This document summarizes the Citizenship Advancement Training (CAT) program in the Philippines and revised rules and regulations for implementing the National Service Program. The CAT program is a restructuring of the Citizenship Army Training for 4th year high school students and has the objectives of enhancing social responsibility, developing law and order abilities, and developing community assistance skills. It has components on military orientation and community service. The National Service Program rules require all citizens to participate in civic welfare, law enforcement, or military service and establish responsibilities for government agencies to coordinate and integrate the different components of the program.

1. CAT – Citizenship Advancement Training - is a restructuring of the Citizenship Army
Training – I, and is a component of the MAPEH in the Fourth Year.
Objectives of CAT
1. To enhance students social responsibility and commitment to the development of
their communities.
2. To develop students ability to uphold law and order as they assume active
participation in community activities.
3. To develop students readiness in assisting the members of the community,
especially in times of emergency.
2 Components
A. Military Orientation – deals with the introduction and exposure of the learner to the
basic knowledge, unfamiliar situations and experience as well as activities related to
military and citizenship training.
B. Community Service - refers to any activity that helps achieve the general welfare and
the betterment of life of the members of the community, or enhancement of its facilities
especially those devoted to improving health, education, safety, recreation and morale of
the citizenry.
The program is a requirement for graduation for all fourth year high school students in
both public and private secondary school.
REVISED RULES AND REGULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT THE NATIONAL
SERVICE PROGRAM
REFERENCES:
a. Sec. 4 art. 11 of the 1987 Constitution
b. National Defense Act (Commonwealth Act No. 1, as amended)
c. National Service Law (Presidential Decree No. 1706)
d. AFP Reservist Law (Republic Act No. 7077)
The following rules and regulations are hereby promulgated to implement the obligatory
national service requirements for all Filipino citizens for the guidance and compliance of
all concerned:
Rule 1 – DEFINITION OF TERMS
Section 1. Definitions – the use of the following terms in these Implementing Rules and
Regulations shall be understood and taken as defined in this section:
a. “National Service” (NS) shall refer to any activity that contributes to national
security, development and/or welfare. As provided for in Presidential Decree No.
1706 or the National Service Law (NSL) there shall be a National Service
Program (NSP) that shall consist of three (3) main program components namely:
Civic Welfare Service (CWS): Law Enforcement Service (LES); and Military
Service (MS).

2. b. Civic Welfare Service (CWS) refers to service that contributes to the general
welfare and betterment of life for the members of the community, or enhancement
of its facilities especially those devoted to improving health, education, safety,
recreation and morale of the citizenry, and the protection of the environment.
c. Law Enforcement Service (LES) refers to service that contributes to the
maintenance of peace and order, enhance public safety, and encourages
observance of and compliance with law.
d. Military Service (MS) refers to service that enhance military preparedness for
national defense and security.
e. Trainee – shall refer to individual undergoing instruction, education and/or
practice in any of the national service programs and mentioned above.
f. Optional – shall refer to the choice among the three (3) program components of
the National Service Program (NSP), the student/trainees select to undergo.
Rule 11 – GENERAL PROVISION
Section 2. Applicability – these rules and regulations shall apply to all citizens of the
Philippines who are obligated by law to render “National Service” in one or any
combination of the three main programs as stated in Rule 1 hereof, which the citizen may
choose provided that such service shall be credited in his/her favor for the purpose of
fulfilling educational and other requirements established by law.
Section 3. Constitutional Precepts – it is the prime duty of the government 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 required to render personal military or civil
service. Such as military or civil service shall also contribute to the country’s ability,
development and welfare.
Section 4. Program Integration – the National Service Program is aimed to ensuring
defense preparedness by enhancing respect for the law and developing civic
consciousness especially among youth while undergoing training in any of the three (3)
components. As part of the program, all citizens particularly the youth, will be motivated,
trained, organized, developed empowered and utilized in regard to their responsibilities
as citizens. In this connection, the National Service Program shall be incorporated into
the national defense and security program. Organizational linkages for the integration of
the law enforcement program and the civic welfare programs of the NSP into the national
defense program as well as the civil defense preparedness program of the country shall be
established at the Department of National Defense>
Section 5. Responsibilities – the Department of National Defense (DND) shall have the
responsibility for overall direction, planning and integration of the National Service
Program (NSP). It shall also have the responsibility for the direction, planning and
coordination of the Military Service Program (MSP). Similarly, the Department of
Education (DepED), the commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Technical
Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) shall have responsibility for the
direction, planning and coordination for the Civic Welfare Service Program (CWSP) in
their respective areas of concern in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare
Development (DSWD), And the Department Interior and Local Government
(DILG)/National Police Commission (NAPALCOM), together with the Philippine
National Police (PNP), the Local Government Units (LGUs), and the Manila

