MANILA — Sinimulan na ng Department of Education (DepEd) at Department of National Defense (DND) ang exploratory talks para sa mas komprehensibong Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program sa senior high school.

Ibinahagi ni DepEd Assistant Secretary for youth affairs and special concerns Dexter Galban, sa isang post sa kanyang Facebook page nitong Miyerkules, ang mga detalye ng kanyang pakikipagpulong kay DND Undersecretary Ignacio Madriaga at mga opisyal ng Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Sinabi ni Galban na pinag-aaralan ng mga ahensya ang pagbuo ng joint Preparatory Citizenship Training program, na aniya ay isang “panimula sa isang multi-tiered, well safeguarded, multi-faceted citizenship program.”

Binanggit niya ang ilang lugar na maaaring saklawin ng programa, kabilang ang public safety training; basic and advanced first aid; basic leadership training; personal security measures; basic map reading; drug use prevention education; physical fitness, health and sanitation; basic survival techniques; road safety and discipline; crime prevention; voter education, at volunteerism and community service.

“Facilitated by military trained teachers and DepEd personnel and monitored by child protection units and fact-finding committees, we endeavor to help reform and enhance this program to better achieve its intended goals,” dagdag pa niya, hindi lang basta magmamartsa ang bagong ROTC.

Sa press briefing kahapon, sinabi ni DepEd spokesman Michael Poa na wala pa ring konkretong plano sa usapin dahil exploratory lamang ang pulong ng DepEd, DND at AFP official

Samantala, pinuri ni Vice President at Education Secretary Sara Duterte nitong Huwebes ang Schools Division of Aurora at ang 91st Infantry Battalion ng AFP sa pakikipagtulungan sa paglunsad ng information awareness campaign laban sa Communist Party of the Philippines at New People’s Army.