Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 3513

Introduced by HONORABLE ROMEO M. ACOP

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Consistent with President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s vision of reinstating
the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program, this bill proposes the
reinstitution of mandatory military training for all Grade 11 and Grade 12
students currently enrolled in any public or private educational institutions by
reinstating and amending Sections 38 and 39 of Republic Act No. 7077, otherwise
known as the “Citizen Armed Force or Armed Forces of the Philippines Reservist
Act.”

‘The ROTC program is designed to provide military training to Grade 11 and
Grade 12 (Senior High School) students in order to motivate, train, organize and
mobilize our youth for national defense preparedness. ROTC was previously
institutionalized under Commonwealth Act No. 1, also known as “The National
Defense Act.” Under this law, every physically fit student was required to pursue
a course of military instruction designed to qualify him for a commission as a
third lieutenant in the Regular or Reserve Forces.

The National Defense Act was amended by Presidential Decree No. 1706,
otherwise known as “The National Service Law.” This law provides that each
citizen shall render national service in any of the three main programs, namely:
civic welfare service, law enforcement service, or military service.

‘The National Service Law was later amended by Republic Act No. 7077,
otherwise known as the “Citizen Armed Force or Armed Forces of the Philippines
Reservist Act” which provides for the mandatory completion of the ROTC
program. This law requires the completion of the course as a requirement for all
college students in acquiring their baccalaureate degree.

On 27 June 1991, Republic Act No. 9163, otherwise known as the
“National Service Training Program (NSTP) Act of 2001,” was approved. The
program was enacted to enhance civic consciousness and defense preparedness
in the youth by developing their ethics of service and patriotism while undergoing
training in any three program components, namely: the ROTC program, Literacy
‘Training Service (LTS), or Civic Welfare Training Service (CWTS). Under this law,
ROTC was made optional and voluntary.


The proposed measure seeks the restoration of the mandatory ROTC to
equip our youth with necessary knowledge and skills in securing and defending
the country in times of national emergency.

Mandatory military training is often considered beneficial as it can provide
sufficient manpower reserves to augment a nation’s army in case of a military
emergency. This notwithstanding, the merit of this proposal to produce
mobilizable reservists from the ROTC largely depends on its ability to suitably
train them for their assignments, hence the impetus for a “reformed” ROTC
program.

This Representation is fully aware of the criticism as well as the impetus
that led to the abolition of mandatory ROTC in the past. That is why this measure
also seeks to incorporate increased technological advances, coupled with the new
learners’ needs of the current and succeeding generations of Grade 11 and Grade
12 learners, which have created new realities for secondary education contexts.

The reinstated ROTC program must reflect new pedagogical approaches
and learning technologies in secondary education and identify innovations in
teaching and learning practices, with the overall objective of modernizing and
reforming the new ROTC program and the Armed Forces of the Philippines
military education system.

It is also this Representation’s hope that a rejuvenated ROTC program shall
instill a sense of moral duty of citizenship, and strengthen the resolve in the next
generation of Filipinos to answer the call to serve the nation, including the duty
to defend and preserve the country, its people, and its way of life.

This bill will in effect repeal Republic Act No. 9163.

Consistent with the constitutional mandate that the government may call
upon the people to defend the state, approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

Representative
2nd District, Antipolo City



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

- 5
HOUSE BILL NO. 3513

Introduced by HONORABLE ROMEO M. ACOP

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE RESTORATION OF MANDATORY MILITARY TRAINING
FOR ALL GRADE 11 AND GRADE 12 STUDENTS BY REINSTATING SECTIONS
38 AND 39 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7077, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE
“CITIZEN ARMED FORCE OR ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES
RESERVIST ACT”
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in

Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Sections 38 and 39 of Republic Act No. 7077, as previously amended
by Republic Act No. 9163, otherwise known as the “National Service Training
Program (NSTP) Act of 2001,” is hereby restored and subsequently amended to

read as follows:

“SEC. 38. Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC). - Military training
for GRADE 11 AND GRADE 12 students enrolled in coileges,
universities and similar institutions of learning is mandatory
pursuant to the provisions of the National Defense Act and the 1987

Constitution.

SEC. 39, Establishment of ROTC Units in Schools. - At such colleges,


universities and similar institutions of learning that request for the
conduct of military training in their institutions, there shall be
established and maintained Reserve Officers’ Training Corps units as
the Secretary of National Defense may approve, which shall conduct
military training for the students of such institutions for the purpose
of producing enlisted and officer reservists. The program of
instruction shall be prescribed by the Secretary of National Defense;
WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF IMBUING THE STUDENTS WITH
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES THAT SEEK NATIONAL
UNITY, PEACE AND SECURITY AS WELL AS GLOBAL STABILITY,
INCORPORATING THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATIVE
PRACTICES, RELEVANT TO THE LEARNER'S NEEDS, AND
INFORMED BY A SHARED ETHICAL FRAMEWORK; and may include
instruction to prepare female students for military service: Provided,
That such course of instruction shall not exceed two (2) academic
years in the case of enlisted reservists, and four (4) academic years in
the case of officer reservists which shall include as necessary summer
or probationary training of not more than sixty (60) consecutive days.
‘The first two (2) years of ROTC training, which is mandatory FOR
GRADE 11 AND GRADE 12 STUDENTS, shall hereafter be referred to
as basic ROTC while the second two (2) years after said basic ROTC,
which is voluntary for TERTIARY LEVEL STUDENTS, shall hereafter
be referred to as advance ROTC. The allocation of ROTC units to the
various major services of the AFP shall conform to the projected

manpower needs of their respective reserve components.”


SECTION 2. Republic Act No. 9163, otherwise known as the “National Service
Training Program (NSTP) Act of 2001,” is hereby repealed. All other laws,
executive orders, decrees, rules and regulations and other issuances inconsistent

with any provisions of this Act are hereby amended and modified accordingly.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the

Official Gazette or in any two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,