(PNA photo by Robinson Niñal)
MANILA – Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero is not convinced on the funding requirements of the proposed mandatory Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) after his recent meeting with the officials of the Department of National Defense (DND) led by Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr.
In a press briefing on Thursday, Escudero said the DND requires that mandatory ROTC be implemented initially for three years with a cost of around PHP27 billion, or more than PHP8 billion yearly.
The required funding, he said, will be used for combat boots, uniform, allowance, stipend of trainers, and other office supplies.
"Right now, it will be tough. That's as far as I can say. It will be tough especially given the other expenditures that the government needs to allocate funds for in the coming year, given even the elections," Escudero said.
Senate Bill No. 2034 or the ROTC Act is one of the priority measures of the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) and currently in its second reading in the Senate.
Escudero said DND is also recommending that ROTC graduates should not be automatically entered into the Armed Forces of the Philippines' (AFP) reserve force, which will also require more funding.
"Ngayon pa lang nga daw sa ilalim ng NSTP (National Service Training Program) ay mahaba ang kanilang backlog sa pag-accommodate ng mga reserve na naga-apply (Even now, under the NSTP, they have a long backlog in accommodating the reserves who apply)," he said.
The DND is also suggesting that the ROTC training should be "generic" without specific assignment for every school unlike its previous implementation.
"We will relay that to the committee and make sure that they take note of it and consider it during the period of amendments," Escudero said.
He said the Congress will also need to determine where the required funds of the ROTC will be sourced.
Escudero repeatedly admitted that he is not convinced that there is a need to revive the ROTC in the country, but assured that he will not "stifle its passage even if the majority of the members are in favor of it." (PNA)
