By Liza Soriano
Senator Francis Tolentino said that the country needs to implement quality Reserve Officers’ Training Corp (ROTC) taking a cue from the raging Israel-Hamas war but he made it a point that it’s about patriotism and not war pandering.
Tolentino said that in the most recent hostilities in Gaza, Israel mobilized their 300,000 ROTC reservists in the war against Hamas.
“Siguro, mas ano, mas naha-highlight ‘yung need for a quality ROTC program. Kasi kung makikita mo ‘yung sa Israel 300,000 ‘yung minobilize na ROTC reservists nila,” the senator said.
However, the lawmaker emphasized that he is not war pandering, rather it is to prepare the youth for them to imbibe a deeper meaning of patriotism.
“It’s not about war. It’s about patriotism,” Tolentino said.
Following the simultaneous strikes by Hamas on October 7 that resulted in more than 1,000 fatalities, the Israeli military had claimed it called up to 300,000 reservists.
The Senate’s measure mandating the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps for students in technical-vocational and higher education institutions is currently up for discussion in the full Senate.
(ai/mnm)