Sponsorship Speech

Senate Bill No. 2232 / Committee Report No. 681

AN ACT MANDATING THE INSTITUTIONALIZATION, DEVELOPMENT, TRAINING, ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF BASIC RESERVE OFFICERS TRAINING CORPS (ROTC) IN GRADES 11 AND 12 IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7077, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "CITIZEN ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES RESERVIST ACT", AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

May 27, 2019 at 3 o'clock in the afternoon
Session Hall, Senate of the Philippines

Delivered by HON. WIN GATCHALIAN, Senator of the Republic

Mr. President, my esteemed colleagues in the Senate, good afternoon.

As our country enters a new decade, so will it encounter new problems that require innovative solutions. Our youth are on the cusp of taking over the leadership roles that we currently occupy - as evidenced by the resounding victory of a number of youthful candidates during the recent midterm elections - so it is imperative upon us to give them the tools that will help prepare them to lead the country to a positive direction.

This is precisely the goal I intend to achieve with this bill. The re-instutionalization of the ROTC program in educational institutions throughout the country will arm students with the discipline that they will need as they take over the reins of leadership and service from us. It will also prepare them to face long-standing as well as ever-evolving challenges that our nation will encounter as it continues to move towards progress and development.

Discipline is a foundational attribute necessary to succeed in any endeavor, and this is doubly true in nation-building. As it is the youth of today who will lead the nation in the near future, our ability to instill in them the importance of this skill will determine whether they as a generation will hit the ground running or tap on the snooze button every time the country is faced with challenges.

The revival of the mandatory basic ROTC program will inculcate this kind of discipline in our youth through the enhancement of the values of leadership, camaraderie, and sacrifice for common objectives. The program will also be designed around the ideals of patriotism and nationalism, all while emphasizing on respect for human rights and the strengthening of ethical and spiritual values.

Under this bill, the ROTC program will also put a premium on disaster preparedness and capacity-building for risk-related situations - skills that become increasingly necessary as the country bears the brunt of climate change, among other internal and external threats.

The standards of discipline, love for country, disaster preparedness, and basic military training are valuable at any given time, but more so now. This generation of Filipino youth thus stand to benefit immensely from this endeavor.

Further, this iteration of the ROTC program ensures that after the completion of the basic ROTC course, students are not automatically enlisted into the Reserve Force. The training they undergo prepares them for the probability of entering the Reserve Force, but enlistment is completely voluntary.

In coming up with this bill, we worked hard to ensure that the protection and well-being of students are always at the fore. This is why we have embedded within the bill a number of fool-proof safeguards to protect our students against abuse and corruption.

The establishment of grievance committees, both at the cluster unit and national levels, ensures that there is a reportorial, investigative, and disciplinary mechanism available to address wrongdoings perpetrated under or through the ROTC program. Under this bill, grievance committees must provide the parties involved with its findings and recommendations within 30 days of receipt of the complaint. This underscores the urgency and seriousness with which we take the issue of protection against abuse.

Likewise, this bill requires that the ROTC program be run hand-in-hand with legal safeguards against hazing, abuse, exploitation, discrimination, bribery, and corruption - in recognition that these problems have plagued the program in the past.

ROTC instructors are also required to undergo a capacity development and enhancement program, which incorporates, among others, gender-appropriate and child-sensitive awareness as well as familiarity with relevant domestic laws and other international obligations. This ensures that ROTC instructors are held to the highest moral standards as they carry out the program.

All in all, these benefits and safeguards work together to establish an ROTC program that addresses the country's needs while helping develop the youth's collective potential and ensuring their protection from abuse and corruption at the same time.

Finally, it is important to note that an overwhelming majority of our countrymen support the re-institutionalization of the ROTC program in educational institutions. Eighty percent of respondents in a nationwide survey conducted by Pulse Asia in December 2018 said they were in favor of proposals to implement ROTC in senior high school or college, or both. This shows that our countrymen are fully behind the teaching of discipline and love of country to the Filipino youth through the ROTC program, and that we can count on their support as we move forward with this measure.

My dear colleagues, our country stands to gain so much from optimizing the capabilities of the youth through discipline and love for country. As we help them develop these capabilities, so will they help ensure that the country remains well-equipped for the challenges that lie ahead.

Sa ating kabataan: kailangan kayo ng Inang Bayan sa kanyang pagsulong tungo sa kaunlaran at pagharap sa mga hamon ng kinabukasan. Gamitin niyo ang inyong lakas bilang isang kolektibong puwersa upang dalhin ang bayan tungo sa itinadhana nitong kadakilaan.

It is in this spirit that I ask my fellow members of this chamber to work with me in securing the immediate passage of this bill.

Thank you, Mr. President.