NSTP signed into law, replaces ROTC

The Reserved Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) is just now an option among three training programs needed to graduate from college.

The National Service Training Program (NSTP) Act of 2001 or Republic Act 9163 was signed into law last Jan. 23 by President Arroyo allowing college students to choose among the program’s three components - ROTC, literacy training service and civic welfare training service - specially designed to enhance the youth’s active contribution to the general welfare.

The law’s principal sponsor, Sen. Renato Cayetano, said it is important that the youth, considered as the nation’s most valuable resource, "must be motivated, trained, organized and mobilized in military training, literacy and civic welfare."

"Finally, college students are now given a choice on how to participate in nation-building through civic consciousness aside from the ROTC which was imposed 76 years ago," he said. The NSTP is set to be implemented in June 2002.

Now, male and female students of any colleagiate degree course or at least two year technical-vocational course in public and private educational institutions will be required to complete one of the NSTP components as requisite for graduation.

"The law recognizes the youth’s vital role in nation-building with programs that aim to develop their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual and social well-being," Cayetano, who is chairman of the Senate committee on education, said.

He reminded higher and technical vocational institutions not to collect any fee for any of the NSTP components except basic tuition, which should not be more than 50 percent of what is currently charged by schools per unit.

In case of the ROTC, the Department of Defense is directed to formulate and adopt a program of assistance and/or incentive to those students who will take the component, he said.

Cayetano also noted that the completion of ROTC program as a requisite for graduation is also set aside for those students who despite completing all their academic units as of the effectivity of the law have not been allowed to graduate.

The literacy training service is designed to train students to become teachers of literacy and numeracy skills to schoolchildren, out-of-school youth and other segments of society.

The civic welfare program refers to activities that contribute to the general welfare and betterment of life for communities of the enhancement of its facilities, especially those devoted to improving health, education, environment, entrepreneurship, safety, recreation and morals of the citizenry.