Patriotism

In the recent Palarong Pambansa speech of President Duterte, he emphasized the revival of Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) in the Philippines. He told the athletes about the need or civilians to “sacrifice for country.” There is this consideration of two alternatives: conscription or compulsory military enlistment for all civilians. I’ve been telling my friends several times that ROTC is the only subject in college that teaches students “Patriotism.” No other subject comes close.

Come to think of it, if we have ROTC students when the Abu Sayyaf landed in Inabanga, Bohol, since it is vacation time, we could have mobilized these ROTC students who know that terrain very well to help the 7th Infantry Brigade look out and search for the ASG. With proper training, the military could issue these students with weapons to fight the ASG.

I believe that the scrapping of the ROTC program in 2002 was “short-sighted.” With the Philippines facing internal threats from the ASG, the NPA or the Muslim separatists, all the more we need to revive the ROTC but with a twist. ROTC is just a measure to discipline youth in military perspective or perhaps in the other non-traditional issues such as search and rescue operations especially during natural disasters as typhoons or earthquakes. For those who oppose the return of ROTC, better think twice because the alternative as the President pointed out is conscription. In Israel, able bodied Israelis 18 years old or above conscripted into military service. This includes Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore. Now, do we want the Filipino youth to be conscripted to the military? Or should we revive the ROTC in order to train our youth for military service. The next question is without ROTC and trained uniformed men, who will protect the Philippines from the enemies in the future especially in the urban jungle? Because, technically speaking, the generation will experience a different setting of security warfare to maintain peace and order.