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THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE} 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES} 
SECOND REGULAR SESSION 
) 
Introduced by Sen. Alfredo S. Lim 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
It is alarming to learn that after the enactment of 
Republic Act No. 9163, otherwise known as the National 
Service Training Program in 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. 
On 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 previous high of 250,000. 


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Sec. 4 of Article I1 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 RA No. 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 life 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, 


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honesty and dedication can not 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. 
M 


MAR -9 
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L . 2  
THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE) 
REPUBLIC OF THE P H I ~ I P ~ I N E S ~  
SECOND REGULAR SESSION 
) 
SENATE 
2224 
S.B. BILL No. 
Introduced by SENATOR ALFRED0 S. EN 
AN ACT 
RE-INSTITUTING ROTC AS A MANDATORY COURSE 
FOR ALL COLLEGE STUDENTS, REVIVING THE PERTINENT 
PROVISIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7077 AND 
COMMONWEALTH ACT NO. 1 AND AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT 
NO. 9163 FOR THE PURPOSE 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of 
Representative of the Philippines in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Statement of Policy, - Sec. 4 of Article I1 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". 
SECTION 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 under- 
graduate collegiate courses in accordance with the pertinent 
provisions of Republic Act No. 7077 and Commonwealth Act 
No. 1 which are hereby revived. 


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SECTION 3. Repeal of the pertinent provisions of RA 
No. 9263. - 
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. 
SECTION 4. Applicability - This Act shall apply to all 
college students who are scheduled to graduate in the 
school-year 2007-2008. 
SECTION 5. EffectivEy. - This Act shall take effect upon 
approval. 
Approved