Home > ADROTH Project > ROTC in the Philippines > Modern ROTC begins
 
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 
To most Philippine military historians, real ROTC in the Philippines did not start until 1912, when the Philippine Constabulary started conducting military instruction at the University of the Philippines. Following representations made by the U.P. Board of Regents to the United States War Department throught the Governor General, university received the services of a U.S. Army officer as a professor of Military Science. Thus the first ROTC unit in the country was established in the University of the Philippines and instruction started on July 3, 1922.

Subsequently, the National University, Ateneo de Manila, the Liceo de Manila, and the Colegio de San Juan de Letran formed their respective ROTC units. These units remained independent of each other until 1936, when the Office of the Superintendent, ROTC Units, Philippine Army, was activated to administer, supervise and control, as well as to supply, all ROTC units that existed throughout the country.

Commonwealth Act No. 1, commonly known as the National Defense Act, provided the legal basis for the conduct of ROTC instruction. It stated that "at such colleges and universities as the President may designate, there shall be established and maintained Reserve Officers Training Corps units of such arm and service as he shall specify, where every physically fit student shall be required to pursue a course of military instruction . . ."

(Editor: It should be noted that the same act also established the Philippine Military Academy)

In 1939, President Manuel L. Quezon issued Executive Order No.207 to implement the National Defense Act. This made ROTC a compulsory course at all colleges and universities having a total enrollment of one hundred students or more. Instruction began upon receipt of notification from the Chief of Staff, Philippine Army.

ROTC: The foundation of an army

The challenges in organizing the Commmonwealth-era Philippine Army provided the impetus for the establishment of ROTC. As described by Louis Morton in his book "The Fall of the Philippines":

"One of the greatest difficulties encountered in the organization of the Philippine Army was the creation of a satisfactory officer corps. in the Constabulary were Filipino officers with excellent training and experience, but their interests lay in law enforcement rather than military training. Some of the best officers came from the Philippine Scouts; these men rapidly became senior officers in the Philippine Army. The great problem was to train junior officers to command the training camps and reserve units once these were formed. Since no graduates could be expected from the projected military academy at Baguio for four years the most promising men in each semiannual class of reservists were selected for an additional six months' training as noncommissioned officers. The best of these were chosen for officer training and became 3d lieutenants upon graduation from Officer Candidate School. Senior ROTC units in colleges and universities were established to provide additional junior reserve officers."

 
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 
 
Copyright of the ADROTH Project 1991 to 2009