SENATOR Ronald dela Rosa intends to refile his bill that aims to make the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps mandatory.

He denied claims that if approved, the proposed law will lead to militarization.

Dela Rosa urged critics to focus on the positive aspects of the program.

“If we’ll just only focus on the negatives, kung anong kasamaan tungkol dito sa programang ito, then we will not end up with our ROTC program,” he said.

Under the bill, male and female Grade 11 and 12 students will undergo military training.

The former police chief allayed fears that the return of ROTC is a prelude to militarization.

He said that the primary purpose of ROTC is to train and prepare the Filipino youth to defend the country.

Dela Rosa said the Filipino youth should develop in their hearts and minds a sense of patriotism and nationalism, noting that the security of the country is uncertain because of the fluid geopolitics around the world.

Under his proposal, there will be a Grievance Board composed of representatives from the Departments of Education and the National Defense, which will investigate motu-proprio cases of abuse and corruption in the ROTC program.