Mindanaotoday.com | Army reservists await call to active duty
By: Uriel Quilinguing
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – There’s no call to active duty for now, but reserve forces – be it ready, standby or retired –must be prepared for any eventuality, and that is when a mobilization order is issued either by the President or Congress.
This, in a wrap, was Philippine Army Col. Eduardo Monjardin’s parting message in a Meet the Press forum Wednesday, June 29, at the Cagayan de Oro Press Club in this city.
Monjardin, 10th Regional Community Defense Group commander, said four battalions of reservists in Northern Mindanao can be mobilized “in the event of war, invasion, or rebellion” as stipulated in the Philippines Reservist Act of 1991.
These battalions of “ready reserve forces” under Philippine Army Reserve Command are in Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, and Misamis Oriental provinces with total strength of about two thousand.
Camiguin is currently enlisting those qualified to compose its reserve force.
“There was partial mobilization of our reservists during the Marawi siege,” Monjardin said and recalled that there were two battalions that were deployed to augment regular troops for five months in 2007.
He said they were the ones who manned the checkpoints and provided operational support services because they were enlisted not for actual fighting, even if they were physically fit and had either ROTC or Basic Citizen’s Military Training.
“If we include the standby reserve, we have almost 24,000 in the roster,” the 10th RCDG commander said, and that most of them were graduates of the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program which became optional in colleges and universities since 2001.
The 10th RCDG which is an Army’s line unit with the 101st Infantry (Standby Reserve) Division are at Camp Edilberto Evangelista, Patag, Cagayan de Oro while the 4th Infantry (Ready Reserve) Division is at Camp Natividad, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon.
Monjardin said they are training reservists not only for armed combat but also in responding to calamities and emergencies caused by natural and man-made hazards and risks and for these reservists volunteer their services in search, rescue and recovery operation volunteers.
Once called to active duty, reservists will be compensated for their tour of duty, aside from other benefits, the same as regular members of the armed forces.
When asked for comment on the proposed two-year mandatory ROTC training for all Filipinos 18 years old and above and they are for it, the 10th RCDG head said they are for it.
He also explained that enlistment into the military service but to encourage physical fitness, instill discipline, and love for the country.
Monjardin said the number of ROTC graduates significantly dropped since 2001 when it was made one of the three components of the National Service Training Program which is required before college graduation.
He, however, said that in recent years, several colleges have inquired for requirements because they want to offer ROTC to their students.
As of second semester of school-year 2021-2022, record would show there were 15,477 students who completed ROTC training in 31 colleges and universities in Cagayan de Oro and elsewhere in Northern Mindanao.
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