• CHRYSEE G. SAMILLANO
The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod yesterday approved a resolution ratifying the memorandum of agreement between the City of Bacolod, represented by Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, and 2024 Philippine Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Games Executive Organizing Committee (2024 PRG ECO), represented by its Visayas Regional Secretariat co-chairperson, MGen. Elpidio Talja, PAF, regarding the 2024 Philippine ROTC Games.
The SP had earlier approved Resolution No. 332, Series of 2024, on April 1, authorizing the Mayor to sign the MOA entered into by and between the City of Bacolod and the 2024 PRG ECO, represented by Talja.
The MOA stated that the 2024 Philippine Reserve Officers Training Corps Games Executive Organizing Committee (2024 PRG ECO), is composed of Senator Francis Tolentino, Secretary of the Department of National Defense (DND), chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), chairperson of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), and Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and the president of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), MGen. Elpidio Talja.
The ROTC is a program institutionalized under Sections 38 and 39 of R.A. No. 7077 series of 1991, or “The Citizen Armed Forces of the Philippines Reservist Act”, designed to provide military training to tertiary level students in order to motivate, train, organize, and mobilize them for national defense preparedness, it said.
Sen. Francis Tolentino wants to further promote nationalism and sports in the ROTC Program and proposes to revitalize it through the holding of the 2024 Philippine ROTC games, the MOA said.
On January 12, a tripartite memorandum of agreement was entered into by and between the DND, CHED, and the PSC for the conduct of the 2024 Philippine ROTC Games, it said.
The CHED conducted regional orientation on April 12 to solicit the support of local government units (LGUs) and state universities and colleges (SUCs), the MOA said.
The LGU of Bacolod City has signified its intent to the 2024 Philippine ROTC Games National Secretariat to take part in the 2024 Philippine ROTC Games regional leg, specifically to host the said event, which will be held from May 26 to June 1 at selected competition venues in Bacolod City and other LGUs by virtues of Sangguniang Panlungsod Resolution No. 332, which also authorized the Mayor to sign this agreement on behalf of the city, it said.
The LGU of Bacolod City recognizes that there is a need to provide additional financial support to the SUC in order to upgrade its institutional capability and sustain the development efforts towards meeting the challenges of producing the required manpower resources needed for accelerated national development, the MOA added.*
