MODULE 1 - INTRODUCTION TO NSTP

Prof. Abdulrasid T. Lucman, Faculty Member, College of SPEAR

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Leaning Concepts:

Lesson 1: HISTORY of NSTP

Section 12 of Republic Act No. 9163, otherwise known as the National Service
Training Program (NSTP) Act of 2002, the CHED, TESDA and DND, in consultation with
concerned government agencies, the Philippine Association of State Universities and
Colleges (PASUC), the coordinating Council of Private Education Association of the
Philippines (COCOPEAP), Non-Government Organizations and recognized student
organizations, hereby jointly issue, adopt and promulgate the following implementing rules
and regulations to implement the provisions of the Act.
National Service Training Program (NSTP) started with the passage of
Commonwealth Act No. 1 also known as National Defence Act. An act to provide national
defence of the Philippines.
This is under the government of President Manuel L. Quezon (1935). It requires
college students, specifically males to finish 2 years or 4 semesters of Military Training to
be reserved cadets of the National Defence of the country.
In august 8, 1980, the Commonwealth Act No. 1 was amended to give existence to
Presidential Decree No. 1706 or National Service Law which mandates compulsory
national service to all citizen of the country.
It is composed of three main component programs, namely Civic Welfare Service
(CWS), Law Enforcement Service (LES), and Military Service (MS). College students were
given an option to choose one among these components to comply as a requirement of
tertiary education.
After the ouster of President Marcos, the implementation of the National Service
Law except the provisions of Military Service was suspended by Presidential Memorandum
Order No. 1 of President Corazon C. Aquino. It became Basic Reserve Officer Training
Corps (ROTC) that took effect on SY 1986-1987.
On March 18, 2001, a dead body was found wrapped in a carpet and floating in the
Pasig River. The face was wrapped in packing tape and the hands and face were bounded.
Body was identified as Mark Welson Chua, 19 year old Engineering student of University of
Santo Tomas (UST), reportedly a victim of illegal ROTC practices lead to massive protest of
the college students and concerned parents against the ROTC program. SInce then,
Expanded ROTC program morped into National Service Training Program (NSTP).

RATIONALE of the National Service Training Program (NSTP)

The conceptualization and the establishment of the NSTP for the tertiary level
students is amended in the Republic Act 7077 and Presidential Decree No. 1706. This was
enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in Congress, which is known as the
National Service Training Program (NSTP) Act of 2001 .
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 NSTP is a program aimed at enhancing the civic consciousness and defence
preparedness in the youth by developing the ethics of service and patriotism while
undergoing training in any of the three (3) program components which are specially
designed to enhance the youth’s active contribution to the general welfare of the country.

The components of NSTP:

a) Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) - refers to the program institutionalized

under Section 38 and 39 of Republic Act No. 7077, otherwise known as the Citizen
Armed Force or the Armed Forces of the Philippines Reservist Act of 1991,
designed to provide military training to tertiary level students in order to motivate,
train organize, and mobilize them for national defense preparedness.

b) Literacy Training Service (LTS) - refers to program designed to train the students
to become capable non-licensed instructors of functional literacy and numeracy
skills to school children, out-of-school youths, and other segments of society in
need of their services.

c) Civic Welfare Training Service (CWTS) - refers to programs or 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 devoted to
improving health, education, environment, entrepreneurship, safety, recreation,
and morals of the citizenry and other social services.

CWTS in MSU Main Campus

■ The teaching learning is focused in the development of youth to become
assets of the community, society and the nation as a whole. Thus, making
them aware of their great role as individual to development of the nation.
■ The topics of activities to be considered would be care of the importance
and role of positive virtues, the attitudes, and development of service oriented
characteristics individuals as well as their responsibility towards mankind and
the environment
■ The importance of CWTS as a whole is geared towards the development and
re-direction of positive values and attitude among students. This is by giving
them the chance to see that they create a difference in their own ways. Thus,
making them appreciate their role and responsibilities not only as students but
also as an individual that can contribute to the betterment of life be it in their
family, community and to the nation as a whole.
■ In the 2 nd semester, the students will undergo actual community service
involvement. Project and activities are designed to encourage the youth to
contribute in the improvement of the general welfare and the quality life for
the local community applying various institutional components.

