P3PWD Party-list nominee Rowena Guanzon has welcomed Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr.’s clarification Tuesday, Feb. 7 that the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program can't cure mental health issues.
Guanzon did so in a "savage" way, however.
"Mabuti naman Sec Galvez at na cure ang mental health problems ninyo #NoToMandatoryROTC (Sec Galvez, it's good that your mental health problems have been cured)," tweeted the former Commission on Elections (Comelec) secretary on Tuesday afternoon.
Guanzon was obviously alluding to Galvez's walking back on his earlier statement at a Senate hearing when he said mental health problems can be "cured" by the increase in "frustration tolerance" that ROTC training supposedly brings.
Lawmakers are currently pushing for the return of mandatory ROTC for Filipino students.
Amid criticisms of his remarks, the DND chief said: “What we intend to convey during the Senate hearing was that through our enhanced Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program, we would be able to build the strength of character and resilience of our trainees, qualities which positively foster mental health."
Galvez also said that he didn't mean to offend individuals with mental health issues over his statements on ROTC. Galvez served as vaccine czar during the previous administration.
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Guanzon earlier tweeted in reference toc Galvez's initial statements: “Mental health prolems cannot be cured by more stress and physical strain. In fact it can make things worse for the person with a disabili."
P3PWD party-list stands for Komunidad ng Pamilya Pasyente at Persons with Disabilities.