Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
1 Regular Session

“4500

HOUSE BILL NO.

EXPLANATORY NOTE
Section 4 Article Il of the 1987 Constitution provides that;

Sec. 4. The prime duly of the Government is to serve and protect the people.
The Government may call upon the people to defend the State and, in the
fulfilment thereof, all citizens may be required under conditions provided by law, to
render personal, military or civil service.

The abovementioned Constitutional provision have never been truer in view of the
natural disaster. both manmade and natural causes, that the Philippines have
experienced during these past year. From Covid 19, super typhoons, earthquakes,
volcanic eruption and to the incursion of foreigners to our National Territory, name it our
country has already experienced these disasters and what could be more fitting in times
like these is the activation of our Reserved Officer Training Corps for easier deployment in
the event the our law enforcers or the military needs augmentation force.

While the passage of R.A 9163, which effectively abolished the mandatory
character of ROTC in our educational system, was lauded, experts noted that enrollment
to other civic duties over ROTC have been significantly higher. This was due to the fact
that currently ROTC is not mandatory which made students decide to enroll in other forms
of civic duty. While it is not wrong to enroll in other forms of civic duty, the State must
once again make mandatory the enroliment of all students in Grade 11 and 12 in ROTC
for our Country to have a sufficient reserve officers to call to render military service when
warranted by national circumstance, whether as response to any national security threat
‘or national emergency. And further this proposal aims to enhance the capacity of the
country to produce the needed manpower and to extend its human resources in times of
war, calamities, disasters, and national or local emergencies.

In view of the foregoing, immediate passage of the Bill is earnestly sought.

CONG. ARNOLFO “ARNIE” A, TEVES, JR.


=O © ON OH eR WH =

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS

1+ Regular Session

~~ 4500

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by: REP. ARNOLFO “ARNIE” A. TEVES, JR.

AN ACT MANDATING THE INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF BASIC RESERVE OFFICERS TRAINING
COURSE IN GRADES 11 AND 12 IN ALL EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION

SECTION 1. TITLE

This Act shall be known as the ROTC Act of 2022.

SECTION 2. STATEMENT OF POLICY

It is the policy of the state to call upon its citizens to defend the State and in

fulfilment thereof. all citizens may be required to render personal, military or civil service.

SECTION 3, COVERAGE

The Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) shall be mandatory to all male tertiary
Filipino students enrolled in public and private educational institution. The ROTC shall form
part of all baccalaureate degree courses and two year technical or vocational courses

as a requisite of graduation.


7

9
40
aT
$2
33

45

SECTION 4. MANDATORY COVERAGE

The Department of National Defense (DND) shail prescribed a training program for
the ROTC. Universities, college and similar learning institutions shall request for the
conduct of military training in their respective schools through the DND for the purpose of

producing enlisted and officer reservist

The Secretary of the National Defense and the Department of Education must
prescribe the ROTC program to prepare male students to military service. Such course of
instruction shall not exceed sixty consecutive days of summer instruction in the case of
enlisted reservists and four academic years, in the case of officer reservists which shall
include the necessary summer or probationary training of not more than sixty consecutive

days.

The ROTC course of instruction for the enlisted reservist which shall be mandatory
shall be referred to as the Basic ROTC, while the course of instruction for the officer
reservist, which is voluntary shall be referred to as Advance Rotc. The allocation of ROTC

units to the various services of the AFP shall conform to the projected manpower needs of

their respective reserve components.
SECTION 5. Persons Disqualified or Exempted
The following students are disqualified or exempted from the coverage of this Act:

5.1. students who are physically or psychologically unfit as certified by a medical

personnel of the university or educational institution concemed;
5.2. Those who have undergone or is currently undergoing similar military training.
5.3. Those who are in the seminary or members of the clergy.

5.4, Dual Citizens


oN ema Ron =

SECTION 6. INCENTIVES

Any student who will enroll in the ROTC Program shali be provided by the AFP of
‘one set of uniform including but not limited to Type "A" uniform including combat boots.

Any student who will graduate from Basic ROTC Training and Advance ROTC
Program may, subject to existing laws, policy or regulation, be eligible for commisionship
or lateral entry and enlistment in the AFP, PNP, PCG, BJMP and the BFP.

Any student who will undergo Basic ROTC and those enrolled in Advance ROTC
shall be provided with free hospitalization of their choice in case of accident or injury
during the training. The educational institution shall provide an insurance for students

undergoing ROTC.

SECTION 7. ESTABLISHMENT OF ROTC GRIEVANCE BOARD

Any educational institution must establish an ROTC Grievance and Ethics Board
who shall oversee and receive any complaint by students enrolled in ROTC. This shall be
composed of a representative from the DND, one from Dep. Ed, a representative from the
Schoo! and a representative from the Parents Teachers Association, or any similar

organization.

The Grievance and Ethics Committee shall function as a n independent
investigative body which shall formulate the recommendation to the proper disciplinary
authority that has jurisdiction over the respondent, depending on whether such person
belong to the military for which purpose, the articles of war shall be employed. For school
officials and or employees of public educational institutions, the provisions of R.A 6713 r
the Conduct of Public Officers and Employees and other relevant laws on the matter shall
be applied. For private individuals, the respective Code of Ethics or Code of Conduct or
any similar regulations of their own private institution shall be implemented. This is without

prejudice to the filing of administrative or criminal cases as the case may be.


Cor eOaVe newness

SECTION 8. MANDATORY EVALUATION REVIEW

The DND and DepEd shall jointly conduct and annual review and submit report to
Congress on the status of implementation of the program one year after its full
implementation and annually or every first week of May.

SECTION 9. IMPLEMENTING RULES

The DND, DepEd and CHED shall within sixty days from the approval of this Act
come up with Rules to implement this Act.

SECTION 10. REPEALING CLAUSE

Provisions of R.A 9163 otherwise known as the National Service Training Act of 2001 is
hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly. All laws decrees, executive orders,
rules and regulations, or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SECTION 11. EFFECTIVITY

This Act shall take effect Fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a

national newspaper of general circulation.

Approved.