SPONSORSHIP SPEECH
Senate Bill No. 2034 under Committee Report No. 62
ROTC ACT

Good afternoon, Mr. President, dear colleagues, honored guests.

Before I start, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to our Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Higher Education, Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero for designating me as the Subcommittee Chairperson on ROTC Bills. I would not be standing today to sponsor Senate Bill No. 2034 under Committee Report No. 62 or the ROTC Act, if not for his imprimatur. Truly, our dear colleague from Sorsogon has a big HEART for the welfare of our youth and nation. Thank you, Senator Chiz Escudero.

"We cannot always build the future of our youth, but we can build our youth for the future." - Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Mr. President, this is what we aim to accomplish in proposing Senate Bill No. 2034 authored by Senators Padilla, Ejercito Estrada, Ejercito, Dela Rosa, Gatchalian, and Tolentino, entitled "An Act Mandating the Institutionalization, Development, Training, Organization and Administration of Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) Program in Higher Educational Institutions and Technical Vocational Institutions, Appropriating Funds Therefor and for Other Purposes". We want our youth to be ready for the future because of their important role in nation-building.

No less than the Constitution recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building. Because of such an indispensable role, the State is mandated to promote and protect our youth's physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being. The State shall also inculcate in the youth patriotism and nationalism, and encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs.

As such, Mr. President, as I have mentioned before, there is a need to prepare our youth for the enormous task that they are expected to do - build our nation to its full potential.

Kaakibat po ng pagtataguyod sa bansa ay ang pagtatanggol nito. The Constitution states that "The Government may call upon the people to defend the State and, in the fulfillment thereof, all citizens may be required, under conditions provided by law, to render personal military or civil service." Wala pong ibang magtatanggol sa Pilipinas kundi tayong mga Pilipino.

The importance of defending the country was highlighted by Former President Carlos P. Garcia in his speech read by then Defense Secretary Alejo Santos during an ROTC Field Day. He said and I quote: "Reason and the instinct for self-preservation actuated them (the framers of our Constitution) into unanimously legislating as the first law of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, Commonwealth Act No. 1, otherwise known as the National Defense Act. It provided among other things for the creation of a citizen army whose training would be a joint endeavor of the national government and the educational institutions of the country. You belong to that citizen army. You go through systematic military training to prepare yourselves not for war but for peace. You will be a part of a reserve force of officers and noncommissioned officers who, when the need comes, will be called upon to lead the fight in defense of our existence as a free and happy people, should this be endangered by enemies within or enemies outside our own borders."

And so, yes, an important aspect of mandating ROTC for our youth is ensuring that they are fully equipped to heed the call to defend the nation, when the need arises. Ngunit hindi lamang natin ipinapanukala ang mandatory ROTC para lamang pangalagaan ang ating bansa ngunit para na rin sa kapakanan at kinabukasan ng ating mga kabataan at mamamayan.

Ginoong Pangulo, meron po tayong tinatawag na "parens patriae". Ang pamahalaan po ang tagapagtanggol, ang "legal protector" ng kaniyang mga mamamayan na hindi kayang ipagtanggol ang kanilang mga sarili. Tumatayo pong magulang ng sambayanan ang pamahalaan.

Pero bahagi po ng pagiging isang magulang ang ituro sa kaniyang mga anak kung paano ipagtanggol ang sarili mula sa ano mang mga banta na maaari niyang kaharapin. Madalas po nating marinig sa ating mga nakatatanda: "Paano ka na, kung wala na kami?"

Kahit po siguro sa kabilang buhay ay hindi natin mapapatawad ang ating mga sarili kung may mangyaring masama sa ating mga anak. Nasa atin pong mga kamay ngayon ang pagkakataon na mabigyan ang ating mga mamamayan ng kaalaman kung paano nila maipagtatanggol ang kanilang mga sarili at ang ating bayan.

Bahagi ng pagiging magulang ang pagtuturo ng disiplina at kabutihang asal sa kaniyang mga anak. Bahagi ng paggogobyerno ang gumawa ng desisyon na sa tingin nito ay makabubuti sa kaniyang mga mamamayan.

