SEN. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa yesterday said he is confident the mandatory Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) bill will pass in the Senate but only with a “slim margin” since some of his colleagues are not convinced that the program should be revived.
“I am sure that we will win but the votes of those in favor will not be overwhelming. It will just be a majority vote, but the margin will be very slim,” Dela Rosa said.
Dela Rosa issued the statement after Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri last Monday said the proposed mandatory ROTC bill would be up for plenary discussion when Congress resumes its regular sessions on April 29.
He said he is optimistic the measure would be passed before President Marcos Jr. delivers his State-of-the-Nation Address on July 29.
ROTC is one of the three components of the National Service Training Program, the civic and defense preparedness of Filipino college students. The program was made optional in 2001 after several controversies occurred, including the death of some students due to hazing.
Former President Duterte called for the revival of the mandatory ROTC program in 2018.
Dela Rosa said he will not stop convincing his colleagues to vote in favor of the passage of the mandatory ROTC bill since there are a lot of benefits in store for future generations once it is revived.
He said ROTC has long existed in the country dating back to the Commonwealth period — from 1935 to 1946.
“This (ROTC) is not a new concept. That was already institutionalized long before you were born. Those who are against it, (I’m telling them) that it was already there long ago because our elders knew that we need a program to organize our reserve (force), our defense, and to instill discipline among the youth,” he said.
He assured that the proposed measure will come with enough safeguards to ensure that past abuses will not happen again, like the establishment of a grievance committee in each ROTC unit to be composed of the DND, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Commission on Higher Education, and the concerned local government unit.
