Debate Script

Topic: ROTC should be required for all male college students for our national security (PRO)

Main Points:
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Possible Questions or counterarguments (with answers):

1. If ROTC is a good thing, why was it abolished in the past?
- It was due to the implementation of the NSTP law. Reserve Officers'
Training Corps (ROTC) in the Philippines was abolished in 2002 through
Republic Act No. 9163, also known as the National Service Training
Program (NSTP) Act of 2001. This law replaced the mandatory ROTC
program with the NSTP, which offered students a choice between military
training (ROTC), civic welfare service, and literacy training.
2. What about the hazing issues in ROTC? Is ROTC safe?
- Due to the newly implemented anti-hazing law of 2018 (RA 11053), ROTC
today compared to the ROTC before is now safer. Not only that, in RA
9163, they have regulations and guidelines they now follow along with the
DMST (Department of the Military Science and Tactics) standards.
3. Why is ROTC only mandatory for men and not for women?
- One of those reasons are: men are biologically stronger physically than
women are, according to various studies, men are significantly stronger
than women across various muscle groups, with an average difference of
50%. Men can stand the training under the condition of rain or shine while
women can’t due to various reasons such as hormonal imbalance and
such.
4. What about the people with health conditions who can’t participate in ROTC?
- This has been clarified in House bill 8961 that some exemptions shall be
made, this follows as: (1) those who are physically and psychologically
unfit; (2) those who have undergone or undergoing similar military
training; and (3) the school’s varsity players.
5. What about the LGBTQIA+? / What about those who don’t identify as male? (any
questions similar to this)
- According to the instructors from the DMST (Department of the Military
Science and Tactics), the decision about this would be solely up to the
universities when they implement this mandatory ROTC. It is due to the
universities being considered as autonomous institutions which grants
them permission to tweak the implementation to their liking provided that
they still follow the law.
6. Isn’t it a violation to their rights if ever they are required but they didn’t want to?
- Yes, individual rights are crucial and should be protected but citizens have
certain responsibilities towards their nation, including contributing to its
defense and security. Rights come with responsibilities, you can’t always
preach about rights without upholding your responsibilities. The law has
undergone judicial review and upheld by the courts, indicating its
constitutionality with constitutional provisions like Article II, Section 4,
 which states that all citizens may be required to render personal military
or civil service.
7. Philippines is a democratic country, who gets to dictate the mandatory rotc? Who
gets to choose if it's male only mandatory or female only
- The laws governing mandatory ROTC were passed through legitimate
democratic processes, allowing for public debate and representation.
Everyone, including the government, is subject to the rule of law, and laws
are made through established processes

Questions to Ask:
1. Paano mo masasabing hindi na safe ang rotc ngayon kung yung mga abuses
and other cases na nasabi mo ngayon ay matagal ng nangyari and ngayon na
ibinalik na ang rotc ay wala naman na kaming nababalitaan na hazing or bullying
case?

Riley:
ROTC isn't just about training; it's about instilling patriotism, discipline, and
leadership – values that serve us well in any field. It's about ensuring we have a ready
reserve force, capable of protecting our borders and our people.

Some may call it outdated, but the core skills of leadership, teamwork, and resilience
remain essential. We need a strong foundation for future officers, and ROTC provides it.

Concerns about human rights and burdens are valid, but they can be addressed through
responsible program management. The benefits – for both individual students and our
nation – outweigh any temporary inconvenience.

You'll gain invaluable skills like:

Leadership: Learn to command respect and inspire others, skills that will benefit you in
any career.
Problem-solving: Think critically and find solutions under pressure, essential for
navigating today's complex world.
Physical fitness: Push your limits and build strength and stamina, giving you the
confidence to achieve anything.
Teamwork: Collaborate effectively with diverse individuals, preparing you for any
professional environment.
Patriotism: Develop a deep connection to your country and a commitment to its well-
being.

ROTC isn't just about national security; it's about personal growth:
Boost your confidence: Face challenges head-on and conquer your fears.
Develop your character: Learn values like integrity, respect, and self-reliance.
Make lifelong friends: Bond with fellow cadets who share your values and aspirations.
Create a brighter future: Contribute to a stronger, safer Philippines for yourself and
future generations.

Berna:
What is national security? The definition of national security by Merriam – Webster,
it is the security of a nation against external or internal threats to its existence or well-being.
National security doesn’t only involve the military or army, this also involves politics,
society, and economics of a country. This aligns to the objective and goals of the current
ROTC DMST compared to the old ROTC. The ROTC before had their goals on militarizing
the students for them to be the bullet for the canon, but now, ROTC aims to educate the next
generation with enough knowledge to help protect the security of the nation with internal and
external threats. According to Sergeant Gesulga, “ROTC does not prepare you to be a soldier,
it prepares you to be a good citizen, to be a good leader of our country because our armed
forces are already there to fill in that duty. What we need the most are good leaders, the next
generation should be prepared to lead our nation for the betterment of it. Because if our
leader would be terrible, then what would happen to our country? History will repeat itself
again and again until the necessary changes are made. What you put as input will dictate the
output, garbage in, garbage out.”