSION,
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The multitude of emergencies and contingencies which confront our people today,
especially in the areas of external and territorial defense, internal security and peace and order,
and disaster risk reduction and management, requires the State to unsheathe its most valuable
resource—the youth—and mobilize them in service to the nation.

Indeed, the sheer number of our youth as well as their unrestrained potential makes
them the most valuable resource of this nation. In fact, no less than the 1987 Philippine
Constitution recognizes the vital role of our youth in nation-building.

This proposed measure seeks to establish a comprehensive framework for the training
and mobilization of our youth and implement the said constitutional vision of drawing them
into the mainstream of national life, by providing avenues for their partitipation in public and
civic affairs, primarily through the establishment of the Citizen Service Training Course
(CsTC).

Under this measure, the Basic Citizen Service Training Course shall be declared
mandatory for all tertiary-level students enrolled in baccalaureate degree courses or technical
vocational courses (Which may be completed in at least two (2) years) in all public and private
colleges, universities and similar learning institutions. An optional Advance Citizen Service
Training Course, which further equips the trainees for greater opportunities in service to the
nation, shall also be instituted. To address the fact that many of our youth do not proceed to
take up tertiary-level education, a Preparatory Citizen Service Training Course is also
established in Grades 11 and 12, which shall be administered by the Department of Education.
This preparatory course is designed to impart rudimentary principles to prepare this segment
of our youth for mobilization.

The foregoing framework is designed to comply with the Philippines’ undertaking
before the international community that the minimum age for voluntary recruitment into the
Armed Forces of the Philippines is 18 years, and that minors will only be subjected to military
training if the minors attain the majority age at the completion date of their training.


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In sum, this measure is a structured, coherent and comprehensive legislative measure
for the training and mobilization of our youth for their holistic development. This bill also
gives life to the constitutional mandate of raising the youth as partners in nation-building,
encouraging their early involvement in public and civic affairs, and developing a citizenry that
is ready to defend the State in personal military and civil service.

‘Thus, the immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

HON. ISIDRO- iGAB HON. PA‘

3" District, Davao City 1* District, avao City

HON. C) LISANDRO L. GONZALEZ HON. ERIC G. YAP
Party List MARINO Party List — ACT-CIS


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session .

House Bit No._ 2695

Introduced by

AN ACT INSTITUTING THE CITIZEN SERVICE TRAINING COURSE,
ESTABLISHING THE CITIZEN SERVICE CORPS, CREATING THE CITIZEN
SERVICE MOBILIZATION COMMISSION, APPROPRIATING FUNDS
‘THEREFOR
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

ARTICLE I
TITLE .

SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “Citizen Service Act.”

ARTICLE I
DECLARATION OF POLICY

SECTION 2. Statement of Policy. — It shall be the policy of the State:

a) To institutionalize the vital role of the youth in nation-building, promote and protect their
physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being; to inculcate in them patriotism
and nationalism; and to encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs;

b) To constitute the youth into a major component of the citizen reserve envisioned in the 1987
Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines, which shall undergo training and may be called
upon to defend the State and to render personal military or civil service under conditions
provided by law; and

©) To train, equip and organize the youth, within the current frameworks of national and
territorial defense, law enforcement and peace and order and national disaster risk reduction
and management, to prepare them for rapid mobilization at the soonest possible time in order


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to address national and/or local contingencies which may require manpower beyond the
capabilities of existing national government agencies or local government units.

ARTICLE Il
INSTITUTION OF CITIZEN SERVICE TRAINING COURSE

SECTION 3. Basic Citizen Service Training Course. — There is hereby instituted a Basic
Citizen Service Training Course (Basic CSTC) which shall form part of the curricula of all
baccalaureate degree courses and all technical vocational courses (which may be completed in
at least two (2) years).

The Basic CSTC shall have the following components:
a) External and Territorial Defense Training;

'b) Internal Security and Peace and Order Training; and
) Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Training.

‘The Basic CSTC shall be divided into four (4) training modules to be administered for at least
four (4) semesters over two (2) school years, unless otherwise allowed by the Citizen Service
‘Training Board. It shall include at least sixty-four (64) hours of lecture and sixteen (16) hours
of practical training every semester, and at least sixteen (16) hours of field exercises every year.

The trainees, who shall be referred to as cadets, shall be organized by squads, platoons,
companies, battalions, brigades and divisions similar to military units. Military-type of
discipline, organization and cadet movement shall be observed in the conduct of the Basic
CSTC. The Basic CSTC shall instill upon the youth the ideals of patriotism, nationalism and
respect for human rights.

Except for justifiable causes and upon the issuance of a Certificate of Exemption by the Citizen
Service Mobilization Commission (Commission), the Basic CSTC must be completed, as far
as practicable, within the first two (2) years of all baccalaureate degree courses and technical
vocational courses. The completion of the Basic CSTC shall be a prerequisite for enrollment
to the third year of all baccalaureate degree courses and technical vocational courses.

