KABATAAN Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel opposed the proposed Mandatory Reserved Officers Training Corps, saying it is pointless and an additional burden to teachers and students.

During the House Budget deliberations for the Department of National Defense, Manuel asked what makes the revival of ROTC essential to learning goals.

“Merong mga panukalang batas para ituro ang DRRM or Disaster Risk Reduction and Managament na hindi nakapaloob sa ROTC program, will the DND be amenable na ganun ang pagtuturo ng DRRM?” he said.

“Doon tayo interested na malaman kung ano pwede ituro sa ROTC program na di pa kayang ituro ng ating kaguruan? Actually, I’ve been reviewing ang iba-ibang panukala at minsan sobrang absurd na ng reasons para sa panunumbalik ng programa, meron pa pagtuturo raw ng scientific innovation, at di ko maintindihan pati health and fitness through the ROTC program pa, eh andyan naman ang PE and health teachers para ituro yan. So ano ang kakaiba o ano ang pwedeng maituro na hindi pwedeng ituro ng iba nating guro?” he added.

Defense Undersecretary Ignacio Madriaga explained that the proposed curriculum of the mandatory ROTC for grades 11 and 12 is centered on citizen development and patriotism, highlighting how youth should know how past generations of Filipinos fought for their country.

However, Manuel said that this can be integrated with history subject.

“Ang pagtuturo ng military history, pwede maintegreate sa pagtuturo ng kasaysayan pero sa high school tinanggal ang pag-aaral sa history. Di tuloy natin mapaliwanag sana sa ating mga kabataan ang ginawa nina Bonifacio, Jose Rizal, ang KKK at mga Hukbalahap na nagtanggol sa ating bansa mula sa pananakop ng mga dayuhan… Kaya tingin ko iba ang tunay nating motibo sa panunumbalik ang Mandatory ROTC,” he said.