Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa on Friday, January 27 said he is considering tapping reservists to implement the proposed mandatory Reserve Officers Training Course (ROTC) in higher education institutions (HEIs).

Dela Rosa was earlier annoyed after a Department of National Defense (DND) official implied that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) may not be ready for the enormous task given that the military would need to tap 9,000 to 10,000 personnel for some 2,400 colleges and universities in the country.

During a recent Senate hearing, DND Undersecretary Franco Nemesio Gacal said they are in favor of the mandatory ROTC program, but “certain critical requirements” need to be addressed.

“If there’s a will, there’s a way,” Dela Rosa said in an interview over GMA’s Unang Balita.

The senator, a former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, noted that not all soldiers are on active military duty.

“Hindi naman lahat active, pwede yan gampanan ng mga reservists natin. Napakarami po ang reservists natin sa buong pilipinas na qualified at handang sumama dito at tumuloing sa ating RTOC program (Not everyone is active, our reservists can do that. We have a lot of reservists all over the Philippines who are qualified and ready to join us and attend our RTOC program),” Dela Rosa stressed.

“Hindi yan talaga problema sa nakikita ko. At kung talagang kukunin yung mga active personnel na kinakailangan nila. Meron naman tayong mga annual recruitment na ginagawa sa ating AFP. So dagdagan natin yung qota ng recruitment nila so magampanan nila ng mabuti itong ROTC program (That's not really a problem as far as I can see. And if they really get the active personnel they need. We have annual recruitments that are done in our AFP. So let's increase their recruitment quota so they can perform well in this ROTC program),” he further said.

With regards to the funding, the senator said he expects the government to be ready to fund the program since it has been identified as a prioirty measure by Malacañang.

“Ito ay ginawang priority legislation, priority measures ng malacanang so sigro naman susuportahan nila yung kagustuhan ng mga chief executive na ireinistate itong ROTC so hahanapan natin ito ng pondo (This has been made a priority legislation, a priority measure by Malacanang, so they will probably support the Chief Executive's wish to reinstate this ROTC. So we will find funding for it),” he said.

Dela Rosa also said he would invite to the next hearing student and youth groups and those who oppose the reinstatement of the ROTC.

“Huwag silang mag-alala, kahit alam kong ayaw na ayaw nila ng ROTC. Meron tayong hearing pa na gagawin sa susunod, iimbitahin ko po sila (Don't worry, even though I know they really don't want ROTC. We have another hearing to do next time, I will invite them),” he said.

“Makikinig tayo sa kanila kahit ayaw nilang makinig sa ROTC (We will listen to them even if they don't want to listen to ROTC proponents),” added the lawmaker.

But Dela Rosa insisted that majority of the Filipinos are in support of reinstating the ROTC.

“Unang-una, yung develoment ng moral virtues ng ating kabataan, disiplina. Patrioritsm, adherence ot the Consti, respect for human rights at yung ating disaster risk reduction management and response (Firstly, we need to pursue the develoment of the moral virtues of our youth, discipline, patriotism, adherence to the Constitution, respect for human rights and for our disaster risk reduction management and response,” the senator said.

“Dahil tayo ay palaging nakaka experience ng disaster at calamitties. So kelangan ready tayo palagi (We always experience disaster and calamities. So we must always be ready),” he stressed.