Ilang senador ang nagpahayag ng suporta sa apela ni Pangulong Duterte na gawing mandatory sa mga estudyante ang Reserved Officers’ Training Corp. (ROTC) program.

Ayon kay Senator Richard Gordon, na naghain ng Senate Bill No. 1417 o Citizen Service Act of 2017, ang pagpapatupad ng ROTC ay magpapamalas ng pagiging makabayan ng kabataan.

“The Constitution recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation building and seeks to promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being,” sabi ni Gordon.

“It also seeks to inculcate in the youth patriotism and nationalism, and encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs,” dagdag niya.

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Binanggit kung paano nahaharap ang bansa sa mga delubyo, ipinagdiinan ni Gordon na mahalaga na magkaroon ng army of reserved officers na maipatatawag at aalalay sa external at territorial defense, internal security at peace and order, at disaster risk reduction and management.

Sinuportahan din ni Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian si Pangulong Duterte, sinabing dapat suportahan ng Kongreso ang panawagan ni Pangulo na magpasa ng batas hinggil sa ROTC program.

“I also fully support the President’s plan to require students in grades 11 and 12 to participate in a mandatory ROTC program. “Naniniwala ako na ROTC is a powerful means of instilling a sense of patriotism and discipline sa kabataan natin, which is why I filed Senate Bill No. 200, the Mandatory ROTC Act, on my very first day in the Senate,” sambit ni Gatchalian.