MOST Filipinos support a proposal to revive mandatory military training for college students, according to a senator.
Eight of 10 Filipinos are in favor of reinstating the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC), Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian said in a statement on Tuesday, citing a poll he commissioned for Pulse Asia Research.
The 78% approval rate was higher than the 69% result of a similar poll conducted in July last year, he said.
Pulse Asia interviewed 1,200 Filipino adults on March 15 to 19 for the poll, which had an error margin of ±3 points.
Mr. Gatchalian said 92% of respondents from Mindanao and 80% from the Visayas, 77% from the National Capital Region and 72% from the rest of Luzon favored mandatory military training.
Across socioeconomic classes, the support for mandatory ROTC was at 81% among classes ABC and E and 78% from class D.
The respondents said military training would instill discipline and responsibility. They also thought it would boost the country’s defense and develop leadership skills.
“It is clear from the voices of our countrymen that they are supportive of the return of the ROTC in college,” Mr. Gatchalian said in a statement.
He earlier filed Senate Bill 2034, which seeks to revive a compulsory two-year military training program that will cover students in both public and private universities, colleges and vocational schools.
The measure includes basic military, leadership and civic training as well as enhanced preparedness during disaster response operations.
The Pulse Asia poll showed 13% did not support mandatory military training for students, while 8% were neutral.
Those who were against the program said it would increase cases of abuse, harassment and hazing, and could become an “instrument of power” for leaders and officers. They also said the time students spend on military training should instead be used for academics.
The proposed military training for tertiary level students is expected to enhance the capacity of the nation and its human resources in times of war, calamities and disasters, as well as national or local emergencies. It is a priority bill under the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council.
The House of Representatives in December passed a similar bill in which students who complete a two-year training would become part of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ reserve.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. last month called on the Philippine Army to boost its relations with foreign counterparts, highlighting the importance of international ties amid common security challenges. This was in response to China’s increasing assertiveness in Philippine-claimed areas in the South China Sea.
In February, the Philippines gave the United States access to four more military bases under the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) on top of five existing sites.
Lawmakers critical of Washington also questioned the real intent of the EDCA expansion, fearing that the Philippines would be used as a staging ground for US military activities in the region.
Aside from the South China Sea dispute, the Indo-Pacific region is beset by tensions between China and the US over the self-ruled Taiwan.
“We will continue to push for the return of the ROTC in colleges until it is enacted into law,” Mr. Gatchalian said in Filipino. “Through the ROTC, we can teach our youth discipline, love of country and the readiness to help in times of disasters.”
Youth groups have opposed the proposal, saying military training for students should be voluntary. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz