The Reserve Officer Training Corps

Legal Basis

The ROTC Under the American tutelage,Commonwealt Act No. 1 provided the legal basis for the mandatory citizen military training in the Philippines.The country's national defense plan was put into motion by the combined efforts to General Douglas McArthur and Manuel Quezon.The defense plan envisioned an organization on citizen army consisting of two major components:1)a regular force of about 10,000 men(including PC) and 2) a reserve force to number 400,000 by end of ten-year period.The second component was to be accomplished by way of continuing program to train 21-years old able bodied men for a period of more than five months.Quezon personally hand-picked Gen. McArthur to become the military adviser of the Commonwealth,with the responsibility of formulating the Philippine Defense system.(Quezon later conferred the status of "Field Marshall" the highest military rank known in international usage,on McArthur).At the opening session of the National Assembly on November 26, 1935, Quezon reiterated the need for a 
depense plan.According to him "Self defense is the supreme right mankind no more sacred to the individual than to the nation,the interest of which are immeasurably of greater significance and extent...In my opinion, the plan reflects the lessons of history,the conclusion of the acknowledge masters of walfare and of statesmanship, and the sentiments and aspirations of the Filipino people.It is founded upon enduring principles that are fundamental to any applicable to our needs,"

On December 21, 1935, the national Assembly approved the plan amid criticism it recieved and the strict opposition mounted by several lawmakers namely Juan Sumulong and Camilo Osias,and former President Emilio Aguinaldo.One important provision of the plan stated the "at such universities and colleges as the President may disignate,there shall be stablished and maintain ROTC units of such arm and service as he shall specify,where every physically fit student shall be required to persue a course of military instruction.."ROTC units in various universities and colleges,therefore became source of reserve officers.However, a major concern was that these units had yet to be standardized(although most were yet to be formally recognized).UP's ROTC was the first to be officially recognized; the ROTC units of Letran,UST,De la Salle,Adamson,Philippine Normal School,the Philippine School of Arts and Trades,San Beda and Siliman were likewise given recognized seventeen.By 1937,the Philippine government had established and recognized seventeen ROTC,most of them infantry units.UP had a field artillery unit aside from an infantry unit;Adamson and the Quisumbing schools had chemical warfare units.Futhremore,UP also served as the training ground for ROTC instructors and a source of basic ROTC training policies.

Under the system,male students had to take basic(2 years course) and attend training on weekends.Those students desiring reserve commission could attend two more years of advanced weekend training.Completion of the advanced course made one eligible for a reserve officer commission.However,mandatory training was not instituted in all colleges.As result,students who did not undergo military training simply opted to transfer to schools who did not have ROTC units.To resolve the issue,President Quezon issued Executive Order No. 207.By virtue of this directive,ROTC became compulsory in all colleges and universities with enrollment of a hundred students or more.This action taken by Quezon was partly in response to the protest launched by some schools that their enrollment had dropped due to the institution of ROTC units.By 1941, there were around thirty three colleges and universities through out the country that maintained ROTC units.However, all of these schools closed down during the Japanese incursion in the edge, skills and the virtues of Justice, Integrity and Service.

Mission

The mission of the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences is to contribute quality instruction and scientific expertise in the geosciences, both now and for the future, to meeting global challenges in supplies of natural resources, mitigation of natural hazards, protection of the environment, and public awareness of science.

Vision

Department programs will provide significant contributions to the Phillipine’s goal of achieving Top 20 Public Research University status through:

innovate and transformative research in earth and environmental sciences
excellent education for future geoscientists and for the general public
service to humanity through expansion and dissemination of geoscience knowledge