The group commander of the 7th Regional Community Defense Group of the Philippine Army said the enrollment in the Reserved Officers' Training Corps has declined.

Col. Guillermo Luyao Jr., commander of the RCDG based in Camp Lapu-Lapu, in Lapu Lapu City, Cebu, bared this in an interview about his assessment of the military reserve course.

Luyao said that from a peak enrollment of 40,000 in Oriental Negros in the past, the number has dwindled to only 5,000 at present.

Throughout the nation, he said, enrollment has also gone down to 80,000 from a peak of 270,000.

Luyao was guest speaker during the graduation exercises for Army ROTC cadets of the Negros Oriental State University Main Campus, Bais campus, and Saint Paul University, this week.

Meantime, the group commander said the ROTC program will remain.

But instead of two years in the past, ROTC training is now for only one year, he added.

Luyao said Article 7 of Republic Act No. 9163 or the National Service Training Program Law which was implemented in 2001 has made taking of ROTC compulsory for all male first year college students and optional to females.

The reservist battalion commander in Oriental Negros is Rep. Emilio Macias II, (2nd district, Oriental Negros) who holds the rank of Lieutenant Colonel of the reserve force.

Provincial Board Member Arturo Umbac heads the Reserve Brigade and has the rank of Colonel.*RG

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