THE SENATE will tackle a proposal to revive mandatory military training for college students on July 29, a senator said on Sunday.
The bill, which human rights groups have opposed for promoting violence and militarism, “would change the landscape of Philippine society,” Senate Majority Floor Leader Francis N. Tolentino said in a statement.
He said it is crucial to maximize the Filipino youth as “untapped human resources” that could help communities during times of natural disasters.
The lawmaker said students under a revived Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) would have been able to help when Super Typhoon Carina inundated many parts of Luzon last week.
The senator earlier said the bill is not meant to prepare the country for war, but it is crucial to “national interest with or without the conflict in the West Philippine Sea,” he said, referring to the country’s sea dispute with China.
Tensions between the Philippines and China have worsened in the past year as Beijing continues to block resupply missions to Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea, where Manila grounded a World War II-era ship in 1999 to bolster its sea claim.
Mr. Tolentino said he is confident the bill would be passed, with most of his colleagues supporting it.
Senator Robin Ferdinand C. Padilla in a separate statement said Filipinos must be “ready for anything” including war, and bringing back military training for college students would prepare them for it.
Congress passed a bill in 2001 making ROTC optional after the death of Mark Welson Chua, whose death was linked to his exposé of irregularities in the ROTC.
He exposed corruption in the ROTC program to the University of Santo Tomas college newspaper. His body, wrapped in a carpet, was found decomposing in the Pasig River.
Human Rights groups have opposed the proposal, saying it could expose students to abuse and promote violence and militarism in schools.
Opposition Senator Ana Theresia N. Hontiveros-Baraquel has said the government should boost funding for military modernization especially of the Philippine Navy instead of reviving the ROTC.
Under the Senate bill approved by several committees, students with disabilities, conscientious objectors based on religion and convicts are exempted from military training.
ROTC grievance boards will be set up in schools to probe complaints of abuse, corruption and violence committed during military training. — John Victor D. Ordoñez