Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Ses

HOUSE BILL NO. 188

Introduced by Honorable EDUARDO R. GULLAS.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The defense of the State is not only the concern of the government but of the people as
well. It is important that we prepare our citizens early by instilling in them the values of
patriotism, discipline and love for the country. Under this contest, we should required students to
undergo compulsory ROTC as a requirement for their graduation. In this way. we prepare a
generation of young people who are ready to defend the country in any eventuality

This bill seeks to reinstate the mandatory Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) for all
male tertiary students enrolled in all private and public colleges and universities and similar
learning institutions, repealing Republic Act (RA) No. 9163, otherwise known as the National
service Training Program (NSTP) Act of 2019

RA 9103 is aimed at enhancing civic consciousness and defense preparedness in the
youth by developing the ethics of service and patriotism while undergoing training in any of its
three (3) program components. Its various components are specifically designed to enhance the
youth's active contribution to the general welfare particularly to the improvement of the qualit
of education in the country. While the wisdom of the present law (RA 91630 cannot be doubted
the retention of the literacy service and civic welfare components of the program are offered in
preparation for the youth to become teachers and social workers, and these are currently offered
as separate courses are thus superfluous.

Restoring ROTC will motivate, train, organize and mobilize our students for national
defense preparedness thus positively shaping their character to become more responsible anc
dependable citizens, Thus, in the event of government’s call to defend the State, our people »
be well-prepared for the contingency to render personal military or civil service

Hence, early approval of this bill is earnestly sought

EDUARDO



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 1788

Introduced by Honorable EDUARDO R. GULLAS

AN ACT
REINSTATTING THE MANDATORY RESERVE OFFICERS TRAINING CORPS
(ROTC) IN ALL PRIVATE AND PUBLIC COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES AND SIMILAR
LEARNING INSTITUTIONS REPEALING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO.
9163, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE NATIONAL SERVICE TRAINING PROGRAM
(NSTP) ACT OF 2019 AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title, — This Act shall be known as the “Mandatory Reserve Officer’s
Training Corps (ROTC) Act of 2019.

SEC. 2. Statement of Policy. — it is the Policy of the State 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.

SEC. 3. Coverage. ~ The Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) shall be applicable to
all male tertiary students enrolled in colleges, universities and similar institutions of learning. It
shall form part of curricula of all baccalaureate degree courses and of two-year technical or
vocational courses as a requisite for graduation: Provided, That, female students may likewise
undergo such ROTC Training on a voluntary basis.

SEC. 4. Mandatory Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) The Reserve Officers’
Training Corps (ROTC) is hereby declared mandatory for all male students enrolled in colleges,
universities and similar institutions of learning, Such colleges, universities and similar institutions
of learning shall request for the conduct of military training in their institutions, through the
Secretary of National Defense, who shall direct the conduct of 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 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, shall hereafter be referred
to as basis ROTC while the second two (2) years after said basis ROTC, which is voluntary, 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.

SEC. 5. Acceptance for Advance ROTC. — Students who volunteer for advance ROTC shall
be screened by an ROTC acceptance board which is hereby created for the purpose, composed of
the commandant of the ROTC unit, a:representative of the school nominated by the school
authorities and a, military physician. The student volunteer shall be physically examined for fitness


-2-

for training and shall further be made to execute in writing a testament that he volunteered for
training of his own volition, Where the student is below eighteen (18) years of age, he shall be
required to obtain his parents or guardian’s consent and waiver for any injuries and physical
damage in the course of the training. In the case of students volunteering for reserve officer’s
training, they shall further be subject to competitive examination in order to select the best
material. The students undergoing advance ROTC shall be referred to as advance ROTC cadets.

SEC. 6, Person Disqualified or Exempted. — The following students are disqualified or
exempted from the coverage:

(1) Students who are physically or psycologically unfit as certified to by the medical
personnel of tite university or institutions concerned;

(2) Those convicted by final judgement of criminal offenses involving moral turpitude;

(3) Students of colleges, universities and similar learning institutions who have undergone
or still undergoing ROTC or similar training as recognized by the military authorities
as among those undergoing training to qualify as reservist; and;

(4) Those persons who are members of affiliated units of the Armed Forces of the
Philippines and the Philippine National Police.

SEC. 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — The Secretary of Education, in
coordination with the Commission on Higher Education and the Department of National Defense,
shall issue the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.

SEC. 8, Transitory Provision. ~ This Act shall apply in the next school year following the
approval of this Act. Any student who is currently enrolled under RA No. 9163, otherwise known
as the “National Service Training Program (NSTP) Act 2019, may continue the program
‘component of their choice under the said law.

SEC. 9. Repealing Clause. - For purposes of this Act No. 9163 is hereby repealed. All laws
presidential decrees, executive orders, other executive issuances, or parts thereof, which are
inconsistent with this Act hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 10. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its official
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of national circulation.

Approved,