Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. ____________ 
Introduced by Representative ANTONIO “TONYPET” T. ALBANO  
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The growing number of societal challenges arising  from climatic and 
environmental shock triggering natural and man-made calamities, to national 
and internal security threats that impact on communal order, public safety, 
and the overall quality of life of our citizens in recent years render imperative 
for the State to strategically harness the country’s most vital resource-the 
youth-to toward the strengthening of our collective capabilities for survival an 
development as one nation and preservation of our democratic social order. 
The 1987 Constitution FFIRMS IN Article II, Section 13 thereof, the 
State’s recognition of the vital role of the youth in nation building and the 
enduring need for the State to inculcate in them the values of patriotism and 
nationalism, and to encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs. 
The bill proposes a viable framework for preparing and harnessing of 
youth for active and meaningful participation in activities that strengthen the 
nation’s capabilities to overcome challenges to its survival and development 
through the establishment of a Citizen Service Training Course (CATC). 
The CSTC shall be mandatory for all tertiary-level students enrolled in 
baccalaureate degree courses or technical vocational courses in all public and 
July 1, 2022
9:56 am
792


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private colleges, universities, and similar learning institutions. In addition to 
internal and territorial defense training as a foundational component, akin to 
the envisioned goal of the creation of the Reserve Officers Training Corps 
(ROTC) under Republic Act No. 7077, as amended, the course also provides 
training in internal security, peace and order, community service and disaster 
resiliency which assimilate the components of the National Service Training 
Program (NSTP) created through Republic Act. No. 9163 
The abusive and corrupt practices that marred the ROTC and the NSTP 
in the past are addressed in this bill through the institution of safeguard that 
include the creation of Citizen Service Mobilization Commission empowered to 
conduct an audit of the utilization of the fees collected for the CSTC, and to 
investigate all reports of corruption, graft, hazing, sexual harassment and 
other abuses. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate approval of this bill is earnestly 
sought. 
    REP. ANTONIO “TONYPET” T. ALBANO 


3 
Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. ____________ 
Introduced by Representative ANTONIO “TONYPET’ T. ALBANO 
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 
1 
TITLE 
2 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Citizen Service Act.” 
3 
ARTICLE II 
4 
DECLARATION OF POLICY 
5 
SECTION 2. Statement of Policy. – It shall be the policy of the State: 
6 
a) To institutionalize the vital role of the youth in nation-building, promote and 
7 
protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being; to 
8 
inculcate in them patriotism and nationalism; and to encourage their 
9 
involvement in public and civic affairs; 
10 
b) To constitute the youth into a major component of the citizen reserve 
11 
envisioned in the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines, which 
12 
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shall undergo training and may be called upon to defend the State and to 
1 
render personal military or civil service under conditions provided by law; and 
2 
c) To train, equip and organize the youth, within the current frameworks of 
3 
national and territorial defense, law enforcement and peace and order and 
4 
national disaster risk reduction and management, to prepare them for rapid 
5 
mobilization at the soonest possible time in order to address national and/or 
6 
local contingencies which may require manpower beyond the capabilities of 
7 
existing national government agencies or local government units. 
8 
ARTICLE III 
9 
INSTITUTION OF CITIZEN SERVICE TRAINING COURSE 
10 
SECTION 3. Basic Citizen Service Training Course. – There is hereby instituted 
11 
a Basic Citizen Service Training Course (Basic CSTC) which shall form part of 
12 
the curricula of all baccalaureate degree courses and all technical vocational 
13 
courses (which may be completed in at least two (2) years). 
14 
The Basic CSTC shall have the following components: 
15 
a) External and Territorial Defense Training; 
16 
b) Internal Security and Peace and Order Training; and 
17 
c) Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Training. 
18 
The Basic CSTC shall be divided into four (4) training modules to be 
19 
administered for at least four (4) semesters over two (2) school years, unless 
20 
otherwise allowed by the Citizen Service Training Board. It shall include at 
21 
least sixty-four (64) hours of lecture and sixteen (16) hours of practical training 
22 
every semester, and at least sixteen (16) hours of field exercises every year. 
23 
The trainees, who shall be referred to as cadets, shall be organized by squads, 
24 
platoons, companies, battalions, brigades and divisions similar to military 
25 
units. Military-type of discipline, organization and cadet movement shall be 
26 
observed in the conduct of the Basic CSTC. The Basic CSTC shall instill upon 
27 
the youth the ideals of patriotism, nationalism and respect for human rights. 
28 


 
 
