Daven Tamayo

Harapan 2025: Querubin wants revival of mandatory ROTC

Article (news)

Victoria Tulad

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — If he wins a Senate seat, retired Marine Colonel Ariel Querubin said one of the programs he will push for is the revival of the mandatory Reserve Officers&#x27; Training Corps (ROTC). “Ang reason kasi na tinanggal yan noon kasi may namatay yata na ROTC cadet,” Querubin said in ABS-CBN’s Harapan 2025 on Tuesday. “Pero para bang ito yung pag-address nila na solusyon na ang pinapatay mo lang yung daga eh, sinunog mo yung bahay.”ROTC was made voluntary after the death of Mark Welson Chua, a cadet who exposed the corruption linked to the program.In 2002, Republic Act 9163 or the &quot;National Service Training Program (NSTP) Act of 2001” came into effect making ROTC optional.Querubin, however, is convinced of the need to make ROTC mandatory again.“Sa akin kasi with the current situation now, sabi ko nga, when push comes to shove, we need a robust reserve force. Eh ang reserve force mo na yan ang panggagalingan niyan, doon sa ROTC na yan na na-train mo na,” Querubin stated.“Kung ang problema kasi militarization whatever, puwede namang baguhin yung program of instruction. Puwedeng ilagay diyan yung disaster response o disaster relief operations. Kahit na ano pakontiin na nila yung tungkol sa military pero napakaganda kasi na programa yung ROTC. Dahil diyan mo nakikita yung mga future leaders natin. Leadership ang tinuturo mo, discipline. Eh di ho ba pag di tumuloy yan sa gobyerno for example, o sa military, papakinabangan pa rin yan ng corporate,” he explained.<div>LEGISLATIVE AGENDA</div>Querubin, a Medal of Valor awardee, is gunning for the Senate for the second time.The Medal of Valor is the highest military honor given to members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).He said his legislative agenda can be summarized in the acronym “BET KO” which means “bigas” or “busog”, education, “trabaho”, and “korupsiyon”.In line with this, Querubin wants to push for a scholarship program for the eldest child in every family.On the issue of wages, he said he will study how to balance the needs of employees and employers.Asked why he is running, Querubin said, “Nakita natin kung ano yung komposisyon sa Senado ngayon. Kulang sila sa matatapang na mga namumuno o mga Senador. Matapang lang sila pagka yung interes nila ang nilalaban nila pero naduduwag na sila pagka interes ng taumbayan at ng bayan ang isinusulong nila.”  He added, “All my life I have lived a life full of courage and integrity. Sa record natin wala tayong involvement sa kahit anong katiwalian.”

If he wins a Senate seat, retired Marine Colonel Ariel Querubin said one of the programs he will push for is the revival of the mandatory Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC).

If he wins a Senate seat, retired Marine Colonel Ariel Querubin said one of the programs he will push for is the revival of the mandatory Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC).