Dela Rosa: Mandatory ROTC vital in Phl defense amid growing WPS tension

Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa on Wednesday once again emphasized that strengthening the military reserve force is crucial to boosting the country’s defense posture amid the increasing tension in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

Dela Rosa said it is “high time” for the Philippines to pass a measure that would make the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program mandatory for all Filipinos.

“We need to be always ready. We must be always ready when it comes to our national security and national territory, ultimately, you need a credible defense,” Dela Rosa stressed.

He also noted a mandatory ROTC is beneficial to the government’s goal of establishing a credible defense posture.

“We cannot have a credible defense if we don't have enough reserves. We cannot produce enough reserves if we don't have the ROTC program,” he added.

Dela Rosa, an alumnus of the Philippine Military Academy, said the Philippine defense posture is sighted "very weak and vulnerable” without pushing a mandatory patriotism among Filipinos.

He then cited the military posture of Israel and Singapore.

“You can just imagine how small a country is Israel but it can defend its land well because they have a strong reserve force and look at Singapore, they also have strong reserve force that they can protect their sovereignty,” he said.

Dela Rosa also stressed the vitality of having a strong reserve force in the country amid the increasing aggression of China in the WPS.

“We cannot allow China to shame us in our own territory. We should fight by actions, not by pure rhetorics,” he said.

Dela Rosa previously filed a Senate Bill 2034 seeking to impose mandatory ROTC programs for Filipino students.

In March last year, he sponsored Committee Report No. 64, containing SB 2034, which consolidated all bills on the mandatory ROTC program under the Senate Committee on Higher, Technical, and Vocational Education.

Under SB 2034, the mandatory basic ROTC program will be imposed on all students enrolled in not less than two-year undergraduate degree, diploma, or certificate programs in higher education institutions and technical-vocational institutions.

The measure is currently under the period of interpellations in the Senate.