Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
House Bill No. 10596
Introduced by Representative Michael L. Romero 
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE ORGANIZATION, TRAINING, EQUIPAGE, 
MAINTENANCE DEVELOPMENT, ADMINISTRATION AND UTILIZATION 
OF THE CITIZEN ARMED FORCE OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE 
PHILIPPINES, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7077, 
AS AMENDED, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Section 4, Article XVI of the 1987 Constitution specifically provides that: 
“The Armed Forces of the Philippines shall be composed of a citizen armed 
force which shall undergo military training and serve as may be provided by 
law. It shall keep a regular force necessary for the security of the State.”  
By virtue of such, Republic Act No. 7077 otherwise known as the “Citizen Armed 
Force or Armed Forces of the Philippines Reservist Act” was promulgated on June 
27, 1991. Section 7, Article III of the aforementioned Act provides that: 
“The mission of the Citizen Armed Force, alternately referred to as the 
Reserve Force, is to provide the base for the expansion of the Armed Forces 
of the Philippines in the event of war, invasion or rebellion; to assist in relief 
and rescue during disasters or calamities; to assist in socioeconomic 
development; and to assist in the operation and maintenance of essential 
government or private utilities in the furtherance of the overall mission.” 
While the draft Implementing Rules and Regulations to the three-decade-old law has 
been submitted by the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Retiree and Reservist 
Affairs, OJ9, to the Department of National Defense, there is an urgent need in 
pursuing the sunset review of the said Act to address the pressing gaps and 
challenges in the implementation of the law amid the passage of subsequent laws 
July 15, 2024
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such as the Local Government Code in 1991 and the Disaster Reduction and Risk 
Management Act of 2010.  
For context and to stress the importance of the Reservists as Force Multipliers for a 
country’s Armed Forces in times of Wars and Conflicts, we can cite 2 recent and 
concrete examples which are: 
1. The Israel Defense Force (IDF) was comprised of around 170,000 active
personnel and it mobilized around 360,000 reservists after the October 7 terror
attack forming a 530,000-strong total defense force;
2. The Armed Forces of Ukraine was comprised of around 900,000 active
personnel and it mobilized around 1.2 million forming a 2.2million-strong
military force.
In the case of the Philippines, the AFP has an active personnel of around 150,000. Its 
target for trained Reservists for 2026 is 1million, and for 2028 is 1.6million. Once we 
achieve these goals, we will have a 1.150million for 2026, and 1.8million strong 
Armed Forces of the Philippines. 
The amendment and updating of Republic Act No. 7077 is urgently needed as a 
responsive and adaptive Reserve Force is essential in ensuring for the Philippines' 
national security and defense in an ever-changing world. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
MICHAEL L. ROMERO Ph.D. 
Representative  
1-PACMAN Partylist


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
House Bill No. 10596 
Introduced by Representative Michael L. Romero 
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE ORGANIZATION, TRAINING, EQUIPAGE, 
MAINTENANCE DEVELOPMENT, ADMINISTRATION AND UTILIZATION 
OF THE CITIZEN ARMED FORCE OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE 
PHILIPPINES, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7077, 
AS AMENDED, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:  
SECTION 1. The Full Title of Republic Act No. 7077, is hereby amended to read as 
follows:   
“An 
Act 
Providing 
for 
the 
ORGANIZATION, 
TRAINING, 
EQUIPAGE, 
MAINTENANCE 
DEVELOPMENT, 
ADMINISTRATION and Utilization of the Citizen Armed Force of the 
Armed Forces of the Philippines and for Other Purposes.” 
SEC. 2. Section 10 of Republic Act No. 7077 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
“Sec 10. Affiliated Reserves – As the President shall approve upon 
recommendation of the Secretary of National Defense, certain private 
and 
government 
entities, 
corporations, 
establishments, 
and 
organizations at the national, provincial, and municipal levels that 
provide essential public services, AND DEFENSE MATERIAL AND 
SERVICES such as water, light, transportation, communications, 
HEALTH SERVICES, UTILITY SERVICES, SUPPLIES AND 
LOGISTICAL 
SERVICES, 
EDUCATION 
AND 
TRAINING 
SERVICES, 
FIREFIGHTING 
SERVICES, 
ENGINEERING 
SERVICES, MUNITION AND AMMUNITION SERVICES, SPACE 


