STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS TOWARDS THE IDEA OF MANDATORY

MILITARY SERVICE PROPOSED IN THE PHILIPPINES

A Research Paper

Presented to the faculty of ABM Strand

Leyte National High School

Division of Tacloban City

Tacloban City, Leyte

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

in Practical Research 1

by

Jomar R. Amatonding

Marica Mae S. Cera

Klent John S. Contillo

Mary Grace D. Lacea

Gezrael Gad Mayne B. Limpin

Krishna B. Macalalag

Mark Aaron G. Ocop

Samantha Nicole Opana

Chelsia Dianne Puno

April 2022
 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

This chapter introduces the background and rationale, statement of the problem,

significance of the study, objectives of the study, and scope and limitation of the study.

Background and Rationale

Military service is a service under armed forces on a voluntary or involuntary basis

build for a country defense force, attack force and protection against wrong doings like

terrorism, assassination and other unlawful crimes that uses violence, force, intimidation,

inequality behavior and injustice acts that is punishable by the country law. The people

who are under the possession of military force are often called soldiers, armies, militaries,

and the countries attack and defense force. Militaries also give a big contribution when a

disaster or accident appeared. Putting ends to crimes and unlawful incidents are not only

the main objectives of militaries but also the welfare of everyone. They intend to protect

us all from any danger (man-made or made by nature). Crimes, disasters and accident are

inevitable that made the other countries implement mandatory military service for their

citizens to have knowledge on what to do when they encounter incidents like those.

In the Philippines, Mayor Sarah Duterte publically proposed her aim on pushing

mandatory military service to all Filipinos once they turn 18 if ever, she would win in this

year 2022 elections. All Filipinos’ who will become eighteen years old will be given a

grant. You will be assigned to be part of Armed Forces of the Philippines to support and
serve our own country (Duterte, 2022). Consequently, this issue spread like a wild fire to

entire Philippines and uncountable opinions spread nationwide. A lot of thoughts and

data gathering to this issue appeared and collected that made this as a contemporary issue

our country is facing which picked the interest of many.

This mandatory military service proposed by Mayor Duterte aimed to help all

Filipino citizens under the age of 18 to know basic self-defense, different army work, and

other different defenses that will be beneficial in this unpredictable world. In line to this,

changing behaviors into a reliable one and having self-development are also part of the

main objectives of this mandatory military service. This mandatory military service is

compulsory which implies that whether you are men or women, gay or transgender you

have to take part on this. To put a light, in this mandatory military service, gender is

insignificant. Everyone who will be part of this implementation will be respected one and

the same. So, they can gain self-development and be responsible (Duterte, 2022).

In addition to this, a lot of our countrymen agreed and supported Mayor Duterte's

proposal. As expected, first in the line to that is the AFP or Armed Forces of the

Philippines. The implementation of mandatory military service for Filipinos will help

instill patriotism among citizens and help them contribute to nation-building efforts (AFP,

2022). Implementing mandatory military service will lead the country to a better and

strong nation. Having this idea of mandatory military service will support us to have and

build a strong armed forces, in which can also provide us to have a strong nation (AFP
spokesperson, Col. R. Zagala, 2022). Many other Filipinos also supported and agreed to

this proposal and expressed the reasons of their agreement.

Moreover, if there are people who agree there are also people who chose to

disagree. There are a lot of reasons why other chose to disagree. Others against this

measure because of their religious believes, first line to these are the members of Jihovah's

Witnesses (JW). Jihovah's Witnesses are conscientiously opposing to war and to their

participation in it in any form (Kurt Zeus L. Dizon, 2022). Some chose to disagree for the

reason that they found this proposal hardly feasible and full of obstacles such as in the

field of funds that will be allocated, believes of others, training camp/base or the place

where the participants will be trained and gather, possible injuries, health of the

participants.

