DAPAT isama ang disaster response training kung magiging mandatory ang Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, ayon kay Commission on Higher Education Chair Prospero De Vera III.

Sinabi ni presumptive Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio noong kampanya na nais niyang ibalik ang ROTC upang makatulong na maitanim ang pagiging makabayan sa mga estudyante.

“The training of students is necessary and ang position ko lang diyan is that it should not just be the military training but [also] to develop a corps of individuals who can assist the government during disasters,” ayon kay De Vera.

Iginiit ni De Vera na sa tuwing may sakuna, umaasa ang bansa sa armed forces, na humaharang sa resources ng gobyerno.

“Mas maganda kung mayroon tayong corps of students, pool of volunteers who could help in disaster management and that should be the content of the ROTC,” ani De Vera.

“We will have to wait on what is the congressional action. If the bill is filed to do it in higher (education), then pag-aaralan natin. Kung nasa senior high, eh di (Department of Education) dapat ang sumagot,” dagdag pa niya.