5 
 
Except for justifiable causes and upon the issuance of a Certificate of 
1 
Exemption by the Citizen Service Mobilization Commission (Commission), the 
2 
Basic CSTC must be completed, as far as practicable, within the first two (2) 
3 
years of all baccalaureate degree courses and technical vocational courses. 
4 
The completion of the Basic CSTC shall be a prerequisite for enrollment to the 
5 
third year of all baccalaureate degree courses and technical vocational 
6 
courses. 
7 
When the Basic CSTC is allowed to be taken beyond the first two (2) years of 
8 
all baccalaureate degree courses and technical vocational courses, completion 
9 
of the Basic CSTC shall be a requisite for graduation in the said courses. 
10 
SECTION 4. Coverage. – All tertiary-level students, male and female, enrolled 
11 
in baccalaureate degree courses or technical vocational courses (which may 
12 
be completed in at least two (2) years) in all public and private colleges, 
13 
universities, or similar learning institutions shall be required to undergo the 
14 
Basic CSTC. 
15 
SECTION 5. Special CSTC for Students under Specific Circumstances. – There 
16 
shall be no exemptions from the Basic CSTC. However, the Commission shall 
17 
prescribe Special CSTC to address the peculiar needs and circumstances of 
18 
students under the following circumstances: 
19 
a) Those who are classified and officially registered as persons with disabilities; 
20 
b) Those whose religious beliefs prohibit the use of firearms in rendering 
21 
service to the country; and 
22 
c) Those who have been convicted by final judgment of crimes involving moral 
23 
turpitude; 
24 
Provided, that foreign citizens enrolled in baccalaureate degree courses or 
25 
technical vocational courses where CSTC is required shall also undergo a 
26 
Special CSTC prescribed by the Commission that would deepen their 
27 
understanding and appreciation of the Philippines, its people, society, culture 
28 
and government, and harness their potential as bridges to improve, their 
29 
respective countries’ ties with the Philippines. 
30 


 
 
6 
 
SECTION 6. Advance CSTC. – There is also hereby instituted an Advance 
1 
CSTC which may be pursued by all graduates of the Basic CSTC, except those 
2 
who have been convicted by final judgment of crimes involving moral 
3 
turpitude; and who have successfully finished a one-semester Officer 
4 
Qualifying Course within the first two (2) years of their baccalaureate degree 
5 
courses or technical vocational courses. The Officer Qualifying Course shall 
6 
include leadership and management training, which will equip the graduates 
7 
thereof to themselves administer the Basic CSTC, shall be completed in one 
8 
(1) semester; and shall consist of at least one hundred and twenty-eight (128) 
9 
hours of lecture, practical training and field exercises in external and 
10 
territorial defense, internal security and peace and order, and disaster risk 
11 
reduction and management. Graduates of the Officer Qualifying Course, who 
12 
shall be referred to as cadet officers, shall compose the Officer Corps of the 
13 
Basic CSTC in each campus and shall administer the conduct of the Basic 
14 
CSTC of each campus under the administrative control and supervision of the 
15 
Department of Citizen Service Training (DCST) of the respective campuses. 
16 
It shall be mandatory for all public and private colleges, universities and 
17 
similar learning institutions offering baccalaureate degree courses to offer the 
18 
Advance CSTC in all their campuses, which shall have a duration of at least 
19 
eight (8) semesters over four (4) school years, which shall include the first two 
20 
(2) years of Basis CSTC, unless otherwise allowed by the Training Board. 
21 
However, enrolment thereunder shall be voluntary. Graduates of the Advance 
22 
CSTC shall be posted to leadership roles in the Citizen Service Corps (Corps) 
23 
established herein. 
24 
SECTION 7. Young Citizens Training Program (CTP) for Grades 11 and 12 - – 
25 
There is further hereby instituted a dual track  Citizens Training Program for 
26 
Grades 11 and 12 which shall be administered and implemented by the 
27 
Department of Education (DepEd) for all students, male and female, enrolled 
28 
in Grades 11 and 12 in all public and private learning institutions. The dual 
29 
track CTP consists of (a) the Preparatory CSTC which is intended to provide 
30 
introductory or orientation courses to the Basic CSTC and (b) the Community 
31 
Service Immersion Program (CSIP) which is intended to engage students in 
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various community programs and services such as, among others, 
1 
environmental protection, community sanitation and enhancement, literacy 
2 
programs, community welfare services, health and fitness, disaster risk 
3 
reduction and relief. Students can choose any one of these programs. Each 
4 
program shall have a duration of 40 hours. Completion of one program is 
5 
hereby declared a requirement for graduation from high school and for 
6 
enrollment in all baccalaureate degree courses or technical vocational courses 
7 
(which may be completed in at least two (2) years) in all public and private 
8 
colleges, universities, and similar learning institutions. 
9 
ARTICLE IV 
10 
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CITIZEN SERVICE CORPS 
11 
SECTION 8. Citizen Service Corps. – There is hereby established a Citizen 
12 
Service Corps which shall be composed of all the graduates of CSTC and may 
13 
be called upon and mobilized to assist the national government, its agencies 
14 
and instrumentalities, and the local government units in their functions 
15 
related to external and territorial defense, internal security and peace and 
16 
order, and disaster risk reduction and management. 
17 
ARTICLE V 
18 
CREATION OF THE CITIZEN SERVICE MOBILIZATION COMMISSION 
19 
SECTION 9. Citizen Service Mobilization Commission. – There is hereby 
20 
created a Citizen Service Mobilization Commission, which shall oversee the 
21 
CSTC and the Corps, and implement the objectives and purposes of this Act. 
22 
The President shall appoint the Chairperson and the four (4) Commissioners 
23 
as provided herein within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act. The 
24 
Commission must organize itself in accordance with the provisions of this Act 
25 
within sixty (60) days from the appointment of all its members. The 
26 
Commission shall be an attached agency of the Office of the President. 
27 
The Commission shall ensure the full implementation of this Act within one 
28 
(1) year from the effectivity of this Act. 
29 


 
 
