Youth groups reiterate opposition to mandatory NCST

MANILA, Philippines — Various youth organizations have reiterated their opposition to the proposal to reinstitute mandatory military training among college students.

In a statement yesterday, the College Editors’ Guild of the Philippines described the proposed National Civil Service Training bill (NCST) as “de-facto martial law” in schools.

“This bill gives military forces overwhelming power and authority over students, especially institutions like campus publications and student councils. The forced military training and campus militarization under (the proposal) give way to unlimited ways to attack our students and our freedoms. Supposed zones of peace universities and colleges are now zones of danger,” said CEGP national spokesperson Melanie Feranil.

The League of Filipino Students earlier described the proposal as a “disguised” version of the mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program.

“The rebrand buries the cases of injustice perpetrated under the ROTC program. Marcos Jr. is ditching the name ‘mandatory ROTC’ precisely because students are aware that it is a cesspool of corruption, abuse and violence,” the group said.

“Despite what the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) believes, wearing a uniform and accepting orders without question does not make a person nationalist. In fact, these decorated criminals do not love our country at all. They only want unrestricted presence in schools across the country in order to conduct brainwashing and surveillance operations,” it added.

Under the proposal, which was approved on third and final reading at the House of Representatives on Thursday, college students will be required to undergo military training under NCST, while ROTC will remain optional.

After completing four semesters of NCST, citizen cadets will be part of the National Service Reserve Corps. Those who complete the optional ROTC will be part of the AFP’s Regular and Reserve Force.

Youth groups have opposed proposals to reinstate mandatory ROTC, citing previous incidents of harassment, bullying, corruption and even deaths of cadets.