Philippine National Police chief General Oscar Albayalde expressed support for the return of a mandatory Reserved Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program during a media conference in Camp Crame in Quezon City earlier today.
This came after President Rodrigo Duterte urged lawmakers during his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) yesterday to pass the ROTC bill in the Senate, which would require all students in Grades 11 and 12 to undergo military training. The House of Representatives’ version of the bill (House Bill No. 8961) already passed its third and final reading in May.
READ: Battle Lines: Gov’t, critics close ranks over return of mandatory ROTC in Philippines
Albayalde said it’s important to have an ROTC program to teach the youth about nation-building.
“A very important thing there is the sense of nationalism. [ROTC will teach] love of country and patriotism to all Filipinos especially the youth which is really, really, very important for us. Perhaps the president noticed that its something that people are lacking. So we have to revive this,” Albayalde said in a mix of English and Filipino.
“Not to mention, of course, we are such a small country, we have to defend our country also in case of war. That’s what the president thinks. What is really important there is the patriotism, sense of nationalism, and love of country.”
The Duterte administration has prioritized the reimposition of ROTC as early as 2017, but a law mandating this has yet to be enacted.
The Senate’s version of the bill was certified as urgent by Duterte in June, but lawmakers failed to pass it. The bill’s principal author, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, said he expects the bill to be approved in the 18th Congress which started yesterday.
While the Duterte administration is all for the reimposition of the ROTC program, many find it to be problematic as well.
The Commission on Human Rights has urged the government to exhibit caution in passing the ROTC bill, with spokeswoman Jaqueline Ann de Guia saying that reports of violence committed during training should be addressed first.
“Schools and universities should be safe spaces for children. Violence should never be condoned,” De Guia said in a statement sent to GMA News.
ROTC was made optional after the death of University of Santo Tomas student Mark Welson Chua in 2001. Chua was killed by fellow ROTC officers after he filed a complaint of extortion and corruption against them at the Department of National Defense.
Today, ROTC is one of three options for the mandatory National Service Training Program (NSTP) a module that college freshmen and sophomores have to take, which some lawmakers say is inadequate.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines has promised that the new version of the ROTC will provide a mechanism for parents and students to file complaints against erring trainers and student officers.