K-12 program seen to affect AFP recruitment

The Philippine Army is looking at the possible implications of the K-12 education program on the age of officers coming from the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program.

Army spokesperson Col. Benjamin Hao said Monday the implementation of the program means that the age of students entering the ROTC program would be delayed by two years. The K-12 program is being implemented by the Department of Education.

The ROTC is a major manpower resource for the reserve and regular force of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. At present, there are 111,733 students taking up Basic ROTC and 2,423 enrolled in advanced ROTC.

Hao said there would be older lieutenants who will join the service but how this would affect the military is still being studied and determined.

Meanwhile, Colonel Noel Detoyato, AFP public affairs chief, said that because of the K-12, cadets who will join the Philippine Military Academy will be at least 18 years old. Those who will join the service as second lieutenants will be at least 22.

He said only 10 percent of the PMA applicants are fresh from high school while the rest have taken up a year or two in college.

The mandatory retirement age in the service is 56 years old.

Although they have expressed support to the DepEd program, Hao said they are still studying its implications to the military.

In the Army, an aspiring ordinary soldier needs at least 72 units in college. Hao said that with K-12, this would have to be studied to determine if an adjustment is necessary. AU