PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, November 22, floated the possibility of issuing an executive order (EO) to revive the mandatory Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) for Grade 11 and 12 students.
During the 35th anniversary celebration of Army Reserve Command, Duterte raised his plan to take an executive action, noting that Congress has yet to pass a measure that will once again make ROTC program mandatory for students.
"We need to revive the ROTC. It has to be mandatory... I likewise encourage Congress to enact a law that will require mandatory ROTC for Grades 11 and 12 so we can instill patriotism, love of country among our youth," the President said in a speech delivered in Tanza, Cavite.
"Ewan ko kung madala ito ng EO. 'Pag madala ng EO siguro, Executive Order, baka mapilitan ako (I don't know if signing an EO is the solution. Perhaps, if EO -- executive order -- is the answer, I will be forced to sign it) if they do not act on it. I said that this is a constitutional requirement that you must prepare to defend your country," he added.
ROTC used to be mandatory until Republic Act (RA) 9163 or the National Service Training Program (NSTP) was passed in 2001 under the Arroyo government, making the training course optional and voluntary for college students.
ROTC, which provides military training to motivate and train students for national defense preparedness, was one of the three components of the NSTP. The two others were the Civic Welfare Training Service (CWTS) and the Literacy Training Service and (LTS).
The CWTS mandates students to participate in community service programs, while the LTS is a program designed to train students to teach literacy and numeracy skills in public schools.
Duterte is a staunch advocate of mandatory ROTC even before he became president.
Duterte renewed his call, as he lamented that youth seemed to have been engaged in trouble since mandatory ROTC had been abolished.
He stressed that mandatory ROTC will help young Filipinos be more disciplined and hone them as defenders of the country.
"Lulutang na 'yung bayan natin kaya kailangan ibalik ang ROTC. Hindi dahil gusto kong pahirapan ang mga bata, anak natin, kung hindi para sa kanila 'yan (Our country will stand out when we revive the mandatory ROTC. It's not because I want the youth, our children, to suffer. It's because they will benefit from it)," the President said.
"You have a duty to perform to your country when you grow up. It is your duty to defend the identity and the preservation of the Republic," he added. (SunStar Philippines)