Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. is calling for the revival of the mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program in the country’s schools, saying it can develop a “sense of patriotism” among younger generations.
“Well, for me, more just than awareness, what is really important is that we develop that sense of patriotism among our future generations, and one way to do that is by again implementing the KAB scout, boy scout, girl scout system that we used to have in our schools. Somehow, we lost this, and so for me, I believe that we have to go back to this, including bringing back the ROTC program in our schools,” Brawner said in a panel discussion of the Inaugural Balangay Forum in Camp Aguinaldo.
“Through this, we develop not just an awareness about how we should defend our country as a nation as a people but develop that patriotism in ourselves, especially the younger generations because they will be the future leaders of our nation,” he added.
This is Brawner’s response when a student asked the panel how maritime issues in the country can be integrated into primary and secondary education.
For Senior State Counsel and Maritime Expert, Atty. Fretti Ganchoon, the National Maritime Council (NMC) can act on the matter and direct the education agency to amend its curriculum as policymakers.
“We just need to coordinate with Deped and CHED, because we need to put in the curriculum of the students we need to revise, I think, there is a need to amend the curriculum of our students just so to amend, you know, the discussion there in national territory, to let them see the maritime zone of the Philippines,” Ganchoon said.
Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino on Monday said the Senate will prioritize Senate Bill 2034 or the proposed Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) Act as soon as its session resumes in November. He made the assurance after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. gave his approval in the recent Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting.
