IN HER quest to expand her knowledge and experience by continuously challenging herself to trying new areas of expertise, Cadet Colonel Sophie Rodrigazo decided to join the Reserved Officers Training Corps (ROTC) of Siliman University (SU).Her dedication and passion as corps commander recently earned her the recognition as cadette of the year from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).The AFP assessed her scholastic record, training and experience, awards received, and involvement in the community as a cadet officer and as a civilian.On the final selection, one male and female cadet from each branch (Army, Air Force, and Navy) attended a virtual Zoom conference where they were each interviewed by the board.Huge part of her decision to join the ROTC was her grandfather former Murcia Mayor Elizalde Rodrigazo.“He was a cadet officer during college and was part of the troops mobilized during World War 2,” Rodrigazo said.Currently, Rodrigazo shared that she is still learning a lot from the instructors of Silliman University ROTC Unit despite being an outstanding cadette.“I was able to further develop my leadership skills, discipline, and performance as a cadet officer from the knowledge they are imparting to me and my buddies,” she said.Recently, the bill pushing for the inclusion of the ROTC program in Senior High School was approved and was met with opposition.But Rodrigazo stressed that the ROTC program is not only about marching and combat training, it provides the citizens life skills and experience such as survival, first aid, disaster response, and community engagement among others.She also emphasized that the cadets can also contribute to the unit as a writer, illustrator, photographer, communicator, leader, or medic, and more [since] the military is dynamic, progressive and all skills are acknowledged.“I encourage everyone to open their mind on the advantages one can equip themselves if they undergo the program,” Rodrigazo, who is a third year foreign affairs student of SU, said.A straight ally of the LGBTQ+ Community, Rodrigazo pointed out that gender was never the problem [in joining the military service], but rather it was the society who decided to create norms that should never have existed.As to the proposal of vice presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte of making military enlistment mandatory for Filipino youth, Rodrigazo said that she is looking forward that this would materialize.“We have to face the fact that the military is faced with an unfavorable perspective to the current generation due to the transgressions of some individuals (and) it is part of her (Duterte’s) responsibility as the proponent to think of counteractions to ensure that the mandatory military enlistment serves its purpose,” she said.Rodrigazo, daughter of Spyro and Heide Rodrigazo, and younger sister of Shanelle Aira Rodrigazo is from Murcia town and now a resident of Bacolod City.*