RECEIVED

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Republic of the Philippines E oyje, MUL 15 201g
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS

First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 2093

Introduced by Representative Ferdinand L. Hernandez

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

EXPLANATORY NOTE

In recent times, numerous contingencies and emergencies including national and internal
security threats have made it indispensable for the country to draw forth from the well-spring
of its most vital resource ~ the youth

The 1987 Constitution, through Article I, Section 13, states the indispensable role of the
youth in nation-building and encourages the State to inculcate in them patriotism and
nationalism and to encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs. In line with the
constitutional vision, this bill seeks to establish a Citizen Service Training Course (CSTC)
and lays down a comprehensive framework for the training and mobilization of the youth

Through the CSTC, a Basic Citizen Service Training Course shall be mandatory for all
tertiary-level students enrolled in baccalaureate degree courses or technical vocational
courses in all public and private college, universities, and other similar learning institutions.
The CSTC retains extemal and territorial defense training as a foundational component. The
course also expands its scope by providing trainings in internal security and peace and order
as well as disaster risk reduction and management, which integrates the flexibility provided
by the National Service Training Program (NSTP), created through Republic Act No. 9163

Abuse and corrupt practices that have long haunted the ROTC and NSTP programs are also
addressed in this bill through the adoption of measures, which include the creation of the
Citizen Service Mobilization Commission that is empowered to conduct an audit of the
utilization of the fees collected for the CSTC, and to investigate reported incidents of
corruption, graft, hazing, sexual harassment, and other abuses in the program.



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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 2093

Introduced by Representative Ferdinand L. Hernandez

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
TITLE

SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “Citizen Service Act.”

ARTICLE fi
DECLARATION OF POLICY

SECTION 2. Statement of Policy. ~ It shall be the policy of the State:

a) To institutionalize the vital role of the youth in nation-building, promote and protect their
physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being; to inculcate in them patriotism
and nationalism; and to encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs;

b) To constitute the youth into a major component of the citizen reserve envisioned in the
1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines, which shall undergo training and may
be called upon to defend the State and to render personal military or civil service under
conditions provided by law; and

©) To train, equip and organize the youth, within the current frameworks of national and
territorial defense, law enforcement and peace and order and national disaster risk reduction
and management, to prepare them for rapid mobilization at the soonest possible time in order
to address national and/or local contingencies which may require manpower beyond the
capabilities of existing national government agencies or local government units.


ARTICLE ID
INSTITUTION OF CITIZEN SERVICE TRAINING COURSE

SECTION 3. Basic Citizen Service Training Course. — There is hereby instituted a Basic
Citizen Service Training Course (Basic CSTC) which shall form part of the curricula of all
baccalaureate degree courses and all technical vocational courses (which may be completed
in at least two (2) years)

The Basic CSTC shall have the following components:
a) External and Territorial Defense Training:

b) Internal Security and Peace and Order Training; and
©) Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Training

The Basic CSTC shall be divided into four (4) training modules to be administered for at
least four (4) semesters over two (2) school years, unless otherwise allowed by the Citizen
Service Training Board. It shall include at least sixty-four (64) hours of lecture and sixteen
(16) hours of practical training every semester, and at least sixteen (16) hours of field
exercises every year.

The trainees, who shall be referred to as cadets, shall be organized by squads, platoons,
companies, battalions, brigades and divisions similar to military units. Military-type of
discipline, organization and cadet movement shall be observed in the conduct of the Basic
CSTC. The Basic CSTC shall instill upon the youth the ideals of patriotism, nationalism and
respect for human rights.

Except for justifiable causes and upon the issuance of a Certificate of Exemption by the
Citizen Service Mobilization Commission (Commission), the Basic CSTC must be
completed, as far as practicable, within the first two (2) years of all baccalaureate degree
courses and technical vocational courses. The completion of the Basic CSTC shall be a
prerequisite for enrollment to the third year of all baccalaureate degree courses and technical
vocational courses.

When the Basic CSTC is allowed to be taken beyond the first two (2) years of all
baccalaureate degree courses and technical vocational courses, completion of the Basic
CSTC shall be a requisite for graduation in the said courses.