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Lesson 2: Implementing Rules and Regulation
(IRR) of the NSTP
RULE I - GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Section 1. Responsibility of all Citizens.

While it is the prime duty of the government to serve and protect the people, the
Constitution also provides that it shall be the responsibility of the citizens to defend the
security and promote the general welfare of the State. In fulfillment thereof, the
government may require each citizen to render personal, military, or civil service.

Section 2. Role of the Youth

In recognition of the vital role of the youth in nation-building, the State shall
promote civic consciousness and defense preparedness among them and shall develop
their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being. It shall inculcate the
ideals of patriotism, nationalism, volunteerism, and advance their meaningful involvement
in public and civic affairs.
As the most valuable resource of the nation, the youth shall be motivated, trained,
organized, and mobilized in civic, military, literacy, welfare programs, and other similar
endeavors in the service of the people.

RULE II - DEFINITION OF TERMS

Section 3. As used in this Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR), the following
terms shall mean:

Civic Welfare Training Service (CWTS) - refers to programs or 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 devoted to improving health, education,
environment, entrepreneurship, safety, recreation, and morals of the citizenry and other
social services.

Clustering - refers to the grouping of students enrolled at different schools and taking up
the same NSTP component into one (1) group under the management and supervision of a
designated school by TESDA for TVIs and CHED for HEIs.

Cross-Enrollment - refers to a system of students enrollment where a student is officially

enrolled in an academic program of an origin school but is allowed to enroll in the NSTP
component of another accepting school.

Literacy Training Service (LTS) - refers to program designed to train the students to
become capable non-licensed instructors of functional literacy and numeracy skills to

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school children, out-of-school youths, and other segments of society in need of their
services.

National Service Training Program (NSTP) - is a program aimed at enhancing the civic
consciousness and defence preparedness in the youth by developing the ethics of service
and patriotism while undergoing training in any of the three (3) program components
which are specially designed to enhance the youth’s active contribution to the general
welfare of the country.

National Service Reserve Corps (NSRC) - refers to an organization composed of graduates

of Civic Welfare Training Service (CWTS) and Literacy Training Service (LTS) components of
the NSTP as mandated by RA 9163 (NSTP ACt of 2001).

National Service Reserve Corps (NSRC) Trainee - refers to a student enrolled in the CWTS
or LTS component.

Program Component - refers to the service components (ROTC, CWTS, LTS) and other NSTP
programs as the CHED and TESDA, in consultation with the DND, may hereinafter approve
and implement.

Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) - refers to the program institutionalized under
Section 38 and 39 of Republic Act No. 7077, otherwise known as the Citizen Armed Force or
the Armed Forces of the Philippines Reservist Act of 1991, designed to provide military
training to tertiary level students in order to motivate, train organize, and mobilize them
for national defense preparedness.

Basic Reserve Officers’ Training Corps - refers to the one (1) year ROTC training
based on the amendment by RA 9163, s-2002, of Sections 38 and 39 of RA 7077.

Advance Reserve Officers’ Training Corps - refers to the two (2) year training
program after the basic ROTC training, subject to the provisions under Sections 38
and 39 of RA 7077.

ROTC Cadet - refers to a student enrolled in the ROTC Program component.

School-Based NSRC Units (SBNU) - refers to the established organization of students or

graduates of the CWTS or LTS components of the NSTP who are still enrolled in the HEIs
and TVIs.

School-Based Ready Reserve Units (SRRU) - refers to the established organization of

students or graduates of the ROTC components of the NSTP who are still enrolled in the
HEIs and TVIs.

Trust Fund - refers to the collected NSTP fee which shall be exclusively used for the
implementation of the NSTP Law and operation of the Program, including allocation for a
reasonable contingency fund, as provided for in this IRR.

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RULE III - PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION

Section 4. Coverage

a. All incoming first year college students of any baccalaureate degree program or of
at least two (2) year TVET programs in public and private educational institutions
and enterprises shall be required to complete one (1) if the NSTP components as a
requisite for graduation, in accordance with RA 9163.