8 
 
SECTION 10. Composition of the Commission. – The Commission shall be 
1 
composed of a Chairperson and four (4) Commissioners, namely, two (2) 
2 
Commissioners for Training and two (2) Commissioners for Mobilization. The 
3 
Secretary of the Department of National Defense (DND), the Secretary of the 
4 
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Chairperson of the 
5 
Commission of Higher Education (CHED), and the Director General of the 
6 
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), or their duly-
7 
authorized representatives with a rank of at least Assistant Secretary for the 
8 
DND and the DILG, Commissioner for the CHED, or Board Member for the 
9 
TESDA, shall be ex-officio voting members of the Commission. 
10 
The Chairperson and the Commissioners shall be citizens and residents of the 
11 
Philippines, at least thirty-five (35) years of age, of good moral character, of 
12 
recognized probity and independence, and, through their training, experience, 
13 
and education, must have distinguished themselves as best-suited to 
14 
discharge the duties of their offices. They must not have been candidates for 
15 
any elective national or local office in the immediately preceding elections, 
16 
whether regular or special. The Chairperson and the Commissioners, who 
17 
shall have the rank equivalent of cabinet secretary and undersecretary, 
18 
respectively, shall be appointed by the President. 
19 
SECTION 11. Quorum. – Five (5) members of the Commission shall constitute 
20 
a quorum and the affirmative vote of at least a majority of those present, there 
21 
being a quorum, shall be necessary for the adoption of any rule, ruling, order, 
22 
resolution, decision, or other acts of the Commission; Provided, that the 
23 
affirmative vote of at least five (5) members of the Commission shall be 
24 
necessary for the exercise of the powers and functions of the Commission 
25 
under Section 15(a), (d), (f), (j), and (k), as well as those under Section 20, 
26 
paragraph 4, Section 29, and Section 31. 
27 
SECTION 12. Term of Office. – The term of office of the Chairperson and the 
28 
Commissioners shall be seven (7) years, without reappointment. Of those first 
29 
appointed, the Chairperson and the two (2) Commissioners first to be 
30 
appointed shall hold office for seven (7) years, while the two (2) Commissioners 
31 


 
 
9 
 
last to be appointed shall hold office for five (5) years. Appointment to any 
1 
vacancy shall only be for the unexpired term of the predecessor. 
2 
SECTION 13. Compensation and Other Emoluments of the Members and 
3 
Employees of the Commission. – The compensation and other emoluments of 
4 
the members and employees of the Commission shall be exempted from the 
5 
coverage of Republic Act No. 6758, otherwise known as the Salary 
6 
Standardization Act. For this purpose, the compensation and other 
7 
emoluments of the Chairperson, Commissioners and employees of the 
8 
Commission shall be fixed based on an objective classification system, taking 
9 
into consideration the importance and responsibilities attached to their 
10 
respective positions, and shall be submitted to the President for his approval. 
11 
SECTION 14. Powers of the Commission. – The Commission shall have the 
12 
following powers: 
13 
a) Design, prescribe and/or approve the programs of instruction for the CSTC, 
14 
including special courses for students under specific circumstances; 
15 
b) Ensure the proper administration of the CSTC; 
16 
c) Exercise supervision and control over all agencies, offices and persons, 
17 
directly implementing the CSTC; 
18 
d) Recommend to the President the general, nationwide or large-scale 
19 
mobilization of the Corps; 
20 
e) Approve, as required under this Act, the deployment of a limited number of 
21 
the Corps to national government agencies and to local government units to 
22 
assist in regional, provincial, city, municipal or barangay level disasters, 
23 
emergencies and other contingencies; 
24 
f) Approve the regular deployment of a limited number of the Corps to the AFP, 
25 
the PNP and the OCD to serve as reservists and active duty cadres to meet the 
26 
peace time stand-by reserve requirements of said agencies; 
27 
g) Investigate or secure the services or assistance of the appropriate agencies 
28 
to investigate cases of corruption, graft, hazing, sexual harassment and other 
29 


 
 
10 
 
abuses in the conduct of the CSTC, mobilization of the Corps and 
1 
implementation of this Act; 
2 
h) Issue serial numbers to all graduates of the CSTC; 
3 
i) Maintain and update a registry/database of all cadets and cadet officers of 
4 
the CSTC; 
5 
j) Promulgate the appropriate rules and regulations, in accordance with 
6 
Section 39 hereof, to fully implement the provisions of this Act; 
7 
k) Appoint, fix the compensation and determine the status, qualifications, and 
8 
duties of the staff of the Commission. The members of the technical staff, 
9 
except those performing purely clerical functions, shall possess at least a 
10 
baccalaureate degree; 
11 
l) Generate and utilize resources to fully implement the provisions of this Act; 
12 
m) Audit the utilization of funds appropriated, collected or advanced for the 
13 
implementation of this Act; and 
14 
n) Exercise such other powers as are necessary or essential to fully implement 
15 
the provisions of this Act. 
16 
SECTION 15. Organization of the Commission. – The Commission shall have 
17 
a Citizen Service Training Board and a Citizen Service Mobilization Board 
18 
(Mobilization Board). 
19 
SECTION 16. Citizen Service Training Board. – The Training Board shall be 
20 
composed of the Chairperson as head, the two (2) Commissioners for Training, 
21 
the Chairperson of the CHED and the Director General of the TESDA, or their 
22 
duly authorized representatives, which shall be a Commissioner for the CHED 
23 
and a Board Member for the TESDA. The Secretary of the DepEd, or his duly 
24 
authorized representative, with a rank of at least Assistant Secretary, shall be 
25 
a consulting non-voting member of the Training Board. 
26 
The Training Board shall come up with the initial CSTC Programs of 
27 
Instruction, including the Basic CSTC, the Advance CSTC, the Program 
28 
Managers Training Course and the Officer Qualifying Course (CSTC POI), 
29 


