BAGUIO City Congressman Marquez Go favors the activation of the Reserve Officers Training Course (ROTC) for college students rather than to senior high schools.
The lawmaker said a joint committee meeting of the basic and higher education will determine whether the ROTC will be implemented to both college and senior high school.
“Primarily, if we are to undergo with this measure, do we have the resources to train all this students in the high school level? This is a big number of students that will have to undergo with this training,” Go said.
Go believes ROTC should be implemented to college students since the number of trainers is lesser compared to the senior high school level.
“In our measure, it is more limited if this would be applied for the college students in terms of resources because we will need trainers to undergo with this training and the trainers will come from a commission or from the military or the police depending on the outcome of the final approval of the bill,” the solon stated.
Go added fellow lawmakers in the committee at the Lower House are currently divided in the implementation of the mandatory ROTC.
The mandatory ROTC program is being planned for implementation starting this school year for Grades 11 and 12 in public and private schools nationwide.
Colonel Gregory Dosil, Group Commander of the 4th Cordillera Regional Community Defense Group earlier explained college students enrolling in ROTC will undergo the advance citizenship program, aside from having a military training to equip them with skills as part of national defense preparedness.