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Julianne Amber R.
Palaganas
Performance Task
For PPG
 Mandatory military service or military conscription happens when the state
obliges an individual to serve in the military for a specific period of time. Military
conscription is not new to the Philippines anymore. In 1935, President Manuel L.
Quezon implemented the Commonwealth Act No. 1 which made the Reserve
Officers Training Corps (ROTC) program mandatory for all colleges and
universities across the Philippines. In 1972, President Ferdinand E. Marcos
issued two Presidential Decrees during Martial Law, wherein conscripting
trainees were subjected to emergency military service. Today, there is no
mandatory conscription that is in effect in the Philippines, but its revival remains
to be looming on the horizon as per the 1987 Constitution. Now, the question is,
should mandatory military service be revived and passed into a bill? I certainly
believe so.

Earlier this year, then-vice-presidential candidate Sara Duterte, voiced her

plan to revive mandatory military service for every Filipino citizen once they reach
the age of 18. She has been public about her strong desire to prioritize the
conscription’s renewal during the 2022 electoral campaign and even after she
won the election. Upon hearing Duterte’s opinion on the matter, a lot of Filipinos
have declared their objections against the revival of the conscription. With the
effect brought about by the pandemic, Filipinos continue to suffer from economic
crisis with skyrocketing prices, food shortages, and lack of jobs; it does not make
sense how learning how to march will help them aid their needs (Paloyo, 2022).

Some might argue that military conscription must not be revived at this
age for many reasons. From its long history that has something to do with
imperialism to costly funding and to the argument that patriotism should not be
enforced to the citizens of a country. People also oppose the compulsory military
service because they believe it will only bring more internal and external conflicts
for the state. Countries that use conscription are more likely to get involved in
militarized interstate dispute operations other than war. This could be because
the draft creates a more readily available supply of personnel that can be used in
conflict. Some viewed conscription as a cause of World War I and sought to
abolish it after the war, with Jan Smuts arguing that conscription was the “taproot
of militarism” (Smuts, 2012). Apparently, having military conscription is also
highly expensive. Military machinery is necessary and perverse incentives are
inherent. The military would suffer a great deal of amount from even a change in
incentives, from the conscripts entering in pursuit of being in a uniform to a
situation where they want to be somewhere and someone else (Bandow, 2021).

One consequence of military conscription is it imposes a career break for

those who are affected, which may have a negative impact on labor market
outcomes. Indeed, the cost of a young man’s service in the military is measured
by the value of those opportunities forgone. (Lee and Mcknown, 1974). However,
one must always remember that each coin has two sides. The cons of
conscription are somewhat just the same as its pros. For instance, A number of
studies have focused on the effect of military conscription on future wages. The
studies found mixed effects that range from zero to a negative effect. Findings for
United Kingdom suggest that mandatory military service reduces wages by 4 to 7
percent (Buonanno, 2006). However, a few studies do not find a correlation of
military conscription on wages. For example, other studies do not find an effect
on the military conscription on wages at all (Grenet et al., 2010). Moreover,
Australian conscripts experience no negative wage impact for military service
(Bauer et al., 2012).

Mandatory military service imposes certain restrictions on the education

and employment sectors. This is specifically for countries that have a longer
duration of military service. It is found that the abolition of compulsory military
conscript in France shows that there is a reduction in educational attainment
among males, and consequently, in their earnings (Maurin and Xenogiani, 2007).
 Advocates of compulsory conscription highlight the social values brought
by military discipline. Traditional institutions such as the church and the home are
no longer as effective as they once were, and that school is inadequate. Citizens
of a democratic society should be disciplined, know how to recognize and respect
the rights of others. Such discipline as military training provides, teaches an
individual his rightful place in the society. Hence, military service has a definite
effect in reducing crime and improving general standards of citizenship (Kirk,
1944).

Furthermore, the skills enhanced while one is serving his military service is
essential even outside of the military forces. In 2006, 54 pilots of the Philippine
Air Force left their posts to work for commercial airplanes. While 18-year-old
conscripts are not expected to be able to fly a plane in that period, there are
other skills-- collaboration, cooperation, and following orders from a hierarchy --
are rewarded by the military.

Military service can be regarded as an interruption of life, but it is also an

opportunity for experiencing new social settings and for acquiring skills (Dar and
Kimhi, 2001). In one way or another, it significantly impacts the course of life of
young people. Senator Francis Tolentino suggests that reviving the mandatory
ROTC program would instill discipline, a sense of leadership, and patriotism
among the youth. “Notably, the program would be conducted during the youth’s
formative years, thus molding them at a prime age to be nationalistic citizens
prepared to uphold the Philippine Constitution,” Tolentino stated in his Manila
Bulletin Column. Serving in the military should be a national duty. It is also
important to note that the Armed Forces of the Philippines fully support the
implementation of the mandatory military service among Filipinos. This will help
instill lifelong patriotism among citizens and help them contribute to nation-
building efforts. That is why I firmly believe that the mandatory military service
must be revived and implemented because by doing so, it will help us build a
strong-armed force and therefore a strong nation.