Umaasa si Camarines Sur Representative LRay Villafuerte na mapagtibay na ng Senado ang panukalang ibalik ang mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) bago ang sine die adjournment ng Kongreso ngayong buwan.
Kasunod ito ng panibagong water cannon attack ng Chinese Coast Guard sa barko ng Philippine Coast Guard sa West Philippine Sea.
Aniya, una nang nangako si Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri na gagawing prayoridad ng Senado ang pagpasa sa panukala matapos ang Lenten break.
“Alongside the ever-growing tensions brought about by our Beijing-instigated territorial dispute at the WPS that is clearly part of our EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) in accordance with international law, one more reason for senators to act right away on their own version of the ROTC-revival bill is the result of a recent Pulse Asia survey—commissioned and then revealed by Senator Migz himself—that 69% of Filipinos favor making ROTC mandatory for all young Filipinos,” sabi ni Villafuerte.
Ang ROTC ay tatawaging National Citizens Service Training (NCST) Program.
Sa ilalim ng bersyong inaprubahan ng Kamara, ang mga makakatapos ng NCST Program ay magiging National Service Reservists at Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Reservists na siyang bubuo sa panukalang National Service Reserve Corps (NSRC).
Ang NSRC ang magsisilbing source ng mga volunteer at conscript sa panahon ng kalamidad at armed conflict. | ulat ni Kathleen Jean Forbes
