Arroyo bats for expanded ROTC
Former President and now Pampanga 2nd District Representative Gloria MacagapalArroyo is batting to improve and expand the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program by creating what she calls a “Citizens Service Corps.”
Arroyo’s proposal was embodied in House Bill (HB) No.5305, which
she filed last March 15. It was referred to the House Committee on Government Reorganization only two weeks ago.
Under the bill, a Basic Citizen Service Training Course (CSTC) shall be mandatory for all college students in baccalaureate degree and vocational courses in all public and private universities, colleges and other learning institutions all over the country.
The CSTC will retain the external and territorial training provided under the ROTC program but it will be expanded to cover trainings in internal security, peace and order, as well as disaster risk reduction and management.
All those who will finish the CSTC will become part of the Citizen Service Corps. They may be called upon by the government including its agencies and local government units to defend the State against external aggressors to defend its territory, assist in matters of internal security and peace order, and serve during times of calamities and other emergencies.
It can be recalled that the ROTC merely became optional for college students following the murder of University of Santo Tomas (UST) student Mark Welson Chua in March, 2001. Chua was killed after squealing on the alleged irregularities of UST’s ROTC program.
The CSTC will repeal the National Service Training Program (NSTP) under Republic Act 9163 that was enacted during Arroyo’s term. The NSTP removed the mandatory nature of the ROTC.
Aware of the issues that have plagued the program before, Arroyo said: “For acts already penalized under existing laws such as corruption, graft, hazing, sexual harassment and other abuses committed by persons authorized to implement the CSTC and deployment of the Corps, the maximum imposable under existing law shall be imposed.”
An advance CSTC may also be taken and upon completion, all graduates of the program will be entitled to join a reserve commission as a Second Lieutenant or its equivalent in the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, and Office of Civil Defense provided that they obtain a baccalaureate degree within four years after completion.
The Commission will be composed of a Chairman and four Commissioners with fixed terms of four and two years.
In filing HB No.5305, Arroyo noted that youth training should not only be confined to external and territorial defense, but also revolve on public and civic affairs which include internal security threats and disaster management.
“This measure seeks to establish a comprehensive framework for the training and mobilization of our youth and implements the constitutional vision of drawing them into the mainstream of national life by providing avenues for their participation in public and civic affairs,” Arroyo stated.
Last March, Duterte pushed for the incorporation of the ROTC program in the curriculum of senior high school students.