3. Metropolitan Development Authority (MMDA) and other agencies concerned, for the
Law Enforcement Service Program (LESP) in the respective areas of concern. These
agencies shall harness their respective programs to maximally contribute to realization of
the national development goals and objectives. The DND, in coordination with all
concerned agencies shall be responsible for the integration of all graduates of the NSP
into the National Service Force (NSF).
Section 6. Citizenship Training – citizenship training shall receive emphasis in all three
(3) national service programs. The DepEd, CHED, and TESDA shall incorporate into the
curricula, concepts relating to the constitutional duty of every citizen to contribute to the
country’s development in order that this may serves the orientation to national service.
Section 7. Citizenship Advancement Training (CAT) - all able-bodied senior secondary
students, male or female shall undergo the current Citizens Army Training (CAT) which
shall henceforth be called the Citizenship Advancement Training (CAT) the DepEd shall
provide the guidelines for the said training.
Section 8. Minimum Service Period Requirements – all citizens shall render national
service for a minimum period as prescribed by the program. This shall include the
orientation and citizenship training module, and the requisite CAT for senior secondary
students.
Section 9. Incentives – government agencies may devise appropriate incentives in
accordance with law for those who have rendered obligatory national service.
Rule 111 – PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION
Section 10. Orientation of In-School Youth – the orientation of in-school
students/trainees shall be conducted by the respective agencies concerned. The DepEd
shall continue to include in their basic curriculum, concepts relating to the constitutional
duty of every citizen to contribute to the country’s development and security.
Section 11. Orientation of Out-School Youth – the DILG and Social Welfare
Development Office of the Local Government Units or any other government
department/agency desiring to avail of out-of-school youth national service trainees for
any of its nation-building and development programs shall jointly or independently
conduct orientation seminar on national service program for all its prospective
trainees/volunteers.
Section 12. Program Support – all training and seminars for program
trainors/coordinators conducted by a particular department or agency in connection with
the implementation of the NSP shall be supported out of the regular appropriations of the
said department/agency, and from the fees collected for such training in accordance with
law.
Section 13. Preference Survey – all trainees at the start of their national service
involvement shall be required to indicate their chosen National Service Program
component in the order of their preference for purposes of training.
Section 14. Common Basic Training Module – there shall be a basic training module
initially common to all the National Service Program components. The DND shall be
responsible for the design of this module. The implementation/conduct of this basic
module shall be primary responsibility of the program implementers with the AFP
providing assistance as appropriate. CHED, and TESDA shall be responsible for the
supervision of the implementation of the said module in tertiary and technical/vocational
level institutions respectively.

4. The Secretary of National Defense upon the recommendation of the implementing
agencies shall implement changes in this common module to respond to perceived public
needs and in the interest of public welfare.
Section 5. Organization – there shall hereby be organized a National Service Force (NSF)
administered by the Department of National Defense. It shall consist of all
graduates/trainees of the national service program components in accordance with their
projected employment/utilization pursuant of the national defense and security program.
a. MS graduates/trainees will be absorbed into the AFP Reserve Force. They will
serve as the base of expansion of the regular AFP in times of war invasion or
rebellion.
b. The graduates/trainees of LES become police reservist who may be tapped by the
PNP for line and/or auxiliary services and barangay brigades. In times of war or
disorder, their main function is to perform normal police functions secure interior
lines and maintain order in the area or non combat areas’
c. Graduates/trainees of CWS may be employed in various civic welfare
organizations such as fire brigades, disaster brigades/Disaster Coordinating
Council operating units at various levels environment brigades, literacy brigades,
etc. in times of war, conflict or disaster/calamities (man made or natural), they
will function as service support and auxiliaries to assist in total effort and in
mitigating the loss of civilian lives and properties.
Section 16. Accreditation Mechanism – the government agency responsible for the
conduct of a particular national service training program shall issue appropriate
certification to trainees who have complied with the obligatory national service
requirements of their respective programs. A report of these certifications shall be
provided/submitted to the DND. Appropriate legal sanctions shall be taken against any
person or _______ who issue s a false certification in connection with the implementation
of the program.
Section 17. Linkages – existing inter-agency linkages shall be utilized for the purpose of
these implementing rules and regulations. Other administrative and operational
arrangements between and among agencies deemed necessary may be prescribed by
appropriate memorandum of agreement among concerned agencies.
Rule IV- MISCELLANEOUS PROVISION
Section 18. Plan Preparation – the DND, DepEd, DILG, DSWD, CHEd, TESDA and
other concerned agencies, shall draft plans to implement the NSP and prepare own
department/agency implementing plan relative to their assigned program components and
related responsibilities.
Section 19. Repealing Clause – any and all policies rules or regulations which are
contrary to or inconsistent herewith are deemed revoked or modified accordingly.
Section 20. Effectivity – these rules and regulations shall take upon President’s approval
thereof, its requisite publication in the Official Gazette or two newspapers of general
circulation and deposit in the UP Law Center.
Mr. Emerlindo C. Matienzo
MAPEH/CAT Teacher