Return of ROTC a break from int’l commitments

MANILA, Philippines — A federation of child welfare organizations, the Child Rights Network (CRN), has warned that the Philippines would renege on its international commitments on child protection if it persists in introducing mandatory military training in the senior high school (SHS) curriculum.

The CRN said including mandatory Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) for SHS students aged 16-18 was tantamount to a recruitment in the armed forces.

As state party to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), the Philippines has a legal and moral obligation to promote and enact policies that place utmost importance to the best interest of the child, according to the CRN.