Upsilon Sigma Phi

The Upsilon Sigma Phi () is the oldest Greek-letter organization and fraternity in Asia. Founded in 1918, it is also the oldest student organization in continuous existence in the University of the Philippines. It has two chapters — a single chapter for the UP Diliman and UP Manila campuses, and another for UP Los Baños. Membership remains exclusive to UP students, and is by invitation only. Members are known as "Fellows" or "Upsilonians".

Its vast but tight-knit network of prominent alumni both in public service and private enterprise has led several publishers to cite it as the most prestigious, illustrious, and influential fraternity in the Philippines.

Among its alumni are two Philippine presidents, a vice president, fifteen senators, fourteen Supreme Court justices (including three chief justices), three House Speakers, a Chairman of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, the only Filipino President of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), the only Filipino President of the World Meteorological Organization, the only Filipino recipient of the King Faisal International Prize for Service to Islam, the only Filipino Chairman of the World Trade Organization's Appellate Body, a titular member of the United Nations International Labour Organization, the only Filipino President of Rotary International, three Executive Secretaries, four Solicitors-General, twenty-six Ambassadors (including two Ambassadors to the United States), an AFP Chief of Staff, a NEDA Director-General, a Central Bank Governor, twenty-four honorees of The Outstanding Young Men (TOYM), four National Scientists, three National Artists, a recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay Award, and five UP Presidents.

In the current 18th Congress of the Philippines, two senators ( Dick Gordon and Kiko Pangilinan) and nine Representatives (Isagani Amatong, Roman Romulo, Martin Romualdez, Boying Remulla, Arnie Fuentebella, Alfred Vargas, Victor Yap, and Rimpy Bondoc) are Upsilonians. In the University of the Philippines, incumbent President Danilo Concepcion and current College of Law Dean Carlo Vistan II are also Upsilonians.

The fraternity was a Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations (TAYO) Awards finalist in 2013. In 2018, the Malacañang Palace issued Proclamation Order No. 539 recognizing the fraternity for its "significant contributions to numerous civic and humanitarian causes, as well as the dedication and commitment of its members to public service and nation-building", and declaring the year 2018 as the "Year for the Celebration of the Centennial Anniversary of the Upsilon Sigma Phi".

History

The Upsilon Sigma Phi was founded in 1918 by twelve students and two professors from the University of the Philippines Manila.

It was formally organized on November 19, 1920 in a meeting held at the Metropolitan Restaurant in Intramuros, Manila where the fraternity elected its first officers (among which include Agapito Jose del Rosario y Abad Santos, one of the founders of the Socialist Party of the Philippines and later on Mayor of Angeles, Pampanga).

Four months later, on March 24, 1921, the Greek letters "ΥΣΦ", standing for the initials of the name ''"University Students Fraternity"'' were formally adopted. The fraternity also adopted its themes, rites, and motto "We Gather Light to Scatter"; all influenced by freemasonry.

"The modern history of the Philippines is deeply tied to that of its state university, the University of the Philippines; and the history of the University is intricately entwined with that of its oldest and most prestigious student organization: the Upsilon Sigma Phi.

No complete story of my country can be written without touching on the crucial roles that the University of the Philippines and the Upsilon Sigma Phi have played in shaping the Philippines – for both the University of the Philippines and the Upsilon Sigma Phi were committed to using the gift of knowledge to serve and transform society."

— Ponciano G.A. Mathay, Executive Secretary of the Philippines (1974 – 1975)

Early years (1920 – 1941)

Its early years set its tradition of exclusivity where invitations for membership are given out only to individuals who served in leadership positions, or individuals which the Fraternity deemed in possession of leadership potential or regarded as excellent in their respective fields.

On campus, thirteen of its members chaired the UP Student Council from 1930 to 1949 (including Jose Laurel Jr., and Sotero Laurel, sons of Jose P. Laurel, himself an Upsilonian). Its members were prominent contributors in campus publications, a number of whom served as Editors-in-Chief of the Philippine Collegian (such as Arturo Tolentino and Armando Malay) and the now defunct annual publication, ''The Philippinensian''.

During this time, then UP Student Council President Wenceslao Vinzons earned himself the title of "Father of Student Activism" when he, together with members of the Fraternity, led demonstrations before the Philippine Congress to protest the insertion of a provision in the appropriations act that gave lawmakers a salary increase.