‘When the Basic CSTC is allowed to be taken beyond the first two (2) years of all baccalaureate
degree courses and technical vocational courses, completion of the Basic CSTC shall be a
requisite for graduation in the said courses.

SECTION 4, Summer Citizen Service Training Camp. —In addition to the requirements under
Section 3, the Basic CSTC shall require for its completion attendance in a Summer Citizen
Service Training Camp (Summer CSTC), which shall consist of at least thirty (30) days of
direct instruction and training to be administered in two (2) tranches of fifteen (15) days a year
and, except for justifiable causes, must be completed within the first two (2) years of all
baccalaureate degree courses and technical vocational courses.

The Summer CSTC shall be conducted within the campuses or facilities of all public and
private colleges, universities, or similar learning institutions. Should it be determined by the
said public and private colleges, universities, or similar learning institutions that it is
impracticable to conduct the Summer CSTC in their respective campuses or facilities, they


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should immediately make the same known to the Commission's Citizen Service Training Board
(Training Board), which upon the proposal of the public and private colleges, universities, or
similar learning institutions, shall designate such safe and appropriate venues for the Summer
CSTC. As far as practicable, the venue shall be proximate to the campuses or facilities of the
public and private colleges, universities, or similar learning institutions. *

‘The Program of Instruction for the Summer CSTC shall be developed by the Training Board
and shall focus on practical and field training exercises. It shall be administered under the
control and supervision of the Commission, which may tap the personnel and expertise of the
‘Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Office
of Civil Defense (OCD). For such purpose, the AFP, the PNP and the OCD are hereby directed
to make its camps and premises, training facilities and equipment, and pool of trainers available
to the Commission for the efficient, effective and realistic conduct of the Summer CSTC.
SECTION 5. Coverage. - All tertiary-level students, male and female, enrolled in
baccalaureate degree courses or technical vocational courses (which may be completed in at
least two (2) years) in all public and private colleges, universities, or similar learning
institutions shall be required to undergo the Basic CSTC.

SECTION 6. Special CSTC for Students under Specific Circumstances. ~ There shall be no
exemptions from the Basic CSTC. However, the Commission shall prescribe Special CSTC to
address the peculiar needs and circumstances of students under the following circumstances:

) Those who are classified and officially registered as persons with disabilities;

b) Those whose religious beliefs prohibit the use of firearms in rendering service to the country;
and

c) Those who have been convicted by final judgment of crimes involving moral turpitude;

Provided, that foreign citizens enrolled in baccalaureate degree courses or technical vocational
courses where CSTC is required shall also undergo a Special CSTC prescribed by the
Commission that would deepen their understanding and appreciation of the Philippines, its
people, society, culture and government, and harness their potential as bridges to improve, their
respective countries’ ties with the Philippines.

SECTION 7. Advance CSTC. — There is also hereby instituted an Advance CSTC which may
be pursued by all graduates of the Basic CSTC, except those who have been convicted by final
judgment of crimes involving moral turpitude; and who have successfully finished a one-
semester Officer Qualifying Course within the first two (2) years of their baccalaureate degree
courses or technical vocational courses. The Officer Qualifying Course shall include leadership
and management training, which will equip the graduates thereof to themselves administer the
Basic CSTC, shall be completed in one (1) semester; and shall consist of at least one hundred
and twenty-eight (128) hours of lecture, practical training and field exercises in external and
territorial defense, intemal security and peace and order, and disaster risk reduction and
management. Graduates of the Officer Qualifying Course, who shall be referred to as cadet
officers, shall compose the Officer Corps of the Basic CSTC in each campus and shall
administer the conduct of the Basic CSTC of each campus under the administrative control and
supervision of the Department of Citizen Service Training (DCST) of the respective campuses.


4

It shall be mandatory for all public and private colleges, universities and similar learning
institutions offering baccalaureate degree courses to offer the Advance CSTC in all their
campuses, which shall have a duration of at least eight (8) semesters over four (4) school years,
which shall include the first two (2) years of Basis CSTC, unless othérwise allowed by the
Training Board.

However, enrolment thereunder shall be voluntary. Graduates of the Advance CSTC shall be
posted to leadership roles in the Citizen Service Corps (Corps) established herein.

SECTION 8. Preparatory CSTC. — There is further hereby instituted a Preparatory CSTC
which shall be administered and implemented by the Department of Education (DepEd) to all
students, male and female, enrolled in Grades 11 and 12 in all public and private learning
institutions. The Preparatory CSTC shall be an introductory/orientation course to the Basic
CSTC and is hereby declared a requirement for enrollment in all baccalaureate degree courses
or technical vocational courses (which may be completed in at least two (2) years) in all public
and private colleges, universities, and similar learning institutions.