 
 
11 
 
within sixty (60) days from the organization of the Commission. For this 
1 
purpose, the Training Board is hereby directed to tap the technical expertise 
2 
of the AFP, the PNP and the OCD, the expertise and experience of stakeholders 
3 
in both public and private sector, and the curriculum development expertise 
4 
of the CHED, the TESDA and the DepEd, as well as public and private colleges, 
5 
universities and similar learning institutions. The CSTC POI shall be subject 
6 
to the approval of the Commission. The Training Board shall also supervise 
7 
and see to the continuous development of the CSTC POI. 
8 
Thereafter, the Commission, through the Training Board, shall ensure the 
9 
incorporation of the CSTC POI in the curricula of all baccalaureate degree 
10 
courses and all technical vocational courses (which may be completed in at 
11 
least two (2) years) offered by public and private colleges, universities and 
12 
similar learning institutions, and in the curricula of Grade 11 and Grade 12 
13 
in all public and private learning institutions. 
14 
The Training Board shall adopt guidelines, which shall be incorporated in the 
15 
rules and regulations of the Commission, for the organization of a DCST in 
16 
every public and private colleges, universities and similar learning 
17 
institutions. For colleges and universities with multiple campuses, there shall 
18 
be a DCST for each campus. 
19 
SECTION 17. Citizen Service Mobilization Board. – The Mobilization Board 
20 
shall be composed of the Chairperson as head, the two (2) Commissioners for 
21 
Mobilization, the Secretary of the DND and the Secretary of the DILG, or their 
22 
duly authorized representatives with a rank of at least Assistant Secretary. 
23 
The Secretary of the Department of Social Work and Development, or his duly 
24 
authorized representatives with a rank of at least Assistant Secretary, the 
25 
Chief of Staff of the AFP and the Director General of the PNP, or their duly 
26 
authorized representatives with a rank of at least Brigadier General, 
27 
Commodore or Chief Superintendent, as the case may be, shall be consulting 
28 
non-voting members of the Mobilization Board. 
29 
The Mobilization Board shall administer the process of deployment of the 
30 
Corps in accordance with the provisions of this Act. From time to time as 
31 


 
 
12 
 
manpower and training resources may allow, the Mobilization Board may call 
1 
for retraining of the Corps to maintain and enhance its level of competency 
2 
and readiness for mobilization. For this purpose, the Mobilization Board may 
3 
call for training mobilizations for periods not exceeding fifteen (15) days. 
4 
SECTION 18. Annual Reports. – The Commission shall regularly publish an 
5 
annual report containing a list of its accomplishments, status of its operations, 
6 
number and demography of the Corps, assessment of readiness for 
7 
mobilization and the incidence and details of each mobilization for the year 
8 
concerned. The annual report shall also include the results of the audit 
9 
investigation on the spending of funds appropriated, collected or advanced for 
10 
the implementation of the provisions of this Act, as referred to under Section 
11 
31, Section 32 and Section 33 hereof. 
12 
ARTICLE VI 
13 
DEVELOPMENT OF THE CITIZEN SERVICE TRAINING COURSE 
14 
SECTION 19. Department of Citizen Service Training. – Within each campus 
15 
of their respective institutions, all public and private colleges, universities and 
16 
similar learning institutions shall establish and maintain, in accordance with 
17 
the structure and organization provided in the rules and regulations of the 
18 
Commission, an autonomous Department of Citizen Service Training, which 
19 
shall be tasked with the primary duty and responsibility of fully implementing 
20 
the CSTC in their respective campuses The DCST shall have an overall 
21 
department head, a commandant for external and territorial defense, a 
22 
commandant for internal security and peace and order, and a commandant 
23 
for disaster risk reduction management. 
24 
The head of each campus and/or learning institution shall appoint a 
25 
department head within thirty (30) days from the effectivity of the rules and 
26 
regulations implementing this Act. Within thirty (30) days from acceptance of 
27 
his appointment, the department head shall submit a list of three (3) names 
28 
for each commandant position from which the head of each campus and/or 
29 


 
 
13 
 
learning institution shall appoint, within fifteen (15) days from receipt of the 
1 
lists, the three (3) commandants. 
2 
The DCST shall be directly under the office of the head of each campus and/or 
3 
learning institution. It shall be civilian in character and shall administer the 
4 
CSTC. However, it is understood that personnel of the AFP, PNP and the OCD 
5 
shall not be disqualified from being appointed as heads of the DCST. 
6 
The head of the DCST shall be chosen by the head of the learning institution 
7 
from among candidates who by reason of their training, experience and/or 
8 
education in the fields of external and territorial defense, internal security and 
9 
peace and order and/or disaster risk reduction management is best qualified 
10 
to be the head of the DCST. The Commission shall have the authority to 
11 
prescribe the qualifications for the head of DCST. 
12 
Should a learning institution fail to organize a DCST and/or appoint a DCST 
13 
head within the period stated above, the Commission shall cause the 
14 
establishment of a DCST and/or appoint the head thereof. 
15 
SECTION 20. The University of the Philippines as Curriculum and 
16 
Development Center. – The University of the Philippines (U.P.), as the National 
17 
University, through its various DCSTs in each of its campuses, shall serve as 
18 
the CSTC POI research and development center for the Commission. For this 
19 
purpose, there is hereby created a U.P. Center for Citizen Service Training 
20 
(CCST), which shall be within the U.P. System and under the Office of the U.P. 
21 
President. It shall have the following powers: 
22 
a) Undertake studies, surveys, and research to assess and/or enhance the 
23 
implementation of the CSTC; 
24 
b) Design and develop CSTC subjects and modules for the review and approval 
25 
of the Commission; 
26 
c) Pilot test CSTC subjects, modules and programs it designed and developed 
27 
within the U.P. system for purposes of assessment; and 
28 
d) Subject to the approval of the U.P. President and the U.P. Board of Regents, 
29 
prepare the plantilla of the U.P. CCST. 
30 


