The Revival of Mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps in the Philippines
The research examined the responses of selected college students on the revival of mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) in the Philippines. Despite the program’s history of abuse and cadet deaths, the proposed mandatory ROTC program became a contentious subject as lawmakers pushed for its reintroduction. The research employed quantitative-descriptive research to assess how students responded to the revival of mandatory ROTC in the Philippines. The respondents in this research were first-year to third-year college students, as they were the ones who may potentially undergo the program. The respondents were also selected by using stratified sampling technique, with seven college departments serving as strata and each having 100 respondents. In addition, the study used a Likert-scale survey questionnaire to assess respondents’ responses on the effects of mandatory ROTC on students’ such as physical, psychological, academic, and financial discipline; whether it genuinely promotes nationalism and patriotism; and what the program’s benefits are. The research revealed that most college students believe that reviving mandatory ROTC will help shape strong, disciplined, and patriotic Filipinos capable of defending, preserving, and leading the country.
Keywords: revival, mandatory, reserve officer’s training corps, abuse, cadets
