NextGen Day

MANILA, Philippines – Guillermo Eleazar, a senatorial candidate for the Partido Reporma, urged the government on Friday to prioritize military and police modernization over pushing for a mandatory Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC).

This is to prepare for the possibility that the Philippines will face a national security threat similar to that which occurred in Ukraine, he said in a statement.

“At the moment, we lack the facilities and capabilities to do so, and thus, in my opinion, it would be far better for us to improve our existing armed forces, which include the AFP and the PNP,” he added.

Eleazar clarified, however, that he supports optional ROTC, which is currently included in college students’ National Service Training Program (NSTP), noting its importance in preparing youth for national defense preparedness.

The AFP is now in the second phase, or “Horizon,” of President Duterte’s Revised Modernization Program, which has been allocated approximately PHP300 billion for the procurement of various military assets and capability upgrades for the troops.

Meanwhile, Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa filed the PNP Revitalization and Capability Enhancement Act last year, which sought to allocate PHP20 billion each for PNP modernization in 2022 and 2023, and PHP11 billion each for the next eight years.

When Russia launched a full-fledged military invasion of Ukraine last month, calls for the reinstatement of mandatory ROTC in the Philippines for students who will reach the legal age of 18 resurfaced.

However, the Department of National Defense previously stated that this will be difficult to implement because there are insufficient facilities for youth training and it will require manpower and funding to accommodate the annual influx of individuals turning 18 years old.

Meanwhile, Eleazar stated that he supports measures that would establish a fixed term for AFP and police chiefs, thereby putting an end to these institutions’ revolving door system.

The revolving door system refers to an organization’s leadership changing frequently and chiefs serving for a limited period of time.

Eleazar, who served as PNP for only six months, stated that a fixed term will ensure the continuity of the PNP and AFP chiefs’ plans and programs, as they will have sufficient time to ensure their implementation.

Currently, when PNP and AFP chiefs reach the mandatory retirement age of 56 years, they are replaced.

In January, the Senate passed House Bill 10521, which establishes fixed terms for senior AFP officers.

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