Malacañang welcomes passage of mandatory ROTC bill

“That’s good news, the President wants that passed,” said Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo in a Palace briefing. (File Photo: Office of the Presidential Spokesperson/Facebook)

MANILA – Malacañang on Tuesday welcomed the House of Representatives’ passage of the bill making the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program mandatory for senior high school students.

“That’s good news, the President wants that passed,” said Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo in a Palace briefing.

On Monday, the House of Representatives voted 167-4-0 to approve the ROTC bill (House Bill 8961) on third and final reading.

Under the proposed measure, ROTC program would apply to “all students in Grades 11 and 12 in all senior high schools in public and private educational institutions” and shall be a requirement for graduation.

As provided for in the bill, students who are physically or psychologically unfit; those who have undergone or are undergoing similar military training; those who are chosen by their school to serve as the school’s varsity players in sports competition are exempted and others those who may be exempted from training for valid reasons, as approved by the Department of National Defense (DND) upon recommendation by an educational institution where the concerned student is enrolled.

The proposed measure also strictly prohibits the use of ROTC training for “political” objectives and for teaching and instilling a particular political ideology on students.

The bill also specifically bans hazing and other forms of physical or mental abuse.

The DND and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) earlier expressed their support for the measure.