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Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

This chapter presents the background of the study,

statement of the problem, significance of the study, and

the scope and limitations of the study.

Background of the Study

Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) is one of the

three program components of the National Service Training

Program (NSTP) which focuses on military training and

preparedness for national defense. The program in

particular is directed to prepare the youth, which by

contemporary definitions, are aged 15-24 to inculcate the

values of patriotism, nationalism, and character building

(Raposas, 2016).

Military training for the youth rooted from the

Spanish period (Filipino Historian, 2016).When the colonial

government drafted a native contingent to reinforce the

armed forces. One significant draft was during the British

invasion of Manila in 1762. ROTC would become an optional

program in 2001 with the National Service Training Program

Act (Republic Act 9163). This was after the “crisis” caused

by the death of a UST ROTC member, Nark Chua, in the same

year. As with the pattern once employed by Marcos, NSTP

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divides national service into three components: Civic

Welfare Training Service (CWTS), Literacy Training Service

(LTS), and military training (ROTC).

Fifteen years later, with the presidency of Rodrigo

Duterte, ROTC is making a comeback with advocates wanting

it to be restored as a mandatory program. And on July 05,

2016, House Bill No. 1114 was passed on the Congress.

Signed by Hon. Gary C. Alejano, this act shall be known as

an act to re-institutionalize the mandatory military and

civic reserve officers’ training corps (ROTC) for students

in all colleges, universities and technical or vocational

schools.

It is indeed acceptable since there are a number of

benefits with the program’s restoration. The objectives

being forwarded by ROTC are the following: 1. Prepare the

college students for possible service in the event of

emergency; 2. Train and develop the ROTC cadets as future

enlisted reservist for the Reserve Component on the Armed

Forces of the Philippines; 3. Inculcate in the youth the

spirit of patriotism and nationalism; develop and promote

the physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual and social

well-being of the youth; 4. Train and develop the youth as

potential community leaders, and 5. Develop civic

consciousness and good citizenship among the youth.

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However, there are also points being raised by those

opposed to the mandate: 1. Military service is not the only

way of serving the nation. In addition, the Philippines has

more frequent problems than military, such as disasters

(natural or man-made). 2. A large reserve force would prove

difficult to maintain. It would require greater sources to

mobilize and arm the reservists. The experience with the

Second World War proved that a large reserve force would

prove ineffective without modernization. 3. ROTC training

may prove inadequate, if not antiquated, with the advent of

electronic warfare. Given that the reservists be provided

enough guns and ammunitions, but cyber-attacks can paralyze

communications and operations within seconds. The new

cadets would need to be train with the latest equipment and

the latest methods of warfare to become efficient. 5. The

Philippines being an archipelago, improving naval and air

assets would prove more helpful than training foot soldiers

that can only fight on the ground.

These opposing views on ROTC prompted the researchers

to conduct a study which will identify the perceptions of

1st year college students about the mandatory ROTC Program,

and whether ROTC has a significant impact on the training

and development of the students.

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Theoretical and Conceptual Framework

Much progress has been made in training and

development methodologies, some of which has occurred in

the era of scenistic methods, a set of approaches or

processes focusing on situations, events, case-studies and

narratives that furnish a specific setting for performance

issues, needs, deficiencies and scripted actions for

particular situations (Paul, 2010).

Experiential and cognitive types of learning on the

other hand, are differentiated by experiential theory of

learning presented by C.Rogers. According to him, the wants

and needs of the learners are addressed by this type of

learning. Experience gives the person a maturity and

increases the learning power along with knowledge. Due to

the personal involvement, the learner is able to conduct a

self-evaluation test, which allows him to understand the

effect of learning on his/her attitude (Abbey, 2015).

Thus, as Dewey suggests: “when we experience

something, we act upon it, we do something: then we suffer

or undergo the consequences”. Experience for Dewey, is a

training that develops into “lived” experience. This

experience as the heart of learning therefore, is not

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something separate or additional but something which

embraces the lives of individuals.

The general purpose statement of ROTC as whole is “to

instil in students in the United States secondary

educational institutions the value of citizenship, service

to the United States, personnel responsibility, and sense

of accomplishment (Department of Defense, 2006).

The National Defense Act of 1916 established Reserved

Officer Training Corps (ROTC) and its counterpart, the

Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) to maintain

and fill the ranks of officer in the event of a war to

provide educated and well-trained military personnel during

time peace (Long, 2003).

