Tolentino: ROTC bill marches on after receiving PBBM's go signal
September 30, 2024
Tolentino: ROTC bill marches on after receiving PBBM's go signal
The bill mandating tertiary level students to undergo the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program has received the go signal from President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr.
This was revealed by Senate Majority Leader Francis 'Tol' Tolentino, one of the measure's principal authors, in an interview on DZBB on Sunday. This means that plenary deliberations on the bill would earnestly resume following Congress' month-long break, he added.
"With the President's go signal, the ROTC bill has been moved to Tier 1 from Tier 2 in the list of the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) - making it a top priority. So, when the session resumes, we expect to discuss it right away," Tolentino said.
The senator believes that one remaining matter for the senators to resolve is the transitory provision, particularly, on whether the program will last for one or two years.
"We can make the first year the basic course, followed by advanced training in the second year. For those who wish to specialize further, we can introduce an Executive ROTC curriculum," explained Tolentino, a Brigadier General reservist.
To make the measure more holistic and relevant to current challenges, Tolentino said that the basic program could integrate subjects on climate change and environmental stewardship, disaster preparedness, and civics. Meanwhile, the executive program could feature courses on cyber security or naval warfare, in the case of cadets under the Philippine Navy.
Tolentino is also thinking of introducing a provision that would allow smaller colleges to pool their resources to enable them to offer the ROTC program as a cluster. He noted how currently, some smaller schools lack the resources to implement ROTC on their own.
The senator expressed confidence that there are enough numbers in the chamber to approve the measure, whose counterpart in the House of Representatives has already passed third reading.
Asked if he thinks the ROTC would contribute to addressing the current conflict in the West Philippine Sea, the senator replied: "Our concerns in the West Philippine Sea are not just about maritime issues, but reflect the mindset of our society. If our youth develop a stronger sense of patriotism, I believe it will greatly help our country."
Finally, Tolentino noted growing acceptance for the ROTC program, as evidenced by the increase in the number of participating universities in the ROTC Games. He also observed growing interest among female cadets joining the program. These factors, according to the senator, indicate a shift in public perception and growing acceptance for the program.
Tuloy ang martsa ng ROTC bill Tolentino: ROTC bill, may 'go signal' na ni PBBM
May 'go signal' na si Pangulong Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. sa panukalang Mandatory Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) bill, o ROTC bill.
Ito ang ibinahagi ni Senate Majority Leader Francis 'Tol' Tolentino, isa sa pangunahing may akda ng panukala, sa isang panayam sa DZBB noong Linggo. Ibig sabihin nito ay muling sisimulan ang deliberasyon sa panukala sa plenaryo ng Senado matapos ang isang buwang break ng Kongreso.
"Dahil may go signal na ang Pangulo, ang ROTC bill ay ililipat na sa Tier 1 mula sa Tier 2 sa listahan ng Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC). Ito'y pangunahing prayoridad na, kung kaya't sa pagbubukas muli ng sesyon ay pwede na itong unahin," ayon sa senador.
Naniniwala si Tolentino na ang kailangan na lang resolbahin ng mga senador ay ang probisyon kung dapat bang gawing isa o dalawang taon ang programa
"Ang unang taon ay pwedeng ilaan sa basic course, kasunod ang advanced training sa ikalawang taon. Para naman sa mga kadeteng gustong Ituloy ang pagsasanay, pwede tayong maglaan ng Executive ROTC curriculum," paliwanag ni Tolentino, isang Brigadier General reservist.
Para gawing mas 'holistic' at nakaayon sa mga hamon ng kasalukuyang panahon, ang basic program ay maaaring pasukan ng mga paksa gaya ng climate change at pangangalaga sa kalikasan, paghahanda at pagresponde sa mga sakuna, at sibika. Samantala, ang executive course ay maaaring samahan ng mga kurso tulad ng cyber security, o naval warfare partikular sa mga kadete na nakapaloob sa Philippine Navy.
Balak din ni Tolentino na maghain ng probisyon na magbubuklod sa mga maliliit na kolehiyo para makapaglaan ng ROTC program bilang isang cluster. Ayon sa senador, maraming maliliit na kolehiyo ang nahihirapang magpatakbo ng ROTC na nag-iisa lamang dahil sa kakulangan ng rekurso.
Tiwala ang senador na may sapat na bilang sa kapulungan para aprubahan ang panukala. Pasado na sa huling pagbasa ang counterpart measure ng ROTC Bill sa Kamara.
Nang tanungin kung sa tingin ba nya'y makakatulong ang ROTC sa pagtugon ng bansa sa sigalot sa West Philippine Sea, ganito ang naging sagot ni Tolentino: "Ang usapin ng West Philippine Sea ay higit sa pagiging isang maritime issue lamang, kundi sinasalamin nito ang kaisipan ng ating lipunan. Kung malilinang natin ang patriyotismo sa ating mga kabataan ay may malaki itong maitutulong sa ating bansa."
Bilang pagtatapos ay binigyang pansin ni Tolentino ang lumalawak na suporta para sa ROTC, na aniya'y batay na rin sa dumaraming bilang ng mga unibersidad na lumalahok sa ROTC Games. Tumataas din ang interes ng mga kababaihan sa programa. Ang mga salik na ito, ayon kay Tolentino, ay patunay sa nagbabagong opinyon ng publiko tungo sa mas malawak na pagtanggap sa naturang programa.
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