NSTP11 25-Hour Common Module Lesson 1: Overview of the National Service Training

Program
Prepared by CHRISTOPHER P. CORDOVA
(NSTP Instructor)

THE EVOLUTION OF THE NATIONAL SERVICE TRAINING PROGRAM

1935: Commonwealth Act No. 1 “National Defense Act”

It is a legislative providing basis for the national defense of the country, punishing violations thereof,
appropriating funds therefore and for other purposes under the government of President Manuel L. Quezon.
The same law required college students, particularly males, to finish two years, equivalent to 4 semesters, of
military training.

1980: Presidential Decree No. 1706 “National Service Law”

It mandated compulsory national service to all Filipino citizens. It was composed of three main
program components namely: Civic Welfare Service (CWS), Law Enforcement Service (LES), and Military
Service (MS). College students were given an option to choose one from among the three components in
compliance with this requirement for tertiary education.
Presidential Memorandum Order No. 1 under the incumbency of former President Corazon Aquino
ordered the suspension of the implementation of the National Service Law except the provision of the Military
Service.

1986: Republic Act No. 7077 “The Citizen Armed Forces of the Philippines Reservist Law”
This embodied the basic Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) which aimed to realize the
constitutional mandate of developing a strong civilian base to supplement the professional military in the
nation’s defense system. It was designed to initiate the ROTC trainees in the rudiments of soldiership,
instilling discipline and correct deportment. The objective was to train all able-bodied tertiary students for
military skills in case of war effective school year 1986-1987.

2001: National Service Program

ROTC was made optional as a way of offering an alternative in neutralizing people’s aversion to this
military program after the death of UST ROTC cadet officer Mark Welson Chua who exposed alleged
anomalies of some erring ROTC officials. The so-called Expanded ROTC (E-ROTC) was characterized by
deviation from the rigid tactical training offering three components which are Military Service (MS), Civic
Welfare Service (CWS) and Law Enforcement Service (LES). Many higher education institutions found the
enforcement of NSP confusing and unmanageable.

2001, December: Republic Act No. 9163 “National Service Training Act”
This law was envisioned to address public clamor for reforms in the ROTC and NSP Programs and was
signed into law by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as an aggressive modality toward making
national service training relevant to the changing needs of the time.
The main objective of NSTP is to stress the significant role played by youth, male and female alike, in
the task of developing our nation via national service training. It aims to develop the youth to become civic or
military leaders and volunteers through a modified, re-structure and reinforced training package whom could
be called upon by the nation in cases their services are needed and in the event of disasters or emergencies.
The non-military program components of NSTP, which is the CWTS and LTS, are committed to
strengthening the values and traits of the youth, improving skills in community service and making them
responsible for peace and development to ensure harmony and growth in the Filipino communities.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT NSTP

1. What is the National Service Training Program Law? The National Service Training Program (NSTP) Law
as embodied in Republic Act 9163 is a program 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 program components specifically designed to enhance the youth’s active contribution to the
general welfare.

2. What are the program components of the NSTP?

a. The Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) is designed to provide military training to tertiary level
students in order to motivate, train, organize, and mobilize them for national defense preparedness.
b. The Literacy Training Service (LTS) is designed to train the students to teach literacy and numeracy
skills to school children, out-of-school youth and other segments of society in need of their services.
 c. The Civic Welfare Training Service (CWTS) refers to activities contributory to the general welfare and
the betterment of life for the members of the community or the enhancement of its facilities, especially
those developed to improving health, education, environment, entrepreneurship, safety, recreation and
moral of the citizenry and other social welfare services.

3. Who shall take the NSTP? All incoming freshmen students, male and female, enrolled in any baccalaureate
and in at least two year technical-vocational or associate courses, are required to complete one NSTP
component of their choice as a graduation requirement.

4. How will the NSTP be taken up? Each of the NSTP components shall be undertaken for an academic
period of two semesters and credited for three units per semester with 54 to 90 training hours per semester.

5. What if the NSTP cannot be taken up during the regular semester? A one summer-program in lieu of the
two semester-programs may be designed, formulated and adopted by DND, CHED and TESDA subject to
the capability of the school and the AFP to handle the same.

6. What if the NSTP program component chosen by a student is not offered in his/her school? Schools that do
not meet the required number of students in order to conduct a program component or do not offer the
component chosen by their students shall allow them to cross-enroll to other schools irrespective of
whether that school is under CHED or TESDA and for ROTC, whether they are managed by different AFP
branches of service.
These students however, shall be subject to the existing rules and regulations of their original
school and the accepting school.

7. What will become of NSTP graduates? Graduates of the non-ROTC components shall belong to the
National Service Reserve Corps (NSRC) that could be tapped by the State for literacy and civic welfare
activities. Graduates of the ROTC component shall form only part of the AFP Citizen Armed Force, subject
to DND requirements.

8. How can a student continue to qualify for enlistment in the AFP Reserve Force? He/she may qualify for
enlistment in the AFP Reserve Force as long as he/she has completed the two semesters of Basic ROTC.

9. How much fee will be charged for an NSTP component? No fees shall be collected for any of the NSTP
component except basic tuition fees, which should not be more than fifty percent of the charges of the
school per academic unit.

10. Who is responsible for supervising the NSTP? School Authorities shall exercise academic and
administrative supervision over the design, formulation, adoption and implementation of the different
NSTP components in their respective schools.
In the case of ROTC, the School Authorities and DND shall exercise joint supervision over its
implementation.

11. What lead agencies will monitor the implementation of the NSTP? CHED Regional Offices, TESDA
Provincial and District Offices and the DND-AFP through the major Service Reserve Commands and their
ROTC Units shall oversee if the trainings conducted are in consonance with the Republic Act.

12. Is the NSTP available in all schools and universities? All Higher and Technical Vocational Educational
Institutions hall be offering at least one of the NSTP components, while State Universities and Colleges will
offer the ROTC component and at least one other NSTP component.