DepEd assures safety of students should ROTC be made mandatory for senior high school | ABS-CBN

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DepEd assures safety of students should ROTC be made mandatory for senior high school

DepEd assures safety of students should ROTC be made mandatory for senior high school

Kristine Sabillo,

ABS-CBN News

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MANILA - The Department of Education on Monday said students will be protected from abuse if the proposal to make the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program mandatory for Grades 11 and 12 pushes through.

During a press conference on Project W.A.T.C.H., DepEd officials said they are already coordinating with the Department of National Defense and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to discuss details of the program in case a law will be passed reinstating mandatory ROTC.

However, DepEd Undersecretary Annalyn Sevilla said they are also looking at measures to prevent old problems from reoccurring.

“We know the benefits and the abuses that happened before,” she said, adding that they will address concerns if mandatory ROTC will push through.

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Undersecretary Tonisito Umali said officers will not be allowed to berate students.

“Klarong klaro yung ating mga kasalukuyang polisiya na nagpoprotekta. Polisiya against any form of child abuse,” he said. “Kung sila ay may pagkakamali hindi dapat bubulyawan.”

Umali said students under 18 years of age will also not be included in the reserved force since that is against a UN protocol that disallows the use of minors or children in armed conflict.

“Walang nakasaad na bawal o hindi ipadaan ang menor de edad sa training. Ang ipinaalalaban doon ay automatic enlistment,” he explained.

Umali also clarified that they are envisioning the new ROTC to be more about good citizenship and leadership. There will also be modules on first aid, survival and disaster risk reduction.

He said it would not be focused on military training alone.

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