Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

3073
HOUSE BILLNO. |

Introduced by: “KUYA” JOSE ANTONIO R. SY-ALVARADO

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE PHILIPPINE MARINE CORPS, DEFINING ITS POWERS AND
FUNCTIONS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS:
THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) was established by the Armed Forces of the
Philippines to address the threat of the Hukbalahap insurgency during the 1950’s in parts of Central
Luzon up to the recent ISIS-inspired attack in Marawi, Mindanao. Their inviolable service to the
public is important to maintain the peace and order in the country.

This bill seeks to create PMC as a branch of service that is independent, autonomous but
complementary to the Army, Air Force and the Navy under the AFP. This aims to establish PMC
as an armed uniformed service, amphibious in character, and a maneuver force in the preparedness
of AFP that includes seaborne, land, combat, and support services among others,

The Philippine Archipelago needs an expanded, rapidly deployable amphibious force
primarily mandated to conduct seaborne, onshore, multinational cooperation and engagements for
the protection of the Philippine Island and for fast response for natural disaster emergencies.

Hence, this proposal is submitted for consideration.

“KUYA” JOSEANTONIO R. SY-ALVARADOpy,
%
y Representative
/ First District of Bulacan



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

3073
HOUSE BILLNO.

Introduced by: “KUYA” JOSE ANTONIO R. SY-ALVARADO

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE PHILIPPINE MARINE CORPS, DEFINING ITS POWERS AND
FUNCTIONS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS
THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:
SECTION. 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Philippine Marine Corps Act".

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - \n accordance with Section 3, Article Il of the Constitution
that mandates the supremacy of civilian authority over the military, and Section 4, Article XVI of
the same that provides “the Armed Forces of the Philippines (""AFP”) shall be composed of a
citizen armed force that shall undergo military training and serve, as may be provided by law’, it
is hereby declared the policy of the State to maintain, organize, and enhance the AFP for the
continuing development of national defense to maintain peace and order.

SEC. 3. Establishment. - The Philippine Marine Corps, (“PMC"), is hereby established as,
an armed uniformed service, amphibious in character; distinct, autonomous, but complementary
to the Army, the Air Force and the Navy, as an independent branch of service of the AFP, The
PMC shall include ground combat, combat support, combat service support, aviation component,
and such other units as may be necessary for the pursuit of its mandate.

SEC. 4. Powers and Functions. - The PMC shall have the following powers and functions:

(a) To conduct combined arms operations in the littoral battle space and beyond
under the AFP;

(b) To coordinate with the other branches of service in developing various phases
of amphibious operations, which pertain to the tactics, techniques, and procedures with the
necessary equipment employed by landing forces and that of a joint maneuver force; To
organize, train, equip, maintain, develop, deploy, and supervise the PMC Reserve Force
("PMCRE") for the purpose of assisting the PMC in carrying out its functions; To formulate
and develop doctrines, concepts, systems, policies, procedures, strategies, tactics, and
techniques for operations peculiar to the Marines; To develop its capabilities for seaborne
maneuvers; sustain maneuver ashore; and multinational cooperation and engagement that
is amphibious in character, multirole in nature, a seaborne arms force with on-shore defense
capability possessing combined arms with supporting air components ensuring its
capability and effectiveness as a major combatant in the protection of the islands of the
Philippine Archipelago; To establish bases and facilities for the realization of its
‘operational potential; To utilize Information Technology, and technological innovations to
advance the pursuit of its mandate; To deploy such forces necessary for strategic defense
under the Joint Defense Force and for employment of operational commands; To deploy
forces for disaster response, relief, and rehabilitation efforts of the AFP; To deploy forces


in support to the law enforcement agencies in the performance of their duties and
responsibilities in implementing the laws of the land; To perform such other functions that
may be necessary in the attainment of the objectives of this Act; and To determine its
requirements which shall be addressed by a fiscal allocation and modernization efforts of
the Department of National Defense (“~DND”).

SEC. 5. Philippine Marine Corps Bases and Facilities. ~ To carry out the powers and
functions of the PMC and the enhancement of its capabilities, three (3) PMC Headquarters, shall
be established — one (1) in Luzon, one (1) in Visayas, and one (1) in Mindanao, The PMC
Headquarters in Mindanao shall serve as the National Headquarters of the PMC. All of the PMC
Headquarters shall be in strategic locations where it can sustain its deployed forces given both
spectrums of war condition. A Marine Division may be established to effectively respond to the
needs of the operational commands based on its distinct characteristics and operating concept, as
may deem necessary

SEC. 6. PMC Commandant. - The Commandant shall head the PMC and shall carry the
rank of Lieutenant General. The Commandant shall be directly appointed by the President from
among its Marine Corps Generals, upon the recommendation of the AFP Chief-of-Staff and the
Secretary of the DND

SEC. 7. Creation of the Marine Reserve Component. - The PMC shall maintain, supervise,
develop and train the PMC Reservists as a reserve force under the direct control and supervision
of the PMC Commandant and shall assist the PMC in the conduct of efforts on force development
asa whole.

SEC. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Commandant of the PMC shall
promulgate rules and regulations for the implementation of this Act, as well as the provision of
acts, decrees, and orders, related to the implementation of the PMC functions, to be approved by
the President and the Commander-in-Chief, with the conformity of the Secretary of DND, and
recommendation by the Chief-of-Staff of the AFP.

SEC. 9. Appropriations. -'The PMC Commandant shall immediately prepare the necessary
guidelines to cover the establishment of the PMC as a service branch of the AFP. the initial funding
of which shall be charged against the current year's appropriations of the PMC and, thereafter, in
the Annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC 10. Transitory Provisions. -The incumbent two-star officer, Major General, shall be
the Acting PMC Commandant, pending the appointment by the President. Likewise, the existing
organizational structure of the PMC shall be followed until new rules and regulations have been
promulgated and approved by the President, Further, this Act shall not diminish, reduce, or remove
the existing benefits and privileges of PMC personnel under existing laws, rules, and regulations

SEC. 11. Separability Clause. ~ If for any reason, any provision of this Act is declared
unconstitutional or invalid; such parts not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 12. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations
and other issuance's or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed,
amended or modified accordingly.“

SEC. 13. Effectivity. -/Thhis Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
the Official Gazette or in gny two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

va

Approved,