Exempted under NSTP Law:

1. Students who have completed their NSTP requirement pursuing or
enrolled in another or additional baccalaureate degree or TVET;
2. Students who completed any of the three (3) NSTP components but
have transferred or shifted to another academic course or educational
institution;
3. Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials who comply with the prescribed
requirements and in good standing; and
4. Foreign students.
b. All HEIs, including SUCs, LUCs, and TVIs must offer at least one (1) NSTP
component.
As stated in RA 9163, or the NSTP Act of 2001, SUCs are required to
offer the ROTC component and at least one other NSTP component.
c. Private higher and technical-vocation education institutions with at least 350
student cadets may offer the ROTC component and consequently
establish/maintain a Department of Military Science and Tactics (DMST), subject to
the existing rules and regulations of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
d. The Philippine Military Academy (PMA), Philippine Merchant Marine Academy
(PMMA), Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) and Maritime Academy for
Asia and Pacific (MAAP) are exempted from the NSTP, in view of the special
character of these institutions. Other HEIs of similar nature will be exempted but
will be subject to approval of the CHED, TESDA and DND and subject to the
guidelines which may hereinafter the issued.

Section 5. Components

a. Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) - refers to the program institutionalized

under Section 38 and 39 of Republic Act No. 7077, otherwise known as the Citizen
Armed Force or the Armed Forces of the Philippines Reservist Act of 1991,
designed to provide military training to tertiary level students in order to motivate,
train organize, and mobilize them for national defense preparedness.
b. Civic Welfare Training Service (CWTS) - refers to programs or 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 devoted to
improving health, education, environment, entrepreneurship, safety, recreation,
and morals of the citizenry and other social services.
c. Literacy Training Service (LTS) - refers to program designed to train the students to
become capable non-licensed instructors of functional literacy and numeracy skills

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 to school children, out-of-school youths, and other segments of society in need of
their services.

Section 6. Duration and Equivalent Course Unit

a. Students for each of the NSTP components shall undergo the NSTP Program for an
academic period of two (2) semesters and credited for three (3) units per semester,
CHED and TESDA shall determine the equivalent course unit and training hours for
HEIs and TVIs, respectively.

b. A One (1) Summer Program (OSP) in lieu of the two (2) semester program of
ROTC, CWTS, and LTS shall be designed, formulated, and adopted by the DND,
CHED, and TESDA, subject to the capabilities of the school and the AFP.
c. CHED and TESDA shall issue guidelines stating that the earned NSTP units shall
not be included in the computation of the Grade Point Average (GPA) of
graduating students.

Section 7. Clustering and Cross-Enrollment

a. Clustering of students from different education institutions during semestral or
summer periods may be done for the ROTC component, taking into account the
logistics, Branch of Service, and geographic locations. The host school shall be
responsible in managing the Program.
b. NSTP students shall be allowed by the concerned HEI/TVI to cross-enroll in any
CHED or TESDA recognized institution. For schools that do not meet the required
number of students to maintain the optional ROTC or any of the NSTP
components, students shall be allowed to cross-enroll to other schools, regardless
of whether the NSTP components in the said school are being administered by the
same or another Branch of Service of the AFP, CHED, and TESDA.
c. Cross-enrolling students shall be subject to the existing rules and regulations of the
school of origin and the accepting school.

Section 8. Management, Monitoring, and Evaluation

a. The school authorities shall exercise academic and administrative supervision

over the design, formation, adoption, and implementation of the different
NSTP components in their respective schools, subject to the provisions hereof.
b. There shall be an NSTP Office in each SUC, LUC, TVI, and PHEI headed by an
NSTP Director or its equivalent position responsible for the implementation of the
Program. Each of the NSTP components is considered a distinct and/or separate
unit under the NSTP Office, and the head of the unit shall report directly to the
NSTP Director or its equivalent.
c. The created NSTP Joint Committee at the provincial, regional, and national
level shall be responsible for monitoring all the program components in all
HEIs and TVIs.
d. The CHED Regional Offices, TESDA Regional Offices and the DND AFP, through
the MSRC, shall oversee and monitor the implementation of the NSTP under
their respective jurisdictions, to determine if the trainings conducted are in

