By Prince Golez

There are existing mechanisms to protect students against abuses in the implementation of the mandatory basic Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) Program, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said on Wednesday.

Colonel Royland Orquia, deputy chief of staff for reservist and retiree affairs, told reporters that all needed changes have been made to ensure the ROTC Program will not expose cadets to corruption and physical abuse.

“Ang mukha po ngayon ng bagong ROTC is very different from previous, dahil sa ngayon nagkaroon na po tayo ng mga trainings doon sa mga prospect commandants, doon sa mga maghahawak ng mga ROTC units and as early as last year, we have already conducted different forums and seminars, trainings for our ROTC commandants,” said Orquia.

“This will be in anticipation sa pilot implementation na 100 schools. So, meron na po tayong mga mechanism. Actually before there was already a mechanism sa mga abuses,” he added.

Orquia reminded the concerned agencies to strictly implement the mechanisms so the mistakes committed then will not happen again.

“Pinaalalahan po namin and we already give directives to the respective RESCOMs at saka mga hawak ng mga ROTC to be really strict in implementation so that hindi na natin ma-experience iyong mga na-experience natin noong una,” he said.