SECTION 4. Summer Citizen Service Training Camp. — In addition to the requirements
under Section 3, the Basic CSTC shall require for its completion attendance in a Summer
Citizen Service Training Camp (Summer CSTC), which shall consist of at least thirty (30)
days of direct instruction and training to be administered in two (2) tranches of fifteen (15)
days a year and, except for justifiable causes, must be completed within the first two (2) years
of all baccalaureate degree courses and technical vocational courses

The Summer CSTC shall be conducted within the campuses or facilities of all public and
private colleges, universities, or similar learning institutions. Should it be determined by the
said public and private colleges, universities, or similar learning institutions that it is
impracticable to conduct the Summer CSTC in their respective campuses or facilities, they
should immediately make the same known to the Commission’s Citizen Service Training


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Board (Training Board), which upon the proposal of the public and private colleges,
universities, or similar learning institutions, shall designate such safe and appropriate venues
for the Summer CSTC. As far as practicable, the venue shall be proximate to the campuses or
facilities of the public and private colleges, universities, or similar learning institutions,

The Program of Instruction for the Summer CSTC shall be developed by the Training Board
and shall focus on practical and field training exercises. It shall be administered under the
control and supervision of the Commission, which may tap the personnel and expertise of the
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Office
of Civil Defense (OCD). For such purpose, the AFP, the PNP and the OCD are hereby
directed to make its camps and premises, training facilities and equipment, and pool of
trainers available to the Commission for the efficient, effective and realistic conduct of the
Summer CSTC

SECTION 5. Coverage. — All tertiary-level students, male and female, enrolled in
baccalaureate degree courses or technical vocational courses (which may be completed in at
least two (2) years) in all public and private colleges, universities, or similar learning
institutions shall be required to undergo the Basic CSTC

SECTION 6. Special CSTC for Students under Specific Circumstances. — There shall be no
exemptions from the Basic CSTC. However, the Commission shall prescribe Special CSTC
to address the peculiar needs and circumstances of students under the following
circumstances:

a) Those who are classified and officially registered as persons with disabilities:

b) Those whose religious beliefs prohibit the use of firearms in rendering service to the
‘country; and

c) Those who have been convicted by final judgment of crimes involving moral turpitude;

Provided, that foreign citizens enrolled in baccalaureate degree courses or technical
vocational courses where CSTC is required shall also undergo a Special CSTC prescribed by
the Commission that would deepen their understanding and appreciation of the Philippines,
its people, society, culture and government, and hamess their potential as bridges to improve.
their respective countries’ ties with the Philippines.

SECTION 7. Advance CSTC. ~ There is also hereby instituted an Advance CSTC which
may be pursued by all graduates of the Basic CSTC, except those who have been convicted
by final judgment of crimes involving moral turpitude; and who have successfully finished a
one-semester Officer Qualifying Course within the first two (2) years of their baccalaureate
degree courses or technical vocational courses. The Officer Qualifying Course shall include
leadership and management training, which will equip the graduates thereof to themselves
administer the Basic CSTC, shall be completed in one (1) semester, and shall consist of at
least one hundred and twenty-eight (128) hours of lecture, practical training and field
exercises in external and territorial defense, internal security and peace and order, and
disaster risk reduction and management. Graduates of the Officer Qualifying Course, who
shall be referred to as cadet officers, shall compose the Officer Corps of the Basic CSTC in
each campus and shall administer the conduct of the Basic CSTC of each campus under the


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administrative control and supervision of the Department of Citizen Service Training (DCST)
of the respective campuses

It shall be mandatory for all public and private colleges, universities and similar learning
institutions offering baccalaureate degree courses to offer the Advance CSTC in all their
campuses, which shall have a duration of at least eight (8) semesters over four (4) school
years, which shall include the first two (2) years of Basis CSTC, unless otherwise allowed by
the Training Board

However, enrolment thereunder shall be voluntary. Graduates of the Advance CSTC shall be
posted to leadership roles in the Citizen Service Corps (Corps) established herein

SECTION 8. Preparatory CSTC. ~ There is further hereby instituted a Preparatory CSTC
which shall be administered and implemented by the Department of Education (DepEd) to all
students, male and female, enrolled in Grades 11 and 12 in all public and private learning
institutions. The Preparatory CSTC shall be an introductory/orientation course to the Basic
CSTC and is hereby declared a requirement for enrollment in all baccalaureate degree
courses or technical vocational courses (which may be completed in at least two (2) years) in
all public and private colleges, universities, and similar learning institutions.

ARTICLE IV
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CITIZEN SERVICE CORPS

SECTION 9. Citizen Service Corps. — There is hereby established a Citizen Service Corps
which shall be composed of all the graduates of CSTC and may be called upon and mobilized
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.

