Dela Rosa moves to close Senate debate on mandatory ROTC
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Ronald dela Rosa appealed to his colleagues on Monday that the period of interpellation for Senate Bill No. 2034, otherwise known as the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) Act be finally closed, claiming that the measure has already undergone “careful scrutiny.”
In his short manifestation delivered during the upper chamber’s plenary session, the former top cop, who is also the principal author of the measure, emphasized that the bill was passed in the House of Representatives on December 15, 2022, and has been with the upper chamber since then.
“It has gone through a careful review in the committee hearings. Over the past months, from August 2023 to January 2025, we have engaged in meaningful discussions during the interpellations sessions. Clearly, this bill has undergone careful scrutiny. We’ve listened, debated, and worked through the concerns raised by the public and fellow senators–ensuring that every voice has been heard,” said Dela Rosa.
READ: Dela Rosa ‘sure’ Senate will pass mandatory ROTC bill
With this, he made a motion to finally close the period of interpellation of the proposed measure based on the following grounds:
- the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council has “prioritized this bill” by moving it in Tier 1, which according to him proves that this recognition signals that Senate needs to act on the legislation swiftly
- the ROTC program is “crucial for enhancing our national defense capabilities, fostering a sense of patriotism, and equipping our students with essential skills in disaster preparedness and civic responsibility”
Citing Senate rules, Dela Rosa then emphasized that the sponsor of the bill or the author of the motion shall have the right to close the debates on specific measures.
Article continues after this advertisement“Thus, as principal author of the proposed measure, I am moving to close this debate,” he said.
Article continues after this advertisementAccording to Dela Rosa, there had already been a “thorough examination of [the] bill.”
“It is also important to emphasize that this a priority bill of the LEDAC and that we have strong support from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., who has endorsed this bill, aligning it with our national security and educational goals. His backing emphasizes how vital it is for us to expedite this process,” he added.
The Philippines’ mandatory ROTC was abolished following the death of then 19-year-old University of Santo Tomas student Mark Welson Chua.
Chua, who allegedly exposed corruption in the university’s ROTC program, was found dead on March 18, 2001.
According to the UST’s student publication—The Varsitarian—Chua’s decomposing body was rolled in a carpet. His hands and legs were hogtied while his face was wrapped with duct tape.
Not long after, Republic Act No. 9163, also known as the NSTP Act of 2001, was signed into law.
The measure allowed students to choose from the following service components: ROTC, The Literacy Training Service, and The Civil Welfare Training Service.