INDUSTRY, 
POWER 
SERVICES, 
FOOD 
SERVICES, 
PRODUCTION 
SUSTAINMENT, 
CYBER 
SECURITY, 
AUTONOMOUS UNDERWATER VEHICLES , RADAR, SECURITY 
SERVICES, CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL, RADIOLOGICAL, AND 
NUCLEAR AND PHARMACEUTICAL SERVICES which are 
necessary to support the prosecution of national defense plans or to 
meet an emergency shall be organized as affiliated units shall be 
constituted by appropriate orders to be issued by the Secretary of 
National Defense, given unit designations and assigned to the 
appropriate reserve components of the Armed Forces of the Philippines 
(AFP). The roster of the officials and employees of these affiliated units 
shall be included in the orders of constituting the units. This unit shall 
be so utilized in times of war or emergency to ensure the continuous 
and uninterrupted provision of the essential services they are 
rendering.” 
 
SEC. 3. Section 11 of Republic Act No. 7077 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
 
“Sec. 11. Citizen Soldiers. —The citizen soldiers, alternately referred 
to as reservists, who compose the Reserve Force are those reservists of 
the Armed Forces of the Philippines who are incorporated into the 
Reserve Force, as follows: 
 
(1) Graduates of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) basic and 
advanced courses and who were issued orders as enlisted reservists or 
reserve officers of the AFP; 
 
(2) Graduates of authorized basic military training instructions who, 
as a result thereof, were issued orders as enlisted reservists or reserve 
officers; 
 
(3) Ex-servicemen of OTHER UNIFORMED SERVICES SUCH AS 
PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD (PCG), PHILIPPINE NATIONAL 
POLICE (PNP), BUREAU OF JAIL MANAGEMENT AND 
PENOLOGY (BJMP), BUREAU OF FIRE PROTECTION (BFP), 
NATIONAL 
MAPPING 
AND 
RESOURCE 
INFORMATION 
AUTHORITY (NAMRIA), PHILIPPINE DRUG ENFORCEMENT 
AGENCY 
(PDEA), 
JUDICIAL 
MARSHAL, 
BUREAU 
OF 
CORRECTION (BUCOR) AND RETIRED OFFICERS/EP OF THE 
AFP and other armed forces that have diplomatic relations with the 
Philippines who were honorably discharged or retired from the service 
and who are Filipino citizens upon their application; PROVIDED 
FURTHER THAT UPON INCORPORATION INTO THE RESERVE 
FORCE, THE RANKS OF OTHER UNIFORMED PERSONNEL 


SHALL BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE EXISTING RULES AND 
REGULATIONS OF THE AFP AND OTHER LAWS.  
 
(4) Recognized World War II guerrillas who were honorably discharged 
from the service; 
 
(5)Commissioned and noncommissioned officers under the Affiliated 
Reserves category and graduates of the National Defense College of the 
Philippines (NDCP); and 
 
(6) Commissioned, noncommissioned officers and privates under the 
existing laws including those procured under project 36-70 and 
included in the present AFP roster before the enactment of this Act and 
those to be commissioned or enlisted after the enactment of this Act.” 
 
SEC. 4. Section 14 of Republic Act No. 7077 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
 
“Sec 14. Compulsory Military Registration Training – ALL ABLE-
BODIED CITIZENS between ages of eighteen (18) and twenty-five 
(25) who are not reservists shall be required to register for military 
instruction.” 
 
