Press Release
February 4, 2020

Gatchalian: ROTC in HS to help in calamity response

The proposed institutionalization of Basic Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) in high school will boost the youth's capacity as responders in times of disasters.

This is the view of Senator Win Gatchalian as he underscored the need to build on the skills of the youth in responding to disasters such as the recent eruption of Taal Volcano. He emphasized that in his proposal to restore ROTC, disaster preparedness and capacity-building for risk-related situations is given premium.

Gatchalian, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education Arts and Culture, cited the World Risk Report 2019, where the Philippines ranked ninth among 180 countries in terms of disaster risk. This is because the country's geographic location makes 74 percent of its population vulnerable to the effects of hazards such as typhoons, earthquakes, floods, and droughts.

"Napapanahon ang ating panukalang ibalik ang ROTC upang mabigyan ng kaalaman at kakayahan ang ating mga kabataang rumesponde sa mga kalamidad. Bilang mga susunod na mamumuno sa ating bansa, mahalagang maituro ng maaga sa mga kabataan kung paano ba rumesponde sa mga sakuna na madalas tumatama sa ating bansa," Gatchalian said.

Gatchalian filed Senate Bill 177 or the Senior High School Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) Act last year. Under the proposed measure, basic ROTC for students in Grade 11 and 12 will be part of the basic curricula for Senior High School Education. Aside from military and civic training, basic ROTC enhances students' skills on needs assessment, search, rescue and relief, and early recovery during disaster response operations.

The lawmaker reiterated how the youth bear the brunt of disasters. Taal Volcano's eruption, for instance, affected more than 8 million learners in 7,900 schools, according to a situation report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Gatchalian added that if students are skilled in disaster response, they can be mobilized to take part in relief and recovery efforts not just in schools but also in their local communities.

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Gatchalian: Kahandaan sa kalamidad ituturo ng ROTC

Sa kabila ng iba't ibang mga sakunang nararanasan ng bansa tulad ng nagdaang pagputok ng bulkang Taal, binigyang-diin ni Senador Win Gatchalian na napapanahon ang pagkakaroon ng Basic Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC), kung saan kabilang sa mga ituturo ang kahandaan ng mga kabataan tuwing panahon ng kalamidad.

Ibinahagi ng mambabatas ang ulat ng World Risk Report 2019, kung saan pang-siyam ang Pilipinas sa isang daan at walumpung (180) bansang may pinakamalalang kinakaharap na panganib na dulot ng mga bagyo, lindol, pag-baha, tag-tuyot, at iba pang mga sakuna. Ayon sa naturang ulat, mahigit pitumpung (74) porsyento ng populasyon ng bansa ang nanganganib masalanta ng ganitong klaseng mga kalamidad.

"Napapanahon ang ating panukalang ibalik ang ROTC upang mabigyan ng kaalaman at kakayahan ang ating mga kabataang rumesponde sa mga kalamidad. Bilang mga susunod na mamumuno sa ating bansa, mahalagang maituro nang maaga sa mga kabataan kung paano ba rumesponde sa mga sakunang madalas tumatama sa ating bansa," ayon kay Gatchalian.

Inihain ni Gatchalian ang Senate Bill 177 o Senior High School Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) Act noong nakaraang taon. Sa ilalim ng panukalang batas, kakailanganing dumaan ng basic ROTC ang mga mag-aaral ng Grade 11 at 12. Maliban sa military at civic training, ituturo rin sa mga mag-aaral ang iba't ibang hakbang ng disaster response kabilang ang needs assessment, search, rescue and relief, at early recovery.

Dagdag pa ng mambabatas, mabigat ang nagiging epekto ng mga kalamidad sa mga kabataan. Noong nag-alboroto ang Bulkang Taal, mahigit walong (8) milyong mga mag-aaral sa halos walong libong (7,9000) mga paaralan ang naapektuhan ayon sa United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Ayon pa sa senador, ang mga kabataang may kakayahang rumesponde sa mga kalamidad ay may malaking maitutulong sa kanilang mga paaralan at mga komunidad.

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