1934 Constitutional Convention

Three Upsilonians were later elected to the 1934 Philippine Constitutional Convention which created the 1935 Constitution of the Philippines: Wenceslao Vinzons, Conrado Benitez, and Jose P. Laurel.

World War II (1942 – 1945)

Upsilonians took key roles during World War II. Among those were Wenceslao Vinzons (who led guerrilla forces in Camarines), Agapito del Rosario, and José Abad Santos (Acting President of the Philippines, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and Secretary of Justice), all of whom were executed for refusing to swear allegiance to the Japanese. Meanwhile, Jose P. Laurel, as President of the puppet Philippine government during the Japanese occupation, protected the interests of the Filipino people through bureaucratic resistance; all the while suffering rebuke from his critics who accused him of collaboration with the Japanese.

Post-War (1946 – 1960s)

The UP Manila campus was destroyed during the Battle of Manila, warranting the whole university's administration to be relocated to the UP Diliman campus. Prominent landmarks in the Diliman campus such as Palma Hall, Melchor Hall, Quezon Hall, and the Church of the Risen Lord were all constructed under the vision of University Architect and Upsilonian Cesar Concio. Through the efforts of the UP Alumni Association headed by Upsilonian Hermenegildo Reyes, the fraternity helped raise funds for the construction of the bell tower called the "Carillon" which still stands today as another prominent landmark. Meanwhile, a chapter in U.P. Los Banos was established; it was also the first Greek-letter organization in the campus.

During the same period, the fraternity hosted the ''Cavalcades'', a series of stage plays and musicals that began on campus and eventually toured nationwide. Profits from "''Aloyan''" (the first full-length English play written by a Filipino) and "''Hanako''" plays were used to help finance the construction and furnishing of the Church of the Holy Sacrifice. These productions were purely an Upsilon endeavor led by writer Teddy Yabut and musicians Dick Zamora and Manuel Martell. One of the Fraternity's productions, ''Linda'', cast the then 17-year-old Pilita Corrales. Martell would later twice win in the Palanca Awards in the 1970s.

Under the term of Upsilonian Eric de Guia ("Kidlat Tahimik") as UP Student Council Chairman, the UP Student Union building in the Diliman was renamed Vinzons Hall in honor of hero and martyr Wenceslao Vinzons.

The Marcos Presidency (1965 – 1980s)

Administration

Members of the fraternity played active roles on all sides of the political scene during the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos, himself an Upsilonian. For the administration, notable Upsilonians were Executive Secretary Ponciano Mathay, Solicitor General and Pampanga Governor Estelito Mendoza, Cabinet Secretary and former UP President Onofre Corpuz, Central Bank Governor Alfonso Calalang, industry magnate and Ambassador Roberto Benedicto, Ilocos Norte Representative Roque Ablan, Jr., and longtime National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Jolly Bugarin. Representing the administration in international affairs, Bugarin would later become the only Filipino President of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), and Gautier Bisnar would serve as the Chief Delegate to the Malaysian-Philippine Talks on the Sabah Claim.

1971 Constitutional Convention

Thirteen Upsilonians were elected to the Philippine Constitutional Convention of 1971 which created the 1973 Constitution of the Philippines: Sotero Laurel as President Pro-Tempore, and Juan Liwag, Richard Gordon, Domocao Alonto, Enrique Belo, Mateo A.T. Caparas, Estanislao Fernandez, Augusto Legaspi, Tocod Macaraya, Ceferino Padua, Jose Suarez, Jose Yulo, Jr., and Juanito Remulla, Sr. as delegates. Juanito Remulla, Sr. would later become the longest sitting Governor of Cavite, while Mateo A.T. Caparas would also later be Chairman of the Presidential Commission on Good Government and the first and only Filipino president of Rotary International.

Congress

= Senate

=
Upsilonians in the Senate were vocal critics of the Marcos administration: Ninoy Aquino, Gerry Roxas, and Doy Laurel. Senator Ninoy Aquino would found Lakas ng Bayan ( LABAN: a political party which would later be merged form PDP–Laban by Upsilonian Teddy Macapagal); Senator Doy Laurel would found the United Nationalist Democratic Organization ( UNIDO), a political multi-party electoral alliance that advocated the preservation of democracy and ouster of the administration, while Senator Gerry Roxas would co-chair UNIDO and serve as national president of the Liberal Party.