ARTICLE V
CREATION OF THE CITIZEN SERVICE MOBILIZATION COMMISSION

SECTION 10. Citizen Service Mobilization Commission. ~ There is hereby created a Citizen
Service Mobilization Commission, which shall oversee the CSTC and the Corps, and
implement the objectives and purposes of this Act. The President shall appoint the
Chairperson and the four (4) Commissioners as provided herein within sixty (60) days from
the effectivity of this Act. The Commission must organize itself in accordance with the
provisions of this Act within sixty (60) days from the appointment of all its members. The
Commission shall be an attached agency of the Office of the President.

The Commission shall ensure the full implementation of this Act within one (1) year from the
effectivity of this Act.

SECTION 11. Composition of the Commission. ~ The Commission shall be composed of a
Chairperson and four (4) Commissioners, namely, two (2) Commissioners for Training and
two (2) Commissioners for Mobilization. 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


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of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), or their duly-
authorized representatives with a rank of at least Assistant Secretary for the DND and the
DILG, Commissioner for the CHED, or Board Member for the TESDA, shall be ex-officio
voting members of the Commission.

The Chairperson and the Commissioners 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 their offices. They must not have been
candidates for any elective national or local office in the immediately preceding elections,
whether regular or special. The Chairperson and the Commissioners, who shall have the rank
equivalent of cabinet secretary and undersecretary, respectively, shall be appointed by the
President.

SECTION 12. 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
necessary for the adoption of any rule, ruling, order, resolution, decision, or other acts of the
Commission; Provided, that the affirmative vote of at least five (5) members of the
Commission shall be necessary for the exercise of the powers and functions of the
Commission under Section 15(a), (4), (f), (j), and (k), as well as those under Section 20,
paragraph 4, Section 29, and Section 31

SECTION 13. Term of Office. — The term of office of the Chairperson and the
Commissioners shall be seven (7) years, without reappointment. Of those first appointed, the
Chairperson and the two (2) Commissioners first to be appointed shall hold office for seven
(7) years, while the two (2) Commissioners last to be appointed shall hold office for five (5)
years. Appointment to any vacancy shall only be for the unexpired term of the predecessor.

SECTION 14. Compensation and Other Emoluments of the Members and Employees of the
Commission. ~ The compensation and other emoluments of the members and employees of
the Commission shall be exempted from the coverage of Republic Act No. 6758, otherwise
known as the Salary Standardization Act. For this purpose, the compensation and other
emoluments of the Chairperson, Commissioners and employees of the Commission shall be
fixed based on an objective classification system, taking into consideration the importance
and responsibilities attached to their respective positions, and shall be submitted to the
President for his approval.

SECTION 15. Powers of the Commission. - The Commission shall have the following
powers

a) Design, prescribe and/or approve the programs of instruction for the CSTC, including
special courses for students under specific circumstances;

b) Ensure the proper administration of the CSTC;

©) Exercise supervision and control over all agencies, offices and persons, directly
implementing the CSTC;

d) Recommend to the President the general, nationwide or large-scale mobilization of the
Corps;


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e) Approve, as required under this Act, the deployment of a limited number of the Corps to
national government agencies and to local government units to assist in regional, provincial,
city, municipal or barangay level disasters, emergencies and other contingencies;

£) Approve the regular deployment of a limited number of the Corps to the AFP, the PNP and
the OCD to serve as reservists and active duty cadres to meet the peace time stand-by reserve
requirements of said agencies;

) 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 the
CSTC, mobilization of the Corps and implementation of this Act;

h) Issue serial numbers to all graduates of the CSTC;
i) Maintain and update a registry/database of all cadets and cadet officers of the CSTC;

i) Promulgate the appropriate rules and regulations, in accordance with Section 39 hereof, to
fully implement the provisions of this Act;

k) Appoint, fix the compensation and determine the status, qualifications, and duties of the
staff of the Commission. The members of the technical staff, except those performing purely
clerical functions, shall possess at least a baccalaureate degree;

1) Generate and utilize resources to fully implement the provisions of this Act;

m) Audit the utilization of funds appropriated, collected or advanced for the implementation
of this Act; and

n) Exercise such other powers as are necessary or essential to fully implement the provisions
of this Act.

SECTION 16. Organization of the Commission. — The Commission shall have a Citizen
Service Training Board and a Citizen Service Mobilization Board (Mobilization Board).

SECTION 17. Citizen Service Training Board. — The Training Board shall be composed of
the Chairperson as head, the two (2) Commissioners for Training, the Chairperson of the
CHED and the Director General of the TESDA, or their duly authorized representatives,
which shall be a Commissioner for the CHED and a Board Member for the TESDA. The
Secretary of the DepEd, or his duly authorized representative, with a rank of at least Assistant
Secretary, shall be a consulting non-voting member of the Training Board.