ARTICLE IV
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CITIZEN SERVICE CORPS

SECTION 9. Citizen Service Corps. ~ There is hereby established a Citizen Service Corps
which shall be composed of all the graduates of CSTC and may be called upon and mobilized
to assist the national government, its agencies and instrumentalities, and the local government
units in their functions related to external and territorial defense, internal security and peace
and order, and disaster risk reduction and management.

ARTICLE V
CREATION OF THE CITIZEN SERVICE MOBILIZATION COMMISSION

SECTION 10. Citizen Service Mobilization Commission. - There is hereby created a Citizen
Service Mobilization Commission, which shall oversee the CSTC and the Corps, and
implement the objectives and purposes of this Act. The President shall appoint the Chairperson
and the four (4) Commissioners as provided herein within sixty (60) days from the effectivity
of this Act. The Commission must organize itself in accordance with the provisions of this Act
within sixty (60) days from the appointment of all its members. The Commission shall be an
attached agency of the Office of the President.

‘The Commission shall ensure the full implementation of this Act within one (1) year from the
effectivity of this Act.

SECTION 11. Composition of the Commission. ~ The Commission shall be composed of a
Chairperson and four (4) Commissioners, namely, two (2) Commissioners for Training and two
(2) Commissioners for Mobilization. The Secretary of the Department of National Defense
(DND), the Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the
Chairperson of the Commission of Higher Education (CHED), and the Director General of the
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), or their duly-authorized
representatives with a rank of at least Assistant Secretary for the DND and the DILG,


5

Commissioner for the CHED, or Board Member for the TESDA, shall be ex-officio voting
members of the Commis L.

‘The Chairperson and the Commissioners shall be citizens and residents of the Philippines, at
least thirty-five (35) years of age, of good moral character, of recognized probity and
independence, and, through their training, experience, and education, must have distinguished
themselves as best-suited to discharge the duties of their offices. They must not have been
candidates for any elective national or local office in the immediately preceding elections,
whether regular or special. The Chairperson and the Commissioners, who shall have the rank
equivalent of cabinet secretary and undersecretary, respectively, shall be appointed by the
President.

SECTION 12. Quorum. — Five (5) members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum and
the affirmative vote of at least a majority of those present, there being a quorum, shall be
necessary for the adoption of any rule, ruling, order, resolution, decision, or other acts of the
Commission; Provided, that the affirmative vote of at least five (5) members of the Commission
shall be necessary for the exercise of the powers and functions of the Commission under
Section 15(a), (d), (D, (), and (K), as well as those under Section 20, paragraph 4, Section 29,
and Section 31.

SECTION 13. Term of Office. — The term of office of the Chairperson and the Commissioners
shall be seven (7) years, without reappointment..Of those first appointed, the Chairperson and
the two (2) Commissioners first to be appointed shall hold office for seven (7) years, while the
‘two (2) Commissioners last to be appointed shall hold office for five (5) years. Appointment to
any vacancy shall only be for the unexpired term of the predecessor.

SECTION 14. Compensation and Other Emoluments of the Members and Employees of the
Commission. - The compensation and other emoluments of the members and employees of the
Commission shall be exempted from the coverage of Republic Act No. 6758, otherwise known
as the Salary Standardization Act. For this purpose, the compensation and other emoluments
of the Chairperson, Commissioners and employees of the Commission shall be fixed based on
an objective classification system, taking into consideration the importance and responsibilities
attached to their respective positions, and shall be submitted to the President for his approval.

SECTION 15. Powers of the Commission. - The Commission shall have the following
‘powers:

a) Design, prescribe and/or approve the programs of instruction for the CSTC, including special
courses for students under specific circumstances;

'b) Ensure the proper administration of the CSTC;

¢) Exercise supervision and control over all agencies, offices and persons, directly
implementing the CSTC;

4) Recommend to the President the general, nationwide or large-scale mobilization of the
Corps;

e) Approve, as required under this Act, the deployment of a limited number of the Corps to

national government agencies and to local government units to assist in regional, provincial,
city, municipal or barangay level disasters, emergencies and other contingencies;


6

£) Approve the regular deployment of a limited number of the Corps to the AFP, the PNP and
the OCD to serve as reservists and active duty cadres to meet the peace time stand-by reserve
requirements of said agencies;

g) Investigate or secure the services or assistance of the appropriate agencies to investigate
cases of corruption, graft, hazing, sexual harassment and other abuses in the conduct of the
CSTC, mobilization of the Corps and implementation of this Act;

h) Issue serial numbers to all graduates of the CSTC;
i) Maintain and update a registry/database of all cadets and cadet officers of the CSTC;

j) Promulgate the appropriate rules and regulations, in accordance with Section 39 hereof, to
fully implement the provisions of this Act;

) Appoint, fix the compensation and determine the status, qualifications, and duties of the staff
of the Commission. The members of the technical staff, except those performing purely clerical
functions, shall possess at least a baccalaureate degree;

1) Generate and utilize resources to fully implement the provisions of this Act;

m) Audit the utilization of funds appropriated, collected or advanced for the implementation of
this Act; and

1) Exercise such other powers as are necessary or essential to fully implement the provisions
of this Act.

