Senator Francis 鈥淐hiz鈥� Escudero. Senate PRIB photo
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Senator Francis 鈥淐hiz鈥� Escudero quizzed Senator Ronald 鈥淏ato鈥� dela Rosa on Wednesday over聽 his proposal to include women in the training under his Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) bill.
While defending the ROTC bill on the Senate floor, Dela Rosa explained why women were not included in the old military training in schools.
鈥淒uring the time yung old ROTC law was enacted, hindi pa po uso ang gender equality. Ngayon po, our聽 women are always espousing for gender equality so why give them the opportunity to serve their country, to fight for this country if needed,鈥� Dela Rosa said, responding to Escudero鈥檚 queries.
(During the time the old ROTC聽 law was enacted, gender equality is not yet popular. Ngayon po, our women are always espousing for gender equality so why give them聽 the opportunity聽 to serve their country, to fight for this country聽 if needed
Escudero confirmed that during his time, only men were required to undergo the old聽 Citizen Military Training.
鈥淗indi ni-require yan sa babae. Ang dahilan ba ay mas maliit ang tingin ng gobyerno, ng Kongreso, ng pamahalaan noon sa mga babae, hindi kakayanin ang ROTC聽 training鈥�?鈥� he asked.
(This was not required for women. Is that because the government, Congress, and the authorities had a lesser view of women back then, thinking that they couldn鈥檛 handle ROTC training鈥�)
鈥淲hat is the reason for the聽 distinction at that time na bakit noon hindi sinasabay ang babae under the National Defense Act, under RA [Republic Act] 7077 but now there is a push to include them already? What is the difference and what changed, Mr. President?鈥� the senator further asked.
Dela Rosa surmised the love of Filipinos for women prevailed at that time.
While admitting he doesn鈥檛聽want his children to suffer, he said he also聽needs to prepare them so they could help protect and defend the country in the future.
鈥淪iguro ang reason as I鈥檝e said hindi popular yung gender equality during that time. Right now, gender equality is the norm of the day. Yan palagi ang sinasabi ng ating mga kakabaehan so let鈥檚 give them the benefit of serving this country,鈥� Dela Rosa said.
(Perhaps the reason, as I鈥檝e mentioned, is that gender equality wasn鈥檛 popular during that time. Right now, gender equality is the norm of the day. That鈥檚 what our fellow women always say, so let鈥檚 give them the benefit of serving this country.)
Escudero then inquired if gender equality 鈥渋s now聽 being used to offer鈥� the ROTC program to women.
Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri interjected, saying LGBTQ is included in the proposal.
Escudero聽 argued 鈥渟exes discriminated聽 upon would like equality with聽 respect to the things聽 and opportunities that they like.鈥�
鈥淭here is even no data聽 that聽 says women like that. There is even no data that says聽 that women聽 to be equal and at par with men with respect to being required to undergo ROTC鈥攖hat聽 may聽 be the justification when you say you鈥檙e including women. But have you heard from women themselves if they indeed want聽 it or not?鈥�
Dela Rosa said he asked聽 his daughters and female staff and they all want to undergo the ROTC.
鈥淎langan namang sabihin sayo hindi,聽 author ka,鈥� Escudero answered.
(Of course, they would not say no because you鈥檙e the author.)
The proposed law mandates all students in Higher Educational Institutions and Technical Vocational Institutions to undergo the basic ROTC, or else they would be allowed to graduate.