(in part copied from the public domain National Defense College of the Philippines website) The National Defense College of the Philippines was first conceived in 1957 when the military advisors of the
Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) proposed the setting-up of a SEATO War College in the
Philippines. There were legislative moves to pass a law creating the National Defense College of the Philippines. In the
House of Representatives, Congressman Manuel A. Zosa filed the House Bill No. 1420 in 1970 proposing an “Act Creating the National Defense College of the Philippines and for other Purposes.” Also in the same year, then Congressman
Ramon Bagatsing filed the House Bill No. 1447 proposing an “Act Creating the National Defense College of the Philippines, Providing an Academic Board, and for Other Purposes.” In the
Senate, Senator Leonardo B. Perez filed the Senate Bill No. 597 proposing an “Act Creating the National Defense College of the Philippines and for other Purposes.” However, these legislative proposals did not reach third reading because
President Ferdinand Marcos dissolved the
Philippine Congress.
President Marcos subsequently issued
Presidential Decree No. 190 in 1973 to formally create the NDCP to "fulfill the need for an institution that will provide for continuing and intensive studies of the diversified problems related to national defense and security." NDCP was then placed under the
Office of the Secretary of National Defense in 1974 by virtue of
P.D. No. 452. The Academic and Admission Boards were later established to oversee the academic program of the college. To carry out its teaching function, the NDCP draws top experts from the academe and senior officers with command and staff experiences from the major services of the
Armed Forces of the Philippines. Lectures by foreign diplomats, technical experts and defense leaders also complement the instruction at the NDCP. The NDCP has managed to grow beyond its modest beginnings to train leaders in the military and civilian bureaucracy in strategic thinking. On February 22, 1998, the college moved to its new and modern three-story building in the Academic Row, Camp General
Emilio Aguinaldo in
Quezon City. ==Master in National Security Administration Program==