The Training Board shall come up with the initial CSTC Programs of Instruction, including
the Basic CSTC, the Advance CSTC, the Program Managers Training Course and the Officer
Qualifying Course (CSTC POL), within sixty (60) days from the organization of the
Commission. For this purpose, the Training Board is hereby directed to tap the technical
expertise of the AFP, the PNP and the OCD, the expertise and experience of stakeholders in
both public and private sector, and the curriculum development expertise of the CHED, the
TESDA and the DepEd, as well as public and private colleges, universities and similar
learning institutions. The CSTC POI shall be subject to the approval of the Commission. The
Training Board shall also supervise and see to the continuous development of the CSTC POL


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Thereafter, the Commission, through the Training Board, shall ensure the incorporation of the
CSTC POT in the curricula of all baccalaureate degree courses and all technical vocational
courses (which may be completed in at least two (2) years) offered by public and private
colleges, universities and similar learning institutions, and in the curricula of Grade 11 and
Grade 12 in all public and private learning institutions

The Training Board shall adopt guidelines, which shall be incorporated in the rules and
regulations of the Commission, for the organization of a DCST in every public and private
colleges, universities and similar learning institutions. For colleges and universities with
multiple campuses, there shall be a DCST for each campus.

SECTION 18. Citizen Service Mobilization Board. - The Mobilization Board shall be
composed of the Chairperson as head, the two (2) Commissioners for Mobilization, the
Secretary of the DND and the Secretary of the DILG, or their duly authorized representatives
with a rank of at least Assistant Secretary. The Secretary of the Department of Social Work
and Development, or his duly authorized representatives with a rank of at least Assistant
Secretary, the Chief of Staff of the AFP and the Director General of the PNP, or their duly
authorized representatives with a rank of at least Brigadier General, Commodore or Chief
Superintendent, as the case may be, shall be consulting non-voting members of the
Mobilization Board.

The Mobilization Board shall administer the process of deployment of the Corps in
accordance with the provisions of this Act. From time to time as manpower and training
resources may allow, the Mobilization Board may call for retraining of the Corps to maintain
and enhance its level of competency and readiness for mobilization. For this purpose, the
Mobilization Board may call for training mobilizations for periods not exceeding fifteen (15)
days.

SECTION 19. Annual Reports. ~ The Commission shall regularly publish an annual report
containing a list of its accomplishments, status of its operations, number and demography of
the Corps, assessment of readiness for mobilization and the incidence and details of each
mobilization for the year concemed. The annual report shall also include the results of the
audit investigation on the spending of funds appropriated, collected or advanced for the
implementation of the provisions of this Act, as referred to under Section 31, Section 32 and
Section 33 hereof.

ARTICLE VI
DEVELOPMENT OF THE CITIZEN SERVICE TRAINING COURSE

SECTION 20. Department of Citizen Service Training. - Within each campus of their
respective institutions, all public and private colleges, universities and similar learning
institutions shall establish and maintain, in accordance with the structure and organization
provided in the rules and regulations of the Commission, an autonomous Department of
Citizen Service Training, which shall be tasked with the primary duty and responsibility of
fully implementing the CSTC in their respective campuses The DCST shall have an overall
department head, a commandant for external and territorial defense, a commandant for
internal security and peace and order, and a commandant for disaster risk reduction
management.


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The head of each campus and/or learning institution shall appoint a department head within
thirty (30) days from the effectivity of the rules and regulations implementing this Act.
Within thirty (30) days from acceptance of his appointment, the department head shall submit
a list of three (3) names for each commandant position from which the head of each campus
and/or learning institution shall appoint, within fifteen (15) days from receipt of the lists, the
three (3) commandants.

The DCST shall be directly under the office of the head of each campus and/or learning
institution. It shall be civilian in character and shall administer the CSTC. However, it is
understood that personnel of the AFP, PNP and the OCD shall not be disqualified from being
appointed as heads of the DCST.

The head of the DCST shall be chosen by the head of the learning institution from among
candidates who by reason of their training, experience and/or education in the fields of
external and territorial defense, internal security and peace and order and/or disaster risk
reduction management is best qualified to be the head of the DCST. The Commission shall
have the authority to prescribe the qualifications for the head of DCST.