SECTION 16. Organization of the Commission. - The Commission shall have a Citizen
Service Training Board (Training Board) and a Citizen Service Mobilization Board
(Mobilization Board).

SECTION 17. Citizen Service Training Board. — The Training Board shall be composed of the
Chairperson as head, the two (2) Commissioners for Training, the Chairperson of the CHED
and the Director General of the TESDA, or their duly authorized representatives, which shall
be a Commissioner for the CHED and a Board Member for the TESDA. The Secretary of the
DepEd, or his duly authorized representative, with a rank of at least Assistant Secretary, shall
be a consulting non-voting member of the Training Board.

‘The Training Board shall come up with the initial CSTC Programs of Instruction, including the
Basic CSTC, the Advance CSTC, the Program Managers Training Course and the Officer
Qualifying Course (CSTC POD, within sixty (60) days from the organization of the
Commission. For this purpose, the Training Board is hereby directed to tap the technical
expertise of the AFP, the PNP and the OCD, the expertise and experience of stakeholders in
both public and private sector, and the curriculum development expertise of the CHED, the
TESDA and the DepEd, as well as public and private colleges, universities and similar learning
institutions. The CSTC POI shall be subject to the approval of the Commission. The Training
Board shall also supervise and see to the continuous development of the CSTC POI.

Thereafter, the Commission, through the Training Board, shall ensure the incorporation of the
CSTC POT in the curricula of all baccalaureate degree courses and all technical vocational
courses (which may be completed in at least two (2) years) offered by public and private


7

colleges, universities and similar learning institutions, and in the curricula of Grade 11. and
Grade 12 in all public and private learning institutions.

The Training Board shall adopt guidelines, which shall be incorporated in the rules and
regulations of the Commission, for the organization of a DCST in every public and private
colleges, universities and similar learning institutions. For colleges and universities with
multiple campuses, there shall be a DCST for each campus.

SECTION 18. Citizen Service Mobilization Board. — The Mobilization Board shall be
composed of the Chairperson as head, the two (2) Commissioners for Mobilization, the
Secretary of the DND and the Secretary of the DILG, or their duly authorized representatives
with a rank of at least Assistant Secretary. The Secretary of the Department of Social Work and
Development, or his duly authorized representatives with a rank of at least Assistant Secretary,
the Chief of Staff of the AFP and the Director General of the PNP, or their duly authorized
representatives with a rank of at least Brigadier General, Commodore ot Chief Superintendent,
as the case may be, shall be consulting non-voting members of the Mobilization Board.

‘The Mobilization Board shall administer the process of deployment of the Corps in accordance
with the provisions of this Act. From time to time as manpower and training resources may
allow, the Mobilization Board may call for retraining of the Corps to maintain and enhance its
level of competency and readiness for mobilization. For this purpose, the Mobilization Board
may call for training mobilizations for periods not exceeding fifteen (15) days.

SECTION 19. Annual Reports. — The Commission shall regularly publish an annual report
containing a list of its accomplishments, status of its operations, number and demography of
the Corps, assessment of readiness for mobilization and the incidence and details of each
mobilization for the year concemed. The annual report shall also include the results of the audit
investigation on the spending of funds appropriated, collected or advanced for the
implementation of the provisions of this Act, as referred to under Section 31, Section 32 and
Section 33 hereof.

ARTICLE VI
DEVELOPMENT OF THE CITIZEN SERVICE TRAINING COURSE

SECTION 20. Department of Citizen Service Training. - Within each campus of their
respective institutions, all public and private colleges, universities and similar learning
institutions shall establish and maintain, in accordance with the structure and organization
provided in the rules and regulations of the Commission, an autonomous Department of Citizen
Service Training, which shall be tasked with the primary duty and responsibility of fully
implementing the CSTC in their respective campuses The DCST shall have an overall
department head, a commandant for external and territorial defense, a commandant for internal
security and peace and order, and a commandant for disaster risk reduction management.

The head of each campus and/or learning institution shall appoint a department head within
thirty (30) days from the effectivity of the rules and regulations implementing this Act. Within
thirty (0) days from acceptance of his appointment, the department head shall submit a list of
three (3) names for each commandant position from which the head of each campus and/or


8 .

leaning institution shall appoint, within fifteen (15) days from receipt of the lists, the three (3)
commandants.

The DCST shall be directly under the office of the head of each campus and/or learning
institution. It shall be civilian in character and shall administer the CSTC. However, it is
understood that personnel of the AFP, PNP and the OCD shall not be disqualified from being
appointed as heads of the DCST.

The head of the DCST shall be chosen by the head of the learning institution from among
candidates who by reason of their training, experience and/or education in the fields of external
and territorial defense, internal security and peace and order and/or disaster risk reduction
‘management is best qualified to be the head of the DCST. The Commission shall have the
authority to prescribe the qualifications for the head of DCST.

Should a learning institution fail to organize a DCST and/or appoint a DCST head within the
period stated above, the Commission shall cause the establishment of a DCST and/or appoint
the head thereof.

SECTION 21. The University of the Philippines as Curriculum and Development Center. ~
The University of the Philippines (U.P), as the National University, through its various DCSTs
in each of its campuses, shall serve as the CSTC POI research and development center for the
Commission. For this purpose, there is hereby created a UP. Center for Citizen Service
Training (CCST), which shall be within the U.P. System and under the Office of the UP.
President. It shall have the following powers:

a) Undertake studies, surveys, and research to assess and/or enhance the implementation of the
CSTC;

b) Design and develop CSTC subjects and modules for the review and approval of the
Commission;

©) Pilot test CSTC subjects, modules and programs it designed and developed within the U.P.
system for purposes of assessment; and

d) Subject to the approval of the U.P. President and the U.P. Board of Regents, prepare the
plantilla of the U.P. CCST.

The governing body of the U.P. CCST shall be an executive committee composed of the
department heads of the various DCSTs in each campus of the U.P. System. The chairperson
of the executive committee shall be elected for a term of three (3) years from among the
members of the executive committee.

The UP. CCST shall be located at the UP. Diliman DCST.

SECTION 22. Development of the CSTC POI. — The U.P. CCST shall propose improvements.
to the CSTC POI, which shall undergo pilot-testing in each of the U.P. campuses. The pilot-
tested CSTC POI shall be submitted for the assessment, consideration and approval of the
Commission within thirty (30) days from the last day of the pilot-testing semester.

The Commission and the U.P. CCST shall ensure the participation of third-party stakeholders
and experts in the fields of external and territorial defense, internal security and peace and


9

order, and disaster risk reduction and management in the continued development and
improvement of the CSTC POI.

ARTICLE VIL
DEPLOYMENT OF THE CITIZEN SERVICE CORPS

SECTION 23. Requests for Deployment. ~ The Corps may be called upon and mobilized to
assist the national government, its agencies and instrumentalities and the local government
units in their functions related to extemal and territorial defense, internal security and peace
and order, and disaster risk reduction and management, through requests for deployment by the
heads of such national government agencies or local government units submitted to the
Mobilization Board. The requests shall contain a justification for the deployment of the Corps
and shall contain information as may be required by the Commission, including the nature of
the national or local contingencies to be addressed, the purpose of the requested deployment,
the number of personnel requested to be deployed and the period of deployment.

SECTION 24, Evaluation of the Requests for Deployment. - The Mobilization Board shall
evaluate the requests for deployment. When the number of personnel requested does not exceed
cone hundred and fifty (150) and the period of deployment does not exceed sixty (60) days, the
Mobilization Board shall decide whether to approve or disapprove the request within twenty-
four (24) hours from receipt thereof. When the number of personnel requested exceeds one
hundred and fifty (150) or the period of deployment exceeds sixty (60) days, the Mobilization
Board shall make a recommendation to the Commission within twenty-four (24) hours from
receipt of the request. The Commission shall decide whether to approve or disapprove the
request within twenty-four (24) hours from receipt of the recommendation of the Mobilization
Board.

In case of the approval of the request for deployment, the Mobilization Board shall issue an
Order of Deployment requiring the Corps, or a number thereof, to assist the national
government, its agencies and instrumentalities and the local government units in their functions
related to external and territorial defense, intemal security and peace and order, and disaster
risk reduction and management.

SECTION 25. Deployment in Case of a Declaration of a State of War, State of Lawless
Violence or State of Calamity; Nationwide Mobilization. — In case of a declaration of a state of
war, state of lawless violence or state of calamity, the Commission may motu proprio
recommend the mobilization of the Corps to the President of the Philippines. The President of
the Philippines, by himself, shall also have the power to order the mobilization of the Corps to
respond to national or local contingencies related to external and territorial defense, internal
security and peace and order and/or disaster risk reduction management.

SECTION 26. Mobilization Centers. — There shall be established in each province and city as
many mobilization centers as needed according to the number and geographical distribution of
the Corps, where they will report in case of deployment. The local government units shall
provide an office, which shall be known as the Citizen Service Office, which shall handle the
administrative aspects of mobilization.


