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SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
RECEIVED BV.
s.aSNE„NlT5l7
Introduced by Senator Richard J. Gordon
AN ACT
REQUIRING BASIC CITIZEN SERVICE TRAINING. ESTABLISHING THE CITIZEN SERVICE 
CORPS, CREATING THE CITIZEN SERVICE COMMISSION FOR THIS PURPOSE, 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
It is the prime duty of the government to serve and protect the people. Corollary to 
this, the Constitution empowers the government to call upon the people to defend the State 
and render personal military or civil service.
At the same time, the Constitution recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation­
building and seeks to promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and 
social well-being. It also seeks to inculcate in the youth patriotism and nationalism, and 
encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs.
To provide implementing legislation to these basic tenets in the Constitution, this 
bill proposes to require basic citizen service training, establish the citizen service corps, 
and creates the citizen service commission for this purpose.
Full time basic citizen service training ("Basic Training"] for at least six (6) weeks 
will be encouraged of all Filipino citizens and mandatory for all Filipino students, male and 
female, enrolled in baccalaureate degree courses or technical vocational courses.
The citizen service corps ("Corps”] shall be composed of all Filipino citizens at least 
eighteen (18] years of age. The Corps may be called upon and mobilized to assist in matters 
of external and territorial defense, internal security and peace and order, and disaster risk 
reduction and management
All those who have completed Basic Training shall form part of the trained Corps. 
This will create a pool of trained members of the Corps who can render personal military 
or civil service in times of war, lawlessness, and calamities and disasters. For national 
security, public order, and public safety, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought
R (C H 
0 R D 0 N
Senator


of fl)f £  • (i fla rj>
SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
]
SENATE 
S.B. No. 1 4 1 7
*17 
MAY -2  
AH -.30
RECEIVED B.'.
Introduced by Senator Richard ]. Gordon
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AN ACT
REQUIRING BASIC CITIZEN SERVICE TRAINING, ESTABLISHING THE CITIZEN SERVICE 
CORPS, CREATING THE CITIZEN SERVICE COMMISSION FOR THIS PURPOSE, 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled:
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Citizen Service Act of
2017."
Sec. 2. Policy. - It is the policy of the State to require basic citizen service training 
and establish the citizen service corps through which the citizenry, particularly the youth, 
are enabled to render personal military or civil service.
It is also the policy of the State to inculcate patriotism and nationalism in the 
citizenry, particularly the youth, and encourage their involvement in public and civic 
affairs.
Sec. 3. Basic Training. - Full time basic citizen service training ("Basic Training") 
for at least six (6) weeks shall be encouraged of all Filipino citizens and mandatory for all 
Filipino students, male and female, enrolled in baccalaureate degree courses or technical 
vocational courses. Basic Training shall have the following fundamental components: (1) 
External and Territorial Defense Training; (2) Internal Security and Peace and Order 
Training; and (3) Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Training.
Sec. 4. Mandatory Coverage. - Basic Training shall form part of the curricula of all 
baccalaureate degree courses and all technical vocational courses in the Philippines, which 
shall be credited as one (1) semester of the National Service Training Program under 
Republic Act No. 9163.
Sec. 5. The Corps. - The citizen service corps ("Corps") shall be composed of all 
Filipino citizens at least eighteen (18) years of age. All those who have completed Basic 
Training shall form part of the trained Corps. The Corps may be called upon and mobilized 
to assist in matters of external and territorial defense, internal security and peace and 
order, and disaster risk reduction and management.


