Duterte’s push for mandatory ROTC finds House backer

YOUTH FORMATION ROTC cadets report to their officers at the Sunken Garden on the University of the Philippines Diliman campus on Saturday. —LYN RILLON

A House leader on Saturday backed President Rodrigo Duterte’s plan to make the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program mandatory for senior high school students in the country.

“I join President Duterte in his view that mandatory military training be included in schools in order to inculcate patriotism, service and discipline among the youth,” Rep. Ruffy Biazon, House national defense committee senior vice chair, said in a statement.

Biazon, son of former Armed Forces chief Rodolfo Biazon, said he filed a measure, House Bill No. 1260, proposing mandatory ROTC as soon as he began his term in the current Congress in July 2016.

Optional

HB 1260 sought to amend Republic Act No. 9163, or the National Service Training Program Act of 2001, to include ROTC as a mandatory part of the curricula for baccalaureate degree courses and two-year technical or vocational courses in state colleges and universities and technical and vocational institutions.

ROTC is optional in private schools.

The Muntinlupa City representative reiterated his belief that ROTC would instill in the youth patriotism, leadership and the virtues of public service.

Patriotism

“Having such a program provides a means of not just developing a sense of patriotism and service as well as instilling discipline among the youth,” Biazon said.

“It also develops leadership and establishes a standby force for mobilization during national emergencies, calamities and other instances where a structured organization can readily take action due to its command system,” Biazon added.

Mr. Duterte has said he would issue an executive order making ROTC mandatory if Congress failed to act on bills compelling students to take the military course.