The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) welcomed on Thursday, Jan. 20, the campaign platform of vice presidential aspirant Sara Duterte to push for mandatory military service for Filipinos, both male and female, when they reach 18 years old, if she wins on the May 9 elections.
AFP spokesman Col. Ramon Zagala said the proposal is timely amid the internal and external security challenges that the country is facing.
"We welcome the proposal as this is attuned to the times while government is faced with adversities and challenges, aligned with our aspirations for the citizenry to contribute to nation building," said Zagala.
"Rendering mandatory military service will only help us to establish base for a strong armed forces, and therefore a strong nation," he added.
On Tuesday, Duterte said she would use the Office of the Vice President to discuss with Congres her proposal to compel adult Filipinos to render military service on the age of 18. This practice is common in other countries.
Duterte said this is different from the Reserved Office Training Corps that college students undergo.
In her proposal, Duterte said all Filipinos would be given subsidy while they are undergoing military service as soon as they reach 18 years of age.