DR. BARBA TO CATSU ROTC: “STAND TALL FOR LEADERSHIP, DISCIPLINE, AND SERVICE
EDUCATION AND RESEARCH (ED)Welcoming new sponsors and honoring outgoing batch, the Catanduanes State University (CatSU) Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) staged the Presentation of Sponsors and Escorts this morning, March 11, at the Front Grounds of the CatSU Administrative Building. Dr. Roberto B. Barba Jr., CatSU Officer-in-Charge, fired up over 400 cadets with his speech, recalling his days as a CAT battalion commander at Catanduanes National High School. He shared his dream of joining the military but was barred by height limits, noting that destiny takes its own path. “Today, I may not be standing here as a soldier, but as the Officer-in-Charge of this university, leading a different kind of mission—one that builds future leaders, instills discipline, and nurtures service-oriented individuals like you,” Dr. Barba said. He pinned on the impact of ROTC beyond drills and commands and its role in shaping discipline, grit, and leadership. He challenged cadets to value time, noting that in ROTC, “there is no ‘Filipino time’—only ‘military time.’” Dr. Barba stressed true leadership, saying real leaders earn respect rather than demand it. Addressing the Sponsors and Escorts, he commended them as pillars of support, strength, and excellence in ROTC. “You are more than just the faces of this occasion. You represent the values of ROTC—the grace in discipline, the strength in leadership, and the commitment to excellence,” he asserted. Closing his speech, Dr. Barba left cadets with a message on service and character. “In life, it doesn’t matter how tall you are. What matters is how high your dreams reach,” he declared. “Yes, I was 5’3, and yes, I didn’t make it to the military. But did that stop me from serving? No. Because true service is not defined by height—it is defined by heart.”