Ngunit, Ginoong Pangulo, hindi lamang po banta ng pananakop ng dayuhan ang nais paghandaan ng ROTC. Hindi lamang po digmaan ang nagdudulot ng hirap at pasakit. May mga sakuna na hatid ng kalikasan. Sa mga pagkakataong ito, inaasahan natin na tutugon ang ating mga kadete.

Sapagkat ang ROTC po ay hindi lamang isang academic requirement ngunit institutionalized na pakikipagkapwa tao. Higit po sa banta ng pananakop ng ibang mga bansa o mga kalamidad, baka po ay hindi na natin namamalayan na nalupig at nasalanta na ang ating bayan ng kawalang pakialam.

We should not wait for the hearts and minds of our Filipino youth to be invaded by a lack of empathy.

For these reasons, Mr. President, under the proposed measure, our youth shall be mandated to undergo a program that will:

1. provide basic military and police training for students in order to motivate, train, organize, and utilize for national defense preparedness or civil military operations, and law enforcement;

2. enhance the students' consciousness in the ethics of service, patriotism and nationalism, respect for human rights, appreciation of the role of national heroes in the historical development of the country, strengthen ethical and spiritual values, and develop personal discipline and leadership;

3. reinforce in students the values of civic mindedness, volunteerism and genuine service to others in order to be active participants and volunteers for the development and improvement of ecology and environmental protection, human and civil rights awareness and law enforcement; and

4. provide the students with practical and applicable knowledge and skills that are necessary, essential and ideal for survival, and providing service in times of emergencies and disasters including disaster response operations, skills for search, rescue and relief operations, and early recovery activities.

Normal lamang po ang mangamba, lalo na't may mga akusasyon ng korapsyon at pang-aabuso. Ngunit naniniwala po ako na may pagkakatuto mula sa mga pagkakamali ng nakaraan. Nasa atin po ngayon ang lahat ng oportunidad upang siguraduhin na hindi na ito mangyayari.

In our proposed measure, we are establishing a Grievance Board in every ROTC unit and a National Grievance Committee that will be active in ensuring that no abuse, violence, or corruption in any educational institution implementing the mandatory ROTC program will be committed. Hindi lang po sila maghihintay ng mga reklamo mula sa mga estudyante o guro, sila na mismo ang magiging masigasig sa pagbabantay ng ating mga ROTC Cadets at Instructors.

Ginoong pangulo, lahat po tayo ay may mga tungkulin na dapat gampanan. Bilang nakakatanda, obligasyon po natin na akayin ang ating mga kabataan sa landas ng kabutihan. Ipaunawa natin sa kanila na ano mang tinatamasa nila ngayon ay mawawala kung hindi nila ito matutunang pahalagahan.

Hindi natin sinasabi na tayo ang bukal ng karunungan at katotohanan ng buhay. Ang pinanghahawakan natin ay mga aral ng nakaraan. At kagaya ng madalas sabihin sa atin ng ating mga magulang: "Mga anak, ginagawa namin ito para sa inyo."

Why are we doing this, then? Why are we pushing for this measure? Mr. President, it is still a way of fulfilling our responsibility. It is because we understand, through the eyes of experience, the difference between well-prepared and ill-prepared. Naiintindihan natin na darating ang panahon na tayong mga nakatatanda ay mawawala rin sa mundong ito. When the time comes, may the younger generations who follow us, find that they have been equipped well with all that they need.

Sabi nga ng ating pambansang bayani na si Dr. Jose Rizal, "Ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan." Marahil sa tingin ng iba, gasgas na ang kasabihang ito, overused kumbaga. But we cannot deny its truth, Mr. President. Sa ating mga kabataan nakasalalay ang pag-asa, dahil sila rin ang may hawak ng kinabukasan. The youth today will be tomorrow's leaders. If we fail them now, we will also fail as a nation. But if we can prepare them for the unknown future and do what we can to help form them holistically into the leaders they are meant to become, what a victory that would be. Dito mismo sa aking kinatatayuan, Mr. President, dama ko na ang tagumpay.

Maraming salamat po!