The researchers aim to determine the perceptions of the G11- Accountancy,

Business and Management (ABM) students towards this mandatory military service

measure proposed by Mayor Sarah Duterte. They also aim to delve deeper to whether the

implementation of mandatory military service will be beneficial or disadvantageous to the

capabilities, time and health of the participants specially because the implementation of

the measure is targeting the K-11 and K-12 levels.

Statement of the Problem

The study aims to know the perceptions of Senior high students towards the idea

of mandatory military service in the Philippines. The study also aims to answer the

following questions:

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of conducting mandatory military

service to the students?

2. What are the perceptions of students towards the implementation of mandatory

military service?

3. Why is there a need of Mandatory Military Service in the Philippines? Students'

point of view

4. What will be the possible changes to life of students if the idea of Mandatory

Military Service will happen in future?

5. How does mandatory military service might interfere student’s education?

Scope and Limitations of the Study

This study was conducted in Leyte National High School. The possible

respondents of the study were Grade 11 Accountancy, Business and Management (ABM)

strand. The sample size used consisted of Two Thousand Three Hundred Thirty-Three.

The proposed sample size of the study consists of Thirty LNHS SHS students. The

researcher conducted the study based from the given timeframe from February twenty

twenty-two to not to determine yet.

 This study will only focus on the perceptions of G-11 ABM SHS students in

LNHS towards the implementation of Mandatory Military Service. The study was limited

to the perceptions of students with regards to this measure. The gender and socioeconomic

status of the respondents are disregarded by the researcher however the age of the

respondents must be sixteen to seventeen years old to be able to participate in the

interview to be conducted.

Significance of the Study

The result of this study may be beneficial to create information that deems useful

for fellow countrymen in deciding their responses to this measure; whether agree or

disagree. The findings of the study will be beneficial to the following

Students. The results of the study will be used as a guide to students in learning the pros

and cons of implementing mandatory military service. The perceptions of students will be

taken into consideration to make the study grounded.

Teachers. The findings of the study will contribute to the teachers' reasons and opinions

in supporting or not this measure for the sake of their students.

Parents. The results of the study will contribute to the awareness of parents about the

advantages and disadvantages of this mandatory military service measure to their

children.

School Administrators. The results of the study will be beneficial to the school

administrators to form a valid reasons in line with advantages and disadvantages; Why or
why not would they let students be part of this measure specially in reason that this

mandatory military service is targeting K-11 and K-12 levels.

Department of National Defense (DND). The findings of the study will be useful for

the data evaluation of DND to this measure. In order as well to protect the rights of the

Filipinos who will be part of this mandatory military service.

Department of Education (DepEd). The results of the study will contribute to DepEd's

decision, whether they will or they will not allowed students to be part of this measure.

Non-Student turning and is already in the age of 18. The findings of the study will be

useful for non-student fellow countrymen who are turning and are already at the age of

18, to know the benefits they can get and disadvantages they might encounter in this

measure.

Future Researcher. They may be able to get knowledge and draw insights from their

experience in researching and to better understand their profession with regards in

learning the benefits and disadvantages of implementing mandatory military service to

Filipinos who are in the age of 18.

Definition of Terms

The terms defined in the study were the following:

Military Service – is a period of service in armed forces that everyone in certain

countries has to do (Collins, 2022). Define as the work of a person or many to guard,

support, and serve the country.

Mandatory – used to describe something that must be done, usually because the law

states that it is necessary (Cambridge University Press, 2022). A requirement that must

need to do by an individual even he/she wants or against it.

Non-students – is a person who is not studying or enrolled at a school, university, etc.

(Educalingo, 2022). The people who are not attending school anymore but still part of the

set of participants who needs to join the military service.

Perception – includes all those processes by which an individual receives information

about his environment ̶ seeing, hearing, feeling, tasting and smelling (Reitz, 1971). The

way how a person perceives or understand something to come up with a clearer view.

Students –primarily a person enrolled in a school or other educational institutions

(Wikipedia, 2021). The people who attend school and part of the set of participants who

needs to join the military service.