THE Philippines will not be a free and independent country that it is today if it wasn’t for the groundwork laid out by a valiant organization formed more than a century ago.
On July 7 1892, Filipinos formed Katipunan or Ang Kataastaasang, Kagalanggalang, Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (KKK) ng mga anak ng Bayan (Supreme and Venerable Society of the Children of the Nation), a patriotic society that aims to free the Philippines from Spanish rule through revolution.
The founding fathers of Katipunan include: Andres Bonifacio, Deodato Arellano, Valentin Diaz, Teodoro Plata, Ladislao Diwa, Jose Dizon and members of the La Liga Filipina, organized by Dr. Jose Rizal.
Katipunan had three goals: to unite Filipinos, gain Philippine independence by means of an armed conflict (or revolution) and establish a republic after independence.
To solidify the bond of Katipunan, members performed the solemn rite of sanduguan (blood compact). As a sign of their allegiance, a katipunero must draw his own blood and sign his name on the oath of membership.
The Katipunan remained a secret society until 1896, when Spanish authorities discovered the organization. By then, the strength Katipunan grew with 100,000 to 400,000, as estimated by American writer James Le Roy—ready to challenge any form of oppression. On August 26, 1896, Bonifacio and his men tore their cedulas (identification cards during Spanish era), marking the beginning of the Philippine revolution.
From a few loyal members to thousands across the archipelago, and armed by shared sentiments and aspirations, Katipunan became instrumental in eventually challenging and ousting Spanish authorities.
Today, the ideals of Katipunan have remained in the generations of Filipinos that followed them. Fraternities, sororities and other organizations have become a staple in the Philippines education system. Unfortunately, some practices present today in fraternities defeat the purpose of brotherhood and camaraderie.
On June 28, an undergraduate from a Manila college died from injuries he suffered following a fraternity hazing incident.
Guillo Cesar Servando, 18, was set to attend his initiation rites at the Alpha Kappa Rho fraternity. He would have been a member of an organization bound by unity and brotherhood by the end of the night, only if it wasn’t for his untimely death.
Hazing is an initiation rite before a neophyte is admitted into a fraternity, sorority or any organization, much like the Katipunan’s Sanduguan. Through hazing, a neophyte’s loyalty and willingness to join are tested through a series of physical and mental challenges.
However, college students these days are subjected to extreme college hazing rituals. In most “unreported” cases, the torment members must go through, blur the lines between initiation and torture.
In the Philippines, hazing is illegal. Republic Act No. 8049 or the anti-hazing law, penalizes members of a sorority, fraternity or organization involved in the infliction of harm to neophytes.
In effect since 1995, the anti-hazing law sets a life imprisonment sentence if the neophyte dies or is raped or mutilated. It also sets the penalty of prison terms of at least 17 years to a maximum of 20 years if the hazing victim becomes insane, mentally ill, sexually dysfunctional or blind.
Because of Servando’s recent death, a lawmaker filed a bill that would replace the Anti-Hazing Law.
“According to its formal title, R.A. 8049 merely seeks to regulate hazing when it should ban it outright. Anything less than the express prohibition and criminalization of hazing is not enough,” Valenzuela Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian said in the explanatory note of House Bill 4714.
In this new measure, hazing and violent initiation rites will be banned completely, the new bill also imposes heavier penalties, including the provision of damages to the victims and their family.
Until it becomes a law and strictly enforced, fraternities, sororities and other organizations, and their practices in the country will remain under fire. So much for brotherhood.
(AJPress)