10

In case of mobilization, the equipment of the Corps shall be supplied in close coordination with
the AFP, the PNP and the OCD, with the end in view of achieving rapid mobilization.

SECTION 27. Lines of Command. ~ Upon deployment, operational control over the Corps
shall be vested upon the head of the requesting national government agency or local
government unit: Provided, that, in case of deployment for purposes of external and territorial
defense, when the Corps is mobilized to expand the AFP in the event of war, invasion, rebellion
or similar circumstances, operational contro! shall be vested upon the AFP.

SECTION 28. Expenses of Deployment. — The role of the Commission shall be to provide and
marshal the required personnel to address national or local contingencies involving extemal
and territorial defense, intemal security and peace and order, and national disaster risk
reduction and management. Upon deployment, the national government agency or the local
government unit to which the Corps is deployed shall shoulder the operational expenses of
deployment,

SECTION 29. Operationalization of Deployment. — The Mobilization Board, subject to the
approval of the Commission, shall promulgate the specific mechanisms by which deployment
is efficiently implemented, including the organization of the Corps to be deployed, their
territorial assignments, how deployment orders are communicated to each member of the Corps
and to which mobilization center they will report.

SECTION 36. Serial Numbers and Registry. - Upon completion of the Basic CSTC, the
graduates shall be issued individual serial numbers, which will serve as their identification in
case of deployment.

‘The Commission shall maintain and update a registry/database containing the names of the
members of the Corps, their serial numbers, address, contact details and such other information
as the Commission may determine. For this purpose, all public and private colleges,
universities and learning institutions are hereby mandated to annually transmit their records of
the graduates of the CSTC to the Commission, in the form as may be determined by the
‘Commission.

All graduates of CSTC are required to update their addresses and contact details on file with
the Commission as often as necessary. Orders of deployment sent to the addresses and/or
through the contact details on file with the Commission shall be sufficient notice for the
purpose of Section 37 hereof.

SECTION 31. Termination of Deployment. - Upon the expiration of the requested period of
deployment, without an extension having been requested and approved by the Commission,
the Corps shall be discharged of its duties. The deployment may also be terminated earlier upon
a determination by the Commission, in consultation with the requesting national government
agency or local government unit, that such deployment is no longer in accordance with the
objectives and purposes of this Act.

SECTION 32. Effect on Employment. — Deployment of employees in accordance with the
provisions of this Act shall not be a ground for dismissal or diminution of any benefit enjoyed
by such employees prior to their deployment. Employees shall be entitled to their regular wage
or salary during the period of their deployment; Provided, that employers shall be entitled to


deduct such regular wage or salary from their gross income for the same taxable year that the
regular wage or salary was granted.

ARTICLE VII
FUNDING OF THE CITIZEN SERVICE CORPS

SECTION 33. Citizen Service Fund. — A Citizen Service Fund is hereby established
exclusively for the implementation of the objectives and purposes of this Act. The Office of the
President shall monitor and evaluate the activities and the balances of the Fund.

SECTION 34. Appropriations, — All funds previously appropriated for the establishment,
maintenance, and operation of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Program of the AFP,
established under Republic Act No. 7077, as amended, and which will subsequently and
hereafter be appropriated for such purpose shall be used exclusively for the implementation of
the objectives and purposes of this Act. All funds appropriated for the implementation of the
National Service Training Program under Republic Act No. 9163 shall also be used exclusively
for the implementation of the objectives and purposes of this Act.

An initial funding of Fifty million pesos (P50,000,000.00) shall be allocated from the
Presidential Social Fund to sustain the operation of the Commission and the implementation of
this Act for the first year of its effectivity. Thereafter, the Citizen Service Fund shall be included
in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 35. School Fees. — Public colleges, universities and similar learning institutions
covered by Republic Act No. 10931, otherwise known as the Universal Access to Quality
Tertiary Education Act, shall not collect any fee for the CSTC. The training costs shall be
included in the annual appropriations of such public colleges, universities and similar learning
institutions. In cases of students not eligible to avail of the benefits under Republic Act No.
10931, public colleges, universities and similar learning institutions may collect a training fee
of not more than fifty percent (50%) of the tuition fee per academic unit.

Colleges, universities and similar learning institutions not covered by Republic Act No. 10931
shall have the option of collecting a training fee of not more than fifty percent (50%) of the
tuition fee per academic unit, or of not collecting any fee for the CSTC; Provided that, in the
latter case, the actual expenses for the administration of CSTC incurred by such institutions
shall be allowed as a deduction from the gross income of such institutions for the same taxable
year that the expenses are incurred. The covered institutions shall elect an option and inform
the Commission not later than one hundred and twenty (120) days before the start of the school
year. Such election may be changed only once every four (4) school years, unless specifically
allowed by the Commission.

