Over the past and coming years, ROTCs place in our nations

educational

institutions

and,

more

broadly,

the

relationship

between citizens and their obligations to the nation in general is

viewed positively and nostalgically to best improve our national
defense posture.
To our dynamic adjudicators, our competitive opponents, my dear
proponents, everyone in this assembly, good day.
Today, we are faced with the proposition, Let it be resolved that ROTC
be mandatory to all colleges and universities in the Philippines. Just before I
put forward my case, I will be defining the terms that will be used in this
policy making discussion.

ROTC or the Reserve Officers Training Corps Program- was

once an integral universal and indeed mandatory component of the
early adulthood of all college going men. Today, it is just one of
the 3 tracks of the National Service Training Program (NSTP) or the
Civic Education Program, which since 2002 has been a requisite for
graduation at all Filipino colleges, universities and some vocational

schools.
Mandatory- as a universal political definition means, that which

must be subscribed to or obeyed.

Colleges and universities- are a general one that encompasses a
wide range of higher education institutions including those that
offer 2 to 4 year programs in the arts and sciences, technical and

vocational schools and community colleges.

Philippines- a democratic country situated in South East Asia
where the Executive Power is vested in the President and the
Cabinet, Legislative Power with the congress composed of a Senate
and House of Representatives, and Judicial Power with the Supreme
Courts.

Ladies and gentlemen, today, we are in the face of increasing tensions

over the West Philippine Sea. The persisting threats posted by the domestic

and international terrorism and the increasing frequency and destructive

force of recent national disasters. Undeniably, on a strategic level, the
pervasiveness of the ROTC Program provides a strong base of trained citizen
soldiers that could be called upon in times of war or other crisis including,
but not limited, to the ones Ive mentioned.
Unfortunately, in accordance to the 13 th National Congress of NSTP
Educators and Implementers in 2011, the number of enrollees dramatically
dropped from 800,000 to 150,000. Over the same period, the number of
schools supporting ROTC Programs declined from around 2000 to about 500,
according to the speech of Former President Aquino at the 17 th National
Convention of the National ROTC Alumni Association.
On an up to date basis, only 14% of NSTP enrollees opt for the
ROTC track, and that gives way to our Presidents sound judgment of
reinstating the ROTC as a mandatory programs in all colleges and
universities of our country.
Since we are dealing with our countrys laws the parameter of this
debate, certainly, will just go around the Philippines jurisdiction, laws,
principles, and philosophies, so to speak.
As clich goes, I as the first speaker will elaborate the necessity of the
proposition to the status quo, the second speaker will expound the benefits,
the third speaker will elucidate the doability and mechanisms, and lastly, the
scribe will jot down all of the necessary information.
Ladies and gentlemen, I have 2 striking points to prove that the
proposition is indeed necessary to the status quo.
1. The proposition is consistent with the constitution, specifically in
Article 2 Section 4.
2. There is an urgent need to train a robust military force because of
internal and external security threats and other issues that concern
the welfare of our country.
Let me go back to my first point, the proposition is consistent with the
constitution, specifically in Article 2 Section 4, which states that The Prime

Duty of the Government is to serve and protect the people. The Government
may call upon the people to defend the State and, in the fulfillment thereof,
all citizens may be required, under conditions provided by law, to render
personal military or civil service.
Ladies and gentlemen, there are 3 well settled principles of
constitutional construction and this specific provision falls under verba legis
since the words used are, and should be given their ordinary meaning and
there are no technical terms employed.
The Constitution is very clear in providing a compulsory military and
civil service by the people. Under the concept, all citizens of the country are
members of the citizen forces. This is the underlying philosophy of the ROTC
Program, a belief in the role of Filipinos to be both citizens and soldiers both
the intellectual and martial guardians of our countrys democracy.
Second point, there is an urgent need to train a robust military force
because of internal and external security and other issues that concern the
welfare of our country.
It is undeniable that right now, over the past decade and a half, since
the implementation of RA 9163, young Filipinos have become increasingly
removed from the concept of military service. It is worthy to recall that ROTC
was not merely useful in terms of personal development but was a crucial
pillar of National Identity, owing to the fact that through ROTC Programs,
young Filipinos are much imbued with the sense of discipline, a shared
identity and let me quote it from President Duterte, Love of Country.
As a matter of fact, ladies and gentlemen, The Philippine Air Force
(PAF) has admitted weaknesses in territorial defense and disaster response.
Most definitely, this means that the proposition is a sure solution to the
present status quo.
Ladies and gentlemen, it will be irrational to deny the previous
detriments of the ROTC program and just close our eyes to the inevitable but
we, on the government side of the house hold on tight to the philosophy of

State-People concordance to address the nation's problems, like the ones I

mentioned in the status quo.
With this, I temporarily rest my case.