SEC. 5. Section 19 of Republic Act No. 7077 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
 
“Sec. 19. Board of Canvassers.  
There is hereby created a board of canvassers, one (1) for each province 
and chartered city, for the purpose of selecting the registrants who will 
undergo compulsory military training as provided for in Section 18 
hereof. The board shall be composed of the following: 
 
In Provinces: 
 
Division Superintendent of Schools as Chairman 
 
Provincial PROSECUTOR as Member 
 
The appropriate Military Commander AS THE AFP MAJOR 
SERVICES may designate as Member   
  
 
In Chartered Cities: 
  
City Superintendent of Schools as Chairman 
 


City PROSECUTOR as Member 
 
Chief of Police as Member” 
 
SEC. 6. Section 28 of Republic Act No. 7077 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
 
“Sec. 28. Appeal from Decision of the Acceptance Board. —Where the 
acceptance board denies the claim of an individual for deferment, he 
may within thirty (30) days after receipt of written notification by the 
board appeal his case in writing directly to the Secretary of National 
Defense. [The Secretary of National Defense shall render a decision 
thereon within sixty (60) days from the date of filing of the appeal. 
The appellant shall be accorded the right to enjoy the right to be 
heard by himself and counsel and to present evidence in his behalf. 
The decision of the Secretary of National Defense or his duly 
authorized representative shall be final].” 
 
SEC. 7. Section 33 of Republic Act No. 7077 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
“Sec 33. Draftee Training and Service.— As may be ordered by the 
President, ALL ABLE-BODIED citizens the ages of eighteen (18) and 
thirty-five (35) shall be called to training and active service for a period 
not to exceed twenty-four (24) months, broken down into a training 
period of not more than six (6) months and an active service period of 
not more than eighteen (18) months. Registrants will be selected for 
draftee training and service in accordance with Sections 14 to 26 
hereof. A draftee may volunteer and be accepted for an extension of 
active service of not more than twelve (12) consecutive months, after 
which his services as draftee shall be terminated. A draftee during the 
period of his active duty service to include the extension of such service 
is entitled to receive all the pay and allowances due his grade as 
received by any member of the regular force: Provided, That, upon 
termination of his draftee service, he shall receive a separation 
gratuity of not less than one (1) month salary for every year of his 
service to include the six (6) months of training upon the condition that 
a period of six (6) months shall be considered a complete year for 
purposes of this gratuity.” 
 
 
SEC. 8. Section 36 of Republic Act No. 7077 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
 
“Sec 36:  Citizen Military Training Center 
  


There shall be an established at least one (1) training center in every 
Province intended for the conduct of BCMT with a minimum capacity 
of one (1) Infantry Rifle Company at a time. IN COORDINATION 
WITH THE AFP, THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT SHALL BE 
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DESIGNATION, ESTABLISHMENT 
AND MAINTENANCE OF MOBILIZATION/TRAINING CENTERS 
IN THEIR RESPECTIVE JURISDICTIONS.” 
 
SEC. 9. Section 50 of Republic Act No. 7077 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
 
“Sec 50. Organization for Maintenance and Administration of the 
Reserve Force – The major services shall be responsible for the 
administration, training, equipage, and maintenance of their 
respective reserve components subject to the regulations to be 
prescribed by the Secretary of National Defense. In the General 
Headquarters AFP and in each Major Service Headquarters, there 
shall be a staff division of the level of the principal coordinating staff 
which shall be dedicated to planning and policy formulation for the 
administration, 
development, 
organization, 
training, 
equipage, 
maintenance and utilization of their respective Reserve Force 
component. The Chief of Staff, AFP shall create THE RESERVE 
FORCE SERVICE, AFP within one (1) year from the effectivity of this 
Act THAT WILL SERVE AS AN INTEGRATOR OF CAPABILITIES, 
SYNCHRONIZATION, 
DECONFLICTION, 
COORDINATION, 
AND AWARENESS OF MAJOR SERVICES RESERVE FORCE 
COMPONENT UNITS. In the case of the major services, there shall 
further be a separate unit dedicated to the implementation of such 
plans and policies. In staffing the command structure of these units, 
preference shall be given to qualified reserve officers in the active 
service and integrees.” 
  
