June 18, 2023
Youth group Samahan ng Progresibong Kabataan rejects Sen. Ronald dela Rosa's argument that membership in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps should me mandatory as a constitutional duty of every Filipino.
"Dela Rosa demands that Filipino students undertake mandatory military training in the name of patriotism. This kind of patriotism endangers national security by militarizing our youth and providing cannon fodder to the US forces that he himself has been critical of," John Lazaro, SPARK national coordinator, says in a statement..
May 4, 2023
A Social Weather Station survey released Thursday shows that 42% of Filipinos believe that the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps or ROTC should be optional as a course. An alternative would be community service.
Meanwhile 35% believe it should be compulsory for Senior High School students while 22% said ROTC should not be in the curriculum of students.
December 15, 2022
In a 276-4-1 vote, the House of Representatives approves the National Citizens Service Training Program Act which critics say is a rebranding of the controversial ROTC program abolished following the death of UST cadet Mark Welson Chua. — Xave Gregorio
July 9, 2019
Youth activist group Samahan ng Progresibong Kabataan slams Sen. Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa for allegedly mocking Filipinos calling on the government to protect the country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) by saying they do not even want to enroll in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps.
"Unfortunately, it is common for uncritical Filipinos to parrot these same fallacious, uninformed opinions. Not surprisingly, mandatory ROTC defenders jump to the conclusion that one is automatically seeking war if one is against the unlawful intrusion into the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone of the Chinese government and military. This is the vulgar 'basis' that allows them to mock those who are against ROTC, spouting brainless and unnecessary remarks on social media such as "Gusto niyo giyerahin ang China, pero ayaw niyo sa ROTC.", etc," SPARK says in a press release.
"Filipinos are still divided on their opinions about ROTC, but this military program for students, disguised as a means 'to develop discipline and nationalism,' appears to be no more than a mere tool for oppression and to train more puppies to grow into obedient lapdogs to the reactionary government," the group also says.
June 3, 2019
President Rodrigo Duterte has certified as urgent the bill seeking to restore the mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program.
In a letter sent to Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Duterte says restoring basic military and leadership trainings for the youth would reinvigorate their sense of nationalism.
These qualities are necessary in defending the state and in further promoting the youth's vital role in nation building, he adds.
Once a bill is certified urgent by the president, Congress can pass it on second and final reading on the same day.
The House of Representatives passed on final reading the bill reviving mandatory ROTC for Grades 11 and 12 students last month. The Senate's version of the measure is still in the period of interpellation.
The mandatory ROTC program was abolished after former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed the National Service Training Program (NSTP) law in 2002.
Under the law, ROTC is just one of the three NSTP components students can choose from along with Civic Welfare Training Service, and the Literacy Training Service.
— The STAR/Alexis Romero
May 30, 2019
Child rights group Salinlahi Alliance for Children’s Concerns urges senators to block the bill reviving the mandatory Reserved Officers Training Corps for senior high school students.
"The core of ROTC is militarism. It develops vulnerable young minds submissive to authorities. It discourages being critical which is a complete opposite of patriotism which shall be fueled by young people's love for their fellow citizens, community, and country," says Eule Rico Bonganay, Salinlahi's secretary general.
The House of Representatives approved on third and final reading the bill that would make the ROTC mandatory for Grade 11 and 12 students last May 20. The bill was approved by a vote of 167 in favor, four against, and no abstentions.
May 20, 2019
The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading a bill that will make the Reserve Officers' Training Corps mandatory for Grade 11 and 12 students.
The bill was approved by a vote of 167 in favor, four against, and no abstentions.
JUST IN: The House of Representatives approved on third and final reading House Bill 8961 reviving the mandatory Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) for Grades 11 and 12 in public and private schools. pic.twitter.com/ZkLuMdBSWM
— The Philippine Star (@PhilippineStar) May 20, 2019
A counterpart bill at the Senate is still pending at the committee level.
Enrollment in ROTC was made optional in 2001 in response to the death of University of Santo Tomas cadet Mark Chua, who exposed corruption in the program and whose body was later found floating in the Pasig River.
In 2004, a Manila court found ROTC cadet Arnufo Aparri Jr. guilty of killing Chua. He was sentenced to death and was ordered to pay the family a 50,000-peso indemnity. However, Aparri's sentenced was downgraded to life imprisonment without parole when the death penalty was abolished in 2006.
Another accused, Eduardo Tabrilla, pleaded guilty to homicide in 2006 while the other two involved — Paul Tan and Michael Manangbao — are still at large, according to The Varsitarian.
House is set to pass on third and final reading today the institutionalization of mandatory ROTC in Grades 11-12, railroaded w/o Senior HS/K-12 implementation review, & no status report/resolut'n on the program's cases of harassment, hazing & corruption.#OpposeMandatoryROTC
— Sarah Elago (@sarahelago) May 20, 2019
The few lawmakers opposed to making ROTC mandatory again have said that the program exposes students to the risk of hazing and abuse by cadet officers. They also said there are other ways to instill nationalism in the youth.
They have proposed improving the National Service Training Program, which includes the ROTC program, instead.
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo says President Rodrigo Duterte wants the mandatory Reserve Officers' Training Corps revived to instill discipline on the youth.
Last week, Duterte, who admitted that he did not finish the course that used to be a requirement at that time, has again urged Congress to enact a law that would make ROTC mandatory.
Panelo on criticism against mandatory ROTC: The president wants ROTC revived because of discipline...We have to prepare ourselves @PhilippineStar @PhilstarNews
— Alexis B. Romero (@alexisbromero) November 26, 2018
A bill that will make ROTC compulsory for Grades 11 and 12 students in public and private schools is already pending at the House of Representatives and is just awaiting approval from lawmakers.
Last year, the president revealed that as an undergraduate he presented the X-ray results of a man with tuberculosis so he wouldn't have to undergo the ROTC.
He said he didn't want to take the course as he does not like the idea of getting shouted at.