Upsilonians fighting for Muslim rights were Senator Mamintal A.J. Tamano (who later became Deputy Minister of Foreign Relations under President Aquino), and former Senator Domocao Alonto (who is considered as the "champion of the rights of the Filipino Muslims" best known for authoring a law creating the Mindanao Development Authority, amending the law to recognize the Islamic holidays ‘ Īid al-Fitr and ‘Īid al-Adhā, and later proposing the addition of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) in the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines.

Upsilonian Juan Liwag was also a Senator. Another Upsilonian, Arturo Tolentino would also become Senate President from 1966 to 1967. After him, Gil Puyat would serve from 1967 to 1972. Tolentino would also be the Head Philippine Delegate to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea ( UNCLOS).

= House of Representatives and the Batasang Pambansa

=
During the same period, three Upsilonians would serve as Speaker of the House of Representatives. Jose Laurel Jr. would serve from 1967 to 1971, having previously served from 1954 to 1957. Querube Makalintal would serve from 1978 to 1984, then Nicanor Yñiguez from 1984 to 1986.

Supreme Court

During the same period, two Upsilonians: Querube Makalintal and Enrique Fernando would serve as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Five Upsilonians, Nestor Alampay, Ramon Fernandez, Vicente Ericta, Hermogenes Concepcion, Jr., and Estanislao Fernandez would also become Associate Justices of the Supreme Court. Estanislao Fernandez is also a former Senate Minority Floor Leader. Vicente Ericta would also serve as Tanodbayan (Ombudsman).

Campus

Meanwhile, UP President and Upsilonian Salvador Lopez would oversee the transformation of the campus into the bulwark of militant freedom, culminating in the First Quarter Storm. In the arts, Upsilonian Behn Cervantes founded the UP Repertory Company to "combat the censorship that was in place." His most successful film, ''Sakada'', revealed the deteriorating conditions in the haciendas and won the Dekada Award for Best Film of the Decade.

Opposition and the 1986 People Power Revolution

After Senator Ninoy Aquino's assassination in 1983, Doy Laurel led the opposition together with Ninoy Aquino's widow, Corazon Aquino. Their efforts would culminate in the People Power Revolution.

Meanwhile, from the Left, Upsilonians Melito Glor and Merardo Arce became commanders in the New People's Army (NPA). After their deaths, the NPA Southern Luzon and Mindanao Commands would, in their honor, be named the Melito Glor Command and the Merardo Arce Command, respectively. The two commanders would also be commemorated in the ''Bantayog ng mga Bayani''. Meanwhile, Upsilonian Antonio Tujan was the Secretary General of the Communist Party of the Philippines. Antonio Tujan is also the founder of the IBON Foundation and a current member of the Advisory Group of the United Nations Development Cooperation Forum.

In the fight for Press Freedom, Upsilonian Jake Almeda Lopez was the general manager of ABS-CBN where Upsilonian broadcaster Angelo Castro Jr. would later become News Manager and the creator of TV Patrol. Alto Broadcasting System (ABS), the precursor to ABS-CBN, was founded by Upsilonian Antonio Quirino. In print media, Upsilonian Armando Malay (who will later be commemorated in the ''Bantayog ng mga Bayani'' together with Upsilonian student activists Cesar Hicaro and Alfredo Malicay) was the head of WE Forum, an anti-Marcos newspaper.

1986 Constitutional Commission

Following the People Power Revolution, the Constitutional Commission of 1986 was convened. The Convention included five Upsilonians appointed by President Corazon Aquino: former Senator Domocao Alonto as Assistant Floor Leader, and former Speaker of the House Jose B. Laurel, Jr., Yusup Abubakar, Jose Suarez, and Christian Monsod as Commissioners. Monsod would later be appointed by the new President as Chairman of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC).

The Fifth Republic (1987 – 2018)

Under the new Constitution, Upsilonians that gained prominence in the public service include Doy Laurel (the only person in Philippine history to hold the posts of Vice President, Prime Minister, and Foreign Minister concurrently), Senator Sotero Laurel (who became Senate President pro tempore and was one of the ‘Magnificent 12’ who voted against the extension of the United States Military Bases in the Philippines), Executive Secretary Catalino Macaraig Jr., Congressman Gerardo "Dinggoy" Roxas Jr. and longtime Quezon City Mayor Mel Mathay, among many others.