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Sec. 6. The Commission. - A citizen service commission ["Commission"] is hereby 
created under the Office of the President to be in charge of Basic Training, the Corps, and 
the implementation of this Act.
Sec. 7. Composition of the Commission. - The Commission shall be composed of a 
Chairperson, four [4] Commissioners to be appointed by the President, and the following 
four [4] ex-officio Commissioners: 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]. The ex-officio 
Commissioners may be represented in the Commission by their duly authorized 
representatives with the rank of at least Assistant Secretary for the DND and the DILG, 
Commissioner for the CHED, and Board Member for the TESDA.
The Chairperson and the four [4] Commissioners to be appointed by the President 
shall be citizens and residents of the Philippines, at least thirty-five [35] years of age, of 
good moral character, of recognized probity and independence, and, through their training, 
experience, and education, must have distinguished themselves as best suited to discharge 
the duties of the Commission. The Chairperson shall have the rank equivalent to a cabinet 
secretary and the four [4] Commissioners to be appointed by the President shall have the 
rank equivalent to an undersecretary.
Sec. 8. 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 required for the adoption of a resolution or an official act by the Commission.
Sec. 9. Term of Office. - The term of office of the Chairperson and the four [4] 
Commissioners to be appointed by the President shall be four [4] years, except as provided 
in the succeeding paragraph. They may be reappointed; provided that, no such official shall 
serve for more than two [2] consecutive terms.
Of those first appointed by the President, the Chairperson and the first two [2] 
Commissioners to be appointed shall hold office for four [4] years, while the last two [2] 
Commissioners to be appointed shall hold office for two [2] years. Appointment to any 
vacancy in such office shall be only for the unexpired term of the predecessor.
Sec. 10. Powers of the Commission. - The Commission shall have the following 
powers:
[1] Design, prescribe, and approve the programs of instruction for Basic Training 
and other advanced training, including specialized courses under specific circumstances 
taking into consideration relevant factors, such as age, health, abilities, and others;
[2] Ensure the proper administration of Basic Training and other advanced training;


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(3) Exercise control, supervision, and audit over all agencies, officers, and persons, 
directly implementing Basic Training and other advanced training;
(4) Provide incentives, including scholarships, to encourage Filipino citizens to do 
Basic Training and other advanced training:
(5) Deploy and mobilize the Corps;
(6) 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 Basic Training and other advanced training, mobilization of the Corps, and 
implementation of this Act;
(7) Issue serial numbers to members of the Corps;
(8) Maintain a registry of all members of the Corps;
(9) Promulgate appropriate rules and regulations to fully implement this Act;
(10) Appoint, fix the compensation, and determine the status, qualifications, and 
duties of the personnel of the Commission; and
(11) Exercise such other powers as are necessary or essential to fully implement 
this Act.
Sec. 11. Mobilization. - The Commission shall mobilize motu proprio or upon 
request the Corps 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. A 
request for mobilization by the heads of such national government agencies or local 
government units may be submitted to the Commission, which shall contain a justification 
for mobilization of the Corps and other 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 mobilization, the number of personnel requested to be mobilized and the 
period of mobilization. The Commission shall evaluate the request for mobilization and 
reply immediately or within seventy-two (72) hours from receipt of the request.
Sec. 12. Duty to Respond. - It shall be the duty of any member of the Corps called 
upon to respond to the order of mobilization by the Commission within twenty-four (24) 
hours from receipt thereof. Failure of any member of the Corps to respond to the order of 
mobilization by 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. Failure of any member of the Corps to respond to the order of mobilization by the 
Commission for internal security and peace and order, or disaster risk reduction and 
management shall, upon conviction by a civil court, be punished as follows: (1) First 
Offense: one hundred and twenty (120) hours of community service; (2) Second Offense;


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two hundred and forty (240) hours of community service; and (3) Third and Subsequent 
Offenses: six (6) months imprisonment and four hundred and eighty (480) hours of 
community service.
Sec. 13. Duty of Employer. - An employer shall grant leave of absence to an 
employee being mobilized under this Act. No employer shall dismiss or discipline an 
employee by reason of mobilization under this Act. An employer who violates this Section 
shall be subject to a fine of up to one hundred thousand pesos (PIOO.000.00) or 
imprisonment of not more than two (2) years, or both.
Sec, 14. Maximum Penalties. - For acts already penalized under existing laws such 
as corruption, graft, hazing, sexual harassment, and other abuses committed by persons 
authorized to administer Basic Training and other advanced training, and mobilization of 
the Corps who, for such purposes, shall all be deemed public officers, the maximum 
penalties imposable under existing laws shall be imposed.
Sec. 15. Appropriation. - An initial funding of fifty million pesos (P50,000,000.00) 
charged against the current year’s appropriation from the Presidential Social Fund shall be 
allocated to carry out the provisions of this Act. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary 
shall be included in the General Appropriations Act.
Sec. 16. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations, or 
other issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
repealed or modified accordingly.
Sec. 17. Separability Clause. - If any portion or provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provision not affected thereby shall 
remain in force and effect.
Sec. 18. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following the 
completion of its publication either in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general 
circulation in the Philippines.
Approved,