Duterte approves return of ROTC for Grades 11 and 12
President Rodrigo R. Duterte has approved the return of the Reserved Officers Training Course for students in Grades 11 and 12 who are enrolled in both public and private schools.
Students taking ROTC / Credit: dwiz882 / Manila Bulletin
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, in a Facebook post, wrote that Cabinet members discussed the issue thoroughly during the Cabinet meeting held February 7, 2017 in Malacañang.
The President’s approval came after a presentation by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana who proposed an amendment to Republic Act 7077 to make ROTC mandatory. He pointed out that ROTC instills patriotism, love of country, moral and spiritual values, respect for human rights and adherence to Constitution.
Promulgated in June 27, 1991, RA 7077 is the Act providing for the development, administration, organization, training, maintenance and utilization of the Citizen Armed Forces of The Armed Forces of the Philippines and for other purposes.
This proposal, which will be certified as “urgent,” will now be forwarded to Congress and Senate.
The implementation of the mandatory ROTC was stopped in 2001 following a series of scandals which rocked the program, including the death of a Manila student due to hazing.
The strict implementation of the Anti-Hazing Law was among the measures presented to avoid the repeat of hazing deaths. ## (mb.com.ph)