Should a learning institution fail to organize a DCST and/or appoint a DCST head within the
period stated above, the Commission shall cause the establishment of a DCST and/or appoint
the head thereof.

SECTION 21. The University of the Philippines as Curriculum and Development Center. ~
The University of the Philippines (U.P), as the National University, through its various
DCSTs in each of its campuses, shall serve as the CSTC POI research and development
center for the Commission, For this purpose, there is hereby created a U.P. Center for Citizen
Service Training (CCST), which shall be within the U.P. System and under the Office of the
UDP. President. It shall have the following powers:

a) Undertake studies, surveys, and research to assess and/or enhance the implementation of
the CSTC;

b) Design and develop CSTC subjects and modules for the review and approval of the
Commission;

©) Pilot test CSTC subjects, modules and programs it designed and developed within the UP.
system for purposes of assessment; and

4d) Subject to the approval of the U.P. President and the U.P. Board of Regents, prepare the
plantilla of the UP. CCST.

The governing body of the U.P. CCST shall be an executive committee composed of the
department heads of the various DCSTs in each campus of the U.P. System. The chairperson
of the executive committee shall be elected for a term of three (3) years from among the
members of the executive committee

The U.P. CCST shall be located at the U.P. Diliman DCST.

SECTION 22. Development of the CSTC POI — The U.P. CCST shall propose
improvements to the CSTC POI, which shall undergo pilot-testing in each of the U.P.
campuses. The pilot-tested CSTC POI shall be submitted for the assessment, consideration


and approval of the Commission within thirty (30) days from the last day of the pilot-testing
semester.

The Commission and the U.P. CCST shall ensure the participation of third-party stakeholders
and experts in the fields of external and territorial defense, internal security and peace and
order, and disaster risk reduction and management in the continued development and
improvement of the CSTC POL.

ARTICLE VIE
DEPLOYMENT OF THE CITIZEN SERVICE CORPS

SECTION 23, Requests for Deployment. — The Corps may be called upon and mobilized 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, through requests for deployment by
the heads of such national government agencies or local government units submitted to the
Mobilization Board, The requests shall contain a justification for the deployment of the Corps
and shall contain 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 deployment,
the number of personnel requested to be deployed and the period of deployment

SECTION 24. Evaluation of the Requests for Deployment. — The Mobilization Board shall
evaluate the requests for deployment. When the number of personnel requested does not
exceed one hundred and fifty (150) and the period of deployment does not exceed sixty (60)
days, the Mobilization Board shall decide whether to approve or disapprove the request
within twenty-four (24) hours from receipt thereof. When the number of personnel requested
exceeds one hundred and fifty (150) or the period of deployment exceeds sixty (60) days, the
Mobilization Board shall make a recommendation to the Commission within twenty-four (24)
hours from receipt of the request. The Commission shall decide whether to approve or
disapprove the request within twenty-four (24) hours from receipt of the recommendation of
the Mobilization Board

In case of the approval of the request for deployment, the Mobilization Board shall issue an
Order of Deployment requiring the Corps, or a number thereof, 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.

SECTION 25. Deployment in Case of a Declaration of a State of War, State of Lawless
Violence or State of Calamity; Nationwide Mobilization. — In case of a declaration of a state
of war, state of lawless violence or state of calamity, the Commission may motu proprio
recommend the mobilization of the Corps to the President of the Philippines. The President of
the Philippines, by himself, shall also have the power to order the mobilization of the Corps
to respond to national or local contingencies related to external and territorial defense,
internal security and peace and order and/or disaster risk reduction management.

SECTION 26. Mobilization Centers. ~ There shall be established in each province and city
as many mobilization centers as needed according to the number and geographical


distribution of the Corps, where they will report in case of deployment. The local government
units shall provide an office, which shall be known as the Citizen Service Office, which shall
handle the administrative aspects of mobilization.

In case of mobilization, the equipment of the Corps shall be supplied in close coordination
with the AFP, the PNP and the OCD, with the end in view of achieving rapid mobilization.

SECTION 27. Lines of Command. ~ Upon deployment, operational control over the Corps
shall be vested upon the head of the requesting national government agency or local
government unit: Provided, that, in case of deployment for purposes of external and territorial
defense, when the Corps is mobilized to expand the AFP in the event of war, invasion,
rebellion or similar circumstances, operational control shall be vested upon the AFP.

SECTION 28. Expenses of Deployment. ~ The role of the Commission shall be to provide
and marshal the required personnel to address national or local contingencies involving
external and territorial defense, internal security and peace and order, and national disaster
risk reduction and management. Upon deployment, the national government agency or the
local government unit to which the Corps is deployed shall shoulder the operational expenses
of deployment.