 
 
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The governing body of the U.P. CCST shall be an executive committee 
1 
composed of the department heads of the various DCSTs in each campus of 
2 
the U.P. System. The chairperson of the executive committee shall be elected 
3 
for a term of three (3) years from among the members of the executive 
4 
committee. 
5 
The U.P. CCST shall be located at the U.P. Diliman DCST. 
6 
SECTION 21. Development of the CSTC POI. – The U.P. CCST shall propose 
7 
improvements to the CSTC POI, which shall undergo pilot-testing in each of 
8 
the U.P. campuses. The pilot-tested CSTC POI shall be submitted for the 
9 
assessment, consideration and approval of the Commission within thirty (30) 
10 
days from the last day of the pilot-testing semester. 
11 
The Commission and the U.P. CCST shall ensure the participation of third-
12 
party stakeholders and experts in the fields of external and territorial defense, 
13 
internal security and peace and order, and disaster risk reduction and 
14 
management in the continued development and improvement of the CSTC POI. 
15 
ARTICLE VII 
16 
DEPLOYMENT OF THE CITIZEN SERVICE CORPS 
17 
SECTION 22. Requests for Deployment. – The Corps may be called upon and 
18 
mobilized to assist the national government, its agencies and instrumentalities 
19 
and the local government units in their functions related to external and 
20 
territorial defense, internal security and peace and order, and disaster risk 
21 
reduction and management, through requests for deployment by the heads of 
22 
such national government agencies or local government units submitted to the 
23 
Mobilization Board. The requests shall contain a justification for the 
24 
deployment of the Corps and shall contain information as may be required by 
25 
the Commission, including the nature of the national or local contingencies to 
26 
be addressed, the purpose of the requested deployment, the number of 
27 
personnel requested to be deployed and the period of deployment. 
28 
SECTION 23. Evaluation of the Requests for Deployment. – The Mobilization 
29 
Board shall evaluate the requests for deployment. When the number of 
30 


 
 
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personnel requested does not exceed one hundred and fifty (150) and the 
1 
period of deployment does not exceed sixty (60) days, the Mobilization Board 
2 
shall decide whether to approve or disapprove the request within twenty-four 
3 
(24) hours from receipt thereof. When the number of personnel requested 
4 
exceeds one hundred and fifty (150) or the period of deployment exceeds sixty 
5 
(60) days, the Mobilization Board shall make a recommendation to the 
6 
Commission within twenty-four (24) hours from receipt of the request. The 
7 
Commission shall decide whether to approve or disapprove the request within 
8 
twenty-four (24) hours from receipt of the recommendation of the Mobilization 
9 
Board. 
10 
In case of the approval of the request for deployment, the Mobilization Board 
11 
shall issue an Order of Deployment requiring the Corps, or a number thereof, 
12 
to assist the national government, its agencies and instrumentalities and the 
13 
local government units in their functions related to external and territorial 
14 
defense, internal security and peace and order, and disaster risk reduction 
15 
and management. 
16 
SECTION 24. Deployment in Case of a Declaration of a State of War, State of 
17 
Lawless Violence or State of Calamity; Nationwide Mobilization. – In case of a 
18 
declaration of a state of war, state of lawless violence or state of calamity, the 
19 
Commission may motu proprio recommend the mobilization of the Corps to 
20 
the President of the Philippines. The President of the Philippines, by himself, 
21 
shall also have the power to order the mobilization of the Corps to respond to 
22 
national or local contingencies related to external and territorial defense, 
23 
internal security and peace and order and/or disaster risk reduction 
24 
management. 
25 
SECTION 25. Mobilization Centers. – There shall be established in each 
26 
province and city as many mobilization centers as needed according to the 
27 
number and geographical distribution of the Corps, where they will report in 
28 
case of deployment. The local government units shall provide an office, which 
29 
shall be known as the Citizen Service Office, which shall handle the 
30 
administrative aspects of mobilization. 
31 


 
 
