SENATE Majority Leader Joel Villanueva admitted that despite Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri’s promise to immediately discuss the Mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps or ROTC bill, the measure’s passage is still uncertain.

Villanueva said there are measures with issues that are subject to debate like the Mandatory ROTC, which some of his fellow senators, including himself, have reservations about.

The senator said his issue with the Mandatory ROTC is the cost required for its implementation.

From 2023 to 2025, or from Phase 1 to Phase 5 of the program’s implementation, the Armed Forces of the Philippines will need P 61.2 billion and 9,584 personnel, where billions will be spent on salaries alone.

Meanwhile, Villanueva said that although they have limited time to pass more priority measures, senators are confident that at least 10 bills can be immediately signed by the President into law.

These include the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, Real Property Valuation Assessment Reform Act, Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act, and Self-Reliant Defense Posture Revitalization Act which are currently in the bicameral conference committee.

In addition, the House of Representatives has adopted the Philippine Ecosystem and Natural Capital Accounting System, as well as the bills to be passed in the returning session, including the Anti-Financial Accounts Scamming Act, New Government Procurement Act, Blue Economy Act, and Enterprise-Based Education and Training Framework Act.