The Constitutional Mandate to Serve

It invoked the constitutional provision regarding the “duty of the state to serve and protect its
citizens,” specifically Article II (Declaration of Principles and State Policies), Section 2, which
states that “The prime duty of the government is to serve and protect the people. The
government may call upon the people to defend the state, and in fulfillment thereof, all
citizens may be required under conditions provided by law, to render personal military or
civil service” .This is the same principle that created and sustained the Reserve Officers Training
Corps.
Republic Act of 7077, also known as the Citizen Armed Force or Armed Forces of the
Philippines Reservist Act, is signed by Corazon Aquino into law on June 27, 1991. The Act
provided for the organization, training, and utilization of reservists or Citizen Soldiers.
Currently , Senator Sherwin Gatchalian re-filed his Senate Bill 387, which seeks the
institutionalization and administration of the Basic ROTC program for students enrolled in
Grades 11 and 12.
"(The) Basic ROTC Program will include basic military training to motivate, train, organize and
utilize students for national defense preparedness or civil-military operations. The bill provides,
however, that no student below the age of 18 shall take direct part in hostilities," Gatchalian
clarified.
In Gatchalian's measure, a student who has completed the Basic ROTC program shall be
registered in the Reserve Force upon reaching the legal age while students who will fail to
undergo the mandatory Basic ROTC program will not be qualified for graduation.
"Exemptions, however, may be given to students who are certified psychologically and
physically unfit by the Armed Forces of the Philippines Surgeon General, have undergone or are
undergoing similar military training, and those who are chosen as varsity players in sports
competitions.
Why we have to say YES to the Mandatory ROTC. As stipulated in the PRESIDENTIAL
DECREE No. 1706 commonly known as National Service Law that it is the duty of the citizen to
contribute to his country’s development and welfare and to cooperate with the duly constituted
authorities in the attainment and preservation of a just and orderly society;
The citizens of our country, particularly its youth, as the most valuable resource of our nation,
need to be motivated, trained, developed, organized, mobilized and utilized in regard to their
responsibilities as citizens particularly their commitment to civic welfare, their respect for the
law and lawfully constituted authorities and the fulfillment of their military or civil obligations;
The purpose of preparatory military training shall be as follows: To develop the national spirit;
to make the youth physically strong; to make the youth morally confident, and to prepare the
youth for military service.