16 
 
In case of mobilization, the equipment of the Corps shall be supplied in close 
1 
coordination with the AFP, the PNP and the OCD, with the end in view of 
2 
achieving rapid mobilization. 
3 
SECTION 26. Lines of Command. – Upon deployment, operational control over 
4 
the Corps shall be vested upon the head of the requesting national government 
5 
agency or local government unit: Provided, that, in case of deployment for 
6 
purposes of external and territorial defense, when the Corps is mobilized to 
7 
expand the AFP in the event of war, invasion, rebellion or similar 
8 
circumstances, operational control shall be vested upon the AFP. 
9 
SECTION 27. Expenses of Deployment. – The role of the Commission shall be 
10 
to provide and marshal the required personnel to address national or local 
11 
contingencies involving external and territorial defense, internal security and 
12 
peace and order, and national disaster risk reduction and management. Upon 
13 
deployment, the national government agency or the local government unit to 
14 
which the Corps is deployed shall shoulder the operational expenses of 
15 
deployment. 
16 
SECTION 28. Operationalization of Deployment. – The Mobilization Board, 
17 
subject to the approval of the Commission, shall promulgate the specific 
18 
mechanisms by which deployment is efficiently implemented, including the 
19 
organization of the Corps to be deployed, their territorial assignments, how 
20 
deployment orders are communicated to each member of the Corps and to 
21 
which mobilization center they will report. 
22 
SECTION 29. Serial Numbers and Registry. – Upon completion of the Basic 
23 
CSTC, the graduates shall be issued individual serial numbers, which will 
24 
serve as their identification in case of deployment. 
25 
The Commission shall maintain and update a registry/database containing 
26 
the names of the members of the Corps, their serial numbers, address, contact 
27 
details and such other information as the Commission may determine. For 
28 
this purpose, all public and private colleges, universities and learning 
29 
institutions are hereby mandated to annually transmit their records of the 
30 


 
 
17 
 
graduates of the CSTC to the Commission, in the form as may be determined 
1 
by the Commission. 
2 
All graduates of CSTC are required to update their addresses and contact 
3 
details on file with the Commission as often as necessary. Orders of 
4 
deployment sent to the addresses and/or through the contact details on file 
5 
with the Commission shall be sufficient notice for the purpose of Section 37 
6 
hereof. 
7 
SECTION 30. Termination of Deployment. – Upon the expiration of the 
8 
requested period of deployment, without an extension having been requested 
9 
and approved by the Commission, the Corps shall be discharged of its duties. 
10 
The deployment may also be terminated earlier upon a determination by the 
11 
Commission, in consultation with the requesting national government agency 
12 
or local government unit, that such deployment is no longer in accordance 
13 
with the objectives and purposes of this Act. 
14 
SECTION 31. Effect on Employment. – Deployment of employees in 
15 
accordance with the provisions of this Act shall not be a ground for dismissal 
16 
or diminution of any benefit enjoyed by such employees prior to their 
17 
deployment. Employees shall be entitled to their regular wage or salary during 
18 
the period of their deployment; Provided, that employers shall be entitled to 
19 
deduct such regular wage or salary from their gross income for the same 
20 
taxable year that the regular wage or salary was granted. 
21 
ARTICLE VIII 
22 
FUNDING OF THE CITIZEN SERVICE CORPS 
23 
SECTION 32. Citizen Service Fund. – A Citizen Service Fund is hereby 
24 
established exclusively for the implementation of the objectives and purposes 
25 
of this Act. The Office of the President shall monitor and evaluate the activities 
26 
and the balances of the Fund. 
27 
SECTION 33. Appropriations. – All funds previously appropriated for the 
28 
establishment, maintenance, and operation of the Reserve Officers’ Training 
29 
Corps Program of the AFP, established under Republic Act No. 7077, as 
30 


 
 
18 
 
amended, and which will subsequently and hereafter be appropriated for such 
1 
purpose shall be used exclusively for the implementation of the objectives and 
2 
purposes of this Act. All funds appropriated for the implementation of the 
3 
National Service Training Program under Republic Act No. 9163 shall also be 
4 
used exclusively for the implementation of the objectives and purposes of this 
5 
Act. 
6 
An initial funding of Fifty million pesos (P50,000,000.00) shall be allocated 
7 
from the Presidential Social Fund to sustain the operation of the Commission 
8 
and the implementation of this Act for the first year of its effectivity. Thereafter, 
9 
the Citizen Service Fund shall be included in the annual General 
10 
Appropriations Act. 
11 
SECTION 34. School Fees. – Public colleges, universities and similar learning 
12 
institutions covered by Republic Act No. 10931, otherwise known as the 
13 
Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, shall not collect any fee 
14 
for the CSTC. The training costs shall be included in the annual 
15 
appropriations of such public colleges, universities and similar learning 
16 
institutions. In cases of students not eligible to avail of the benefits under 
17 
Republic Act No. 10931, public colleges, universities and similar learning 
18 
institutions may collect a training fee of not more than fifty percent (50%) of 
19 
the tuition fee per academic unit.  
20 
Colleges, universities and similar learning institutions not covered by Republic 
21 
Act No. 10931 shall have the option of collecting a training fee of not more 
22 
than fifty percent (50%) of the tuition fee per academic unit, or of not collecting 
23 
any fee for the CSTC; Provided that, in the latter case, the actual expenses for 
24 
the administration of CSTC incurred by such institutions shall be allowed as 
25 
a deduction from the gross income of such institutions for the same taxable 
26 
year that the expenses are incurred. The covered institutions shall elect an 
27 
option and inform the Commission not later than one hundred and twenty 
28 
(120) days before the start of the school year. Such election may be changed 
29 
only once every four (4) school years, unless specifically allowed by the 
30 
Commission. 
31 


 
 
