TO STEM the decreasing enrollment rate of the Reserved Officers Training Corps (ROTC) component of the National Service Training Program (NSTP), the UST-ROTC administration has proposed a quota system in the other components of the NSTP.
Army Technical Sgt. Christopher Chua, the UST-Department of Military Science and Tactics assistant commandant for administration, told the Varsitarian that the number of reservists in the National Capital Region-ROTC has greatly dwindled since the students were given the freedom to choose among the components of the NSTP.
“Most of the reservists that comprise 80 per cent of the army come from the ROTC,” said Chua. “Before (when ROTC was the lone program) there were more than 50,000 reservists from the NCR-ROTC, but now there are roughly 10,000.”
According to the comparative data of the UST-ROTC, there were 3,277 and 2,542 students during the first and second semesters of 2003-2004. It decreased last year to 1,340 and 1,023. This semster, the numbers slightly increased to 1,500 students.. On the other hand, 5,299 students are enrolled in the CWTS and LTS programs.
But CWTS coordinator Dr. Lito Maranan said a quota system contravenes the NSTP law.
“I’m against that because (enlisting in any component is a matter of choice),” Maranan said. “For me, it’s better if the students who will enroll in the ROTC are those who have military inclination because they are those who stay and become productive.”
Dr. Evelyn Songco, NSTP director, said the quota proposal is still being discussed.
