Solon flags CHED over memo requiring SUCs to offer ROTC

Kabataan party-list Representative Raoul Manuel on Thursday called out the  Commission on Higher Education (CHED) over a recent memorandum mandating state universities and colleges (SUCs) to offer the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program.

Manuel was referring to the Rule 3, Section 4 of the July 12 memo issued by CHED chairperson Prospero de Vera III which revises the implementing rules and regulations of the National Service Training Program law by stating that "As stated in Republic Act 9163 (NSTP law), SUCs are required to offer the ROTC component."

Manuel pointed out that the NSTP law, however, states that "all higher and technical-vocational institutions, public and private, must offer at least one of the program components: provided, that state universities and colleges shall offer the ROTC component and at least one other component as provided herein.

Aside from ROTC, the other components of the NSTP are Literacy Training Service and Civic Welfare Training Service.

"Higit na nagdidiin [ang memo] sa SUCs na i-offer ang ROTC component. We first have to establish that the wording of the NSTP Act of 2001 is clear: SUCs must offer at least one component of the NSTP. They must offer ROTC and one other program. However, what’s in the IRR is watered down. This is not in the NSTP law kaya wala itong basehan," Manuel said in a press conference.

(The memo is pressing on SUCs to offer ROTC. This new provision in the memo is not in the law, so this is baseless.)

"Biased ang wording ng IRR, lalo na ang Rule 3 Section 4.b sa pag-offer ng ROTC sa lahat ng SUC. Kung ROTC lang ang inooffer ng isang SUC halos katumbas na rin ito sa mandatory ROTC na ngayon ay sinusulong ng CHED. In fact, may mga paaralan kung saan sadyang limitado ang slots sa non-ROTC tracks na CWTS at LTS kaya napipilitang mag-ROTC," Manuel added.

(The wording of the memo is biased as it mandates SUCs to offer ROTC. If SUCs will only offer ROTC, that is already tantamount to mandatory ROTC which CHED is pushing for. In fact, there are schools which have limited slots for non-ROTC tracks CWTS and LTS and so they are forced to take up ROTC.)

Likewise, Manuel also raised concerns over the provision of the July 12 CHED memo which requires SUCs with constituent universities or campuses to offer both the Basic and Advance ROTC programs.

"Instead of building the capacity of all SUCs to offer the various component programs under the NSTP, CHED preferred to force all SUCs with constituent universities to offer both basic and advanced ROTC. Magiging malaking usapin ito sa budget ng eskwelahan lalo na at sa 2023 NEP (National Expenditure Program) ay maraming SUC ang makakaranas ng budget cuts," Manuel aded.

"Overall, CHED's revised IRR of the NSTP Act of 2001 exposes how CHED seeks to pave the path for the eventual railroading of Mandatory ROTC. Why is CHED so desperate to suck up to Marcos Jr. by promoting his most anti-student education reform?," Manuel added.

GMA News Online has reached out to de Vera for comment but he has yet to reply as of posting time.

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. earlier said that the mandatory ROTC will boost the country's disaster response efforts. 

The NSTP law was enacted in July 2001 after the death of University of Sto. Tomas (UST) cadet and engineering student Mark Chua, whose body was found wrapped in a carpet and decomposing in Pasig River. His head was also wrapped in cloth and packing tape, while his hands and feet were tied using shoelaces.

Chua, who was 19 years old when he was killed, disappeared after the school's official student publication, The Varsitarian, published a story on the abuses in UST's ROTC program that also included Chua's accounts.—LDF, GMA News