MANDATORY RERESERVE

OFFICERS TRAINING
CORPS (ROTC)
PRESENTED BY:
JOSELLE CORTEZ
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. INTRODUCTION
II. ARGUMENTS
A. ROTC WILL HELP OUR YOUTH TO DEVELOP DISCIPLINE
B. ROTC WILL FOSTER "LEADER-FOLLOWER" RELATIONSHIP
C. ROTC WILL TEACH YOUTH ABOUT THE ESSENCE OF PATRIOTISM
III. COUNTER-ARGUMENTS
A. EXPOSED TO PHYSICAL, VERBAL, AND SEXUAL ABUSE
B. ROTC PROGRAM IS A BURDEN ON STUDENTS’ EDUCATION
III. CONCLUSION
IV. REFERENCES
I. INTRODUCTION

ARTICLE 2 SEC. 4 PROVIDES: THE PRIME DUTY OF THE GOVERNMENT

TO SERVE AND PROTECT ITS CITIZENS. IN TURN, IT SHALL BE THE
RESPONSIBILITY OF ALL CITIZENS TO DEFEND SECURITY OF THE
STATE AND IN FULFILLMENT THEREOF, THE GOVERNMENT MAY
REQUIRE EACH CITIZEN TO RENDER PERSONAL, MILITARY OR CIVIL
SERVICE.
THE ROTC WAS FIRST INTRODUCED IN THE COMMONWEALTH ERA
UNDER PRESIDENT MANUEL L. QUEZON.
REINSTATED BY PRESIDENT FERDINAND MARCOS THROUGH
PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1706 OF 1980. IT THEN SERVED AS THE
BASIS FOR THE ENACTMENT OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7077 OR THE
ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES RESERVIST ACT OF 1991.
IN 2002, PRESIDENT GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO SIGNED RA NO.
9163 OR THE NATIONAL SERVICE TRAINING PROGRAM ACT. IT
SERVES AS AN AMENDMENT TO RA NO. 7077.
II.ARGUMENTS
A. ROTC WILL HELP OUR YOUTH TO DEVELOP DISCIPLINE.
ACCORDING TO SEN. BATO (2024), ROTC IS NOT A NEW
CONCEPT, AND IT HAS LONG BEEN KNOWN TO OUR
FOREFATHERS. HE STATED THAT WE NEED TO ORGANIZE THE
RESERVE FORCE OF OUR DEFENSE TO DISCIPLINE OUR
YOUTH. FURTHERMORE, SEN. SHERWIN GATCHALIAN
BELIEVES THAT THROUGH ROTC, FILIPINO YOUTH WILL GAIN
DISCIPLINE AND STAND THEIR GROUND FACING THE
CURRENT SECURITY CHALLENGES IN THE COUNTRY.
B. ROTC WILL FOSTER "LEADER-FOLLOWER" RELATIONSHIP
ACCORDING TO DR. JUN YNARES (2022), IN ADDITION TO "INSTILLING DISCIPLINE" AND
TEACHING "PATRIOTISM," WE BELIEVE THAT A REFINED AND MODERNIZED ROTC
PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE OUR YOUTH WITH A PROPER "LABORATORY" WHERE THEY CAN
LEARN AND APPLY LEADERSHIP SKILLS. SOME OF THE COUNTRY’S ESTEEMED LEADERS
WERE PRODUCTS OF THE ADVANCED ROTC PROGRAM, INCLUDING THE LATE PRESIDENT
FERDINAND MARCOS, SR.; THE LATE SUPREME COURT CHIEF JUSTICE FRED RUIZ CASTRO;
REVERED FORMER SENATORS LORENZO TAÑADA AND HEHERSON ALVAREZ; FORMER
UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES PRESIDENT AND NEW TRADE AND INDUSTRY
SECRETARY ALFREDO PASCUAL, AMONG OTHERS. WHILE LEADERSHIP SKILLS CAN BE
LEARNED, ACQUIRED, AND HONED IN OTHER ARENAS, MILITARY TRAINING HAS THE