For this purpose, the Department of Finance, through the Bureau of Internal Revenue, shall
formulate the appropriate regulations for the deduction provided under this section. The
Commission shall promulgate budgetary guidelines for all covered institutions to ensure that
the budget appropriated, collected or advanced for the training costs are reasonable and
sufficient to ensure proper administration of the CSTC.

SECTION 36. Incentives for Students Pursuing Advance CSTC. — Students pursuing the
Advance CSTC shall be entitled to tuition fee discounts according to the following schedule:


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a) Cadet officers shall be entitled to fifty percent (50%) discount on their tuition fees effective
the semester after their completion of the officer qualifying course until their completion of the
Basic CSTC provided they serve as officers of the CSTC; and

b) During their training under the Advance CSTC, they shall be entitled to one hundred percent
(100%) discount on their tuition fees. Cadet officers pursuing the Advance CSTC who, for any
reason, fail to qualify for benefits under Republic Act No. 10931 are nonetheless entitled to the
incentives provided above. For this purpose, all colleges, universities and similar learning
institutions shall issue tuition waivers/discounts in favor of the said cadet officers.

For private colleges, universities and similar leaming institutions, the tuition fee
waivers/discounts granted pursuant to this section may likewise be claimed as a deduction from
the gross income of such institutions for the same taxable year that the discounts/waivers were
granted. For income tax-exempt private colleges, universities and similar learning institutions,
they may claim reimbursement of the discounts/waivers granted under this section against the
Citizen Service Fund created under Section 31 hereof.

Cadet officers shall likewise be entitled to a uniform allowance, which shall be provided and
given in kind by the Commission.

Upon completion of the Advance CSTC and subject to the taking of the Reserve Officer
Qualifying Examination under Section 44 hereof, the graduates of Advance CSTC shall be
commissioned as reserve second lieutenant or its equivalent in the AFP, PNP or OCD; Provided,
that they shall have obtained their baccalaureate degree courses within four (4) years from such
completion, failing which their reserve commission shall be deemed revoked by operation of
law.

‘The Commission shall ensure that an adequate portion of the Citizen Service Fund is allocated
for the above incentives. The budget of the Commission to be submitted to the President shall
likewise incorporate such allocation.

SECTION 37. Audit of Funds. — Without prejudice to the audit jurisdiction of the Commission
on Audit and the Bureau of Internal Revenue under existing laws and regulations, there shall
be created an Audit Division within the Commission with the limited authority to conduct audit
investigation on the spending of colleges, universities and similar learning institutions of funds
appropriated, collected or advanced for the administration of the CSTC, with the specific
purpose of ensuring that such funds are exclusively spent for program implementation and
direct training costs.

ARTICLE IX
PENALAND DISCIPLINARY PROVISIONS

SECTION 38. Failure to Respond. — a) Failure to respond to the order of deployment despite
notice sent to the address and/or contact details on file with the Commission for external and
territorial defense shall be punishable in accordance with the Articles of War, and shall, upon
conviction by a court-martial, be punishable by imprisonment of not less than six (6) months
but not more than two (2) years;


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) Failure to respond to the order of deployment for internal security and peace and order or
disaster risk reduction and management shall, upon conviction by a civil court, be punishable
as follows:

First Offense: One hundred and twenty (120) hours of community service;
‘Second Offense: Two hundred and forty (240) hours of community service; and

Third and Subsequent Offenses: Six (6) months imprisonment and four hundred and eighty
(480) hours of community service.

SECTION 39. Disciplinary and Corrective Proceedings. — Administrative offenses committed
by persons involved in or in relation to the implementation of this Act, including the
administration of the CSTC and the conduct of the Summer Citizen Service Training Camp,
shall be subject to administrative penalties in accordance with the applicable civil service rules.
Jurisdiction over these Administrative Offenses shall be vested exclusively on the Disciplinary
Board of the Commission.

Complaints against heads and commandants of DCSTs or their equivalent, officers of the
Commission and such employees of the Commission as may be identified in the implementing
rules and regulations of this Act, shall be filed with and decided by a Disciplinary Board to be
composed of the Chairperson of the Commission, a Commissioner for Training and a
Commissioner for Mobilization, both of which shall be selected by the Chairperson. All
complaints must be decided by the Disciplinary Board within one hundred and twenty (120)
days from filing thereof.

Complaints against officers and employees of the DCSTs, as well as cadet officers, shall be
filed with and decided by the heads of their respective DCSTs. All complaints must be decided
by the head of the DCST within thirty (30) days from filing thereof, subject to a one-time
extension of thirty (30) days granted by the Chairperson of the Commission. Unless stayed by
the Disciplinary Board for meritorious reasons, all decisions of the heads of DSCTs on the
complaints shall be immediately executory.

No motions for reconsideration shall be allowed from the decision of the heads of the DCSTS,
but the same may be appealed within fifteen (15) days from receipt thereof by filing a
memorandum of appeal with the Disciplinary Board of the Commission. If the penalty imposed
by the heads of the DCSTs is dismissal, the decision shall be automatically reviewed to the
Disciplinary Board.

In all cases of appeal by parties and automatic review by the Disciplinary Board, the entire
records of the cases shall be transmitted to the Disciplinary Board within thirty (30) days from
the promulgation of the decision by the heads of the DCSTS. All appeals and automatic reviews
shall be resolved by the Disciplinary Board within one hundred and twenty (120) days from
receipt of the entire records of the cases.

‘The decisions of the Disciplinary Board shall be final and may be assailed only by a petition
for certiorari under Rule 65 of the Rules of Court before the Court of Appeals.

SECTION 40. Corruption, graft, hazing and other abuses. ~ For acts already penalized under
existing laws such as corruption, graft, hazing, sexual harassment, and other abuses committed


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by persons authorized to administer the CSTC and deployment of the Corps, the maximum
penalty imposable under existing laws shall be imposed.

ARTICLE X
IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS

SECTION 41. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). ~The Commission shall be tasked
to formulate and approve the necessary rules and regulations to implement the objectives and
purposes of this Act within sixty (60) days from its organization. The rules and regulations shall
include provisions on the structure and organization of the Corps under Section 9, the structure
and organization of the Department of Citizen Service Training under Section 20, the specific
mechanisms for the efficient mobilization and deployment of the Corps under Section 29, the
incentives for students pursuing Advance CSTC under Section 35, the assignment of Advance
CSTC graduates to the Reserve Forces of the AFP, PNP and OCD under Section 46, and such
other matters as the Commission may deem necessary or essential to fully implement the
objectives and purposes of this Act.

ARTICLE Xi
TRANSITORY PROVISIONS

SECTION 42. Period of Implementation. — To ensure efficient transition and to enable all
public and private colleges, universities, and similar learning institutions to adopt the necessary
structural changes within their units in accordance with the provisions of this Act, the CSTC
shall be administered in all public colleges, universities, and similar learning institutions after
the Commission has promulgated the necessary implementing rules and regulations described
in Section 39,

SECTION 43. Initial Program Managers. — The Training Board shall ensure that the initial set
of program managers who shall instruct and train the first sets of enrollees in the CSTC in all
public and private colleges, universities and similar learning institutions are properly trained
and equipped. For this purpose, the Training Board shall develop a Program Managers Training
Course (PMTC). All covered institutions are required to send program managers, in number
sufficient to implement the CSTC, to undergo and successfully pass the PMTC to be
administered and conducted by the Commission.

SECTION 44. Current Enrollment under Republic Act No. 9163. — In all cases, students who
are currently enrolled under the curriculum implemented by virtue of Republic Act No. 9163,
otherwise known as the National Service Training Program Act of 2001, shall be allowed to
finish the curriculum and be deemed to have satisfied the requirement for graduation after
completion thereof.

SECTION 45. Integration of Existing Reserve Units and Service Corps. — All reservists
included in the Reserved Force created under Republic Act No. 7077, otherwise known as the
Citizen Armed Forces of the Philippines Reservist Act, and all members of the National Service
Reserve Corps created under Republic Act No. 9163, shall be absorbed under the Citizen
Service Corps created under this Act. The Citizen Service Mobilization Board shall determine
their ranks and designations within the Citizen Service Corps.


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SECTION 46. Organization of Reserve Components. - To complement the existing AFP
Reserve Force, the Commission is hereby mandated and authorized to organize the reserve
components of the PNP and the OCD within six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act.
Thereafter, the administration, operational control and funding of the newly organized reserve
components shall be vested upon the PNP and the OCD, respectively.

‘The Commission shall also develop a Reserve Officer Qualifying Examination to be
administered by the Commission to the cadet officers prior to the start of the eight (8%) semester
of their Advance CSTC to determine their competencies for the purpose of assigning them as
officers of the respective reserve components of the AFP, PNP or OCD. Thereafter, the
respective reserve commands of the reserve components shall be responsible for the training
and advancement of their reserve officers, where they shall be commissioned as officers.

ARTICLE XI
FINAL PROVISIONS

SECTION 47. Repealing Clause. ~ Republic Act No. 9163, otherwise known as the National
Service Training Program Act of 2001, is hereby repealed. The relevant provisions of Republic
Act No. 7707, otherwise known as the Citizen Armed Forces of the Philippines Reservist Act,,
are hereby amended as appropriate. All other laws, orders, rules regulations and other
issuances, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Act are likewise hereby repealed,
amended or modified accordingly.

SECTION 48. Separability Clause. — Any provision of this Act declared unconstitutional shall
not affect the validity of the other provisions thereof.

SECTION 49. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in two (2) newspapers of national circulation.

Approved,