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

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 2660

Introduced by REP. ANTONIO T. ALBANO and
REP. RODOLFO B. ALBANO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘The growing number of societal challenges arising from climactic and
environmental shocks triggering natural and man-made calamities, to
national and internal security threats that impact on communal order, public
safety, and the overall quality of life of our citizens in recent years render
imperative for the State to strategically harness the country’s most vital
resource ~ the youth ~ toward the strengthening of our collective capabilities
for survival and development as one nation and the preservation of our
democratic social order.

The 1987 Constitution affirms in Article Il, Section 13 thereof, the
State’s recognition of the vital role of the youth in nation-building and the
enduring need for the State to inculcate in them the values of patriotism and
nationalism , and to encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs.

This bill proposes a viable framework for preparing and harnessing of
the youth for active and meaningful participation in activities that strengthen
the nation’s capabilities to overcome challenges to its survival and


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development through the establishment of a Citizen Service Training Course
(caTC).

The CSTC shall be mandatory for all tertiary-level students enrolled in
baccalaureate degree courses or technical vocational courses in all public and
private colleges, universities, and similar learning institutions. In addition to
external and territorial defense training as a foundational component, akin to
the envisioned goal of the creation of the Reserve Officers ‘Training Corps
(ROTC) under Republic Act No. 7077, as amended, the course also provides
training in internal security, peace and order, community service and disaster
resiliency which assimilate the components of the National Service Training
Program (NSTP) created through Republic Act No. 9163.

The abusive and corrupt practices that marred the ROTC and the NSTP
in the past are addressed in this bill through the institution of safeguards
that include the creation of a Citizen Service Mobilization Commission
empowered to conduct an audit of the utilization of the fees collected for the
CSTC, and to investigate all reports of corruption, graft, hazing, sexual
harassment and other abuses.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate approval of this bill is earnestly

sought.
Pak re

. RODOLFO B. ALBANO


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

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. “60

Introduced by REP. ANTONIO T. ALBANO and
REP. RODOLFO B. ALBANO

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 I
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


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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

c) 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 0
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
c) 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.


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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. 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 5. 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


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and government, and harness their potential as bridges to improve, their
respective countries’ ties with the Philippines.

SECTION 6. 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 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 7. Citizens Training Program (CTP) for Grades 11 and 12- ~ There is
hereby instituted a dual track Citizens Training Program for Grades 11 and
12 which shall be administered and implemented by the Department of
Education (DepEd) for all students, male and female, enrolled in Grades 11
and 12 in all public and private learning institutions. The dual track CTP


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consists of (a) the Preparatory CSTC which is intended to provide introductory
or orientation courses to the Basic CSTC and (b) the Community Service
Immersion Program (CSIP) which is intended to engage students in various
community programs and services such as, among others, environmental
protection, community sanitation and enhancement, literacy programs,
community welfare services, health and fitness, disaster risk reduction and
relief. Students can choose any one of these programs. Each program shall
have a duration of 40 hours. Completion of one program is hereby declared a
requirement for graduation from high school and 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 8. 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 9. 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


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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 10. 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 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 11. 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), (9, (), and (k), as well as those under Section 20,
paragraph 4, Section 29, and Section 31.


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SECTION 12. 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 13. 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 14. 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;

c) 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;

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;


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f) 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;

g) 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;

j) 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 15. Organization of the Commission. - The Commission shall have a
Citizen Service Training Board and a Citizen Service Mobilization Board
(Mobilization Board).

SECTION 16. 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


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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 PO),
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 POI.

‘Thereafter, the Commission, through the Training Board, shall ensure the
incorporation of the CSTC POI 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 17. 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


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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 18. 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
concerned. 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 19. 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 20.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 U.P.
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;


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

4) Subject to the approval of the U.P. President and the U.P. Board of Regents,
prepare the plantilla of the U.P. 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 21. 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
POI.

ARTICLE VII
DEPLOYMENT OF THE CITIZEN SERVICE CORPS

SECTION 22. 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


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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 23. 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 24. 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.


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SECTION 25. 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 26. 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 27. 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 28. 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 29. 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.


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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.

All 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 30. Termination of Deployment. - Upon the expiration of the
requested period of deployment, 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 31. 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 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 32. Citizen Service Fund. - A Citizen Service Fund is hereby
established exclusively for the implementation of the objectives and purposes


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of this Act. The Office of the President shall monitor and evaluate the activities
and the balances of the Fund.

SECTION 33. 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 34. 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


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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.

SECTION 35. 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


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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 36. 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 37. 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 conviction by a court-
martial, be punishable by imprisonment of not less than six (6) months but
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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 38. 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


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


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ARTICLE XI
‘TRANSITORY PROVISIONS

SECTION 41. 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 42. 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 learning 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 43. 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 44. 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.


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SECTION 45. 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 XI
FINAL PROVISIONS

SECTION 46. 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 47. Separability Clause. — Any provision of this Act declared
unconstitutional shall not affect the validity of the other provisions thereof.

SECTION 48. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
after its publication in two (2) newspapers of national circulation.

Approved,