SENATE Majority Leader Francis Tolentino on Saturday announced that plenary debates on Senate Bill No. 2034 or the Mandatory ROTC bill, are set to commence next week.

“This coming Monday, July 29, we will be tackling a very important legislative measure that would probably change the landscape of Philippine society. And this is the measure sponsored by Sen. Bato de la Rosa reviving a Mandatory ROTC Program,” Tolentino said in his speech at the Miss ROTC Luzon search held at the Tagaytay Combat Sports Center.

“Hindi na nila mapipigilan, isasalang namin sa Senado yung ROTC Bill,” Tolentino, one of the bill’s principal authors, told the audience composed mostly of ROTC cadets from different colleges and universities around Luzon.

Expounding further, Tolentino referred to the youth as the nation’s untapped human resources who underwent training and are ready to be mobilized to help communities, especially during times of disasters.

“Kung makikita n’yo po nitong Typhoon Carina, nangailangan po tayo ng tulong sa iba’t ibang rehiyon. Subalit nandoon lang po yung untapped human resources natin sa mga lalawigan na sinalanta. Nandun lang po sila, ready to be tapped. At kung meron na po siguro tayong ROTC program, ay automatic na po yan. Signal number two pa lang, naka-formation na po yung ating mga kadete at handang tumulong,” he explained.

“Ang ROTC program, kahit po voluntary, kahit po hindi mandatory, ang pagmamahal po ng kabataang Pilipino sa Pilipinas ay mandatory. Ang pagmamahal po ng kabataang Pilipino sa ating bayan ay nagmumula sa kanilang puso,” Tolentino concluded.

The search for Miss ROTC Luzon 2024 marks the opening of the Luzon leg of the Philippine ROTC Games, which will be held from July 28 to August 2 at the Cavite State University in Indang, Cavite, and several other venues in the province.