(Cavite State University)
KABATAAN PARTY LIST Rep. Terry Ridon filed House Bill 3143 or the National Service Training Program (NSTP) Reform Act of 2013, which totally abolishes Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) on campuses and offer other socio-civic service programs.
"What we need as a nation today is not an army of young men and women trained in the ways of military but an army of volunteers and advocates ready to serve and uphold the needs of their communities and the nation as a whole," Ridon said.
Under HB 3143, the following programs are added in NSTP: Comprehensive Community Service, Community Based Health and Nutrition, Community Immersion, Disaster Preparedness, Ecological Services, and Human Rights Education and Advocacy.
Meanwhile, CvSU-ROTC's C/Lt. Col. Jermie Shae Varias said that she disagreed to the abolishment of ROTC. Also, Varias said that if the bill passed, officers and cadets will lessen and it would bring problems to national security.
"Paano na kung may outsiders (invaders) na pumasok sa Pilipinas? Matatakoy tayo na ipagtanggol ang ating bansa," Varias said.
In 2001, University of Santo Tomas (UST) student Mark Welson Chua was killed because he exposed the corruption inside UST Corps of Cadets. His death became a catalyst for a broad movement to eliminate ROTC in schools, and it lead to the passage of Republic Act 9163 wherein ROTC is optional.
September-November 2013
VOL. XVII NO. 3
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