PROVIDING FOR COMPULSORY NATIONAL SERVICE FOR FILIPINO CITIZENS AND AMENDING CERTAIN SECTIONS OF COMMONWEALTH ACT NUMBER ONE, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS “THE NATIONAL DEFENS…

WHEREAS, Section 2, Article II of the Constitution provides
that: “The defense of the state is a prime duty of the” government and the
people, and in the fulfillment of this duty all citizens may be required by law
to render personal military or civil service”;

WHEREAS, Section 1, Article V of the same Constitution
provides, among others, that it is the duty of the citizen to contribute to his
country’s development and welfare and to cooperate with the duly constituted
authorities in the attainment and preservation of a just and orderly
society;

WHEREAS, Commonwealth Act Number One, as amended, makes it
obligatory for all citizens to render military service;

WHEREAS, to serve the urgent needs of a developing country
such as the Philippines, at present and in the foreseeable future, it is equally
vital to enhance respect for the law and lawfully constituted authorities and
provide for, promote and develop civic consciousness and participation as it is
to insure national defense preparedness;

WHEREAS, the citizens of our country, particularly its
youth, as the most valuable resource of our nation, need to be motivated,
trained, developed, organized, mobilized and utilized in regard to their
responsibilities as citizens particularly their commitment to civic welfare,
their respect for the law and. lawfully constituted authorities and the
fulfillment of their military or civil obligations;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the
Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the
Constitution, do hereby order and decree that:

SECTION 1. — This decree shall be known as “The National
Service Law”.

SEC. 2. — National service shall be obligatory for all
citizens of the Philippines. As used in this decree, “National service” shall
consist of three main programs namely: civic welfare service; law enforcement
service; and military service.

SEC. 3. — Each citizen shall render national service in any
of the three main programs stated in section 2 of this decree or a combination
thereof: PROVIDED, That such service shall be credited in his favor for
the purpose of fulfilling educational requirements established by law.

SEC. 4. — The terms “military service” and “military
training” referred to in Commonwealth Act Number One, as amended, shall mean
“national service” and “training for national service”, respectively, as herein
defined.

SEC. 5. The Minister of National Defense, in coordination
with the Ministers of Human Settlements, Education and Culture, and Local
Government and Community Development, shall issue rules and regulations to
implement this Decree, .subject to the approval of the President.

SEC. 6. All provisions of Commonwealth Act Number One, as
amended, laws, orders, rules and regulations, or parts thereof, which are
inconsistent with this Decree are hereby repealed, amended or modified
accordingly.

SEC. 7. This Decree takes effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 8th day of August, in the year of Our Lord,
nineteen hundred and eighty.

			(Sgd.) FERDINAND E. MARCOS President of the Philippines
	By the President:
	(Sgd.) JUAN C. TUVERA
		Senior Presidential Assistant