Rotc

The House of Representatives is poised to pass a bill reviving the Reserve Officers’
Training Corps (ROTC) after the May elections. The Senate is still deliberating on its
version of the measure at committee level.
This bill could give new meaning to the May 2019 elections for the youth. It is a bill
that directly impinges on the interest of the youth, especially those aged 16 and 17
who have yet to take Grades 11 and 12.
If the Duterte-endorsed senatorial candidates win in the elections, this bill will
certainly pass. If the opposition senatorial candidates win, the proposed revival of
ROTC will fail. The reason is simple — it is Mr. Duterte who has urged Congress to
pass the measure, threatening to issue an executive order to the same effect if they fail
to do so.
If the bill passes this year, and it takes another year to formulate the new ROTC
Program of Instruction and set up the training system (facilities, instructors, resource
materials), the first batch of Grade 11 students who will take the course will be those
in September 2020 or September 2022.
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President Duterte has proposed making ROTC mandatory for grades 11 and 12 in the Philippines. A number of
notables like Senators Ejercito and Gatchalian have signed onto the idea, citing it as a good way to instill
patriotism and discipline among the youth of the Philippines.
Excuse me!
You mean the rote instruction method whereby students are required to recite back canned lessons has not
taught discipline? And all the flag ceremonies, anthems, and parades have not instilled patriotism?
Maybe we have a shallow idea about what patriotism and discipline mean, eh?
Patriotism and discipline for democratic states does not mean obedience.
It means responsibility.
Patriotism is our responsibility to the nation and fellow citizens.
Discipline means giving of ourselves, sacrificing a little of our personal comforts, for the unity that makes a
nation safe and strong.
My impression is that the nation’s youth are not lacking in the ability to follow orders or work diligently. They
are lacking the ability to motivate themselves in a way that benefits the State. ROTC is an attempt to use
obedience (marching and shooting) to instill patriotism and discipline.
Imposing obedience does not instill patriotism. It instills boredom and lack of imagination and sloth.
Patriotism requires inspiration and ingenuity and effort.
Imposing obedience does not instill discipline. It instills trickiness to get around the punishments. It inspires
corruption and cheating and other ways to avoid the hassles. It inspires double-dealing and demanding that
others do what we want or we will call them unpatriotic.
Patriotism and discipline are the people’s willing gifts to the State. They cannot be petulant demands by the
State to follow the dictates of leaders who can’t do what they preach. I mean, the absurdity of leaders
conceding Philippine Seas to China while demanding patriotism from youth is mind-boggling.
It is so mind-boggling that we can know for sure that the idea of ROTC is meant to ensure people do not
disagree with such lunatic thinking. They will remain quiet if the Commander in Chief does crazy deeds
because . . . well . . . because he is their Commander in Chief.
The whole approach is off the mark . . .
If the leadership truly wants patriotism and discipline, it should do two things:
1. Clean up the State’s nonsensical, unpatriotic, undisciplined acts. Set a good example.
2. Teach kids to read and think on their own.
They will quickly come to the realization that life is as much giving as taking, and the greater riches are in the
giving.
The last thing Filipino youth need is more rote instruction as if they were little more than bots being marched
around the football field by their masters.
If you want to extract two years of sweat-equity in the nation, require public service, built along a peace corp
line-up of projects that students organize, fund, and carry out. Clean up the town. Recycle the plastic.
Manufacture road signs. Organize book fairs. Go out and read to younger classmates and excite them about
thinking for themselves, and giving, and solving problems.
Teach them to be giving souls rather than self dealers like the current batch of legislators and much of the
nation.
But marching around the quad in spit-shined shoes and holding a straight salute whilst looking ‘eyes right’?
Absolutely the worst thing for Filipino kids at this time of the nation’s development. Or lack of development,
as the case may be.
That’s my view.

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The House of Representatives is poised to pass a bill reviving the Reserve Officers’

Read more: https://opinion.inquirer.net/119478/mandatory-rotc-think-hard-

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