Gullas' ROTC plan draws mixed reactions from dads

The plan of Cebu first district Rep. Eduardo Gullas to reinstate the Reserve Officers Training Corps in public and private schools drew mixed reactions from members of the City Council.

Councilor Edgardo Labella, chairman of the council committee on laws, passed a resolution supporting Gullas' measure that seeks to abolish two components of Republic Act 9163 or the Act creating the National Service Training Program for tertiary students as he pushes for the retention of only one component of the program.

RA 9163 stipulates that the NSTP be divided by three programs -ROTC, literacy services and civic welfare.

Labella explained that he supported Gullas' plan because "under these very trying times, heightening the sense of nationhood among the students via the revival of ROTC would really go a long way in enhancing the capabilities of the concerned government agencies mandated to safeguard and preserve the national patrimony."

But during last Wednesday's session, councilor Rodrigo Abellanosa, who owns Asian College of Technology, and councilor Arsenio Pacaña, dean of the College of Education at the Cebu Institute of Technology, do not believe that ROTC triggers a "sense of nationhood."

The councilors recalled the allegations of abuses such as hazing during the implementation of ROTC, which was also used by officers to demand financial consideration from students in exchange for grades.

"If the ROTC will be managed by the same structure, then I will object," councilor Gerardo Carillo said, adding that he would rather have the program voluntary instead of compulsory.

But councilor Jocelyn Pesquera, once a cadet lieutenant colonel in the Citizen's Army Training in high school, and Sangguniang Kabataan president Glena Bontuyan said they will support for the ROTC reinstatement should universities and colleges adopt the program.

Labella pointed out that an ROTC-oriented student could "undeniably provide fresh and strong hands in protecting the people from the destructive consequences of natural and man-made disasters and calamities."

Speaking during the ROTC Corps Commander National Convention at the Capitol Social Hall two weeks ago, Gullas said that he will push for the retention of the program since the literacy service and civic welfare components are already redundant.

He explained that the literacy service is meant to prepare the youth to become teachers, which is already a course offered in college.

He also said that the civic welfare program is already a main component of the ROTC that reservists and those in the active service are encouraged to join the civic military operation activities. - Garry B. Lao