Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero expressed doubts about the feasibility of implementing mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) due to a lack of funds, following a meeting with Department of National Defense (DND) officials led by Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr.
Escudero revealed that the DND requires over P27 billion, or more than P8 billion annually, to implement mandatory ROTC within just three years.
The funding will cover the costs of combat boots, uniforms, trainer allowances, stipends, and other office supplies.
Escudero also pointed out that even with the current National Service Training Program (NSTP), the DND is facing a backlog in accepting reserve applicants.
He further emphasized that Congress needs to determine where to source the funding to support the implementation of mandatory ROTC.
Despite his reservations, Escudero assured that he would not oppose the passage of the law for its implementation.
Meanwhile, the DND suggested making the ROTC training more generic, without specific assignments per university, unlike the previous implementation.