DISTINCT ADVANTAGE OF PROVIDING A LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM WHERE
TRAINEES ARE EXPOSED TO OPTIMAL LEVELS OF PRESSURE. THE ABILITY TO THINK
CLEARLY, GENERATE OPTIONS, AND MAKE QUICK AND SOUND DECISIONS UNDER
STRESSFUL CIRCUMSTANCES ARE VALUABLE LEADERSHIP TRAITS.
C. ROTC WILL TEACH YOUTH ABOUT THE ESSENCE OF PATRIOTISM
ROTC WILL TEACH YOUNGER GENERATIONS ABOUT THE
ESSENCE OF PATRIOTISM, INSTILLING IN THEIR MINDS AND
HEARTS A DEEP LOVE FOR THEIR COUNTRY. ACCORDING TO
PNP CHIEF, GEN. OSCAR ALBAYALDE (2019), THE ROTC
PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO BUILD A SOLID FOUNDATION FOR
INSTILLING PATRIOTISM AND NATIONALISM AMONG THE
YOUTH, ENABLING THEM TO BECOME USEFUL CITIZENS
POSSESSING THE SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, AND COMMITMENT
TO UPHOLD AND DEFEND THE COUNTRY'S NATIONAL
INSTITUTIONS AND SOVEREIGNTY.
II. COUNTER-ARGUMENTS
A. EXPOSED TO PHYSICAL, VERBAL, AND SEXUAL ABUSE
THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED IN 1995 WHEN A DE LA SALLE
UNIVERSITY ROTC CADET DIED FROM INJURIES SUSTAINED DURING
HAZING BY CADET OFFICERS IN TANAY, RIZAL. SIMILARLY, MARK
WELSON CHUA, AN ROTC CADET FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF STO.
TOMAS, WAS MURDERED IN 2001 AFTER PUBLISHING AN ARTICLE
DETAILING THE CORRUPTION INSIDE THE ROTC SYSTEM. A STUDENT
AND CADET OF PAMANTASANG LUNGSOD NG MAYNILA (PLM), KATE
SANTOS, ALSO DISCUSSED HER ENCOUNTER WITH HER SCHOOL’S
MANDATED ROTC PROGRAM. SHE CLAIMED THAT ROTC WAS A
REQUIREMENT AT THEIR SCHOOL (PLM) AND THAT THERE WAS NO
OTHER CHOICE (MANILA TODAY, 2019)."
B. ROTC PROGRAM IS A BURDEN ON STUDENTS’ EDUCATION
ACCORDING TO SEN. ATIENZA (2022), 'WE HAVE A
STANDING PROFESSIONAL ARMY WHOSE SALARY IS PAID
FOR BY THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT. SO WHY SHOULD OUR
YOUNG GRADUATES BE MADE TO PERFORM THE TASK OF
DEFENDING THE COUNTRY WHEN WE HAVE TRAINED
SOLDIERS WHO ARE TASKED TO HANDLE THE COUNTRY’S
MILITARY NEEDS?' THIS IS AN ADDED BURDEN ON THE
YOUTH. HE ALSO STATED THAT INSTEAD OF THIS, WE
SHOULD BE HARNESSING THE YOUTH’S STRENGTH, ENERGY,
AND CAPABILITIES IN SPORTS AND CULTURAL
DEVELOPMENT.
III. CONCLUSION
I STILL BELIEVE THAT ROTC SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED
BECAUSE IT WILL ASSIST THE YOUTH IN DEVELOPING INTO
ADULTS WHO ARE MORE SELF-DISCIPLINED, HAVE OBTAINED
LEADERSHIP SKILLS, AND PUT PRINCIPLES SUCH AS
PATRIOTISM AND NATIONALISM INTO PRACTICE. ALTHOUGH
THERE MAY BE ISSUES THAT STUDENTS WILL DEFINITELY
FACE, IT WILL BE A STEP TOWARDS OUR IMPROVEMENT. AS
THE PROVERB SAYS, 'NO PAIN, NO GAIN.' IF WE DO NOT
WORK HARD AND ENDURE SOME PAIN, WE WILL ACHIEVE OR
GAIN NOTHING.