SECTION 29. Operationalization of Deployment. ~ The Mobilization Board, subject to the
approval of the Commission, shall promulgate the specific mechanisms by which deployment
is efficiently implemented, including the organization of the Corps to be deployed, their
territorial assignments, how deployment orders are communicated to each member of the
Corps and to which mobilization center they will report

SECTION 30. Serial Numbers and Registry. - Upon completion of the Basic CSTC, the
graduates shall be issued individual serial numbers, which will serve as their identification in
case of deployment

The Commission shall maintain and update a registry/database containing the names of the
members of the Corps, their serial numbers, address, contact details and such other
information as the Commission may determine. For this purpose, all public and private
colleges, universities and learning institutions are hereby mandated to annually transmit their
records of the graduates of the CSTC to the Commission, in the form as may be determined
by the Commission.

Alll graduates of CSTC are required to update their addresses and contact details on file with
the Commission as often as necessary. Orders of deployment sent to the addresses and/or
through the contact details on file with the Commission shall be sufficient notice for the
purpose of Section 37 hereof.

SECTION 31, Termination of Deployment. — Upon the expiration of the requested period of
depioyment, without an extension having been requested and approved by the Commission,
the Corps shall be discharged of its duties. The deployment may also be terminated earlier
upon a determination by the Commission, in consultation with the requesting national
government agency or local government unit, that such deployment is no longer in
accordance with the objectives and purposes of this Act

SECTION 32. Effect on Employment, — Deployment of employees in accordance with the
provisions of this Act shall not be a ground for dismissal or diminution of any benefit enjoyed


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by such employees prior to their deployment. Employees shall be entitled to their regular
wage or salary during the period of their deployment, Provided, that employers shall be
entitled to deduct such regular wage or salary from their gross income for the same taxable
year that the regular wage or salary was granted

ARTICLE Vii
FUNDING OF THE CITIZEN SERVICE CORPS

SECTION 33. Citizen Service Fund. — A Citizen Service Fund is hereby established
exclusively for the implementation of the objectives and purposes of this Act. The Office of
the President shall monitor and evaluate the activities and the balances of the Fund,

SECTION 34. Appropriations. - All funds previously appropriated for the establishment,
maintenance, and operation of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Program of the AFP.
established under Republic Act No. 7077, as amended, and which will subsequently and
hereafter be appropriated for such purpose shall be used exclusively for the implementation
of the objectives and purposes of this Act. All funds appropriated for the implementation of
the National Service Training Program under Republic Act No. 9163 shall also be used
exclusively for the implementation of the objectives and purposes of this Act

An initial funding of Fifty million pesos (P50,000,000.00) shall be allocated from the
Presidential Social Fund to sustain the operation of the Commission and the implementation
of this Act for the first year of its effectivity. Thereafter, the Citizen Service Fund shall be
included in the annual General Appropriations Act

SECTION 35. School Fees. ~ Public colleges, universities and similar learning institutions
covered by Republic Act No. 10931, otherwise known as the Universal Access to Quality
Tertiary Education Act, shall not collect any fee for the CSTC. The training costs shall be
included in the annual appropriations of such public colleges, universities and similar
learning institutions, In cases of students not eligible to avail of the benefits under Republic
Act No. 10931, public colleges, universities and similar learning institutions may collect a
training fee of not more than fifty percent (50%) of the tuition fee per academic unit.

Colleges, universities and similar learning institutions not covered by Republic Act No
10931 shall have the option of collecting a training fee of not more than fifty percent (50%)
of the tuition fee per academic unit, or of not collecting any fee for the CSTC; Provided that,
in the latter case, the actual expenses for the administration of CSTC incurred by such
institutions shall be allowed as a deduction from the gross income of such institutions for the
same taxable year that the expenses are incurred. The covered institutions shall elect an
option and inform the Commission not later than one hundred and twenty (120) days before
the start of the school year. Such election may be changed only once every four (4) school
years, unless specifically allowed by the Commission.