Argues that once students elect to join the ROTC, they

are given a “watered down” curriculum and are inundated

with so many time consuming requirements that they are not

neither prepared nor able to participate in more

challenging college preparation activities or courses. He

found only four credible studies on ROTC and commented that

the emphasis has been on leadership skills (Berlowitz,

2000).

Chaired by Berlowitz, another supported opposition to

ROTC and presented evidence to portray the program as a

recruitment tool that focuses on enlisting minority and

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disadvantaged groups. Some accuse the military of being

manipulatively deceptive and call for increased honesty

regarding the program (Huet-Vaughn, 2013; Long, 2003).

Stated that the purpose of ROTC is to recruit for the

military, they argued the unlikelihood of pentagon funding

as support for their position (Arnold and Lubold, 2008).

Argued that the 49 discipline provided by ROTC failed

to produce critical thinking skills, he likened it to

obedience training, which “may have a place in instructing

dogs , but not in educating citizens (Ayers, 2006).

Effectiveness in ROTC cultivating a democratic culture

permeated by social justice maintain that ROTC equates

patriotism with militarism and therefore, supports the

premise that cadets are more patriotic than those who

exercise their rights of free speech (Meyer and Sandy,

2013).

Lutz and Barlett agreed that ROTC fails to support

peaceful solutions to promoting democracy and fails to

teach students how to resolve conflicts peacefully. They

recommend teaching patriotic behavior and citizenship

through community service opportunities and service

learning outside of military flavoured environments (Lutz

and Barlett, 1995).

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The nation witnessed a second growth period of JROTC

in the 90’s. In 1992, the Department of Defense joined with

the Department of Education to establish military career

academies modelled on the concept of high-school career

academies. This joint venture placed most of the academies

in large urban areas that demonstrated a need for a more

dynamic approach to education.

The academies provided additional military personnel

to deliver instruction in other school subjects. Features

included integrated vocational and academic curricula,

team-teaching, block scheduling, and small classes.

Although the results reported from the academies were

required from the academies were often remarkable,

substantial resources were required from all partners

involved (Taylor, 1999).

Considering the need for safety and security in our

country, training and development program such as the

mandatory ROTC to train and develop its citizens for

threats and other forms of terrorism and war.

Hence, the researchers conducted this study to assess

the Mandatory ROTC Program in JHCSC-Tambulig and Molave as

perceived by the different college students from the said

school.
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Below, is the Schematic Diagram of the study, which

shows the interrelationship between the three interplaying

variables: the independent variable which is the ROTC

Program, and the dependent variables which are the

perceptions of first-year college students on the program

and its impact on the training and development of the

student-participants.
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College Participants’
Perceptions on
Mandatory ROTC

Influence on Impact on Students’

Training Development Personal Aspect

Figure 1 Schematic Diagram of the Study

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Statement of the Problem

This study aimed to determine the perceptions of

first-year college students on ROTC Program.

Specifically, this study sought to answer the

following questions:

1. What are the perceptions of the student-participants

on ROTC Program?

2. What is the influence of Mandatory ROTC Program to the

students’ training and development?

3. Is there a significant difference between male and

female students’ perceptions on Mandatory ROTC Program?

4. Is there a significant difference on the perceptions

of the participants on ROTC when grouped by campus?

Hypothesis:

HO1:
There is no significant difference between the

perceptions of the male and female student-participant’s

perceptions on Mandatory ROTC Program.

Ho2:

There is no significant relationship on students’

perceptions when grouped by campus.

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Significance of the Study:

This study aim to identify the effectiveness of ROTC

as a structured program that pave the way to achieve

training and development at present time.

Specifically, the result of this study is beneficial

among the following individuals and groups:

CHED Officials. The result of this study gives

suggestions and recommendations among these officials to

help the policy becomes effective and efficient by means of

assessing the problems and addressing it one by one to

further improve and realize the goals and objectives of the

said program.

School Administrators. The result of this study, helps

the administrators to identify the problems encountered by

the students on the program and provide direct actions to

solve the problems.

Government Officials. The result of this study would

help the government officials to identify also their

crucial part to the learning of the studens on the program,

and will help them realize the need to study the program

policy to effectively implement the program that is

intended for the training and development.

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JHCSC. The result of this study will be beneficial

among the JHCSC schools to enhance and develop the

structured program of the ROTC to provide quality training

among their students.

