Senate Majority Leader Francis "Tol" Tolentino

There are enough votes in the upper chamber to pass Senate Bill (SB) No. 2034, which seeks to make the controversial Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program mandatory for tertiary students enrolled in higher learning and vocational institutions.  

Thus, said author Senate Majority Leader Francis "Tol" Tolentino, who attended the Philippine ROTC Games Mindanao qualifiers Sunday, June 23 in Zamboanga City. 

"I believe we have reached a level of support where the ROTC program will be revived. I'm quite confident," Tolentino told members of the media. 

“The primary goal of the ROTC Bill is to encourage and develop discipline and a deep sense of nationalism among our youth,” noted the senator, the principal author of SB No.2034. 

Asked by a reporter if passing the measure was made urgent by the ongoing conflict in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), the senator replied that the two matters were unrelated.  

“No, we are not preparing for war. Enacting this bill is timely and crucial for our national interest and future, with or without the conflict in WPS,” he stressed. 

He further noted that the measure has already hurdled third reading at the House of Representatives, and will be included on the agenda of the meeting of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) on Tuesday. 

Tolentino extended his gratitude to Mayor John Dalipe for Zamboanga City’s all-out support for the staging of the ROTC Games.  

The honorary chairman of the ROTC Games also praised Zamboanga’s modern sports facilities and venues, which made the region an ideal host for the multi-sport event.