Ilocos Norte students welcome mandatory ROTC revival

By Leilanie G. Adriano

Staff Reporter

LAOAG CITY—Several Ilocos Norte youth is supporting the revival of the mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program for senior high school students.

For 25-year-old Moyra Colobong of the Ilocos Norte National High School, she said the Philippines need to strengthen its defenses and one way of doing so is to utilize its available resources by training the young to undergo reserved officers’ training course.

“This is a stepping stone for us to strengthen our defenses, learn to follow rules and become disciplined,” said Ms. Colobong as she admitted kids these days are becoming hard-headed or out of control due to so many reasons.

Like Ms. Colobong, Marian Sidly Madamba, 17, also observed these misbehaviors from fellow youth hence, with the revival of ROTC, she hopes the rigid training will make them more responsible individuals.

At first, Samuel Guzman, 18, of Brgy. 8, Laoag City, said he was hesitant to support the mandatory ROTC because trainees are expected to cut their hair short but he said he was eventually convinced ROTC is important for survival.

Though he is not inclined to pursue a career in the military, Ian Villanueva, 18, of Brgy. 5, Vintar, Ilocos Norte said, “We need to have a military training as young as we are because of growing threats from other countries. When things come to worst, at least we are prepared.”

Even officials of the Department of Education agree to this as Secretary Leonor Briones once said, “We cannot be relying on other countries to defend us. So, we have to rely on ourselves.”

The Duterte-backed military training requires both male and female students, except those who are physically or psychologically fit to undergo a two-year mandatory ROTC to produce well-trained and prepared reservists for military and civic service.

It may be recalled the mandatory ROTC was abolished in 2002 after the death of University of Santo Tomas student Mark Chua. His killing was linked to his exposé on the anomalies in the training corps.

Comments

Free dormitories eyed for Nueva Era students in LC, Batac

Nueva Era mayor Aldrin Garvida By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Nueva Era , Ilocos Norte—The municipal government here, headed by Nueva Era mayor Aldrin Garvida is planning to establish dormitories in the cities of Laoag and Batac that will exclusively cater to college students from the said cities. “Sapay la kuma ta maituloyen iti mabiit tay ar-arapaapen tayo ken iti munisipyo a maipatakderan kuma dagiti annak tayo a college students nga agbasbasa idiay siyudad iti Batac ken Laoag iti libre a dormitoryo a bukod da ngem inggana nga awan pay ket an-anusan mi paylaeng nga ibaklay kenni apo bise mayor iti pagbayad da iti kasera aggapu iti bukod mi a suweldo malaksid dagitay it-ited iti munisipyo ken iti barangay nga stipend da kada semester, ” Garvida said. Garvida added that the proposed establishment of dormitories would be a big help to the students’ parents as this would shoulder the expenses of their children for rent and likewise they would feel more secured

Empanada festival: A celebration of good taste and good life

By Dominic B. dela Cruz & Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporters BATAC CITY—If there is one thing Batac is truly proud of, it would be its famous empanada-making business that has nurtured its people over the years. Embracing a century-old culture and culinary tradition, Batac’s empanada claims to be the best and tastiest in the country with its distinctive Ilokano taste courtesy of its local ingredients: fresh grated papaya, mongo, chopped longganisa, and egg. The crispy orange wrapper and is made of rice flour that is deep-fried. The celebration of this city’s famous traditional fast food attracting locals and tourists elsewhere comes with the City Charter Day of Batac every 23 rd of June. Every year, the City Government of Batac led by Mayor Jeffrey Jubal Nalupta commemorate the city’s charter day celebration to further promote its famous One-Town, One Product, the Batac empanada. Empanada City The Batac empanada festival has already become an annua

P29 per kilo rice sold to vulnerable groups in Ilocos region

BBM RICE. Residents buy rice for only PHP29 per kilo at the NIA compound in San Nicolas town, Ilocos Norte province on Sept. 13, 2024. The activity was under a nationwide pilot program of the government to sell quality and affordable rice initially to the vulnerable sectors. (Lei Adriano) San Nicolas , Ilocos Norte —Senior citizens, persons with disability, and solo parents availed of cheap rice sold at PHP29 per kilogram during the grand launching of the Bagong Bayaning Magsasaka (BBM) Rice held at the National Irrigation Administration compound in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte province on Sept. 13, 2024. “ Maraming salamat Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. sa inyong pagmamahal sa Region 1 lalong-lalo na sa bayan namin sa San Nicolas,” said Violeta Pasion, a resident Brgy. 18 Bingao in this town. The low-priced grains were sourced from the National Irrigation Administration’s (NIA) contract farming with irrigators' association members in the province. Along with Pasion, Epi

The Ilocos Times

Search This Blog