Why abolish ROTC?

1. The abolition of the ROTC program is a stepping-stone in ending the vicious cycle of irrelevance in our education. It is a necessary and urgent democratic reform that must be implemented to make our education more susceptible to the needs of the students.

2. The ROTC program has failed in promoting patriotism and nationalist consciousness among the youth but rather instilled the sub-culture of fear, violence and hatred among the broad ranks of the students.

3. The ROTC program has its foundation rooted in severe corruption. The program is nothing but a huge money-making industry thriving at the expense of the students. It is a major source of corruption and malpractice done by unscrupulous groups and protectors of this venal program.

4. The ROTC is an added unnecessary burden to us students and our parents. As if the rising cost of our education and other school fees are not enough, we are being made to pay more for our own oppression.

5. The ROTC is a bastion of human rights violation. The students are being tormented ranging from direct physical mistreatment to psychological abuses.

6. The program is outright discrimination and sexism. It directly discriminate and ostracize the gay student community because of ROTCs excessive machismo and anti-gay character.

7. The ROTC program is undemocratic. The Philippines is one of the very few countries where conscription and forced military training are practiced. The United States, which influenced our country to institutionalize the ROTC, never made it mandatory.

8. The ROTC promotes a distorted sense of leadership. Students are molded in becoming more active stakeholders of our country but on the contrary we are being exposed to bankrupt politics of status and privilege.

9. The ROTC is a futile exercise. It failed miserably in teaching students the basics of military training. Year after year, students graduate from this program without any clue what learning have they gained from ROTC.

10. The ROTC program was given all time in the world to reform and make itself more relevant to the aspirations of the students but all in vain. Simple reforms and dole-out concessions will not preserve the whole integrity of the institution.

Members of AKBAYAN Youth, Student Council Alliance of the Philippines, and Movement for the Advancement of Student Power handed this flyer to us, the said organizations and groups don't have any affiliation with this site.