By Priam Nepomuceno/PNA
MANILA — A mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program will help instill the need and value of protecting the nation to the youth.
Col. Noel Detoyato, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) public affairs office chief, made this comment when sought for a reaction regarding the House of Representatives’ approval on second reading of a proposed bill seeking to reinstate mandatory ROTC for Grades 11 and 12.
“The AFP believes it is time to bring back mandatory ROTC in schools to ensure that the youth are shaped with a deep sense of patriotism and love for country,” Detoyato said in a message to the Philippine News Agency Monday night.
Since protecting the nation is a concern of every citizen, mandatory ROTC enrolment will help instill this to the youth.
“It will also help the AFP in further strengthening its reserve force to augment the regular force in external defense and disaster response,” the AFP official added.
House Bill 8961 seeks to amend for the purpose Republic Act 7077 or the Citizen Armed Forces of the Philippines Reservist Act. Under the proposed measure, ROTC training would apply to “all students in Grades 11 and 12 in all senior high schools in public and private educational institutions.”
The bill also states that ROTC training shall be a requirement for graduation.
As provided, the following students may be exempted: those who are physically or psychologically unfit; those who have undergone or are undergoing similar military training; those who are chosen by their school to serve as the school’s varsity players in sports competition; and those who may be exempted from training for valid reasons as approved by the Department of National Defense, upon recommendation by an educational institution where the concerned student is enrolled.
The proposed measure also strictly prohibits the use of ROTC training for “political” objective and for teaching and instilling a particular political ideology on students.
House Bill 8961 also specifically bans hazing and other forms of physical or mental abuse.