Students. The perceptions of the students are the

basis for modifying ROTC Program if there are some issues

that wasn’t address during and after the implementation of

the program.

Future Researchers. The findings of this study would

serve as the basis of some researchers that has a direct

and related study conducted with this one. The insights and

ideas presented here would widen their understanding on the

concept of training and development and the ROTC Program.

Scope and Delimitations of the Study.

This study was undertaken to assess the implementation

of ROTC which includes the perceptions of the first-year

college students of J.H Cerilles State College, Tambulig

Campus, Tambulig, Zamboanga del Sur.

It also endeavored to determine the personal profile

of the student-participants; their perceptions on ROTC

Program, the significant relationship between ROTC and Its

Impact to their training and development.

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The participants of this study are selected randomly

from first-year students from different college departments

who has a direct subject in ROTC.

The researchers delimit its study to 100 participants.

50 participants were from the JHCSC Tambulig, and the other

50 participants were from JHCSC Molave.

The descriptive survey method was utilized by the

researchers by means of questionnaire-checklist as the main

instrument that was employed to gather the data needed from

the identified participants of the study.

To arrive at the interpretation of the data gathered

from the participants of the study, both the descriptive

and inferential statistics were utilized.

Definition of Terms

To afford the readers with better understanding of the

study, the following terms are hereby conceptually and/or

operationally defined:

Development. The state of being created or made more

advanced.

Impact. The tendency to produce an effect or change to

someone or something.

Mandatory. Obligatory, and which is required by rule

or law.
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Military. Controlled or supported by armed forces.

NSTP. National Service Training Program, a subject

offers in all colleges and universities nationwide.

Perception. This refers to the process by how the

people view a particular thing as whether good or bad.

R.A 9163. An act to make ROTC as mandatory to all

public and private colleges, states, and universities.

ROTC. Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, is one of the

three programs offered in NSTP

Training. A process by which someone is taught the

skills that are needed for an art, profession or job.

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Chapter 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This portion of the study presents the related

literature and studies reviewed for the purpose of research

which provide the needed background and insights to the

present investigation.

Related Literature

Expectancy theory postulates that people tend to

select a job that they believe they can successfully

perform and that they believe will result favourable

outcomes (Porter, Lawler, and Hackman, 1975).

Corbett and Coumble (2001), cited that broader public

policy issue reso;ves around the value of offering ROTC in

public schools, which has been the subject of on-going

debate. Proponent argue that the program improves both the

cognitive and the non-cognitive skills of participants.

President George H. Bush described ROTC as a program that

boosts high school completion rates, reduce drug use, and

raises self-esteem.

Educational initiatives with some elements comparable

to ROTC are those that assist the transition from school to

employment. These include career academies and federally-

funded school-to-work (STW) programs-reforms that stress

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both academic and vocational curricular and that establish

formal links with employers. Evidence on the effects of

these educational initiatives has been mixed. Attending

career academies had no effect on high school completion or

post-secondary education, but male attendees eight years

after high school (Kemple, 2008).

According to Heckman et al. (1998), find that matching

perform well in the presence of a rich set of control

variables. Our two-stage sample selection method is similar

in spirit to the sample restriction made by Diaz and Handa

when estimating the effect of a poverty program. They use

experimental data to evaluate their matching outcomes, and

find that restricting the sample to eligible household

substantially reduces bias compared to when all households

are used in estimation.

Related Studies

According to Eyler and Giles (1999), stated that “the

thing separates service-learning from other field-based and

students seem aware of this particular value”. Thus, in the

process the students participation is expected and becomes

so significant with personal development learning.

According to Honnet and Poulsen (1989), push it,

service, combined with learning, adds value to each and

transform both, “but since service-learning “suffer from

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the lack of a well-articulated conceptual framework here

simply demonstrates the undeniable relationship between

participation (expression) and learning (empowerment)

through service (experience).

Welch & Koth (2003 & 2009), explains the role of

spirituality in service learning. Basically, they

emphasized that service-learning is a form of spiritual

practice that can be transform the lives of the

participants.

Astin, Vogelgesang and Ikeda & Yee (2000), mentioned

from their research study that it is possible that in co-

curricular, leadership development programs other than

service-learning courses, student design and operate the

program themselves which allows them opportunities to

develop their leadership skills and is usually not present

in service learning course.

