EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )

“Introduced by Repre:
House
EXPLANATORY NOTE

Ina 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 concems and contingencies which face our people, most of
which cannot be addressed by mere military solutions. A well-thought-out mechanism for


hamessing the capacity of our citizens youth has to be established. At this point, only a
current, 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

hy

RUFUS B. RO!


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

juced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez _
3762

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 |
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

) 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 Ill
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) Extemal 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. Miltary-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 @ 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 leaming 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 (PO!) 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 poo! 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

) 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 hamess 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
leaming 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
STC 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 teaming institutions, shail 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 alll 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 extemal and territonal defense, intemal 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 @
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 41. 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-
Suthorized 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
Gistinquished 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,
fino 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), (4), (f), (), 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 progrems 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;

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

) 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;

9) __ 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;

i) Promuigate 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;

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

rn) 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 PO)), 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
PO!

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
intemal security and peace and order, and a commandant for disaster risk reduction
management

The head of each campus and/or leaming 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. tt 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 leaming institution from among
candidates who by reason of their training, experience and/or education in the fields of
extemal 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;

©) 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 goveming 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 POl, which shall undergo pilot-testing in each of the U.P.
campuses. The pilot-tested CSTC PO! 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 PO!

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 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 goverment units
submitted to the Mobilization Board. The requests shail 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
hot 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 extemal 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 extemal 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 extemal and
temitorial 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
external and territorial defense, intemal security and peace and order, and national disaster
fisk reduction and management. Upon deployment, the national government agency or the
local govemment 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 wil 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 leaming institutions are hereby mandated to annually transmit tne
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
andior 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 Vill
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
jeaming 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
(60%) 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 intemal
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
discountsiwaivers 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 shail be selected by the
Chairperson. Ail 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 2
petition for certioran 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, shail 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 shail also develop a Reserve Officer Qualifying Examination to be
administered by the Commission to the cadet officers prior to the start of the eighth (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 Xit
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,