Even after Senate leaders declared that there may not be enough time left to pass the bill requiring Grade 11 and 12 students to undergo the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program, Malacañang on Tuesday expressed confidence that the proposed measure will be passed in next Congress.
In a Palace press briefing, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said the lack of time is not a problem to pass the said bill, which was just certified as urgent by President Rodrigo Duterte.
“If it lacks time, there’s a new Senate coming up, so I don’t think it will be a problem. I think members of the Senate would also like this bill,” Panelo told Palace reporters.
The Palace official made the remark after Senate leaders cited time constraints, saying the chamber needs time to “thoroughly debate the said bills.”
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said enacting the said measure would be “next to impossible,” adding that the Office of the President should have issued the certifications earlier.
“These measures will take a lot of hours of debate. We have a different system in the Senate. The committee approves it quickly…. but debates happen here on plenary. We wish they were able to come out with the priority certification much earlier to let us be able to plan and study and debate the measure,” Zubiri said.
“We gave priority to the sin tax, tobacco measure for PhilHealth for additional funds for the health services of the government, so I hope that our friends in the executive department will not take it against us that we only have one day left tomorrow,” he said.
On Monday, the Chief Executive certified as urgent Senate Bill No. 2232. In his letter to Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Duterte underscored the need to “restore basic military and leadership trainings for the youth.”
According to the President, the enactment of the said bill will help the youth to “invigorate their sense of nationalism and patriotism necessary in defending the State and to further promote their vital role in nation-building.”
However, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon argued that Duterte’s certification only, which can only dispense the three-day rule between the 2nd and 3rd reading approvals of bill, does not exempt plenary deliberations.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III shared the same view, saying that there is a need to convene the bicameral conference committee for Congress to thresh out differences between the two chambers’ versions.
Meanwhile, the Palace official then shared the President’s view, saying that the mandatory ROTC will instill discipline and nationalism to the youth who lack it.
“I think so, because the onset of technology, it seems the youth’s concentration is on the high-tech instruments like telephone, laptop and whatnot It’s like there’s no discipline at all,” Panelo said.
“You’re taught there how to handle firearms, how to have discipline. You are lectured on many things even on laws, even on history,” he added.
For Panelo, all able-bodied Filipinos, male or females, should have compulsory military training on security, which will benefit the country in the near future. He also said that ROTC programs in other countries are mandatorily taken by students.
“When the time comes, we’re able. It’s for all of us,” Panelo said.
The Palace has previously said that Duterte wants to bring back the ROTC program in academic institutions to discipline students and teach them the concept of nationalism.
The President even urged the Congress last November 2018 to enact the said measure, hoping it will “instill patriotism and love of country among our youth.”
The 17th Congress is set to officially adjourn on Saturday, June 8. The 18th Congress will then commencce on July 22, the same day that the President will deliver his 4th State of the Nation Address.
Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has expressed full support for the measure pushing to make the ROTC program mandatory for senior high school students.
“We fully support the ROTC 100 percent. We need that. We are a very small country. Of course, many are saying we are under threat so we might as well, let’s train our youth here,” Albayalde told reporters when sought for a comment on the sidelines of the groundbreaking ceremony of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) medical center in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City Tuesday.
Citing an example, Albayalde said military enlistment for two years is mandatory in countries like Israel.
“Because they (Israel) are small, they have to train all citizens, including women, to enlist for two years. As for us, why not? It is a way to develop a sense of patriotism and nationalism among the people.
We should love our country and this is one way of loving our country,
by defending it from any external threat,” he added.
The House of Representatives earlier voted 167-4-0 to approve on third and final reading House Bill 8961, which makes it mandatory for senior high school students to enroll in ROTC.
House Bill 8961 seeks to amend for the purpose Republic Act 7077 or the Citizen Armed Forces of the Philippines Reservist Act. Under the proposed measure, ROTC training would apply to “all students in Grades 11 and 12 in all senior high schools in public and private educational institutions.”
The bill also states that ROTC training shall be a requirement for graduation.
As provided, the following students may be exempted: those who are physically or psychologically unfit; those who have undergone or are undergoing similar military training; those who are chosen by their school to serve as the school’s varsity players in sports competition; and those who may be exempted from training for valid reasons as approved by the Department of National Defense, upon recommendation by an educational institution where the student is enrolled.
The proposed measure also strictly prohibits the use of ROTC training
for “political” objectives and for teaching and instilling a particular political ideology on students. House Bill 8961 also specifically bans hazing and other forms of physical or mental abuse. With PNA