Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa is confident that a mandatory Reserved Officers Training Course (ROTC) bill will become a law in the Philippines before the end of 2023. Females will not be exempted from the ROTC measure, while an alternative program of instruction will be offered to persons with disabilities. The bill would teach respect for human rights, environmental preservation, love of country, personality and moral development, and disaster preparedness. The measure will also establish local and national grievance mechanisms for abuses and hazing. The senator also revealed that a P5-billion appropriation is needed for the free uniform and boots for the ROTC trainees in both public and private school students. While the House of Representatives is reportedly ready to approve a similar bill, dela Rosa doesn’t think that the mandatory ROTC bill would be passed by Congress before the State of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on the fourth Monday of July.
