Senator Ronald ‘Bato’ Dela Rosa has vowed to refile the mandatory ROTC training bill in the next Congress but at the same time said he is willing to coincide his proposal with that of the Vice President-elect Sara Duterte-Carpio’s.
During the campaign period, Duterte-Carpio promised she will be pushing for the mandatory military training for all Filipino youth, male and female, if elected vice president.
In a televised interview on Monday, Dela Rosa said he will again file the bill he filed in the 18th Congress seeking to make ROTC mandatory among high school students.
“Yes, the same bill that I filed during the 18th Congress, ipa-file ko ngayon doon sa 19th Congress. At titingnan ko kung mayroong proposal ‘yung Office ng Vice President na gagawin nila, isa-submit sa akin, then I am willing to author such a bill na gusto nila, ‘yung version na gusto ni Vice President Inday Sara,” Dela Rosa said.
According to the senator, his bill is a mild version compared to Duterte-Carpio’s proposal which covers all Filipino youth, regardless of gender, who will reach the age of 18.
In the Dela Rosa’s bill, only students in the Grade 11 and 12 have to undergo the mandatory training in all private and public schools.
“Mas mild itong aking version, kumpara mo doon sa version na, I have heard, if I’m correct, ‘yung version ni Vice President Inday Sara, di ko siya pangungunahan… ‘yung aking narinig ay ‘yung talagang mandatory military training to all the youth like the Korea, Singapore versions kailangan na drafting talaga, two years drafting doon sa military, which ako, nakita ko mas mahirap palusutin ‘yan. It will face a stiff opposition,” the former PNP chief explained.
The incumbent lawmaker believes ROTC is important in instilling discipline, moral virtues and patriotism among the younger generations.
He likewise cited the ‘impending threat’ in the West Philippine Sea where the Philippines and China are currently embroiled in a maritime dispute.
“So, if worse comes to worst, we need, being a very small nation compared to the others, we need a ready reserve to support our regular armed forces in times of crisis,” Dela Rosa noted.