Senator Francis Tolentino presides over a senate hearing on the maltreatment and severe battery experienced by domestic helper Elvira Vergara on September 5, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

KASAMBAHAY LAW

RG Cruz

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/171921668690920230510-senate-protest-rotc-MD-4.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Youth advocates picket in front of the Senate in Pasay City on May 10, 2023, calling against the passage of the proposal to revive the mandatory Reserve Officers Training Course (MROTC). <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino on Monday said the push to make the Reserve Officers&#x27; Training Corps (ROTC) program mandatory for tertiary students had nothing to do with the ongoing conflict in the West Philippine Sea. </p><p>&quot;No, we are not preparing for war. Enacting this bill is timely and crucial for our national interest and future, with or without the conflict in WPS,&quot; <span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">Tolentino said.</span></p><p><span id="isPasted">He said he believes</span> there are enough votes in the Senate to approve Senate Bill No. 2034, which pushes for mandatory ROTC for tertiary students enrolled in higher learning and vocational institutions. </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/24/calling-ayungin-incident-an-accident-sends-the-wrong-message-defense-analyst-1032" id="isPasted">READ: Calling Ayungin incident an accident sends the wrong message — defense analyst</a></div><p>&quot;I believe we have reached a level of support where the ROTC program will be revived. I&#x27;m quite confident,&quot; Tolentino was quoted as saying in a release from his office. </p><p>“The primary goal of the ROTC Bill is to encourage and develop discipline and a deep sense of nationalism among our youth,” Tolentino also said. </p><p>Tolentino noted that the measure has already hurdled the third reading at the House of Representatives, and will be included on the agenda of the meeting of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) on Tuesday. </p><p>Senate Bill 2034  is Pending Second Reading, in the Senate plenary&#x27;s Calendar for Special Orders as of 3/22/2023. It was last taken up on September 25, 2023, for interpellation. </p><p>The committee report was signed by Senators Ronald dela Rosa, Jinggoy Estrada, JV Ejercito, Win Gatchalian, Bong Revilla,  Cynthia Villar, Robinhood Padilla, Tolentino, Mark Villar, Lito Lapid, and Raffy Tulfo. </p><p>Senator Loren Legarda and Joel Villanueva also signed the committee report but indicated they may interpellate and propose amendments. Senator Bong Go signed and said he may propose amendments. Senator Sonny Angara signed and noted he may also seek amendments.</p><p>The House of Representatives had long approved its own version of the proposal.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/23/bato-optimistic-for-revival-of-mandatory-rotc-908" id="isPasted">READ: ‘Mananalo tayo rito’: Bato optimistic for revival of mandatory ROTC</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qhDTJAbhCd0?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><br/></div>

<p>Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino on Monday said the push to make the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program mandatory for tertiary students had nothing to do with the ongoing conflict in the West Philippine Sea.</p>

Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino on Monday said the push to make the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program mandatory for tertiary students had nothing to do with the ongoing conflict in the West Philippine Sea.

Push for mandatory ROTC not related to West PH Sea conflict — Tolentino | ABS-CBN

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Push for mandatory ROTC not related to West PH Sea conflict — Tolentino

Push for mandatory ROTC not related to West PH Sea conflict — Tolentino

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 24, 2024 04:21 PM PHT

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Francis Tolentino

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