Bam Aquino calls for student consultation on ROTC revival

Senator Bam Aquino on Thursday said students should have been asked if they agreed with the revival of the Reserved Officers Training Course (ROTC) before it was green-lighted by the Duterte administration.

President Rodrigo Duterte approved the proposal on Tuesday and asked that it be certified as urgent and forwarded to the Senate and the House of Representatives.

“Nakonsulta ba ang mga estudyante tungkol dito (Have the students been consulted about this)?” Aquino said in a statement.

The chairman of the Senate Committee on Education said he will ask students, councils, organizations and parents’ associations to submit their position papers on the military training program.

“We will also be conducting online poll through our social media sites to give students and parents an avenue to voice out their opinion before we conduct hearings on this issue,” he said.

There are three pending bills on the ROTC revival at the Senate. They are authored by Senators JV Ejercito, Sherwin Gatchalian and Manny Pacquiao.

The proposal approved by Duterte during a Cabinet meeting is for mandatory ROTC for Grades 11 and 12.

READ: Duterte approves revival of mandatory ROTC for Grades 11, 12

The ROTC used to be required for students but it became optional under the National Service Training Program in 2001 following reports of fatal hazing activities. It also resulted in the death of a student from University of Santo Tomas, Mark Chua, after he exposed the corruption of some ROTC officers.

Student organizations have expressed opposition to the revival of the ROTC. The League of Filipino Students said it only “instills fear and blind obedience” in addition to an “abusive and violent history.” CDG/rga

READ: ROTC perpetuates culture of blind obedience, impunity—student group