For this purpose, the Department of Finance, through the Bureau of Internal Revenue, shall
formulate the appropriate regulations for the deduction provided under this section. The
Commission shall promulgate budgetary guidelines for all covered institutions to ensure that
the budget appropriated, collected or advanced for the training costs are reasonable and
sufficient to ensure proper administration of the CSTC


B

SECTION 36. Incentives for Students Pursuing Advance CSTC. — Students pursuing the
Advance CSTC shall be entitled to tuition fee discounts according to the following schedule:

a) Cadet officers shall be entitled to fifty percent (50%) discount on their tuition fees
effective the semester after their completion of the officer qualifying course until their
completion of the Basic CSTC provided they serve as officers of the CSTC; and

b) During their training under the Advance CSTC, they shall be entitled to one hundred
percent (100%) discount on their tuition fees. Cadet officers pursuing the Advance CSTC
who, for any reason, fail to qualify for benefits under Republic Act No. 10931 are
nonetheless entitled to the incentives provided above. For this purpose, all colleges,
universities and similar learning institutions shall issue tuition waivers/discounts in favor of
the said cadet officers.

For private colleges, universities and similar learning institutions, the tuition fee
waivers/discounts granted pursuant to this section may likewise be claimed as a deduction
from the gross income of such institutions for the same taxable year that the
discounts/waivers were granted. For income tax-exempt private colleges, universities and
similar learning institutions, they may claim reimbursement of the discounts/waivers granted
under this section against the Citizen Service Fund created under Section 31 hereof.

Cadet officers shall likewise be entitled to a uniform allowance, which shall be provided and
given in kind by the Commission.

Upon completion of the Advance CSTC and subject to the taking of the Reserve Officer
Qualifying Examination under Section 44 hereof, the graduates of Advance CSTC shall be
commissioned as reserve second lieutenant or its equivalent in the AFP, PNP or OCD;
Provided, that they shall have obtained their baccalaureate degree courses within four (4)
years from such completion, failing which their reserve commission shall be deemed revoked
by operation of law.

The Commission shall ensure that an adequate portion of the Citizen Service Fund is
allocated for the above incentives. The budget of the Commission to be submitted to the
President shall likewise incorporate such allocation.

SECTION 37. Audit of Funds. — Without prejudice to the audit jurisdiction of the
Commission on Audit and the Bureau of Internal Revenue under existing laws and
regulations, there shall be created an Audit Division within the Commission with the limited
authority to conduct audit investigation on the spending of colleges, universities and similar
learning institutions of funds appropriated, collected or advanced for the administration of the
CSTC, with the specific purpose of ensuring that such funds are exclusively spent for
program implementation and direct training costs.

ARTICLE IX
PENAL AND DISCIPLINARY PROVISIONS

SECTION 38. Failure to Respond. a) Failure to respond to the order of deployment despite
notice sent to the address and/or contact details on file with the Commission for external and
territorial defense shall be punishable in accordance with the Articles of War, and shall, upon


14

conviction by a court-martial, be punishable by imprisonment of not less than six (6) months
but not more than two (2) years;

b) Failure to respond to the order of deployment for internal security and peace and order or
disaster risk reduction and management shall, upon conviction by a civil court, be punishable
as follows

First Offense: One hundred and twenty (120) hours of community service;
Second Offense: Two hundred and forty (240) hours of community service; and

Third and Subsequent Offenses: Six (6) months imprisonment and four hundred and eighty
(480) hours of community service

SECTION 39. Disciplinary and Corrective Proceedings. — Administrative offenses
committed by persons involved in or in relation to the implementation of this Act, including
the administration of the CSTC and the conduct of the Summer Citizen Service Training
Camp, shall be subject to administrative penalties in accordance with the applicable civil
service rules.

Complaints against heads and commandants of DCSTs or their equivalent, officers of the
Commission and such employees of the Commission as may be identified in the
implementing rules and regulations of this Act, shall be filed with and decided by a
Disciplinary Board to be composed of the Chairperson of the Commission, a Commissioner
for Training and a Commissioner for Mobilization, both of which shall be selected by the
Chairperson. All complaints must be decided by the Disciplinary Board within one hundred
and twenty (120) days from filing thereof,

Complaints against officers and employees of the DCSTs, as well cadet officers, shall be filed
with and decided by the heads of their respective DCSTs. All complaints must be decided by
the head of the DCST within thirty (30) days from filing thereof, subject to a one-time
extension of thirty (30) days granted by the Chairperson of the Commission. Unless stayed by
the Disciplinary Board for meritorious reasons, all decisions of the heads of DSCTs on the
complaints shall be immediately executory.

No motions for reconsideration shall be allowed from the decision of the heads of the
DCSTS, but the same may be appealed within fifteen (15) days from receipt thereof by filing
a memorandum of appeal with the Disciplinary Board of the Commission. If the penalty
imposed by the heads of the DCSTs is dismissal, the decision shall be automatically reviewed
to the Disciplinary Board.

