TWELFTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC )
OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )

SENATE

S. No. 255

Introduced by Senator Osmeña III

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Pursuant to the provisions of the National Defense Act (Commonwealth Act No. 1) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines Reservist Act (Republic Act No. 7077), military training under the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) is mandatory for male students enrolled in colleges, universities and similar learning institutions.

These provisions of the law are remnants of a bygone era, when nations deemed it essential to be in perpetual readiness to defend their territories against armed aggression. Today, we live in a more civilized era when a multitude of venues for the peaceful settlement of conflicts among nations has virtually reduced the need for armed conflict into a remote possibility.

Mandatory military training for male youths has considerable opportunity costs. There are numerous alternative activities that could yield much greater returns to the country in terms of promoting our national development goals.

As implemented today, the ROTC suffers from the poor quality of training and military instruction given to enrollees. Indeed, it has become vulnerable to graft and corruption, as students pay large fees to obtain exemptions from the program.

Moreover, the fact that the program is mandatory for males and optional for females is considered by some as affront to the principle of gender equality.

The bill proposes to make the ROTC program optional to all students regardless of sex, and to allow students to choose alternative courses such as law enforcement or civic welfare service programs, to be established in lieu of the mandatory military instruction under the ROTC.

In view of the foregoing, early passage of this bill is earnestly requested.

SERGIO OSMEÑA III
Senator