"Is it to defend the country or to upheld the order?"
(Notes regarding the revival of the Reserve Officers Training Corps)
Its been decades passed since mandatory implementation of the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) was terminated in year 2001 after University of Sto. Tomas student Mark Welson Chua was found dead after exposing the alleged corruption in his unit.
That incident, as well as other earlier yet isolated incidents has triggered protests against the said implementation, leading to its termination and its replacement by the National Service Training Program, which however, includes Military Service as an option alongside Civic Welfare and Literacy Training services.
However, with recent events such as the need for bolstering defences particularly against the Chinese, there are people who insist the importance of a reserve force capable of defending the nation's patrimony regardless of the controversies that marred its revival.
This matter persisted until last year, when president Rodrigo Duterte hath approved the restoration of the mandatory ROTC program this time in Senior High School students. This revival was of course supported by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and most from the Armed Forces, but this time with the justification that the program ‘instills patriotism, love of country, respect for human rights, moral and spiritual values’.
Quite appealing to patriotism if not the need for an adventure at first as the Armed Forces wanting to revive that saidth program this time for Senior High; it even tried to promote itself as an alternative to today's hedonism which most Filipinos think about as root of deliquency amongst youths, hence looking at military discipline as necessary.
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From this no wonder why critics of that said revival frankly equates it with militarism aside from its atrocities and corruption. For other than the tragedy in UST that led to its termination, there are other incidents that involves hazing, and even sexual harassment towards female cadets by its male counterparts like in the case of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM). As according to Kara Taggaoa, she saith:
“ROTC has always been a tool to violate the rights of the Filipino youth and to reinforce the powerplay and abuse perpetuated by the state”.
“With its restoration among senior high students, the ROTC will certainly bolster military order in the country, It will breed and train the Filipino youth to abide with, and worse, justify the ongoing atmosphere of vehemence in the country”...
Quite reasonable that said statement knowing that the program has been marred by its events authorities described as isolated cases if politicised matters due to groups concerned. And to think that by using "discipline" and the order's view of "nationalism" as its justifications laid upon by the administration for the said revival, Taggaoa et al. knew that with this kind of view it meant justifying militarisation using the youth, if not further cultivated misogynism, discrimination, and harassment given the Filipino's perception of the military program as machismo-ism and its idealisation. For as according to Akbayan's Bas Claudio, whom describing the program as “unjustified” and “unnecessary”, said:
“There’s this misconception with ROTC that ties with the conceptions of manliness… [whether] you can do intensive physical and military training, so it is really these rituals of manliness that… instill that kind of misogyny."
Furthermore, he said the government could still promote active citizenship through NSTP. The community development programs developed under NSTP, he added, had helped many indigent communities.
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But despite the "general" approval of Duterte's diehard fans, not all amongst these fanatical ranks do agree about its revival, and some even criticised if not opposed partially the reviving of ROTC in Senior High School.
In fact, according from a note made by University of the Philippines Regent Spocky Farolan, he did expressed his criticism of reviving ROTC despite agreeing the need for citizenship advancement through paramilitary methods of instruction within that said level:
In fact, according from a note made by University of the Philippines Regent Spocky Farolan, he did expressed his criticism of reviving ROTC despite agreeing the need for citizenship advancement through paramilitary methods of instruction within that said level:
"We are not against providing leadership and citizenship training through para-military methods of instruction in the SHS level but this should not be called the rotc which would serve as the primary source for our country's service and military reserves."
Furthermore, he instisted an alterative program through the "Citizen Service Bill" which was authored by Sen Koko Pimentel and Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. According to that act, it provided for a leadership and service program for Senior High School students, somewhat a better version of the "Citizenship Advancement Training" and the "National Service Training Program" (both Civic welfare and Literacy Traning Services).
From there, the Philippine Red Cross, as well as the Boy and Girl Scouts can handle the program. Farolan even stated that "it would be better since the Red Cross can issue internationally-recognized certificates which adds to the employment and professional credentials of the senior high school student".
However, the former UP Vanguard cadet stated that the real cadre training should be in college for two years which would have elements of military, law enforcement, disaster risk reduction and management, and civil service training.
"Graduates of the program become cadres which would be assigned per locality or district and capable of being deployed not only by the Armed Forces of the Philippines but as well as by the Philippine National Police, Office of Civil Defence, Local Government Units, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Commission on Elections, Department of Health, and other government agencies which which would have a need for volunteer support." he said.
Quite interesting isn't it? Especially coming from a rabid Duterte supporter who afforded criticise that said revival and instead offering an alternative brought about by legislators Pimentel and Macapagal-Arroyo, but to think that despite that said bill as a "better alternative" to reviving ROTC in Senior High Schools, this doesn't diminish the order's stubborness in reviving with apologists babbling about the need for discipline and order for young deliquents- that sometimes this writer thinks that how come these people who favour reviving it wanted to substitute the state for themselves in cultivating nationalism and strengthening moral values? If not disregarding the problems that marred the said military program thinking as mere isolated cases? The National Defence Act, which served as a basis for ROTC was made long before the agreements which the Philippine government respected and observed, such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child and others that superseded earlier agreements.
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Furthermore, he instisted an alterative program through the "Citizen Service Bill" which was authored by Sen Koko Pimentel and Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. According to that act, it provided for a leadership and service program for Senior High School students, somewhat a better version of the "Citizenship Advancement Training" and the "National Service Training Program" (both Civic welfare and Literacy Traning Services).
From there, the Philippine Red Cross, as well as the Boy and Girl Scouts can handle the program. Farolan even stated that "it would be better since the Red Cross can issue internationally-recognized certificates which adds to the employment and professional credentials of the senior high school student".
However, the former UP Vanguard cadet stated that the real cadre training should be in college for two years which would have elements of military, law enforcement, disaster risk reduction and management, and civil service training.
"Graduates of the program become cadres which would be assigned per locality or district and capable of being deployed not only by the Armed Forces of the Philippines but as well as by the Philippine National Police, Office of Civil Defence, Local Government Units, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Commission on Elections, Department of Health, and other government agencies which which would have a need for volunteer support." he said.
Quite interesting isn't it? Especially coming from a rabid Duterte supporter who afforded criticise that said revival and instead offering an alternative brought about by legislators Pimentel and Macapagal-Arroyo, but to think that despite that said bill as a "better alternative" to reviving ROTC in Senior High Schools, this doesn't diminish the order's stubborness in reviving with apologists babbling about the need for discipline and order for young deliquents- that sometimes this writer thinks that how come these people who favour reviving it wanted to substitute the state for themselves in cultivating nationalism and strengthening moral values? If not disregarding the problems that marred the said military program thinking as mere isolated cases? The National Defence Act, which served as a basis for ROTC was made long before the agreements which the Philippine government respected and observed, such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child and others that superseded earlier agreements.
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Admittingly speaking, the need for a reserve force is in itself necessary to multiply an existing armed force especially in times of war and emergency; but, to think that in a regime whose tendency is to consolidate the old order firmly pretending they are for a revolutionary change, then why need to mobilise reserves? Is the regime truly for the defence of the country in justifying is kind of revival? Is the regime also expressed about patriotism when that same regime offers concessions with entrenched interests? And is the regime also expressed about discipline when trigger happy men in uniform and gutter-mouthed politicos justify their bullshits? Well, despite the reasons why the need for ROTC as to be revived, the fact that the program hath been synonymous with upholding order than defending sovereignty continues to be played through.
And also to think that regardless of their statement and no matter how isolated those cases were according to these apologists, this cannot stop the concerned from questioning its revival. On the first place, speaking of discipline, did it stop corrupt officers from their interests? Of cruel men from their atrocities? Perhaps, this revival doesn't equate to multiplying forces in pursuit of defending sovereignty, let alone defending the order.
And also to think that regardless of their statement and no matter how isolated those cases were according to these apologists, this cannot stop the concerned from questioning its revival. On the first place, speaking of discipline, did it stop corrupt officers from their interests? Of cruel men from their atrocities? Perhaps, this revival doesn't equate to multiplying forces in pursuit of defending sovereignty, let alone defending the order.
Such justifications made by the order has brought this person and others concerned that regardless of their statements the obvious intention remains clear. Thinking that the order fails to defend sovereignty especially in the contested isles, rocks, and shoals in the west Philippine Sea, of seeing a leader indifferent towards the poor and the needy, of landlords upholding firm in their landed interests at the expense of the struggling peasantry, then no wonder why the regime needs obedient youths sworn to upheld the order to the extent of making them willing to disregard human rights, of making them not question authority, what more of justifying a distorted kind of democracy that prevails in this ever continuing past.
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Anyway, to cut this note short, it is indeed affirming that defending the country is a must, that to train and arm is necessary regardless of its status in life as a Filipino; but to defend the order, especially a corrupt, rotten one pretending to be for change, is bullshit. And because of the bullshit that is actually existing happening, true enough that the country needs rebels fighting for genuine social and national change, and not obedient thugs iin uniform claiming to be for the flag and for the land.