19 
 
For this purpose, the Department of Finance, through the Bureau of Internal 
1 
Revenue, shall formulate the appropriate regulations for the deduction 
2 
provided under this section. The Commission shall promulgate budgetary 
3 
guidelines for all covered institutions to ensure that the budget appropriated, 
4 
collected or advanced for the training costs are reasonable and sufficient to 
5 
ensure proper administration of the CSTC. 
6 
SECTION 35. Incentives for Students Pursuing Advance CSTC. – Students 
7 
pursuing the Advance CSTC shall be entitled to tuition fee discounts according 
8 
to the following schedule: 
9 
a) Cadet officers shall be entitled to fifty percent (50%) discount on their tuition 
10 
fees effective the semester after their completion of the officer qualifying course 
11 
until their completion of the Basic CSTC provided they serve as officers of the 
12 
CSTC; and 
13 
b) During their training under the Advance CSTC, they shall be entitled to one 
14 
hundred percent (100%) discount on their tuition fees. Cadet officers pursuing 
15 
the Advance CSTC who, for any reason, fail to qualify for benefits under 
16 
Republic Act No. 10931 are nonetheless entitled to the incentives provided 
17 
above. For this purpose, all colleges, universities and similar learning 
18 
institutions shall issue tuition waivers/discounts in favor of the said cadet 
19 
officers. 
20 
For private colleges, universities and similar learning institutions, the tuition 
21 
fee waivers/discounts granted pursuant to this section may likewise be 
22 
claimed as a deduction from the gross income of such institutions for the same 
23 
taxable year that the discounts/waivers were granted. For income tax-exempt 
24 
private colleges, universities and similar learning institutions, they may claim 
25 
reimbursement of the discounts/waivers granted under this section against 
26 
the Citizen Service Fund created under Section 31 hereof. 
27 
Cadet officers shall likewise be entitled to a uniform allowance, which shall be 
28 
provided and given in kind by the Commission. 
29 
Upon completion of the Advance CSTC and subject to the taking of the Reserve 
30 
Officer Qualifying Examination under Section 44 hereof, the graduates of 
31 


 
 
20 
 
Advance CSTC shall be commissioned as reserve second lieutenant or its 
1 
equivalent in the AFP, PNP or OCD; Provided, that they shall have obtained 
2 
their baccalaureate degree courses within four (4) years from such completion, 
3 
failing which their reserve commission shall be deemed revoked by operation 
4 
of law. 
5 
The Commission shall ensure that an adequate portion of the Citizen Service 
6 
Fund is allocated for the above incentives. The budget of the Commission to 
7 
be submitted to the President shall likewise incorporate such allocation. 
8 
SECTION 36. Audit of Funds. – Without prejudice to the audit jurisdiction of 
9 
the Commission on Audit and the Bureau of Internal Revenue under existing 
10 
laws and regulations, there shall be created an Audit Division within the 
11 
Commission with the limited authority to conduct audit investigation on the 
12 
spending of colleges, universities and similar learning institutions of funds 
13 
appropriated, collected or advanced for the administration of the CSTC, with 
14 
the specific purpose of ensuring that such funds are exclusively spent for 
15 
program implementation and direct training costs. 
16 
ARTICLE IX 
17 
PENAL AND DISCIPLINARY PROVISIONS 
18 
SECTION 37. Failure to Respond. – a) Failure to respond to the order of 
19 
deployment despite notice sent to the address and/or contact details on file 
20 
with the Commission for external and territorial defense shall be punishable 
21 
in accordance with the Articles of War, and shall, upon conviction by a court-
22 
martial, be punishable by imprisonment of not less than six (6) months but 
23 
not more than two (2) years; 
24 
b) Failure to respond to the order of deployment for internal security and peace 
25 
and order or disaster risk reduction and management shall, upon conviction 
26 
by a civil court, be punishable as follows: 
27 
First Offense: One hundred and twenty (120) hours of community service; 
28 
Second Offense: Two hundred and forty (240) hours of community service; and 
29 


 
 
21 
 
Third and Subsequent Offenses: Six (6) months imprisonment and four 
1 
hundred and eighty (480) hours of community service. 
2 
SECTION 38. Disciplinary and Corrective Proceedings. – Administrative 
3 
offenses committed by persons involved in or in relation to the implementation 
4 
of this Act, including the administration of the CSTC and the conduct of the 
5 
Summer Citizen Service Training Camp, shall be subject to administrative 
6 
penalties in accordance with the applicable civil service rules. 
7 
Complaints against heads and commandants of DCSTs or their equivalent, 
8 
officers of the Commission and such employees of the Commission as may be 
9 
identified in the implementing rules and regulations of this Act, shall be filed 
10 
with and decided by a Disciplinary Board to be composed of the Chairperson 
11 
of the Commission, a Commissioner for Training and a Commissioner for 
12 
Mobilization, both of which shall be selected by the Chairperson. All 
13 
complaints must be decided by the Disciplinary Board within one hundred 
14 
and twenty (120) days from filing thereof. 
15 
Complaints against officers and employees of the DCSTs, as well cadet officers, 
16 
shall be filed with and decided by the heads of their respective DCSTs. All 
17 
complaints must be decided by the head of the DCST within thirty (30) days 
18 
from filing thereof, subject to a one-time extension of thirty (30) days granted 
19 
by the Chairperson of the Commission. Unless stayed by the Disciplinary 
20 
Board for meritorious reasons, all decisions of the heads of DSCTs on the 
21 
complaints shall be immediately executory. 
22 
No motions for reconsideration shall be allowed from the decision of the heads 
23 
of the DCSTS, but the same may be appealed within fifteen (15) days from 
24 
receipt thereof by filing a memorandum of appeal with the Disciplinary Board 
25 
of the Commission. If the penalty imposed by the heads of the DCSTs is 
26 
dismissal, the decision shall be automatically reviewed to the Disciplinary 
27 
Board. 
28 
In all cases of appeal by parties and automatic review by the Disciplinary 
29 
Board, the entire records of the cases shall be transmitted to the Disciplinary 
30 
Board within thirty (30) days from the promulgation of the decision by the 
31 


