The government is planning the restoration of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program. This is designed to provide senior high school students with a unique combination of academic learning and practical military experience in areas such as nationalism, patriotism, national defense, and disaster preparedness. In order to gather relevant data on this topic, a national survey was conducted by Capstone-Intel Corporation.
The study included a total of 1,210 participants from 17 distinct regions from September 25-30, 2023. The respondents, spanning an age range of 18 to 65 or older, consisted of a nearly equal proportion of males (51%) and females (49%).
Upon careful analysis of the collected data, it became evident that there is significant support for the revival of the ROTC program, particularly in the Mindanao regions. The support levels varied from 71.43% to 86.05%.
The level of support varied across the regions, with BARMM demonstrating the highest support rate of 86.05%. The Davao Region showed support at 83.5%, followed by SOCCSKSARGEN at 77.08%, and Caraga region at 71.43%.
Meanwhile, other regions that displayed substantial support include CAR with a support rate of 77.78%, Cagayan Valley with 72.97%, and Central Luzon 69.50%.
The regions with the lowest percentage of support are from the NCR (66.45%), Western Visayas (64.84%), and CALABARZON (64.61%).
During a recent radio interview with Dr. Guido David, Chief Data Scientist of Capstone-Intel, discussed the desire of the local population to reinstate the ROTC program in their regions. He emphasized that these communities perceive a need for the ROTC because of some instability in their areas.
According to Capstone-Intel, it is important to recognize that while there is widespread support among Filipinos for the reinstatement of the ROTC Program in senior high schools, there are valid reasons for withdrawing support for mandatory participation in ROTC.
According to the data, the reasons why they can change their minds are as follows: no assurance of safeguarding students from abuses (58%), followed by more expenses (37%), mental health effects (32%), if it is mandatory (28%), and no class syllabus and objectives (23%).
“The ROTC program’s objective is commendable as it aims to shape well-rounded individuals who are not only knowledgeable about their country’s defense and disaster preparedness but also possess a strong sense of patriotism and national identity,” said Capstone-Intel.
“It is imperative for policymakers to conduct a careful examination of the implementation of the ROTC program to ensure its alignment with the objectives and values of the educational institutions involved. This will enhance the clarity of the program. In order to address any concerns and facilitate a smooth and well-coordinated reintroduction of ROTC, it is crucial to engage in open and transparent dialogue with students, parents, and guardians,” it added.
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