EDITORIAL - Prioritizing ROTC

It seems President Rodrigo Duterte is doing everything in his bid to revive the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps in schools, this time to be implemented for Grade 11 and 12 students. Duterte even certified as urgent a congressional measure on the ROTC’s return.

In Cebu Province, at least five schools will be part of ROTC’s mandatory implementation. They will join six other secondary institutions in Central Visayas identified as pilot areas for the program, which the Duterte administration hopes to implement next year.

However, as expected, there are those who vehemently oppose the return of ROTC. Foremost among them are the militant organizations that claim the program is just part of a creeping militarization of the whole country under the Duterte administration.

Well, that’s their contention and they are always entitled to whatever views they embrace. But there are also those who protest the reinstatement of mandatory ROTC for other reasons. For instance, they oppose the ROTC as they find it an unnecessary part of college studies.

It is, however, the latter that gets more sympathy from the masses. That is because it has always been said that the main reason why the mandatory ROTC program was repelled many years ago is the fact that it has not been consistent with the changing times.

But we cannot really blame those who oppose the return of mandatory ROTC. There are many things that the government should concentrate on, especially at this time of rising complaints from the masses over the rising prices of basic commodities.

Pushing for ROTC’s return while the country is being seriously saddled with various problems will only create public perception that the Duterte administration is prioritizing other issues aimed at deviating public attention from the present situation.