MANILA, Philippines — There were no discussions with the Department of Education (DepEd) regarding making the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) mandatory, the camp of presumptive vice president Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio said Thursday.
Liloan town mayor Christina Frasco, who also serves as the spokesperson of Duterte-Carpio, made this remark after Atty. Bruce Rivera, in an interview with One News PH, said that the presumptive president “really wants the return of mandatory ROTC.”
The media organization identified Rivera as a “close friend” of Duterte-Carpio.
“This is to clarify claims by Atty. Bruce Rivera that Vice President-elect Sara Duterte’s first priority in the Department of Education will be mandatory ROTC,” Frasco said in a statement.
“There has been no discussion on this matter either with Atty. Rivera or with the DepEd pending the official proclamation of the VP-elect,” she added.
Presumptive president Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. earlier announced that Duterte-Carpio will serve as the next secretary of education once both of them are elected.
“While VP-elect Sara looks forward to fulfilling her role as DepEd Secretary, she is respectful of the transition process, and therefore all policy discussions will be had post-proclamation,” Frasco said.
In January, Duterte-Carpio said if elected, she would push for mandatory military service for all Filipinos reaching the age of 18 — male or female.
She said she would use the Office of the Vice President to urge the House of Representatives and the Senate of the Philippines to pass such legislation.
READ: If elected VP, Sara Duterte will push for mandatory military service for all Filipinos