 
SEC. 10. Section 53 of Republic Act No. 7077 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
 
“Sec. 53. ACTIVE DUTY TOUR OF RESERVISTS. – To improve their 
professional competence and leadership qualities, the Reservists in the 
Ready Reserve Units shall be called to active duty for a period not 
exceeding two (2) years without extension: Provided, that the quota for 
such active duty shall as far as practicable be proportionately 
distributed to the provinces and cities based on their reserve units, 
with priority to the RESERVIST OFFICERS AND ENLISTED 
RESERVISTS OF READY RESERVE UNITS: Provided, further, 
that; the Reservists that were called to active duty shall as far as 
practicable serve in the region of their reserve unit assignment. A 


Reservist who has served his tour shall not be called again to active 
duty until after five (5) years, except in case of mobilization.  
 
IN ADDITION, THE RESERVISTS CALLED FOR ACTIVE DUTY 
TOUR FOR TRAINING (ADTT)  SHALL BE COMPENSATED 
ACCORDING TO HIS/HER RANK PROVIDED THAT THERE IS 
NO DOUBLE COMPENSATION FOR THOSE EMPLOYED. 
TERMINATION 
OF 
SERVICE 
EMPLOYMENT 
IN 
THE 
GOVERNMENT WILL BE IN EFFECT UPON THE EFFECTIVITY 
OF ADTT.” 
 
 
SEC. 11. Section 54 of Republic Act No. 7077 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
“Sec. 54. CLASSIFICATION AND MAINTENANCE OF RESERVE 
UNITS. — Reserve units [which are composed of reservists of the 
Ready Reserve] shall be classified as to degree of readiness to respond 
to the call to service, as follows: 
(1) Ready Reserve — RESERVE Units classified as Ready Reserve 
shall be maintained in a high degree of readiness as to be ready for 
operational employment in not more than SEVEN (7) DAYS after 
activation. The individual and crew served weapons and individual 
clothing and equipment shall be ready for distribution upon their 
activation. The whereabouts of their reservists shall be constantly 
ascertained. As necessary, these units shall carry an excess of twenty 
percent (20%) of their authorized personnel strength to compensate for 
those who may fail to report or be late in reporting for duty. 
2) [Ready Reserve II—Units classified as Ready Reserve II shall be 
maintained in a degree of readiness as to be ready for operational 
employment in not more than fifteen (15) days.] STANDBY 
RESERVE. – RESERVE UNITS CLASSIFIED AS STANDBY 
RESERVES SHALL BE MAINTAINED IN A DEGREE OF 
READINESS AS STANDBY FOR OPERATIONAL EMPLOYMENT 
IN TIMES OF WAR OR INVASION. THE STANDBY RESERVE 
UNITS (SRUS) ARE RESERVE UNITS ORGANIZED AND 
MAINTAINED THROUGH ANNUAL ASSEMBLY TESTS TO 
UPDATE THEIR RECORDS AND PRESENT ADDRESSES, 
AMONG OTHERS. THE SRUS ARE MOBILIZED ONLY IN TIMES 
OF WAR OR INVASION THROUGH JOINT APPROVAL OF THE 
PRESIDENT AND CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE 
PHILIPPINES. 


3) RETIRED RESERVES. A LIST OF RESERVISTS CLASSIFIED 
AS RETIRED RESERVES SHALL BE MAINTAINED AS THE 
POOL OF AUGMENTATION AND REPLACEMENT TO THE 
PERSONNEL OF READY RESERVE AND STANDBY RESERVE 
UNITS. THE RETIRED RESERVES SHALL COMPOSED OF 
RESERVISTS WHO HAVE QUALIFIED FOR RETIREMENT 
THROUGH LENGTH OF SERVICE, OLD AGE, OR DISABILITY. 
SIXTY-FIVE (65) YEARS OF AGE SHALL BE THE RETIREMENT 
AGE FOR RESERVISTS. 
[The Chief of Staff, AFP shall select and recommend to the Secretary 
of National Defense the reserve units under Ready Reserve I and 
Ready Reserve II: Provided, That in areas threatened by insurgency, 
there shall be at least one (1) unit of infantry battalion strength 
under readiness status of Ready Reserve I.]” 
 
