Gia S.

Evangelista NSTP CWTS 1 – SW (B)

201820555 Prof. Karleen May Reodique

Facts and Misconceptions: NSTP Orientation

In the first session that I attended in our NSTP class, I was struck the most by the number
of misconceptions I had in mind regarding the subject, as well as my lack of knowledge on it.
Needless to say, because of it, I played close attention throughout the discussion and seeped in
every information I could get – from the meaning of NSTP to its components and structure of the
program, to UP as a “Public Service University” and much more.

NSTP or the National Service Training Program, as discussed in our class, is very relevant
to our university, the University of the Philippines, as well as to our country. UP, throughout its
history of existence has shown how it is a “Public Service University”. From the time of UP
President Murray Barlet, the first President of the university, it has been a mandate of UP to be
always for the Filipino people. In the presidency of Rafael Palma, he forwarded a nationalistic
consciousness in the midst of a colonial orientation of the country. UP President Jorge Bacobo
promoted the importance of patriotism, discipline and sacrifice in the process of nation-building.
Furthermore, in the time of Martial Law in the Philippines, UP, its constituencies and their activism
has played a tantamount role in the progress of the country. In the time of UP President Emil
Javier, UP Mindanao, UP Open University and the “Ugnayan ng Pahinungod” has been
established – UP’s service for the country has continued to widen. In the presidency of Alfredo
Pascual, Padayon was created as a continuation to the essence of Pahinungod as the country’s
first university-based formal volunteer service program. Afterwards, the UP Charter 2008 has
indicated the mandate of the university as a “Public Service University”. And up until today, in the
Presidency of Danilo Concepcion, UP’s character as a “Public Service University” still remains.
From all of the aforementioned information above, UP’s similarity to NSTP has been evident, their
common ground is service to the nation.

In my own course, I think the concept of “Paglilingkod-Bayan” or service to the country

cannot actually be separated from it. As a future social worker, I believe that it will always be a
part of what I do, if not what I really do. It is because we promote social change and development,
social cohesion, empowerment and liberation of people. We work with the goal of bettering an
individual, a group, a community, and even a nation.

CWTS or Civic Welfare Training Service is one of the three components of NSTP, for my
CWTS, possible national security concerns that interests me that I could potentially work in are
some responses for disasters and how we could aid disaster survivors, responses to poverty and
how we can volunteer to help them. I am really excited in the things that we would do in the future
in NSTP. What I will always carry from this class is the fact that there is a challenge to us, not
only as UP students but also as NSTP students, that we hone ourselves not only for ourselves,
but also for our nation.