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 consonance with the NSTP Act. These offices shall submit periodic reports to
the NSTP Regional Joint Committee to be furnished to the National Joint
Committee for consolidation.
e. The Annual NSTP Performance Evaluation (ANPE) shall be conducted towards
the end of the school year to evaluate and determine the achievement of the
training objectives of the three (3) NSTP program components. CHED, TESDA,
and DND (through the MSRC) shall fortunate the respective evaluation
parameters on program administration and implementation which shall jointly
form part of the minimum standards.
f. The Regional Annual Administrative and Tactical Inspection (AATI) shall be
conducted by the Major Services of the AFP as the evaluation of performance
parameters for the ROTC program
g. The CHED Regional Offices and TESDA Regional Offices shall conduct an annual
evaluation of the implementation of NSRC at HEIs and TVIs, respectively. Further,
the guidelines foe the NSRC annual evalution shall be formulated by CHED and TESDA.
h. At the end of every academic year, the HEIs and TVIs shall submit an Annual
Report to the CHED and TESDA Regional Offices, respectively, copy furnished
the CHED Office of Student Development and Services 9CHED-OSDS) and the
TESDA Planning Office - Labor Market Information Division in electronic template,
indicating the following:
1. Names and Serial Numbers of those who finished under each
NSTP component;
2. For the students who have undertaken Advance ROTC, the
reserve unit and mobilization center assigned to them;
3. The programs, projects, and activities with photographs and
other documentation as far as practicable; and
4. Financial statements on the funds collected and utilized. The
annual report on NSTP by the SUC/TVI shall be made available to
faculty, students, and general public through the NSTP office. In regions
with universities and colleges having two or more campuses, the
university concerned shall consolidate all the reports before submitting to
CHED Regional Offices.

RULE IV - FEES AND INCENTIVES

Section 9. Fees

a. No fees shall be collected for any of the NSTP components except basic tuition,
which should not be more than fifty percent (50%) of the charge of the school per
academic unit. The NSTP fees of the students of SUCs, qualified LUCs, and TVIs
shall covered by RA 10931, otherwise know as the Universal Access to Free
Quantity Tertiary Education Act.
b. The collected NSTP fees shall constitute a Trust Fund, which shall be exclusively
used for the implementation of the NSTP Law and operation of the Program,
including allocation for a reasonable contingency fund, particularly in support to
activities not originally included in the Program of Expenditures (POE) prepared by

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 the ROTC Commandant, the CWTS/LTS Coordinator, and the NSTP Director and
approved by the school head.
c. The funds derived from NSTP-related operations shall serve as augmentation to
sustain unprogrammed activities of the NSTP.
d. The unspend fund balance shall be carried over to the next semester, provided
that the NSTP funds shall nor be converted into savings at the expense of the
proper implementation of the program.
e. Subsidies from the government and/or from any legal agency or institution
appropriated for NSTP shall be included in the preparation of the POE and report
on the utilization of funds by the schools.
f. Expenditures/disbursement shall be subjected to periodic audits by the proper
school authorities for private entities and in accordance with government
accounting and auditing rules for public entities and concerned NSTP Offices.
g. The NSTP Component (ROTC/CWTS/LTS) coordinators shall submit a
comprehensive report on the utilization of the NSTP Funds to their respective NSTP
Directors two (2) weeks after the end of every semester. The ROTC Commandants
shall submit the same report to their respective MSRCs.
h. The NSTP Director or its equivalent shall submit a consolidated comprehensive
report on the utilization of the NSTP Funds by program component to the school
head, within 30 calendar days after theend of every semester.
i. Rental space of school and other similar expenses shall be shouldered by the
SUCs/TVIs.

