Tolentino sees Senate passing ROTC bill

SENATE majority leader Francis Tolentino is confident the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) bill will be passed in the Senate despite opposition from several senators, including Senate President Francis Escudero.

Tolentino yesterday said he is optimistic Senate Bill No. 2024, which will make the ROTC program mandatory for tertiary students enrolled in higher learning and vocational institutions, would muster enough votes.

He said the ROTC bill will be included on the agenda of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting today, Tuesday.

“I believe we have reached a level of support where the ROTC program will be revived. I’m quite confident,” Tolentino told reporters on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the Philippine ROTC Games Mindanao qualifiers last Sunday.

A similar proposed measure has been passed on the third and final reading at the House of Representatives. It is pending on second reading at the Senate as of March last year.

Tolentino said the primary goal of the ROTC bill is to encourage and develop discipline and a “deep sense of nationalism” among the youth, as he brushed aside notions that it is being passed due to the conflict with China in the West Philippine Sea.

“No, we are not preparing for war. Enacting this bill is timely and crucial for our national interest and future with or without the conflict in WPS,” he added.

He also thanked Zamboanga City Mayor John Dalipe for the city’s all-out support for staging the ROTC Games as he praised the city’s modern sorts facilities and venues which made the region an ideal host for the multi-sport event.