NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez 
House Bill No.  _____ 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
In a time when multitude of national and local emergencies and contingencies confront our 
people, whether in the areas of external and territorial defense, internal security and peace 
and order, and disaster risk reduction and management, we need an updated and well-thought 
citizen service law. 
In this connection, there have been legislative measures in both the Senate and the House of 
Representatives proposing the simple restoration of mandatory military training in Senior High 
School, that is, Grades 11 and 12. However, this simplistic approach is legally flawed, 
practically impossible, and fails to address the current needs of the nation. 
A system which simply restores mandatory military training inevitably inherits the flaws of the 
old Reserve Officer Training Corp (“ROTC”) system, which eventually led to its demotion as a 
mere optional component of the National Service Training Program (“NSTP”). Worse, such 
simplistic restoration institutionalizes military training of minors, in violation of existing laws 
and international conventions. 
Reinstating the old ROTC system in Grades 11 and 12 will violate the Republic’s declaration 
in its ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Right of the Child on the 
involvement of children in armed conflict that “[t]he minimum age for voluntary recruitment into 
the Armed Forces of the Philippines is 18 years, except for training purposes whose duration 
shall have the students / cadets / trainees attain the majority age at the completion date”. The 
Republic’s declaration prohibits not only recruitment and enlistment of minors into the Armed 
Forces of the Philippines, but also military training of minors if such training is completed 
before they attain majority age. In this case, if the old ROTC system were to be instituted in 
Grades 11 and 12, the trainees will be minors when they finish training, which (under Republic 
Act No. 7077) is also the moment they become incorporated in the Reserve Force. 
Further, the intent of the K to 12 system (under Republic Act No. 10533) is for Senior High 
School Education to be a two-year specialized upper secondary education to assess their 
interests and strengths, and determine their specialization. Imposing mandatory military 
training in Senior High School is contrary to this intent. 
Then, there is the fundamental problem of implementation. The proponents of the simple 
restoration of the old ROTC system in Grades 11 and 12 seem to have lost sight of the current 
number of Senior High Schools and students, as compared to the number of colleges, 
universities and technical-vocational learning institutions. The training resources will inevitably 
be spread too thin, resulting in failure to train our citizens effectively. 
The restoration of the mandatory character of the old ROTC system is not the answer to the 
current needs of the country. The singular focus on military training fails to take into account 
the character of the pressing concerns and contingencies which face our people, most of 
which cannot be addressed by mere military solutions. A well-thought-out mechanism for 
harnessing the capacity of our citizens youth has to be established. At this point, only a current, 
November 11, 2022
4:53 pm
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coherent and comprehensive framework for citizen service will suffice. It is not enough to 
simply go back to mandatory military training. 
Rising above these deficient measures is the proposed Citizen Service Act. 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 participation in public and civic affairs, primarily 
through the establishment of the Citizen Service Training Course. 
Thus, the immediate approval of this measure is earnestly sought. 
RUFUS B. RODRIGUEZ 


NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez 
House Bill No.  _____ 
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 II 
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
c)
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 to address national and/or local contingencies which may require
manpower beyond the capabilities of existing national government agencies or local
government units.
ARTICLE III 
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
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c) 
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 
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 (POI) 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: 


 
a) 
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, internal 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. 
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 otherwise 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. 
In order to qualify for Preparatory CSTC, all students, male and female, enrolled in 
Grades 9 and 10 in all public and private learning institutions, shall be required to undergo 
training activities administered by the Boy Scouts of the Philippines and the Girl Scouts of the 
Philippines pursuant to their respective charter, in cooperation with the DepEd. 
 
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, 
Commissioner for the CHED, or Board Member for the TESDA, shall be ex-officio voting 
members of the Commission. 
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), (f), (j), 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; 
c) 
Exercise supervision and control over all agencies, offices and persons, directly 
implementing the CSTC; 
d) 
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; 
f) 
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; 
k) 
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; 
l) 
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 
n) 
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 POI), 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 POI 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 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 or 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 concerned. 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 (30) 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 learning 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 U.P. Center for Citizen Service 
Training (CCST), which shall be within the U.P. System and under the Office of the U.P. 
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; 
c) 
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 U.P. CCST shall be located at the U.P. 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 order, and disaster risk reduction and management in the continued development 
and improvement of the CSTC POI. 
 
ARTICLE VII 
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 external 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 one 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, internal 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. 
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 control 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 
external and territorial defense, internal 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 30.  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 VIII 
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 (PhP 50,000,000.00) 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: 
 
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 learning 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 
PENAL AND 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; 
 
b) 
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 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. 
 
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 eighth (8th) 
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 XII 
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,