Militant  Kabataan Partylist has  called for the scrapping of the mandatory implementation of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program in schools, saying that during the past, abuses and at least one death has occurred in the said program.

The Kabataan Partylist said Congress was scheduled to tackle the controversial bill of mandatory ROTC  Monday, February 24.

“All students will be required to undergo the  mandatory military training of ROTC in schools,” said the Kabataan Partylist.

“During previous years, under the ROTC program, several young people have died, experienced harassment and different kinds of abuse,” the group said.

In  2001, University of Santo Tomas (UST) student Mark Welson Chua was killed after he revealed corruption and abuses within the program, the Partylist group said.

Because of this, the  mandatory ROTC was eventually made optional under the NSTP Program.

The National Service Training Program (NSTP) is a Law otherwise known as Republic Act 9163 or the NSTP Act of 2001, refers to the program aimed at enhancing civic consciousness and defence preparedness in the youth, by developing their ethics of service and patriotism while undergoing training in any of the three program components—- the Civic Welfare Training Service (CWTS), the Literacy Training Service (LTS) and the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC), especially designed to enhance the youth’s active contribution to the general welfare.

“Let’s fight together not to make ROTC a mandatory! No to Mandatory ROTC! Defend Academic Freedom!,” said the Kabataan Partylist.

The House of Representatives approved on 3rd and final reading the controversial bill making the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program mandatory.

“The Duterte administration continues to suppress the youth by once again moving to implement the Anti-Democratic Mandatory ROTC across all colleges and universities nationwide,” said the Kabataan Partylist.

“We call on our fellow youth and students to collectively fight and say no to mandatory ROTC in Senior High School  and tertiary level,” the group said.

The miltant youth held a rally at the House of Representatives./ Stacy Ang