Student Leaders Claimed that ROTC is Finacial Burden to Students, Parents
The Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) is only a burden and additional cost to students and parents, according to student leaders.
Many student leaders from universities in the Philippines spoke out against the proposal to reinstate ROTC as a requirement in schools. The ROTC will increase student costs and be a waste of taxpayer money, claims Benhur Queqquegan, vice president of the Central Student Council at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.
“Ang mandatory ROTC na ito ay magdadagdag lang ng mga gastos sa mga estudyante at magulang. Mula sa gastos para sa inaasahang uniporme, gears, pagkain, pamasahe at ultimo nga iyon dagdag-tuition fee at school fees,” said the student leader at the same time as the press conference.
“Higit pa rito, talagang tinututulan natin ang mandatory ROTC dahil sasayangin lamang nito ang pondo ng bayan,” he added.
Joshua Philip Contado, a member of the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Central Student Council, had a similar view. According to him, it seems that they have forgotten about the death of Mark Welson Chua, who an ROTC officer allegedly shot after he exposed corruption in the program.
“Your exposition made by Mark Welson Chua showed us this program’s culture of violence and corruption. And we must never forget that,” Contado said.
Based on the report, the government should place more emphasis on school infrastructure and the secure resumption of in-person instruction than on ROTC. Ateneo de Manila University’s TJ Alcantara seeks to strengthen the National Service Training Program.
It will be recalled that in the first State of the Nation Address by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in July, he said that the return of ROTC is one of the things he will include in the current administration. The youth group plans to further the opposition to ROTC through their “No to Mandatory ROTC Network.”
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