Section 10. Incentives, Insurance, and Protection

a. Incentives
1. A program of assistance/incentives for ROTC students shall be provided
and administered by the DND in accordance with existing laws and
regulations and with the funds for the said purpose to be included in its
annual regular appropriations, subject to the availability of funds.
2. A Special Scholarship Program and incentives for qualified NSTP students
shall be administered by the CHED and TEADA, with the funds for the said
purpose to be included in the annual regular appropriations of the two
agencies, subject to the availability of funds. A scholarship program
specifically for the ROTC cadets shall be provided by the CHED and AFP.
3. The SUCs may provide scholarship and other forms of assistance and
incentives to qualified and deserving NSTP students, the funding of which
shall come from available NSTP funds of the school.
4. Personnel involved in the NSTP shall be provided an honorarium and
other incentives based on the standard policy set forth by the HEIs and
TVIs implementers.

b. Insurance and Protection

1. School authorities concerned, CHED, and TESDA shall ensure that health
and accident group insurances are available to the students enrolled in
any of the NSTP components.

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 2. Schools that already provide health and accident group insurances and
collect the necessary fees from their students for the purpose, as per the
effectivity of these rules, are deemed to have complied with this
requirement.

RULE V - ORGANIZATION OF NSTP GRADUATES

Section 11. Organization of NSTP Graduates

a. Graduates of the non-ROTC components of the NSTP shall belong to the National
Service Reserve Corps (NSRC) and may be mobilized by the State for literacy and
civic welfare activities, specially in DRRM, through the joint efforts of DND, CHED,
and TESDA, in accordance with the network and members of or through the
Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils at the National, Regional and
Local Levels, as well as other concerned agencies, organizations, and non-
government agencies.
b. WIthin 30 days from the approval of this IRR, the CHED, TESDA, and DND, in
consultation with other concerned government and non-government agencies,
shall issue the necessary guidelines fro the establishment, organization,
maintenance, and utilization of the NSRC.
c. Graduates of the ROTC program shall from part of the Citizen Armed Force
pursuant to RA 7077, subject to the requirements and policies of the DND.
d. ROTC graduates shall be organized into School-Based Ready Reserve Units (SRRU)
to sustain training and respond to contingencies with their campuses as their
mobilization centers with the proper and necessary coordination with HEIs or
TVIs, in accordance with rules, regulations or appropriate orders from the DND
and AFP.

RULE VI - MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

Section 12. Certificate of Completion

Certificate of Completion with corresponding Serial Numbers issued by CHED,

TESDA, or DND, shall be awarded by the SUCs, TVIs, LUCs, and PHEIs to students who have
successfully complied with the program requirements. Such Serial Numbers shall be
indicated in the official Transcript of Records of each NSTP graduate.

Section 13. Information Dissemination

The CHED, TESDA, and DND, with assistance of the DILG, NTC, PIA, OCD, and ULAP,
PASUC, COCOPEA, PSNEI, DepEd and other NGOs, shall provide information on the NSTP
Act of 2001 and its Revised IRR to all concerned publics through different modes of
information dissemination.

Section 14. Amendatory Clause

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 a. Section 35 of Commonwealth Act No. 1, s-1953; Executive Order No. 207, s-1936;
Section 2 and 3 of Presidential Decree No. 1706, s-1980; and Section38 and 38 of RA
7077, s-1991; as well as all laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations, and other
issuances by CHED, TESDA, and/or the DND which are inconsistent with the
provisions of RA 9163 and this IRR shall be deemed amended or repealed and
modified accordingly.
b.These Rules may be amended, modified, or replaced jointly by CHED, TESDA,
and DND, in consultation with PASUC, COCOPEA, NGOs, and recognized student
organizations.

Section 15. Separability Clause

If any provisions hereof shall be declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other

sections or provisions not affected, thereby shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 16. Effectivity

These Rules shall take effect fifteen (15) days after publication in newspaper of
general circulation or publication in the online official gazette and remain in force and
effect until revoked or amended.

Assessment

Reference

Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of RA 9163 otherwise known as NSTP Act
of 2001
Republic Act (RA) 7077
Commonwealth Act No. 1
Presidential Decree No. 1706
Presidential Memorandum Order No. 1 of President Corazon C. Aquino
MSU-IIT NSTP Module

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