17/08/2025
Anong Kwentong ROTC Mo? | Episode 1
Want to know more about our proud ROTC product?
Meet Mr Montaño, whose ROTC journey began as a basic cadet in 2021. He became a member of the Summer Cadre Training Class "SALINTAGLAW" 2022, and with dedication and perseverance, he served in the Corps Staff as S3 – Operations during his Advanced ROTC. Beyond that, he is now a Registered Criminologist and currently a College Instructor at Megabyte College Foundation, Inc.
Come and read his inspiring story in “Anong Kwentong ROTC Mo?”
I'm Allan Rey P Montaño, a Registered Criminologist from Palmayo, Floridablanca, Pampanga. I'm also a former ROTC Cadet Officer from Megabyte College Foundation, Inc. and a graduate of Summer Cadre Training Class "SALINTAGLAW" 2022. My ROTC journey began as a lower-class cadet, the lowest rank. At this stage, I learned discipline and respect all those above me, including upper-class cadets and Military Instructors. It was here that I also learned the importance of being a good listener, as we were taught various military drills and ceremonies. I quickly realized that failing to listen led to mistakes, and the worst part was that every mistake came with a corresponding punishment, usually in the form of exercise. My biggest realization from this experience is that a good listener is a good leader. If you don't listen, you won't learn. And if you don't learn, you won't have anything valuable to teach to your lower-class. This mindset proved incredibly beneficial. Carrying that perspective significantly increases your chances of success in your career. It's not about being a perfectionist; it's about doing your best in any situation. As one of our instructor always said, "As long as people trust you, don't waste it." and today, I'm proud to say that the fruit of my hard work is becoming a Registered Criminologist.
Also, the ROTC program significantly boosted my confidence and developed my leadership skills. When I became an upper class officer, we were tasked with teaching the lower class. I admit, I had a lot of self-doubt. I felt incapable of teaching and speaking in front of many people. I was afraid of being judged and seen as an ineffective leader. My sir told me, "You'll never know if you don't try," So, I took his advice and tried teaching. It turns out, based on the feedback from my lower class cadets, that I was an effective instructor. They told me they found it easily to follow and understand the different command in military drills when I was teaching.
When I was fourth year college student, I chose the ROTC program as the topic for my thesis. The title of our study was "The Impact of the ROTC Program on the Character Formation of Criminology Students." Based on our research, we proved that the ROTC program has a significant impact, especially on the physical, intellectual, and social attributes of the students. Because of this study, I was awarded Best in Thesis defense during our graduation. This experience deeply influenced my career path. After passing my board exams, I applied to Megabyte College Foundation, Inc. as a faculty members in the Criminology Department. I'm incredibly grateful that I'm a College Instructor now and look forward to joining the Philippine Air Force soon. Therefore, I am very thankful for the ROTC program. I learned so much, and it played a huge role in shaping who I am today. For future ROTC Cadets and future leaders, your journey will be marked by challenges, but remember that within every obstacle lies an opportunity for growth.
Again, I'm Allan Rey P Montaño, a Registered Criminologist and former ROTC Cadet. I encourage everyone to join PAF-ROTC and be one of us!
