THE Reserve Officer Training Corps:

The Reserve Officer Training Corps(ROTC) program has gone a long way in the Philippine history. The Commonwealth act # 1 otherwise known as the national Defense Act provided the legal basis for the conduct of ROTC instruction, the need for a citizen reserve force had been realized as early as before the American occupation of the Philippines. In fact, it was utilized even during the long and arduous Spanish colonial rule in the archipelago. a military training cours, that time, became inevitable in the light of the constant marauding by both local and foreign forces severely opposing and constantly resisting the Spanish control in the colony.

As the result of the so called Seven Year's War in Europe between France and great Britain, a British flotilla of thirteen ships, headed by Admiral Samuel Cornish and General William Drapper, arrived in the colony on september 22,1762. The Philippines got entangled in this European power struggled because the monarch of spain and France both belonged to the Bourbon Dynasty. On the side where the combined French and Spanish forces together with their colonies; on the other, the rising tide of british colonialism in Asia. In retaliation for this entanglement, a military expedition from Madras was sent to India, then a British colony.

Spanish authorities in the colony were ill- prepared for such kind of international assault. During this tumultous period, the Philippines was headed by Archbishop Manuel rojo, a situation clearly indicative of the unstable political situation in the archipelago. Father Domingo collantes, OP, Rector and chancellor of the University of Sto Tomas, organized a group of around two hundred (200) students from UST and Colegio de San Juan de Manila. Fr. Collantes was assisted by a sergeant in the Royal Spanish army in setting up a battalion of young students for military instruction.

These students were immediately sent to action together with 500 Hispano-Filipino regulars (in the King's Regiment) and 80 Filipinos to counter the 7000 strong British regiment.Though obviously mismatched against the British force,the ragtag force assembled by Spanish authorities was able to somehow temporarily ward-off the advancing enemies.Their skirmish lasted for five years,and the defenders suffered much in terms of the number of casualties and injuries.Realizing the futility of continuos fighting,Governor-Archbishop Rojo surrendered Manila and Cavite to Lietenant General Dawsonne Drake on October 6, 1762.Though no so well known in the Philippine history,our country did become British colony foe a while until June 10,1764.With the signing of the threaty of paris on February 10,1763,the Seven Years War ended and the British consequently left the archipelago for good.

Despite this debacle,the Spanish king duly recognized the courage and bravery these students exhibited in the battlefield.Henceforth, he granted the prestigious titles "MUY LEAL" (very loyal) to these young defenders and "regalia"(royal) to the institution to which most of them belonged.Up until this day, the "muy leal" emblem remains part of the UST ROTC seal.A testament to the unwavering valor and the commendable spirit once shown in the face of seemingly insurmountable adversity.

Exactly one hundred fifty years later after 1762, various colleges and universities in the philippines would offer military trainingfor their students. According to Brigadier General Jose Syjuco, author of the Military Education in the philippines, most military historians marked the year 1912 as the beginning of the genuine ROTC instruction in the country. In that year, the Philippine Constabulary (PC) started conducting military instructions at the University of the Philippines (UP) on the old Padre Faura Campus. All ablebodied male students in all colleges,institutes and schools of the University were required to undergo military training that focused initially on infantry and use of rifles.Appointed as the first military instructor was Captain Silvino Gallardo, who assumed office in the first semister of 1912. The need for further realized with the advent of the First World War in Europe, even though the Philippines had no direct military participation in the international squabble.

In 1912, during the American regime, UP and Ateneo de Manila started to offer military training. but their graduates could not find a career in military unless they joined the pc or the Philippines Scouts (PS) Governor General Leonard Wood encouraged the development of ROTC units, which were quite to those he had organized in the United states, in the Philippines. With representation from the UP Board of Regents to the US War Department, the services of an American Army officer was obtained. This officer was later appointed as professor of Military Service.

