OPENING STATEMENT ON SENATE BILL 189 - ROTC

Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman.

On June 30, 2016, I filed Senate Bill No. 189 "AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE RESTORATION OF MANDATORY MILITARY TRAINING FOR ALL GRADE 11 AND GRADE 12 STUDENTS BY REINSTATING SECTION 38 AND 39 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7077, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE CITIZEN ARMED FORCE OR ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES RESERVIST ACT."

Nasa House of Representatives pa lang ako, sinusulong ko na ang REINSTATEMENT NG RESERVE OFFICERS' TRAINING CORPS.

As a senator, this is one of my priority bills. I am grateful that this afternoon, we are finally conducting a committee hearing. Together with Senate President Tito Sotto, Senator JV Ejercito, and Senator Win Gatchalian, I believe that there is a need for this bill to become a law. Under Senate Bill No. 189, the Reserve Officers' Training Corps is designed to provide military training to Grade 11 and Grade 12 or Senior High School students in order to motivate, train, organize and mobilize our youth for national defense preparedness.

Mr. Chairman, the youth of today lacks the basic discipline due to lack of exposure to military training. Let us remember that a disciplined youth produces a good society. When it comes to the development of discipline, service, and nationalism among our youth, ROTC has always been an important institution.

Oo nga at may NSTP na sa ngayon ngunit iba ang disiplina na hatid ng ROTC Training. Sa ROTC, ang mga batang lalampa lampa ay bibilis at liliksi. Pagdating sa disiplina, malaki ang maitutulong ng military training.

Mr. Chairman, we recognize that in the global context, our country is facing new challenges and even the so-called non-traditional threats such as climate change and natural disasters.

We do not want to be caught unprepared in terms of calamities. We do not want commit the same failures like what happened in Tacloban. Hindi natin pwedeng pabayaan ang ating mga kababayan.

Sa panahon ng mga sakuna, kailangan natin ng mga Reservists upang tumulong sa relief and rescue assistance. Sa gitna ng mga nagbabadyang sakuna sa loob at labas ng ating bansa, mas mabuti na tayo ay laging handa.

We need to equip our youth with necessary knowledge and skills in securing and defending the country in times of national emergency whether from traditional or non-traditional threats.

Aside from discipline, the youth should also be taught the importance of sacrifice. Alam nating mahirap ang military training pero dapat matuto tayong magsakripisyo para sa ating bayan.

Mr. Chairman, we cannot afford to waste our time on highlighting excuses or fixing the blame. We recognize that we had problems with ROTC before. As solution providers, we will strengthen the accountability of the ROTC Officers as well as everyone involved in the implementation of the program.

Our government should not compromise the security of our land and the welfare of our people. Let us remember that reinstating the ROTC is consistent with the constitutional mandate that the government may call upon the people to defend the state.

To all our resource persons, the call is loud and clear: we need to strengthen our commitment to put our country above self. With this, let us revive the mandatory ROTC.

Maraming salamat po.