POSITION PAPER

ROTC IN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL CURRICULUM

ROTC (Reserve Officers’ Training Corps) is an elective curriculum that you take
along with your required college classes. It is a mechanism for bringing such a diverse
group of citizens into the military. Moreover, it provides an educational experience that
is knowingly different from that of the military academies. The contact with citizen
capacity and classmates, the style and diversity of the education, and the combination
of the military discipline of ROTC and the intellectual freedom of the university result in
significant differences in the training and education of ROTC officers. The students carry
this diverse university experience into the military and, as a result, they serve as a
safeguard against isolation of the military from the rest of society. The ROTC program is
one of the nation’s top leadership programs. The program offer to high school that
teaches students character education, student achievement, wellness, leadership, and
diversity. And it also prepares all high school students with the tools, training,
experiences, and convenient skills that will help the youth succeed in any competitive
environment. They grouped with other people in a program that is designed to build
and strengthen the principles of teamwork and brotherhood among soldiers.

ROTC began in the Philippines in the year 1912, when the Philippine Constabulary
initiated military instructions at the University of the Philippines (UP) where the first
official ROTC unit was established in 1922. In 1939 then President Manuel Quezon
issued Executive Order 207, which made the establishment of ROTC programs
obligatory at all colleges and universities with greater than 100 students. At the year
1967, then President Ferdinand Marcos issued Executive Order 59 making ROTC
mandatory at all educational institutions with enrollment of at least 250 students. In
1991, the congress passed RA 7077, the Citizen Armed Forces of the Philippines
Reservist Act. Sections 38 and 39 of this law mandated obligatory military education for
two years (Basic ROTC) for all male college students, while an additional two years of
ROTC programming was voluntary. The fundamental philosophy of these acts was a
belief in the role of Filipinos to be both citizen and soldier — both the intellectual and
martial guardians of the democracy in which they live.
 ROTC mandatory program for all colleges and universities give a great impact to all
people in the country that brought us to reality after our President Rodrigo Roa Duterte
order to revive the mandatory Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program amid
calls for its abolition and the present administration moves the revitalization of ROTC in
the curriculum of both public and private secondary and tertiary schools in the
Philippines. Can this program really address the development of desirable Filipino
values such as patriotism, nationalism, and self – discipline?

Having a ROTC mandatory in high school may build confidence and leadership skills
for the students at high school. This program also gives you the chance to serve your
beloved country, which may not mean a whole lot to some people, but it certainly means
a lot to the country you served. It’s true that not everyone enjoys becoming a leader in
the Marine Corps, having a certain job, and protecting the people you care about.

If you can see rather understand that having an ROTC mandatory program can
provide or sustain students financial support for their education and to build our skills.
First, it gives a great amount of financial help and tuition aid for all students. Second, is
that the program allows the students to receive the funds to pursue their education
something that would have been difficult to do on their own and the third is that it
gives the students with the opportunity to become career officers in the future.

If ROTC Mandatory Program in all colleges and universities can beneficial for all student
in having a free education in college. It can help the students to achieve their goals in
life but in our situation today some of the students cannot afford to go to college due
to poverty and by being a member of an ROTC Mandatory Program helps them to go to
college by supporting their tuitions. Since, there are many scholarships available to
ROTC Mandatory Programs. Even if you not receive a full four-year scholarship, there
are many institutions offer financial incentives to ROTC students. But it will only last
if there is a case that some of the member of the program did not graduate or end up
dropping out. They will be forced to serve as an enlisted soldier on active duty or
required to pay back any scholarship money they received.
 The great things of ROTC Mandatory Program can do to all students is that they will
help the youth become a better person in manifold ways – no doubt about that. ROTC
will give better leadership and professional skills relevant to any kind of field. It
provides student a lot of personal attention, encouraging all students to get good
grades and further mature. One of the best aspects of the ROTC program is the
camaraderie students find among each other that is what Esprit de Corps or belonging
is all about.

If there is a possibility that what if the member of the program just so happened to not
fulfill the obligations set forth in the program? Many of the grounds of termination are
simple enough that most students signing on really should not have much of a problem.
So there are easy things to avoid for students to not dismiss in the program such as
academic probation, misbehavior, damaging injury due to misconduct, pregnancy,
disrespect of team or other authority, illegal drug possession, underage drinking,
criminal activity, or lack of interest in military service. As long as one uses common
sense, keeps a level head and events if they party, these expectations should not cause
any reason to worry at all if they will follow what is right. Other expectations may not
be so simple, as in they actually require a bit of effort to maintain.

If we are going to analyzed and deepen our own understanding and knowledge,
having ROTC Mandatory Program can be critically affect our economy in positive
manner. First, is that ROTC program implement changes that will make the students’
training holistic, values-oriented and appropriate for social awareness and character
growth especially that of the youth. Second, is that ROTC is a way that will be able to
strengthen our defense forces and mobilize our citizens for economic development and
other nation-building efforts. Realizing its importance about we been taught numerous
and valuable skills that can help survive in the outside world. Among them is discipline
that can be also learned something that is much cherished for a Filipino – Nationalism.

How can be our Community can be more productive if we have ROTC Mandatory
Program in our country? By collecting some information is that we observed countries
with great devotion in their country just like our Asian neighbors like Singapore and
South Korea have enhanced discipline, nationalism and cooperation among their youth
because of the required military training programs. In South Korea, they require their
young people to have a military service for 2 years at the age 18 and above but some of
them volunteered early to finish their military service. And there is a case that they
extended the enlistment in the military service of a celebrity for some matters but they
also fulfill their service. Because of ROTC program all people were given a chance and
opportunity to instill love of country and good citizenship among the youth, and make
it once again mandatory. By this program we do well for our country for it provides
student’s service-orientation, and patriotism for our country.

Through ROTC Mandatory Program, we can promote unity for our country. Our
country will become progressive if all people in our community have patriotism and a
desire to serve their country. What makes sense of it is that we should fight for our
country, protect it, respect it, and prioritized it no matter what.

ROTC emboldens the people in the community to practice strengths, self defends,
and leadership. It is training as well as our preparations for attempt attack in our
country in order to protect us and our countrymen.

ROTC Mandatory is the solution in our country to avoid terrorism and rebellion.
First,  ROTC does not only focusing on concerns such as practical problems within the
program itself, but also from greater political concerns over the role of the military in
Philippine society in general. Second, in this program we have leadership, team work
and management skills needed to become a Philippine Army officer or to have a
successful citizen career to. Lastly, it can help people develops the team-building,
negotiating and consensus-building skills that Army officers need in helping the people
of the world establish democratic systems, govern & secure themselves and
institutionalize liberty and human rights.

As we all notice killing people is one of the concerns that our country is facing.
What do you think is the root of this crime? For us, the root of the crime here in our
country is that we don’t have unity towards each other. Since not all people are well
educated here at our country and they don’t have a job, money and some of the young
people at least they can have the idea and the spirit to save their country to those who
planned to conquer it.

Having an ROTC mandatory program can provide or sustain students financial support
for their education and to build our skills. The Program can be critically affect our
economy in positive manner. It can be the solution in our country to avoid terrorism
and rebellion.

I believe that ROTC program can help us and our country to be more progressive,
to have self – discipline, and a responsible citizen in our community in order for us to
serve our country.