Bringle and Hatcher (1996), cited that the study

showed that there is significant relationship between

students participation in service-learning and adherence to

the core values. Moreover, students’ learning in NSTP and

the adherence to the core values has significant

relationship. The relationship between the students’

participation and their perceived learning in the community

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service in NSTP are established also by many researchers

such as Astin and Sax (1998).

It is no wonder then that in 2002 with having only 18-

20% national rate participation in the community service in

the different colleges in the United State, it dramatically

increased to 82% in 2004. Since the service learning became

popular globally thus, studies was conducted in 14

countries to ascertain this phenomena (D. Haski-Leventhal

et. Al, 2010).

As cited by Long (2003), the end of World War II

brought with it a national recognition for future

preparedness that lead two significance periods of growth

for ROTC. The first period of growth came in the early

1960’s. Robert Mcnamara, then Secretary of Defense, argued

that ROTC produced no officers and made no direct

contribution to the military. His stance was to eliminate

funding to the program and to transfer existing units to

the National Defense Cadet Corp (NDCC), a completing

program that was fully funded by the participating school.

One study examined top JROTC units across the nation.

Through site visits, observations, and interviews, the

study questioned what students learned from JROTC.

Repeatedly, cadets noted that the curriculum for JROTC

presented valuable information that could be used in life

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after graduation from high school (Crawford, Thomas, &

Estrada, 2004).
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Chapter 3

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents and discusses the research

design, research instrument, gathering data procedure,

research locale and sampling design.

Research Design

This study utilized the descriptive-survey method.

This method used survey questionnaires which were

distributed to the participants in gathering the data which

is necessary to accomplish the aim of this study on The

Perceptions of College Studnts on Mandatory ROTC Program

and Its Impact on Training and Development.

This is the most appropriate method to ascertain the

profile of the participants in each of the variables to be

considered in this study.

Research Setting

This study was undertaken in J.H Cerilles State

College, Tambulig Campus, Tambulig Zamboanga del Sur and

JHCSC Molave Extension Services, Molave Zamboanga del Sur.

The schools are the most appropriate ground to conduct the

study, for the researchers itself, since it is nearby their

residence.
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Research Participants

The participants of this study are the 100 students

from JHCSC who have a direct subject in ROTC, the

participants are chosen from different year levels and from

the different departments.

Sampling Design

To determine the actual number of student-

participants, the researchers utilized the random method of

choosing the participants of the study. Out of 100 student

participants, 50 are from JHCSC Tambulig and 50 were from

JHCSC Molave Extension Services.

Research Instrument

The instrument used in this study was the standardized

questionnaire checklist which was the researchers

personally administrated the questionnaire to the

respondents.

Part I contained the instrument that was employed in

determining the perceptions of teachers in the implemented

Mandatory ROTC Program which is adapted from the study of

Cancino, E. C. (2009).
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Data Gathering Procedure

Before the researchers conducted the study, the

researchers secured permission through official written

requests from the school head and the teachers of J.H

Cerilles State College Tambulig and JHCSC Molave Extension

Services School. Upon the approval, the researchers then

conducted the survey and personally distributed the

questionnaire’s to target respondents of the study. After

conducting the survey, the researchers go through the

process of checking, tallying, organizing, analysing, and

interpreting the data gathered.

To determine the perceptions of the students-

participants on Mandatory ROTC Program, a five-point scale

was employed.

Scale Weight Interpretation

Continuum
5 (4.21-5.00) Very Much Favorable
4 (3.41-4.20) Much Favorable
3 (2.61-3.40) Uncertain
2 (1.81-2.60) Less Favorable
1 (1.00-1.80) Least Favorable

Statistical Technique Used

The gathered data was statistically treated using

descriptive survey in order to arrive at the correct

interpretation. Percentage, frequency counts and Weighted

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Arithmetic Mean were utilized in interpreting the data with

the formulas given.

A. Percentage = No. of Participants x 100

Total no. of participants

B. WAM = ∑(FW)
N
Where:

WAM- Weighted Arithmetic Mean

∑ -Summation sign

F - Frequency

N - no. of participants

To determine the significance of the difference

between the perceptions of the two groups of participants

on the implementation of Mandatory ROTC Program, t-test was

used.

t = X1 – X2
∑𝑑1 +∑𝑑2 2
2
1 1
√( ) (𝑁 + )
𝑁1 +𝑁2 −2 1 𝑁2

Where:

X1 = mean of the first group

X2 = mean of the second group