THE ATENEO Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) expressed mixed reactions on the possible reintroduction of the mandatory ROTC program following statements made by President Duterte during his first State of the Nation Address.
The President voiced his support for the reinstatement of the mandatory ROTC program for all college students.
“Let us also strengthen our ROTC program to instill love of country and good citizenship,” he said during the address.
The Duterte administration is currently drafting a legislative proposal amending the National Service Training Act of 2002, which made ROTC “optional and voluntary.”
After reports surfaced of a cohort of student-cadets dying from hazing, the program was made optional in 2002. Students were given the choice to either participate in the ROTC program or engage in community service.
ROTC Cadet Captain Charles Vincent Dy, Second Class, S3 Operations supports President Duterte’s statement, as he underscores ROTC’s position as a military institution.
“We are required to back the [political] Right… even though our personal stands are different,” he said.
Meanwhile, ROTC Corp Commander Efren Rellosa said that the policy must be studied first before anything else, serving as a compromise for those who are in favor or against the reintroduction of the ROTC.
He also mentioned that if the revival of the mandatory ROTC will push through, there must be revisions made inside the institution.
ROTC Summit
Meanwhile, the Ateneo ROTC was chosen as the representative for the Philippine Air Force at the upcoming ROTC summit.
The event was scheduled for November 5, but it was postponed indefinitely, according to Dy.
The summit is the venue of a capability demonstration that will showcase the competencies of the different ROTC units— the Air Force, Army, and the Navy– in front of the guest of honor President Rodrigo Duterte.
Each unit will present specific demos with the Navy performing the silent drill, the Army presenting combat operation, and the Air Force demonstrating Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR).
According to Rellosa, they were given orders from the 1st Air Reserve Center, the ROTC’s handler under the Air Force, to take part in the capability demonstration.
During the summit, the cadets will be tasked to respond to certain scenarios to highlight their capabilities in HADR.
“There will be a simulated disaster scenario, dun ide-demonstrate ng cadets yung capabilities when it comes to disaster response (There will be a simulated disaster scenario, where the cadets will demonstrate their capabilities when it comes to disaster response),” said Rellosa.
Rellosa also added that this will be the first time in recent history that the Ateneo was invited to perform a capability demonstration.
Staff Sergeant Henry Pagauitan of Philippine Air Force Reserve, the serviceman commissioned to train the ROTC in preparation for the summit, said that the cadets will be performing search and rescue exercises, focusing on vehicular accidents.
“The scenario is a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck in Metro Manila, or currently known as the ‘Big One,’ and in front of Katipunan Road, in front of Ateneo,” he said.
In preparation for the summit, Pagauitan said that he is giving the cadets “crash courses” on the incident command system, basic trauma life support, and the use of an ambulance.
Asked about his opinion on the possible revival of mandatory ROTC, Pagauitan was ambivalent about it because it had its advantages and disadvantages.
Skilled Manpower
In light of the recent landfall of supertyphoon “Lawin” in the Philippines, Rellosa said that the training will enable them to provide “more skilled manpower” if and when the Air Force mobilizes them in times of natural calamity.
“Hindi na lang kami hanggang repackage lang, we can actually go to the affected areas and actually contribute something (We won’t just be there to repackage relief goods, we can actually go to the affected areas and actually contribute something),” said Rellosa.
Rellosa said that the training in search and rescue is especially timely since the Ateneo ROTC has become an official partner of the Ateneo Disaster Response and Management Team, the Ateneo’s main organization for disaster relief and rehabilitation.
Pagauitan on the other hand, said that the changing weather should serve as a signal for a change in “lifestyle” among the youth today.
“They need to know how to conduct basic rescue, basic disaster response, and most importantly, [they need to have] that attitude of a responder or a rescuer rather than an attitude of a victim during calamities,” Pagauitan said.
Citing the more dangerous weather patterns and the recently raised signal number five in some areas of the country, Pagauitan said that the recent developments should stress the importance of military training.
Future of ROTC
However, Rellosa remained optimistic about the future of Ateneo ROTC, mentioning how the program has seen a rise of recruits.
“Over the years, we’ve seen a rise in terms of recruits kahit na na-implement ‘yung pre-enlisted na NSTP Plus (Over the years, we’ve seen a rise in terms of recruits even though the pre-enlisted NSTP Plus program was implemented),” said Rellosa.
He also said that the program has improved over the years and that this is something to look forward to.
“Nag-iimprove paunti-unti ‘yung curriculum, so mas madami nang topics ‘yung nacocover at dumadami din ‘yung activities namin in line,” (The curriculum is slowly improving, which means that more topics will be covered and there will be more activities in line.) he said.
Meanwhile, Pagauitan expressed his support for the Ateneo ROTC, saying that the Air Force will lend a hand in teaching them not only in military discipline, and HADR but also in discipline in life.
“As long as they are with the Philippine Air Force, we will do everything in our capacity to train them,” he said.
