To: Bureau Directors, Regional Directors
Heads of State Colleges and Universities
Heads of Private Schools, Colleges and Universities
Heads of Community Colleges and Universities
Vocational School Superintendents and Administrators

1. Basic Policy. The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual and social well-being. It shall inculcate in the youth patriotism and nationalism, and encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs.Towards these ends and further to DECS Order No. 52, s. 1993, the following rules and guide lines will henceforth govern the implementation of the expanded ROTC program. The expanded ROTC program differs from the original ROTC program in that the second curriculum year will now consist, in addition to (1) a further military training option, of related non-military programs, more specifically, in the fields of (2) law enforcement, and (3) civic welfare.
2. Legal Basis. Section 4, Article II of the Constitution provides that the prime duty of the Government is to serve and protect the people. The Government may call upon the people to defend the State and, in the fulfillment thereof, all citizens may be required, under conditions provided by law, to render personal military or civil service.Section 38 and 39 of R.A. No. 7077 provide that military training for students enrolled in colleges, universities and similar institutions of learning is mandatory. These institutions shall establish and maintain Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) units as the Secretary of National Defense may approve, which shall conduct military training for the students for the purpose of producing enlisted and officer reservists.Section 15 (4) of Batas Pambansa Bilang 232 likewise provides that it is the duty and respon-sibility of students to participate actively in civic affairs and be involved in the promotion of the general welfare of the people particularly in the social, economic and cultural development of his community and in the attainment of a just, compassionate and orderly society.
3. Definition of Terms. Except as otherwise provided, the following terms shall respectively mean:
   1. The Expanded ROTC program refers to basic military training service in the 1st curriculum year and any of the three programs (MT, CWS and LES) on the second curriculum year, in contrast to the traditional ROTC program, which required two curriculum years of military training.
   2. Institution of Higher Learning refers to any public or private school, college or university duly authorized by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports to confer baccalaureate degrees.
   3. Military Training (MT) refers to the programs and activities under the expanded ROTC program which are necessary to enhance military preparedness of the citizenry.
   4. Law Enforcement Service (LES) refers to the programs and activities under the expanded ROTC program designed to enhance the maintenance of peace and order and encourage observance of and compliance with law.
   5. Civic Welfare Service (CWS) refers to the programs, projects and activities under the expanded ROTC program that contribute to the improvement of the general welfare and the quality of life for the local community and its various institutional components, more particularly, in terms of health, education, safety, livelihood and the morale of the citizenry.
   6. Extension Service refers to the provision of the school’s educational resources, such as faculty, library facilities, and the like, to those who are not regularly enrolled clients, and which are usually held outside the school campus. It is also a system of contacts and activities maintained by educational and governmental institutions and agencies to further participation in adult and extension education.
   7. Field Experience refers to the practical work and service carried out by translating academic principles of the various professional disciplines to action and testing-out of career interests.
4. Military Training Service. This component of the expanded ROTC program shall be administered by the Department of National Defense. The first curriculum year of the program shall consist of a basic module of purely military subjects which is fifty one (51) hours of training per semester, and which is required of all students covered by the ROTC program. The second curriculum year, if opted for, will consist of a similar period of time of 51 hours of training per semester.The procurement of uniforms shall be the responsibility of the cadets themselves, provided that the quality and design conform with that prescribed by the relevant major services. The payment or requisition of the uniform shall not be a prerequisite for registration.The Secretary of National Defense shall create a monitoring team which shall conduct inspections of ROTC classes, including the counter-checking of attendance sheets per drill day or session based upon enrollment.Under DECS Order No. 23, s. 1994, all male students enrolled in initial baccalaureate degree programs must take and complete the expanded ROTC program, while female students in the same courses may enrol on an optional basis.
