Sara Duterte: “Dapat lahat kapag 18 years old… you will be asked to serve the country”
SARA DUTERTE – The incumbent mayor of Davao City and one of the aspirants in the vice-presidential race will push for mandatory military service if she’s elected vice president in the coming elections.
During the UniTeam’s Metro Manila Virtual Caravan with Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., the presidential daughter said she would approach both the Senate and the House of Representatives to make this possible.
“Nakikita po natin ito sa ibang bansa, sa South Korea, sa Israel nakikita po natin ‘yan doon sa kanila. Hindi po ROTC [Reserve Officers’ Training Corps] lang na isang subject, o isang weekend o isang buwan sa isang taon,” she said.
According to her, upon turning 18 years old, both males and females will be asked to serve the country by joining the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Nevertheless, they will be given a “subsidy”.
To recall, it was 2002 when the mandatory military training in college or ROTC was made optional.
This was after the controversy which resulted in the death of Mark Chua, a student from University of Sto. Tomas. Allegedly, he was slain after exposing mismanagement in ROTC fund.
Now, ROTC is one of the three components of the National Service Training Program (NSTP) which include the Literacy Training Service (LTS) and Civic Welfare Training Service (CWTS).
On the other hand, military service is voluntary in the Philippines, however, based on Article 2, Section 4 of the 1987 Constitution: “the Government may call upon the people to defend the State and, in the fulfilment thereof, all citizens may be required, under conditions provided by law, to render personal military or civil service.”
Among the government officials pushing for mandatory military service are Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, and President Rodrigo Duterte.
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