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."
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