5. The Law Enforcement Service (LES) Program is a second curriculum year option under the expanded ROTC program, and aims to inculcate in the youth respect for law and duly consti-tuted authority. It includes projects and activities design to enhance maintenance of local peace and order and promote public safety, assisting in rescue and relief operations during disasters and calamities, drug-abuse prevention and control, traffic control, fire prevention and safety, vice control, human rights propagation, and crowd control activities.The LES program shall be prepared in consultation with the DILG. The LES shall consist of classroom or recitation work and practical/actual experience. The ROTC commandant shall coordinate with the school in the provision of such instructors as may be necessary, either from its qualified faculty or as may be recommended by the Department of Interior and Local Government,
6. The Civic Welfare Service ICWSI Program is another second curriculum year option of the expanded ROTC program. The heads of educational institutions concerned shall be responsible for the implementation and orientation of the civic welfare service components in coordination with the ROTC commandants. Each school head may set up the CWS organizational structure as may fit the condition obtaining in his school under the department head in charge of ROTC.The identification of CWS projects and activities is basically the responsibility of individual educational institutions in coordination with the ROTC commandant. CWS projects shall be relevant to the program offering, viable, continuing, and economical in terms of least cost to participating students.The CWS program shall start with the introduction to the specific projects including concepts of loyalty, patriotism, nation building, civic consciousness and other values and topics needed to prepare the students for subsequent project participation.
7. Common Aspects of the LES and CWS Programs. Both the LES and CWS programs shall consist of a minimum of 51 student contact hours per semester, which may be apportioned in accordance with the specific requirement of the particular LES program;The monitoring of the LES and CWS programs shall be undertaken by the Commandant together with the Dean of Student Affairs or other designated school official, and who shall be responsible for monitoring the program, with the following to be observed. The instructor shall submit a report to the Commandant/Dean of Student Affairs on each of their projects to be undertaken during the semester or term within two weeks after the start of the classes. The report shall include (a) a brief description of the project, (b) location, (c) school official in-charge, (d) names of students’ participants, (e) approximate schedule of activities, and (f) method of evaluation and grading. A consolidated report of all ongoing and completed LES and CWS projects during each term shall be submitted to the DMST Commandant and the Dean of Student Affairs concerned within two weeks after the close of classes. The report shall include, among others, (a) the specific projects undertaken, (b) the status of the projects, and (c) problems encountered, if any, and remedies provided.Credits earned by students in the mandatory curricular requirement of internship or field ex-perience in such courses as Criminology, Dentistry, Dietetics, Nursing, Nutrition, and Social Work shall not be considered fulfillment of the project participation requirement in LES or CWS.
8. Financing – Schools may charge and collect a reasonable fee from each ROTC student. In any case, the fee charged should be less than for the equivalent of 1.5 academic units. Any collections from such fees shall constitute a trust fund which shall in general be subject to the same conditions as any other miscellaneous fee. The trust fund shall be managed by the school exclusively for the operation of the programs, and the school shall determine the procedures for disbursements from the trust fund.The ROTC commandant in the school shall submit to the school authorities concerned the program of expenditures per school year. The school shall evaluate as to whether the program of expenditure is feasible and chargeable against the fund. The trust fund need not be spent entirely each semester, but may provide for future contingencies.Each ROTC unit shall maintain a record of all disbursements/expenditures duly certified by the Commandant. It shall be subject to periodic audit by the proper school authorities and concerned officers of the Major Service Reserve Commandants and the DND Central Officials.
9. Evaluation and Rating of Student Performance – Each educational institution shall devise its own method of evaluating and rating student accomplishment based on the quality of performance and attendance in the 3 program components. Schools shall maintain records on enrollment and final rating of the expanded ROIC program which shall be reflected accordingly in all scholastic records of the student (enrollment list, report on promotions, transcript of records, etc.) Records of students who transfer to other schools shall indicate the number of hours completed as well as the Rating of performance. Final grades shall be submitted to the Registrar through the appropriate form prescribed not later than one week after the end of the term.
10. Certificate of Completion – Based on the evaluation of the over-all performance of the student, the school may issue the certificate of completion of the expanded ROTC Program specifying the component enrolled and completed.
11. Effectivity – This Order shall take effect starting school year 1994-1995. All rules, policies and guidelines which are inconsistent with this Order shall be deemed canceled, revoked or modified accordingly.

Reference: DECS Order: (No, 52, s. 1993)
Allotment: l-3-4—(M.O.1-87)

To be indicated in the Perpetual Index under the following subjects:
Course of Study, COLLEGIATE
POLICY
RULES & REGULATIONS
SCHOOLS
STUDENTS
UNIVERSITIES & COLLEGES

DO_s1994_023