Tagaytay City - The best cadet-athletes nationwide will display their wares as the 2nd Philippine Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) Games National Finals start today (Monday) at the Cavite State University in Indang, Cavite.
Senate Majority Floor Leader Francis Tolentino will declare open the week-long competition, which will be participated in by gold and silver medalists in the three-leg qualifying tournaments held in Bacolod City from May 26 to June 1 and the Mindanao phase on June 23 to 29 in Zamboanga City. The Luzon leg was held in Indang and Tagaytay from July 26 to Aug. 3.
Each of the three branches of services of the Armed Forces of the Philippines—Army, Navy, and Air Force—will hold their respective competitions, with the Army men dominating because they fielded the most entries.
The annual competition, Sen. Tolentino's brainchild, is being coordinated with the AFP, Department of National Defense, Commission on Higher Education, and Philippine Sports Commission, headed by Chairman Richard Bachmann.
It is also held to encourage the development of sports programs, promote physical education, and foster self-discipline, teamwork, and excellence in cadets. It is also intended to train young athletes and supplement the grassroots program.
“The aim is to train, motivate, organize, and mobilize students for national defense preparedness, including disaster preparedness and capacity building for risk-related situations,” said Tolentino, a reservist in the Philippine Army Brigade Commander of the 1501st Ready Reserve Brigade.
Also in attendance are Tolentino, PSC chairman Richard Bachman, DND top officials and CHED chairman Prospero De Vera III, Mayor and Philippine Olympic Committee president Bambol Tolentino, and other LGU officials.
A recent survey nationwide showed that 69 percent of the youth supported the mandatory ROTC program, with Mindanao having the highest percentage at 79, 74% from the Visayas, 67% from the National Capital Region, and 63% from the rest of Luzon.
The cadet-athletes will try their strength and willpower in the debuting disciplines: swimming, sepak takraw, target shooting, chess, 5x5 basketball, as well as raiders competition, arnis, athletics, boxing, e-sports, kickboxing, taekwondo, table tennis, and volleyball.
Among the early favorites in the army taekwondo competition are Bobbelle Abelis in the women's featherweight, Ashley Joy Rico in the lightweight, Joana Erica Dela Cruz in the welterweight, and Ren Ren Reyes in the men's welterweight in the Philippine Army bracket.
