By Alexandria Denise San Juan
Senatorial bet and former Interior and Local Government Secretary Rafael Alunan III is supporting President Duterte's plan to revive the a mandatory Reserved Officers' Training Corps (ROTC).
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"It's about time that we restore mandatory ROTC. ROTC develops not only young people's leadership skills but also followership skills. It will also open their eyes to military sciences tactics and plans the seed of patriotism, love of country within them," Alunan said in a press briefing in Quezon City on Thursday.
Duterte esrlier announced his plan to require all senior high school students to undergo extensive military training through ROTC program amid current internal and external security threats.
Alunan, who shared that he was a product of Naval ROTC, explained that the program can strengthen the country's Armed Forces by adding up to the numbers of reserved officers that can be tapped in times of armed conflict and other crises.
He underscored the need for Filipinos to be knowledgeable and trained to render service to others, adding that no one can defend the Philippines but the Filipinos themselves.