NOT NEEDED? | Mandatory ROTC an ‘ineffective policy’ for instilling nationalism among youth, says Kabataan

August 25, 2022 , 03:36 PM

By Beatrice Puente

(August 25, 2022) – A minority lawmaker on Thursday raised contention over some of the provisions of the revised implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the National Service Training Program (NSTP) Law recently published by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

Kabataan Rep. Raoul Manuel said the questionable provisions indicate a “railroading” of the mandatory implementation of the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) in colleges and universities.

One of the provisions that Manuel mentioned was the establishment of School-Based Ready Reserve Units (SRRU). According to the IRR, the SRRU would be organized by ROTC graduates “to sustain training and respond to contingencies within their campuses as their mobilization centers.”

“Parang pagtatayo na rin ito ng military detachment inside schools,” said Manuel. “Hindi ito nakasaad sa batas mismo kaya walang solidong batayan sa pagsingit nito sa IRR. This can potentially constitute a violation of the principle of schools as zones of peace and academic freedom while legitimizing and forwarding campus militarization.”

Pro-administration lawmakers have been pushing for the revival of the mandatory ROTC, citing the need to instill discipline and patriotism among the youth. But progressive groups have repeatedly opposed the proposal due to violence and corruption issues in the past.

Mark Welson Chua, a cadet from the University of Santo Tomas, exposed the alleged corruption, bribery, and extortion in their ROTC unit. He was found lifeless in March 2001.

“Mandatory ROTC is an ineffective policy for developing nationalist consciousness and civic participation among the youth. If we are to address lacking manpower for disaster response and preparedness, national security, and ‘dwindling nationalism’ in our youth, we must beef up our already existing institutions for education and disaster risk reduction and management without actively promoting a culture of violence, suppressing critical thinking, and disrespecting human rights,” said Manuel in filing the Expanded NSTP Act.

The measure’s aim is to establish “programs geared towards raising the students’ socio-political consciousness and enabling them to actively participate in the urgent task of understanding and addressing the basic ills of society.”

Manuel urged CHED to read the bill to better understand their push to expand the NSTP and reject the mandatory ROTC.

“What we need as a nation today is not an army of young men and women trained in the ways of the military but an army of volunteers and advocates ready to serve and uphold the needs of their communities and the nation as a whole,” stressed Manuel.

He further questioned why state universities and colleges, particularly those with constituent units, are required to offer both basic and advanced ROTC programs under the IRR. He said this would only add to the heavy burden of educational institutions across the country.

“Magiging malaking usapin ito sa budget ng eskuwelahan lalo na at sa 2023 National Expenditure Program ay maraming concern ang makakaranas ng budget cuts. Mabagal na nga ang pace ng pagbubukas ng mga paaralan, dadagdagan pa sila ng pasanin para mapagbigyan ang militar,” said Manuel.

(PM)

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