During his first State of the Nation Address (SONA), July 25, PBBM called on Congress to pass a law that would reinstitute ROTC as a mandatory component of senior high school programs -- grades 11 and 12, in all public and tertiary level education institutions.
He said “the aim is to motivate, train, organize students and mobilize students for national defense preparedness, including disaster preparedness and capacity building for risk related situations.”
The call is in tune with Vice President Sara Duterte’s pronouncements in January when she conveyed and hoped that PBBM would include the return of mandatory ROTC in his legislative agenda. Duterte sits as the secretary of education under the PBBM administration.
It can be recalled that former president Rodrigo Duterte in 2018 also pushed the Congress for the revival of the ROTC; there were groups who opposed.
ROTC is believed and seen to promote culture of discipline and responsibility; provides opportunity to inculcate the values of patriotism, nationalism, and character-building; provides training that will develop students' leadership skills.
ROTC controversial past
ROTC made its most controversial past in 2001 when a student of the University of Santo Tomas filed a formal complaint against his superiors exposing heavy allegations of corruption in his ROTC unit. His lifeless body was seen floating in Pasig River on March 18, 2001.
