“SIR, yes sir!” is the only acceptable answer instilled in the memory of every disciplined soldier. I suppose this is a cliché, but every soldier must conform to this absolute diktat “obey first before you complain.”
Mandatory ROTC for grades 11 and 12 is a timely program, because broadly speaking discipline at home is scant nowadays, overtaken by the flourishing decadent outcomes of the unregulated use of gadgets.
The objective in reviving ROTC is to train the youth in military approach to instill patriotism and nationalism. So, while in school –a peace zone (without artillery), they will be trained to behave like soldiers. While on training, there are merits and demerits corresponding to every action especially in dealing with the cadets and officers.
As an advance ROTC graduate and a reserved officer, I can articulate lot of good things than junks in reviving the training. My space is not enough to enumerate all, but the basics are respect with each other and teamwork. We were taught to greet in salute whenever we meet an officer, not to proceed without the officer’s confirmation, maintain a good camaraderie to everyone, must be practical and have a good sense with our buddies both at halt and in trooping.
During our days, many were hooked to ROTC; because our senior officers demonstrated exemplary leadership, perseverance, and even taught us to be obedient, and resilient. My batch mates as I observed were paying much respect to the battalion commander and other officers than to some of our insensitive professors who were fond of assigning load of books to read.
Well, so much to the good memoirs of ROTC which should have been enjoyed incessantly by the coevals had it not been for the abuses committed by few in the hierarchy. Abuses like bullying and harassments existed and truly committed, but were only concealed behind the shadow of secrecy for the supposition that everything is part of the culture.
But on March 18, 2001 the whole ROTC institution was bared for its rotten culture of violence. A high impact of resentment against ROTC came when Mark Chua, a student of the University of Santo Tomas was floating dead in Pasig River. NBI investigators later found out that his death was a hostile verdict for his expose about the irregularities in the UST ROTC unit. It was the catalyst that put down ROTC to only an option in all colleges and universities.
This new version of mandatory ROTC however will be paralleled with an Instructors’ Academy where all who will be teaching ROTC must undergo a capacity-building training to suffuse in mind the necessary laws, policies, guidelines and approaches to safeguard against inevitable abuses.
Hopefully this revival will truly indoctrinate the youth to love our country and develop leadership as they learn from the school of soldiers without arms.
abrigodann@gmail.com