MANILA, Philippines – Defending his bill for a mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC), Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa said that those willing to kill and die for the country are more patriotic than those who are just watching at the sidelines.

Dela Rosa was reacting Wednesday, August 9, to Senator Chiz Escudero’s statement supposedly questioning the former top cop’s claim that ROTC instills patriotism and nationalism among students.

“By saying that patriotism and nationalism can only be achieved and taught through ROTC is like saying that, if you refuse to do so, then you most likely love your country less, at the very least,” Escudero said during the interpellation of the Senate bill 2034.

Dela Rosa replied back, saying that while “it doesn’t follow all time,” he believes that those willing to defend the country are more patriotic.

“‘Yung Pilipino na willing pumatay ng mga invaders at magpakamatay (Filipinos who are willing to kill invaders and willing to die) in the name of Filipino flag, Filipino people, are more patriotic than those sitting on the sides waiting for what will happen and benefit for the fruits that we harvest after the war,” he argued.

Escudero also questioned the inclusion of women in the proposed mandatory ROTC bill, casting doubts on Dela Rosa’s argument about gender equality. He schooled Dela Rosa about it.

“There is even no data that says that women want that. There is even no data that says women want to be equal and at par with men with respect to being required to undergo ROTC,” Escudero added.

In response, Dela Rosa said that, “My daughters, Mr. President, tinanong ko sila, gusto nila; my staff na mga babae, gusto nila (I asked them, they want it; my women staff, they want it).”

SB 2034 mandates that all students enrolled in not less than two-year undergraduate degree, diploma or certificate programs in Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) and Technical Vocational Institutions (TVIs) will undertake the ROTC for four semesters.

‘Show us study’

Opposing the proposed bill, Escudero said that he only underwent ROTC because it was required for college graduation not because he wanted to do it.

“Ayaw ko ng ROTC at hindi ako nasiyahan nang pinagdaanan ko iyon. Pero siyempre para mag- graduate, kailangang sumunod, kailangang sundin,” he said. (I don’t want ROTC and I wasn’t happy when I did it. I did it to graduate because I needed to comply.)

He asked Dela Rosa to present them a scientific study showing that ROTC is better than the current National Service Training Program.

“I have yet to see a study based on facts and evidence that indeed it is a failure, and indeed ROTC is better because you have to remember that ROTC is still a part of the NSTP at present,” Escudero said.

Currently a voluntary college program designed to produce military reservists, ROTC was previously a requirement at the college level. It used to be mandatory but was scrapped in 2002 following the death of Mark Welson Chua, a University of Santo Tomas student, who exposed the ROTC program’s alleged corruption. ROTC became optional through Republic Act No. 9163 or the National Service Training Program Act of 2001. – Rappler.com