Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero on Wednesday, August 16 said he is likely to vote against the revival of the mandatory Reserved Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program, saying he believes it will not instill patriotism among students. 

Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero (Senate PRIB Photo)

“I will most likely vote against it…I took a position against it. I was chairman of that committee that was supposed to tackle this. I inhibited myself, I didn’t stifle it,” Escudero said in an ANC Headstart interview.

“I am against this simply because I don’t see the wisdom behind it that ROTC will inculcate patriotism and love for country,” the senator added.

Escudero said he too, went through the Citizen’s Military Training (CMT), “and I don’t think I got love for country from that.”

The senator also said he finds it questionable how proponents of the bill are brandishing a survey that says 75 percent of Filipinos aged 18 to 24 favor mandatory ROTC. 

“Is that a survey using random sampling? I’m using actual hard facts and data which is of those required to take the NSTP (National Service Training Program), only 18 or on a good year for ROTC, 20 percent take the ROTC option. 

“Kung 75 percent ang may gusto niyan, eh di sana 75 percent ng 18 to 24 (years old) na college students natin, ROTC ang kinuha (If 75 percent are in favor of that, then 75 percent of 18 to 24 years old in our colleges availed of the ROTC). At pwede naman nilang kuhanin (And they can take that) under the NSTP law,” he explained. 

Escudero also questioned the claim put forward by Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, the main proponent of the bill, that the NSTP is not a success.

“My question is where is the study that says it’s not? And if NSTP is not a success and ROTC is part of NSTP then I guess ROTC should be deemed as a failure as well. And I should be looking at something totally new,” he pointed out.

The lawmaker also pointed out that under the bill, law-enforcement, disaster resiliency, community service, nationalism and patriotism would be introduced in the ROTC should its reimposition be enacted into law. 

“I asked for a curriculum, a program of instructions how will this be divided? We could not even agree on the number of units, because they said it will be done four hours a week, but three units. 

“It’s supposed to be basic, right? How many hours a week is the number of units, and you are including this in the curriculum?” he added.

“Because the student cannot graduate unless he completes this. So, if this is going to be two years, you are talking 12 additional units in the curriculum of any 2- to 4-year, 5-year course, that a college student would have to pass and accomplish,” he pointed out.