‘TOL VIEWS
Young people are the future of any country. We rely on them to build on the positive gains we have achieved and to prepare a better Philippines for those who will come after them. Hence, it is important to invest in their development so that they can reach their full potential and be able to lead and serve with honor and excellence. Youth development programs, ROTC being one of these, can equip young people with the skills, knowledge, and opportunities they need to drive change and progress for our nation. These programs can also help the Filipino youth to develop a sense of civic responsibility and to become active partners in community growth.
I have always believed that military training, sports development and nation building are obviously distinct yet intertwined. All are vital elements in establishing a strong and prosperous nation. All these aspects of development play a vital role in the holistic growth of the country’s young population and the well-being of its citizens in general. ROTC in particular is an essential component of youth engagement in the effort to strengthen national security. It develops in our young Filipinos the skills and knowledge necessary to protect the nation and its citizens from threats of all kinds, whether these be from within or from outside. ROTC is a very potent tool for the development of a sense of discipline, teamwork, and patriotism in young people which can help them to become more responsible and productive citizens and leaders of the future.
Similarly important in nation building is youth and sports development. Sports can bring people together even when they come from different backgrounds and cultures, just as the 2023 Philippine ROTC Games has proven. The games undoubtedly promoted physical fitness, mental well-being, unity amid diversity and helped to create a sense of national identity.
Our shared advocacy for military service among the youth has indeed made commendable strides in last year’s Philippine ROTC Games. While mandatory ROTC continues to gain the approval of the general population – rising up from the negative connotation of being a tool for bullying and aggression, I likewise see the need to re-brand ROTC, so to speak, in a way that it does not only prepare young Filipinos for military service in the event of war and territorial invasion. The re-branding of ROTC should likewise include the development of a military training program which builds and prepares young men and women for engagement in civic action, for disaster preparedness and response, for holistic youth development, for higher and more complex leadership roles in the future.
The relevance of ROTC in youth development and nation-building has never been clearer than now. It plays a crucial role in shaping future leaders who will steer the Philippines and keep it on the road to progress, prosperity and peace. ROTC can, and will, transform young Filipinos into more active and more engaged agents of inclusivity and positive change. ROTC, as a catalyst for change and development, can help address the growing culture of indifference among young people to the threats and challenges we confront as a people and as a nation.
The higher goal pursued in the ROTC remains the development of positive values among our youth, encouraging them to engage in nation building through civic participation, volunteerism and service. As future leaders, young Filipinos should be shaped and formed not only in body, but more so in character, instilling in them the positive values of honor, integrity, justice, discipline, obedience, and patriotism, among many others.
As preparations for the Philippine ROTC Games 2024 start to fire from all cylinders, there is much anticipation and excitement as to what this year’s PRG has to offer. Apart from the usual individual and team sports opened last year, PRG 2024 will highlight the strength and agility of our young cadets as they compete in precision shooting, aquatics, ROTC Raiders competition, sepak takraw, table tennis and e-sports, among others. The Philippine ROTC Games 2023 and the lessons we learned from our first conduct paved the way for a surely better and broader PRG 2024.