SEC. 12. Section 55 of Republic Act No. 7077 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
 
“Sec 55. Mobilization Stock – The minimum essential individual and 
organizational equipment and supplies ON MOVE, SHOOT, 
COMMUNICATE AND SEE REQUIREMENTS of Reservists shall be 
procured, 
stored 
and 
maintained 
AT 
THE 
DESIGNATED 
MOBILIZATION CENTER to enhance the rapid transition to 
readiness required for employment in the shortest possible time.” 
 
SEC. 13. Section 59 of Republic Act No. 7077 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
 
“Sec. 59 Mobilization. - The utilization of the Reserve Force in times of 
emergency to meet threats to national security shall be through 
mobilization: 
 
(1) 
Full Mobilization. - Full mobilization shall be through the joint 
act of Congress and the President. When full mobilization is ordered, 
THE NECESSARY UNITS of the Ready Reserves and Standby 
Reserves shall be activated. RETIRED RESERVES SHALL BE 
CALLED TO ACTIVE DUTY AS NECESSARY. The reservists 
constituting them are called to active duty, and the units activated are 
placed on operational readiness. All other reservists not assigned to 
any unit or those assigned to reserve pools shall be organized into 
replacement units; 
 
(2) Partial Mobilization – Partial mobilization shall be through the 
joint act of Congress and the President. When partial mobilization is 
ordered, only the units of the Ready Reserve as are necessary to meet 


the threat will be activated, the reservists assigned to these units are 
called to active duty and the activated units are placed on operational 
readiness. The President will specify the units to be activated; and 
 
(3) Selective Mobilization – Selective mobilization shall be by authority 
of the President. Selective mobilization may be ordered to meet a local 
threat or emergency situation. When so ordered, only selected units of 
the Ready Reserve of the localities involved are activated and the 
reservists assigned to them are called to active duty; or active auxiliary 
units are organized and volunteer reservists are called to active 
auxiliary service for the purpose, under such rules and regulations as 
the Secretary of National Defense may prescribe.” 
 
 
SEC. 14. Section 66 of Republic Act No. 7077 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
 
“Sec. 66. Funding – THERE SHALL BE ALLOCATION OF 
ADEQUATE FUNDS FOR RESERVE FORCE DEVELOPMENT AS 
DETERMINED 
BY 
THE 
AFP 
MAJOR 
SERVICES 
AND 
AFPRESCOM TO ADDRESS THE ORGANIZATION, TRAINING, 
EQUIPAGE, 
MAINTENANCE, 
DEVELOPMENT, 
ADMINISTRATION AND UTILIZATION OF THE CITIZEN 
ARMED 
FORCE 
OF 
THE 
ARMED 
FORCES 
OF 
THE 
PHILIPPINES. THE SAID FUNDS SHALL BE INCLUDED IN THE 
GENERAL APPROPRIATION ACT, WHICH SHALL BE FIVE 
PERCENT (5%) OVER AND ABOVE THE ANNUAL BUDGET OF 
THE AFP.” 
 
SEC. 15. Section 70 of Republic Act No. 7077 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
 
“SEC. 70. IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS – THE 
DND, DOJ, DEPED AND DILG SHALL JOINTLY FORMULATE 
IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THIS ACT 
WITHIN SIXTY (60) DAYS FROM THE APPROVAL OF THIS ACT.” 
 
SEC. 16. Separability Clause. – If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law of the provision not otherwise affected 
shall remain valid and subsisting. 
 
SEC. 17. Repealing Clause. – Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation, contrary to, or 
inconsistent with, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended 
accordingly. 
 


SEC. 18. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after the completion 
of its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
Approved,