Philippine Reserve Officer Training Corps

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Part of the country's future of military power depends on its leaders. The Reserve Officer's Training Corps (ROTC) helps support this role by preparing young men and women for military leadership. Armed services are in need of platoon leaders in the field, billet officers aboard naval vessels and squadron officers in the air force every year as graduates from Philippine Military Schools are not enough to fill the required quota. And not only that ROTC graduates provide field officers but also positions in administration, management, engineering, medical, scientific and personnel positions as needed in the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

1 History
2 Training
- 2.1 National Service Training Program
- 2.2 ROTC Units in the Philippines
  - 2.2.1 National Capital Region
3 References
4 External links

[edit] History

[edit] Spanish Era

[edit] Formal Military Training

[edit] ROTC: The foundation of an army

As described by Louis Morton in his book "The Fall of the Philippines":

"One of the greatest difficulties encountered in the organization of the Philippine Army was the creation of a satisfactory officer corps. in the Constabulary were Filipino officers with excellent training and experience, but their interests lay in law enforcement rather than military training. Some of the best officers came from the Philippine Scouts; these men rapidly became senior officers in the Philippine Army. The great problem was to train junior officers to command the training camps and reserve units once these were formed. Since no graduates could be expected from the projected military academy at Baguio for four years the most promising men in each semiannual class of reservists were selected for an additional six months' training as noncommissioned officers. The best of these were chosen for officer training and became 3d lieutenants upon graduation from Officer Candidate School. Senior ROTC units in colleges and universities were established to provide additional junior reserve officers."

[edit] World War II

It was during World War II that the fruits of ROTC training was seen when ROTC'ians saw action for the first time. They took part in the defense of Bataan and joined the guerilla movement against the Japanese when Bataan and Corregidor fell. Others took part in the Visayan theater wherein cadets of Siliman University made up 45% of the US Armed Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) 75th Infantry Regiment. There was also the famous Hunter's ROTC guerilla unit consisting of former cadets from the PMA and ROTC that made up the main underground resistance in the country. In Manila, ROTC units were so involved that one school, the Far Eastern University made up of its alumni and students mobilized the largest ROTC contingent in the nation to fight in the war.

[edit] Post War Era

[edit] ROTC Crisis in the New Milennium

[edit] Present Day

The ROTC program in more than just a college program, It's a tradition. For many years, it has been training people to do a civilian like profession and that as an officer in the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Today, ROTC program are available in the country's 12 regions divided in three categories providing officers not only for the Philippine Army but also the air force and navy as well. The Philippine Constabulary ROTC detachment was abolished when the PC was integrated to form the Philippine National Police.

Prospective ROTC cadets must be a full time college student usually in the school where his unit belongs. Cross training also exist when the cadet's school does not have an ROTC program. They must be Filipino citizens, be in good physical and mental condition, of good moral character and at least 17 years old. Students who aspires to become a cadet officer will undergo the Cadet Officers Candidate Course sponsored by the ROTC unit.

[edit] Training

The ROTC program consist of two parts: the Basic Course and the Advance Course. The Basic Course is usually taken during the first two years of college and it is mandatory for all males to complete this course as a prerequisite for college graduation. Further training will lead to the Advance Course which will be taken usually during the last two years of college. Graduates from the Advance Course will then undergo the AFP sponsored 3-month Probitionary Officer's Training Course (POTC) the summer after graduating in the ROTC Advance program to be eligible for commission. After their POTC they are then commissioned as 2nd Lieutenants either in the reserve of active armed forces. Cadets in the ROTC program are not government scholars therefore they have to assume expenses to some of their needs during their training. Some schools however sponsor scholarships to deserving cadets.

[edit] National Service Training Program

In 2002, the National Service Training Program (NTSP) was signed into law and made the ROTC program no longer a prerequisite for graduation for all male college students in the Philippines. Furthermore, females were no longer exempt from national service. The Program provided all students with two options to ROTC; Literacy Training Services and Civic Welfare Service. The NTSP was created to accommodate the graduates of these programs and ROTC graduates went to the become members of the Citizen's Armed Forces and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Today more than 70% of the AFP officer corps, male and female is composed of ROTC graduates. They have honored names in the history of the Philippine Military. Names like Ferdinand Marcos, the only recipient on the Medal of Valor and the most decorated Filipino soldier during World War II, his division, the famed Philippine Army 21st Infantry was commanded by Gen. Mateo Capinpin, also an ROTC'ian. Others include Philippine Statesman and general Carlos P. Romulo, former Philippine Navy chief Admirals Vicente Hingco and Hilario Ruiz, General Romeo Espino, the longest serving AFP Chief of Staff, former Philippine Army Commanding General Rafael Zagala and General Alfredo Santos who became the first 4-star general in the AFP. Other prominent ROTC'ians includes Philippine Central Bank governor Rafael Buenaventura and Philippine Senator Ramon Magsaysay Jr..^[1]