On March 17, 1922, the Department of Military Science and Tactics (DMST) was formally organized in UP. Among the department's objectives were to: 1)develop patriotic, physically sound, upright and disciplined citizens; 2) create a corps of trained officers for the reserve force; and 3) take the lead in fosteringthe university spirit. On July 3, 1922. with the first ROTC unit in the country having been organized, formal military instruction began in UP.Since then, basic course in infantry became compulsory and a pre-requisite for graduation from the university.On October 26,1929, the field artillery unit of UP was organizwd with the issuance of 75mm field guns.In 1935, a mounted battery unit,equipped with 2.95-inch guns was also put in place.

As a result of these encouraging events,other colleges and universities in Manila followed suit.Ateneo de Manila,National University,Liceo de Manila,and san Juan de Letran later formed their ROTC units.These units remained independent from one another until 1936,when Office of the Superintendent(of ROTC units)of the Philippine army was activated to supervise all ROTC units in the country.

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 
Philippines.

Japan's misadventure in the Philippines had ended,but the service rendered to the nation by the heroic men of ROTC has turned into a life-long commitment.Even during the post war era,UP ROTC graduates exhibited here and abroad meritorious deeds in the service of the Filipino people.On the one hand,they became part of the goverment's effort to solve the problem of insurgency in the country; on the other,they manned the contingency forces that were sent at the Korean (1950) and Vietnam (1964) wars.

Less than seventy years have passed since the inception of student military training in various colleges and universities throughout the country.Times have changed and the ROTC program has been placed in constant scrutiny,especially in terms of significance to the importance in today's reality.
It drew a number of problems and subsequent protest no only from the student sector but also from the school administration and the parents of the students who view the program as militarization.The strongest clamor for its abolition occured in March 2001 as a consequence of the death of University of Santo Tomas ROTC Codette Marc Chua who was allegedly hazed by senior ROTC cadets for his expose' of several malpractices in the ROTC program.This incident was exploited by some leftist organizations who staged rallies demanding the abolition of the ROTC.This clamor prompted both Houses to file separate bills on the ROTC program.The House of Representatives filed House Bill Number 3593 and The Senate filled Senate Bill Number 1824 which led to the enactment of Republic Act 913 otherwise NSTP Act of 2001,making the ROTC as just one of the three components of the NSTP where the students can choose from.The ROTC training period was also reduced from two years to one year.Students can also select any component of 
the NSTP,thus as a prequisite for graduation for a baccalaureate degree or two-years vocational courses.

The NSTP has three (3) components namely: the ROTC which is designed to provide military training to students to prepare for national defense,the Department of National Defense(DND) is the lead agency in the implementation of the ROTC components, Literacy Training Service(LTS), which is designed to train students to become teachers to school children,out of school youth and other segments of the society who are in dire need of their service,the Civic welfare training Service(CWTS), which will involved the students to activities to contribute to general welfare and betterment of life,the Technical Education and Skills Developmnet Authority(TESDA) is the lead agency in the implementation of CWTS components.The students can select any of the three (3) Components as a requirements for their baccalaureate degree or two-year vocational course.

Prior to the implementation of the NSTP , the ROTC was a two year mandatory training for male college students and also a requisite for graduation in college. through the years the enrollment had gone down tremendously. The program also experience steady deteriorationessentially due to issues and concerns which include among other graft and corruption, lack of component, dedicated and commited instructors and high student-instructor ratio. Moreover, students do not appreciate the Program as shown by the high rate of students dropping out or deffering the ROTC training while many have decided to enroll in the other two componenets. This has significantly reduced the number of our reserve force poolwho are not only to be readily available in the case of war or national emergency but also to perform relief and rescue task when needed.

As of today,many concerned citizens and school administrators and legislators alike are advocatingfor the enhancement of the ROTC program by making the same compulsory to state colleges and universities. The Armed Forces of the Philippines is fully supporting this effort. The advocacy is based on the perceived decline in the appreciation of the youth on the value of patriotism and good citizenship.