Tolentino bill seeks 2-year mandatory military, police training for college, tech-voc students

Senator Francis Tolentino has filed a bill seeking to establish a two-year mandatory Basic Military and Police Training program for college students and those taking at least two-year technical vocational courses in private and public educational institutions.

Under Senate Bill 1565, students who do not undergo the mandatory Basic Military and Police Training program would not qualify for graduation.

Section 11 of the bill provides an option for students to take an advanced military program.

Only the following students would be exempted from the coverage of the proposed law:

• Those who are physically or psychologically unfit, as certified by the Armed Forces of the Philippines or Philippine National Police medical officer
• Varsity players in sports competitions
• Those who may be exempted from training for valid reasons as approved by the Department of National Defense or the Department of the Interior and Local Government, upon recommendation by any educational institution.

In his explanatory note, Tolentino said the measure aims to increase the students' awareness of the country's need for human resources in times of war, calamities and disasters, national and local emergencies, and in support of the government's law enforcement strategy against crimes and other civic obligations.

"With this proposed measure, the youth—the hope of our motherland—will rekindle in their hearts their love of country and fellow citizens, nationalism and patriotism, and will once again make their mark in the annals of history," he said.

Meanwhile, the proposed measure provides the following incentives for those undergoing military and police training program:

• graduates of basic military training will be eligible for enlistment in the AFP, PNP, Philippine Coast Guard, Bureau of Fire Protection unless a waiver is issued by the department secretaries of aforementioned military and civilian organizations
• free hospitalization in any government hospital in case of accident or injury during the training
• mandatory insurance for students undergoing military and police training by the school where the students are enrolled
• access and privileges with any AFP commissary and PX stores nationwide
• graduates of the training who have completed a four-year course shall be considered as First Level Civil Eligible, while graduate of advance military training program who finished a four-year course shall be considered Second Level Service Eligible

As safeguards, Section 14 of the bill enumerated the following as prohibited acts: hazing; physical, sexual or psychological abuse, emotional maltreatment, or any act by deed which tends to degrade or demean the dignity of a child/student; bribery; corruption of public officials; graft and corruption, among others. — BM, GMA Integrated News