‘President Marcos sees urgency in reviving ROTC’

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos acknowledged the urgency for the revival of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC), which is now one of the top priority measures to be passed by the Senate, Majority Leader Francis Tolentino said yesterday.

Tolentino said the mandatory ROTC would prepare students not only for war, but also to help in times of calamity. The measure includes basic military, leadership and civic training as well as enhanced preparedness during disaster response operations.

“The President himself said that it is urgent,” Tolentino said in an interview over dzBB. “Now there is a go signal from the President, this is a top priority now.”

He said the proposed measure has been approved in the House of Representatives, while the Senate is in the period of interpellation.

Earlier, Senate President Francis Escudero said Senate Bill 2034 or the Mandatory ROTC Bill is one of the eight priorities when Congress resumes session on Nov. 4.

Tolentino alleges that the number of enrollees in ROTC surges in various schools, even in Catholic schools, and that some schools in the provinces have turned down ROTC enrollees because of the high volume of interest.

“Only an amendment was discussed,” Tolentino said, and noted that the proposal to revive ROTC will be discussed further in the opening of session.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines will be the main government agency to oversee the implementation of ROTC.

Aside from ROTC, Escudero said other priority bills currently up for second reading are SB 2821 or the Amendments to the Right of Way Act, SB 2826 or the Mining Fiscal Regime, SB 2771 or the National Water Resources Management Act, SB 2781 or the E-Governance Act, SB 2699 or the Konektadong Pinoy Bill, SB 2474 or the Unified System of Separation, Retirement and Pension of Military and Uniformed Personnel and SB 2267 or the Waste-to-Energy Bill.