In all cases of appeal by parties and automatic review by the Disciplinary Board, the entire
records of the cases shall be transmitted to the Disciplinary Board within thirty (30) days
from the promulgation of the decision by the heads of the DCSTs. All appeals and automatic
reviews shall be resolved by the Disciplinary Board within one hundred and twenty (120)
days from receipt of the entire records of the cases.

The decisions of the Disciplinary Board shall be final and may be assailed only by a petition
for certiorari under Rule 65 of the Rules of Court before the Court of Appeals.

SECTION 40. Corruption, graft, hazing and other abuses. ~ For acts already penalized under
existing laws such as corruption, grafi, hazing, sexual harassment, and other abuses


1s

committed by persons authorized to administer the CSTC and deployment of the Corps, the
maximum penalty imposable under existing laws shall be imposed.

ARTICLE X
IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS

SECTION 41. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). - The Commission shall be
tasked to formulate and approve the necessary rules and regulations to implement the
objectives and purposes of this Act within sixty (60) days from its organization. The rules and
regulations shall include provisions on the structure and organization of the Corps under
Section 9, the structure and organization of the Department of Citizen Service Training under
Section 20, the specific mechanisms for the efficient mobilization and deployment of the
Corps under Section 29, the incentives for students pursuing Advance CSTC under Section
35, and such other matters as the Commission may deem necessary or essential to fully
implement the objectives and purposes of this Act.

ARTICLE Xi
TRANSITORY PROVISIONS

SECTION 42. Period of Implementation, ~ To ensure efficient transition and to enable all
public and private colleges, universities, and similar learning institutions to adopt the
necessary structural changes within their units in accordance with the provisions of this Act,
the CSTC shall be administered in all public colleges, universities, and similar learning
institutions after the Commission has promulgated the necessary implementing rules and
regulations described in Section 39.

SECTION 43. Initial Program Managers. — The Training Board shall ensure that the initial
set of program managers who shall instruct and train the first sets of enrollees in the CSTC in
all public and private colleges, universities and similar leaning institutions are properly
trained and equipped. For this purpose, the Training Board shall develop a Program Managers
Training Course (PMTC). All covered institutions are required to send program managers, in
number sufficient to implement the CSTC, to undergo and successfully pass the PMTC to be
administered and conducted by the Commission.

SECTION 44. Current Enrollment under Republic Act No. 9163. — In all cases, students who
are currently enrolled under the curriculum implemented by virtue of Republic Act No. 9163,
otherwise known as the National Service Training Program Act of 2001, shall be allowed to
finish the curriculum and be deemed to have satisfied the requirement for graduation after
completion thereof.

SECTION 45. Integration of Existing Reserve Units and Service Corps. — All reservists
included in the Reserved Force created under Republic Act No. 7077, otherwise known as the
Citizen Armed Forces of the Philippines Reservist Act, and all members of the National
Service Reserve Corps created under Republic Act No. 9163, shall be absorbed under the
Citizen Service Corps created under this Act. The Citizen Service Mobilization Board shall
determine their ranks and designations within the Citizen Service Corps


16

SECTION 46. Organization of Reserve Components. — To complement the existing AFP
Reserve Force, the Commission is hereby authorized and mandated to organize the reserve
components of the PNP and the OCD within six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act
Thereafter, the administration, operational control and funding of the newly organized reserve
components shall be vested upon the PNP and the OCD, respectively.

The Commission shall also develop a Reserve Officer Qualifying Examination to be
administered by the Commission to the cadet officers prior to the start of the eight (8")
semester of their Advance CSTC to determine their competencies for the purpose of
assigning them as officers of the respective reserve components of the AFP, PNP or OCD.
Thereafter, the respective reserve commands of the reserve components shall be responsible
for the training and advancement of their reserve officers, where they shall be commissioned
as officers

ARTICLE XID
FINAL PROVISIONS

SECTION 47. Repealing Clause. — Republic Act No. 9163, otherwise known as the National
Service Training Program Act of 2001, is hereby repealed. The relevant provisions of
Republic Act No. 7707, otherwise known as the Citizen Armed Forces of the Philippines
Reservist Act,, are hereby amended as appropriate. All other laws, orders, rules regulations
and other issuances, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Act are likewise hereby
repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SECTION 48. Separability Clause. — Any provision of this Act declared unconstitutional
shall not affect the validity of the other provisions thereof.

SECTION 49. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in two (2) newspapers of national circulation

Approved,