 
 
22 
 
heads of the DCSTs. All appeals and automatic reviews shall be resolved by 
1 
the Disciplinary Board within one hundred and twenty (120) days from receipt 
2 
of the entire records of the cases. 
3 
The decisions of the Disciplinary Board shall be final and may be assailed only 
4 
by a petition for certiorari under Rule 65 of the Rules of Court before the Court 
5 
of Appeals. 
6 
SECTION 39. Corruption, graft, hazing and other abuses. – For acts already 
7 
penalized under existing laws such as corruption, graft, hazing, sexual 
8 
harassment, and other abuses committed by persons authorized to administer 
9 
the CSTC and deployment of the Corps, the maximum penalty imposable 
10 
under existing laws shall be imposed. 
11 
ARTICLE X 
12 
IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS 
13 
SECTION 40. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). – The Commission 
14 
shall be tasked to formulate and approve the necessary rules and regulations 
15 
to implement the objectives and purposes of this Act within sixty (60) days 
16 
from its organization. The rules and regulations shall include provisions on 
17 
the structure and organization of the Corps under Section 9, the structure and 
18 
organization of the Department of Citizen Service Training under Section 20, 
19 
the specific mechanisms for the efficient mobilization and deployment of the 
20 
Corps under Section 29, the incentives for students pursuing Advance CSTC 
21 
under Section 35, and such other matters as the Commission may deem 
22 
necessary or essential to fully implement the objectives and purposes of this 
23 
Act. 
24 
ARTICLE XI 
25 
TRANSITORY PROVISIONS 
26 
SECTION 41. Period of Implementation. – To ensure efficient transition and to 
27 
enable all public and private colleges, universities, and similar learning 
28 
institutions to adopt the necessary structural changes within their units in 
29 


 
 
23 
 
accordance with the provisions of this Act, the CSTC shall be administered in 
1 
all public colleges, universities, and similar learning institutions after the 
2 
Commission has promulgated the necessary implementing rules and 
3 
regulations described in Section 39. 
4 
SECTION 42. Initial Program Managers. – The Training Board shall ensure 
5 
that the initial set of program managers who shall instruct and train the first 
6 
sets of enrollees in the CSTC in all public and private colleges, universities and 
7 
similar learning institutions are properly trained and equipped. For this 
8 
purpose, the Training Board shall develop a Program Managers Training 
9 
Course (PMTC). All covered institutions are required to send program 
10 
managers, in number sufficient to implement the CSTC, to undergo and 
11 
successfully pass the PMTC to be administered and conducted by the 
12 
Commission. 
13 
SECTION 43. Current Enrollment under Republic Act No. 9163. – In all cases, 
14 
students who are currently enrolled under the curriculum implemented by 
15 
virtue of Republic Act No. 9163, otherwise known as the National Service 
16 
Training Program Act of 2001, shall be allowed to finish the curriculum and 
17 
be deemed to have satisfied the requirement for graduation after completion 
18 
thereof. 
19 
SECTION 44. Integration of Existing Reserve Units and Service Corps. – All 
20 
reservists included in the Reserved Force created under Republic Act No. 
21 
7077, otherwise known as the Citizen Armed Forces of the Philippines 
22 
Reservist Act, and all members of the National Service Reserve Corps created 
23 
under Republic Act No. 9163, shall be absorbed under the Citizen Service 
24 
Corps created under this Act. The Citizen Service Mobilization Board shall 
25 
determine their ranks and designations within the Citizen Service Corps. 
26 
SECTION 45. Organization of Reserve Components. – To complement the 
27 
existing AFP Reserve Force, the Commission is hereby authorized and 
28 
mandated to organize the reserve components of the PNP and the OCD within 
29 
six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act. Thereafter, the administration, 
30 


 
 
24 
 
operational control and funding of the newly organized reserve components 
1 
shall be vested upon the PNP and the OCD, respectively. 
2 
The Commission shall also develop a Reserve Officer Qualifying Examination 
3 
to be administered by the Commission to the cadet officers prior to the start 
4 
of the eight (8th) semester of their Advance CSTC to determine their 
5 
competencies for the purpose of assigning them as officers of the respective 
6 
reserve components of the AFP, PNP or OCD. Thereafter, the respective reserve 
7 
commands of the reserve components shall be responsible for the training and 
8 
advancement of their reserve officers, where they shall be commissioned as 
9 
officers. 
10 
ARTICLE XII 
11 
FINAL PROVISIONS 
12 
SECTION 46. Repealing Clause. – Republic Act No. 9163, otherwise known as 
13 
the National Service Training Program Act of 2001, is hereby repealed. The 
14 
relevant provisions of Republic Act No. 7707, otherwise known as the Citizen 
15 
Armed Forces of the Philippines Reservist Act,, are hereby amended as 
16 
appropriate. All other laws, orders, rules regulations and other issuances, or 
17 
parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Act are likewise hereby 
18 
repealed, amended or modified accordingly. 
19 
SECTION 47. Separability Clause. – Any provision of this Act declared 
20 
unconstitutional shall not affect the validity of the other provisions thereof. 
21 
SECTION 48. Effectivity Clause. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
22 
after its publication in two (2) newspapers of national circulation. 
23 
Approved, 
24