KABATAAN Partylist expressed fear reviving the Mandatory Reserved Officers Training Corps might leech off funds for the long-term learning recovery.

The youth organization explained the Armed Forces of the Philippines estimated that around P16 billion to P20 billion will be needed to fully implement the Mandatory ROTC program by 2026.

A total of P61.2 billion is needed to execute the program, according to the group per the projected yearly budget expense to be incurred for the planned four-year phasing towards the full implementation of the mandatory ROTC.

The group aired its concern after the Senate Sub-Committee on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education under Senator Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa ended the hearings on bills for the mandatory ROTC.

“Ang DepEd na mismo ang umamin na nasa gitna tayo ng isang education crisis. Kung may kailangan pondohan man, hindi ito boots at barracks kundi mga dagdag classroom, sweldo sa teachers, mas maayos na pasilidad, at iba pang pangangailangan para matuto nang mabuti ang mga kabataan,” the group said.

The organization stressed ROTC is not the best program to modernize and improve national defense to face off against external threats from superpowers wielding advanced warfare technology.

“Paano ipagtatanggol ng kabataan ang kanilang inang bayan kung mismong pangalan ng GomBurZa, kasaysayan ng Katipunan, at simpleng pagbabasa at pagbibilang ay ‘di nila magawa kahit matapos pa ng high school? Mali po kayo Sen. Bato. Mas malaking problema para buhayin ang diwang makabayan ng kabataan ang mismong de kalidad na edukasyon. Dito dapat mapunta ang pondo ng bayan,” the group said.

“Ang mandatory ROTC ay isang losing investment. Tatanggalan niya ng maaaring dagdag na pondo para sa sektor ng edukasyon at ilalagay ang bilyong pondo na ito sa programa na ‘di naman titiyakin ang kaligtasan o kahandaan ng bansa sa giyera habang nilalagay sa panganib ng pahamak at abuso ang kabataan. Lugi po ang mamamayang Pilipino rito.”