FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
Senate Bill No. ?i. 5 56 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
It is alarming to learn that after the enactment of Republic Act No. 9163, 
otherwise known as the "National Service Training Program of 2001" which made 
the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) optional among male college 
students, those pursuing such military training had drastically dropped indicating 
that either the government has not inculcated the proper attitude to the youth to 
imbibe patriotic ideals and love of country or that many young students simply 
are not prepared to defend their motherland when the time comes to do so. 
In Central Visayas alone, the AFP revealed that college students pursuing 
military training to become part of the reserve force dropped to a little over 5,000 
from a high of 40,000 when ROTC was still mandatory. 
One the national level, reports have it that the number of students 
volunteering to take up ROTC was as low as 80,000 compared to the pervious 
high of 250,000. 
Section 4 of Article I I  of the Constitution provides: 
"The prime duty of the Government is to serve and protect the 
people. The Government may call upon the people to defend the 
State and, in the fulfillment thereof, all citizens may be required, 
under conditions provided by law, to render personal, military or civil 
service." 
At the rate the number of college students prefer other forms of civic 
training under R.A. 9163 over ROTC, it is not farfetched that we will no longer 
have sufficient reserve officers for the AFP to tap in times of need. 
Thus, the Armed Forces of the Philippines is pushing to make the Reserve 
Officers Training Corps (ROTC) mandatory again for all male college students 
because making it so will not only give fife and meaning to the constitutional 
provision as above-cited but instill discipline among the youth and make them 
more committed to do acts and deeds that serve the nation rather than indulge in 
fraternities, drugs and other tendencies not conducive to their development. 
Especially now when talks about military unrest and dissatisfaction 
pervades, the ROTC must be invigorated, properly and sufficiently put in place, 
so that it can, under compelling circumstances, assist the AFP in bringing about 
peace and order throughout the archipelago. Of course, it cannot be gainsaid 
that the ROTC had been summoned in the past to provide security during 


election time. Indeed, now that there is a need to insure peaceful, orderly and 
credible elections, the services of the ROTC will surely foster such objectives 
because the cadets' idealism, integrity, honesty and dedication cannot be bought 
by money, blinded by promises or frightened by any form of threats. 
Hence, it is the bill's purpose to re-institute ROTC as a mandatory course 
for all college students as mandated under Commonwealth Act No. 1, otherwise 
known as the National Defense Act. 
In view of the foregoing considerations, early passage of this bill is 
earnestly sought. 
i 
Senator 


INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
STUDENTS, REVIVING THE PERTINENT PROVISIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT 
NO. 7077 AND COMMONWEALTH ACT NO. 1 AND AMENDING REPUBLIC 
ACT NO. 9163 FOR THE PURPOSE 
RE-INSTITUTING ROTC AS A MANDATORY COURSE FOR ALL COLLEGE 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. 
Statement of Policy. - Section 4 of Article II of the 
Constitution provides that “the prime duty of the Government is to serve and 
protect the people. The Government may call upon the people to defend the 
State and, in the fulfillment thereof, all citizens may be required under conditions 
provided by law, to render personal, military or civil service.” 
SEC. 2. Re-institution of ROTC as a Mandatory Course for all College 
Students and Revival of the Pertinent Provisions of Republic Act No. 7077 and 
Commonwealth Act No. 1. -The Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) is now 
made mandatory for all college students taking up undergraduate collegiate 
courses in accordance with the pertinent provisions of Republic Act No. 7077 and 
Commonwealth Act No. 1 which are hereby revived. 
SEC. 3. Repeal of the Pertinent Provisions of R.A. No. 9163 - The 
provisions of Republic Act No. 9163 inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, 
Republic Act No. 7077 and of Commonwealth Act No. 1 are hereby repealed. 
SEC. 4. Applicabilify. - This Act shall apply to all college students who 
are scheduled to graduate in the School Year 2008-2009. 
SEC 5. Effectivity. -This Act shall take effect upon approval. 
Approved,