Return of ROTC favored

BAGUIO. Celebrity and now Second Lieutenant Matteo Guidicelli joins the Army Caravan at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) on May 20 to inspire graduating cadets to join the army. (Photo by Jean Nicole Cortes)
BAGUIO. Celebrity and now Second Lieutenant Matteo Guidicelli joins the Army Caravan at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) on May 20 to inspire graduating cadets to join the army. (Photo by Jean Nicole Cortes)

THE country’s premiere military educational institution favors the return of the Reserve Officers Training Course or ROTC in the curriculum of the Philippine high school education system stating this would strengthen the sense of nationalism and patriotism of Filipino students.

Lieutenant General Ronnie Evangelista, Philippine Military Academy superintendent, said the measure will pave the way for graduating high school students to serve the country through various military organizations.

“This is a very good gesture having this ROTC because the problem right now is our incoming leaders. We need to have from our youth’s nationalism and patriotism. And through ROTC, we can catalyze the patriotism to include discipline among the youth which is very good for us,” Evangelista said.

The House of Representatives recently approved on third and final reading the bill requiring a mandatory Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) program for grades 11 and 12 students in public and private schools nationwide, which would be a requirement for graduation for all students in both public and private high schools.

“We really need youth who really love our country, not only lip service, but to putting it into action and we really need the discipline of our upcoming leaders,” Evangelista stated.

At least 167 lawmakers voted in favor, four against paving the way for the Lower House to approved House Bill 8961, or the proposed act mandating the “institutionalization, development, training, organization, and administration” of basic ROTC for senior high students around the country.

Ask if the imposition of House Bill 8961 would have an effect in the entry of cadet applicants to the academy, Evangelista showed optimism that this would even be favorable for the country.

“We will see but I do not think that would adversely affect, it can even favorably affect the recruitment of cadets. For the cadets coming in, they numbered around 29,000 who took the exam, and out of the 29,000, only 400 will be taken in to join the Philippine Military Academy. So we will see for this year how many applicants would take the exams,” Evangelista added.

Exempted from the mandatory ROTC training program are those physically or psychologically unfit or are part of the school’s varsity teams, students undergoing similar military training or those who get an exemption from the Department of National Defense.

President Rodrigo Duterte has repeatedly called for the mandatory ROTC training by urging lawmakers to pass a bill which would instill patriotism and love of country to the youth.

The President likewise argued the program is needed in order for future Filipinos to be able to protect the Philippines from foreign aggression.

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