Duterte certifies ROTC bill as urgent

File Photo
File Photo

JUST four days before the 17th Congress is set to adjourn, President Rodrigo Duterte certified as urgent a Senate measure mandating senior high school students to undergo Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) program.

Certifying a legislative bill as urgent allows Congress to vote on it on second and third reading in one go, doing away with the required three-day window in between plenary approvals.

In a letter dated June 3 and addressed to Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Duterte urged the Senate to immediately approve Senate Bill (SB) 2232, which reinstates mandatory ROTC among Grades 11 and 12 students.

The President stressed that restoring basic military training for the youth would "invigorate their sense of nationalism and patriotism necessary in defending the State and further promote their vital role in nation-building."

"Pursuant to the provisions of Article 6, Section 26(2) of the 1987 Constitution, I hereby certify to the necessity of the immediate enactment of Senate Bill No. 2232," Duterte said in his certification of urgency.

House Bill 8961, a similar measure at the House of Representatives, was approved by congressmen on third and final reading on May 20.

ROTC is one of the three components of the National Service Training Program (NSTP), which provides military training to motivate and train students for national defense preparedness.

The two other NSTP components are the Civic Welfare Training Service (CWTS) and the Literacy Training Service and (LTS).

ROTC used to be mandatory, but it become optional and voluntary for college students when Republic Act 9163 was signed in 2001 under the Arroyo government.

Duterte signed the document four days before the adjournment of the 17th Congress.

All pending bills left unapproved will have to be re-filed by lawmakers at the opening of 18th Congress in July. (SunStar Philippines)

Trending

No stories found.

Just in

No stories found.

Branded Content

No stories found.
SunStar Publishing Inc.
www.sunstar.com.ph