Filipino male and female 18-year-olds may soon be called to undergo military training with the revival of the ROTC program. President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s first State of the Nation Address (SONA) listed mandatory ROTC as one of his legislative priorities, joining the call by Vice President Sara Duterte and various senators to bring back military training for students.
Current discussions entail the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) to offer training on disaster preparedness and firearm training, among others, to college students. Its goals are to instill patriotism and discipline into the youth and train them to become model adults and potential military reservists. Nevertheless, questions have risen regarding its necessity, as reviving the ROTC program should not be considered just to instill patriotism and discipline among high school students.
Aside from instilling patriotism and discipline in students, it also exposes them to corruption.
University of Santo Tomas (UST) student Mark Welson Chua serves as a testament to the corruption of the previous ROTC. During his service in the ROTC, he witnessed vast incidences of bribery, corruption, and abuse by school officers. In his article posted in his school’s publication, he noted that passing marks were given to those who could pay, and officers forced students to pay for army patches and quizzes.
A month after Mark exposed the practices of ROTC officers in his school, his body was spotted drifting across the Pasig River. His death, reportedly because of his expose, ignited the flame that would lead to the demise of the ROTC program in 2001.
Similarly, hazing and gaslighting have also been significant criticisms of the past ROTC that are still prominent in the Philippines. As early as 2019, deaths due to hazing occurred at the Philippine Military Academy. Darwin Dormitorio, a cadet, was pronounced dead on September 17, 2019, due to internal bleeding from hazing.
Acknowledging the incidents involving Mark Chua and Darwin Dormitorio, a program as vast and extensive as the ROTC is likely to be a victim of corruption and physical abuse due to a probable lack of oversight and poor security measures. Officers can readily abuse their power and engage in fraud if unsupervised, similar to the previous ROTC.
In addition, militarism is highlighted in the ROTC.
One of the ROTC’s activities is firearms training, which emphasizes the ideology of militarism in the youth. Militarism is detrimental as it justifies using violence and aggression. It is rooted in the idea that military force is needed to resolve conflicts. Reinforcing these beliefs among the youth can be dangerous to society. After all, terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) have been connected to militarist ideologies.
Although graduates of the ROTC program are not likely to pursue a life of extremist violence, militarism does shape their moral beliefs on justice. Its mentality and culture assert and increase the use of violence.
Nevertheless, some may argue that the program would help create a robust and resilient army, which is vital for our safety. Radical jihadists and communist insurgent groups are active in the Philippines, threatening our sovereignty and livelihoods.
However, this fear should not undermine the truth. Although the Philippine government has encountered systematic failures in eliminating the New People's Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, it can not topple our democracy. Reports have stated the NPA has shrunk to over two-thousand rebels from twenty-five thousand men in 1987. On the other hand, we have existing peace treaties with the prominent Islamist extremist groups Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). Additionally, the Marcos Administration is seeking to provide amnesty for these rebel groups, a stark shift from the Duterte administration’s policy’s failure to achieve long-lasting peace. Peace groups expect thousands of rebels to avail amnesty, with Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galver Jr. stating that “more or less eight thousand to ten thousand” to lay down arms.
Unlike the ROTC, schools do instill nationalism and discipline through peaceful activities.
Every relevant program has a goal, but various existing educational programs have already accomplished the ROTC’s intended purpose. Schools can teach fundamental ROTC values like discipline and patriotism, making the program meaningless. The restrictions and disciplinary measures set in class can prevent students from misbehaving, molding them into responsible adults. On the other hand, supporters of the ROTC assume nationalism will be instilled in students by creating a platform where the love of one’s country can be expressed. However, various other alternatives fulfill this role.
For instance, Araling Panlipunan and Filipino classes, which are already taught in schools, can foster nationalism in the youth by promoting national spirit. These classes teach children their roles in society in allegiance to the Philippines. Students are taught the culture, heritage, and history of the Philippines through lessons and activities. They learn about their identity and are given the opportunity to be proud of it.
Ultimately, the ROTC program was removed because we recognized its flaws. Its defects and conduct breaches present a disturbing image of the program’s history. The necessity and effects of ROTC on the youth must not be overlooked. The previous ROTC was a failure. If we fail to learn from the past, we will suffer again.