Upsilonian Doy Laurel would later be appointed as the chairman of the Philippine National Centennial Commission in the run-up to the Philippine Centennial of the country's independence. Upsilonian Dionisio dela Serna would also serve as Deputy Executive Secretary.

For EDSA II and preceding impeachment trial, Upsilonians took again key roles with the prosecution being led by Congressman Joker Arroyo and the defense headed by former Solicitor General Estelito Mendoza. Afterwards, Congressman Wimpy Fuentebella, an Upsilonian, would file an impeachment complaint for betrayal of public trust and corruption due to the alleged improper swearing in of the new President.

Later, Upsilonian Roman Kintanar, the longest serving Director of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), was conferred the Philippine Legion of Honor. The title of National Scientist would also be conferred to Upsilonian Ricardo Lantican for his achievements in plant breeding. Lantican would be the fourth Upsilonian in the Order of National Scientists, after economist Jose Encarnacion Jr., Bienvenido Juliano, and Onofre Corpuz. Ramon Magsaysay Awardee Romulo Davide, an Upsilonian, would also be inducted into the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), the country's highest recognition and scientific advisory body. Davide would become the eighth Upsilonian inducted into the prestigious body.

Upsilonian human rights lawyer Joker Arroyo, who previously served as Executive Secretary to President Aquino, founded the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG), and founded the Movement of Attorneys for Brotherhood, Integrity, and Nationalism (MABINI), would also become senator.

During the same period, five Upsilonians Florentino Feliciano, Emilio Gancayco, Jose C. Campos, Camilo Quiason, and Josue Bellosillo are appointed as Justices of the Supreme Court. In addition thereto, Upsilonians Dante Canlas, Willy Gaa, and Gen. Gregorio Catapang became Director-General of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Ambassador to the United States of America, and Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), respectively.

Meanwhile, Upsilonian Ivan Henares was named one of The Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) of the Philippines for 2012. Henares is the first awardee for the category of Heritage Conservation. He serves as the 23rd Upsilonian who has been named into the TOYM. In 2013, the fraternity was also named as a finalist in the Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations (TAYO) Awards. TAYO, co-founded by the National Youth Commission, is the country’s premier institution that recognizes and supports the outstanding contributions of youth organizations to the country.

Centennial Year (2018 – present)

"In the coming years, we will remain true to our motto: "We Gather Light to Scatter". Year in and year out, our resident chapters in the campuses of the University of the Philippines will continue to recruit bright and talented students from diverse disciplines and hone their potential as future achievers."

— Alfredo Pascual during "The Fellowship of Lights Centennial Ball''.''"

On July 25, 2018, the Malacañang Palace issued Proclamation Order No. 539 recognizing the fraternity for its "significant contributions to numerous civic and humanitarian causes, as well as the dedication and commitment of its members to public service and nation-building." The year 2018 was also declared as the "Year for the Celebration of the Centennial Anniversary of the Upsilon Sigma Phi."https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/downloads/2018/07jul/20180725-PROC-539-RRD.pdf

In the same year, the fraternity inaugurated the UP Promenade, a 120-meter walkway equipped with internet and Wi-Fi capable facilities available for the use of every student and faculty member of the Diliman campus. The other flagship centennial project, ''The Kapit-Kapit Monument'', which depicts 14 individuals with their arms locked in solidarity, is located at the Los Baños campus.

In the University of the Philippines, Upsilonians Alfredo Pascual and Danilo Concepcion are appointed as the 20th and 21st President respectively, serving from 2011 up to the present. The positions of University Student Council Chairperson in the campuses of Diliman, Manila, and Los Banos were also held by three Upsilonians simultaneously in 2018.

In the current 18th Congress of the Philippines, the Fraternity has secured two seats in the Senate: Dick Gordon, who is also currently the Chairman of the Philippine Red Cross, and Kiko Pangilinan, who is also currently the National President of the Liberal Party.

Meanwhile, in the House of Representatives (HoR), eight seats are currently held by Upsilonians: Gani Amatong (Zamboanga del Norte), Boying Remulla (Cavite), Victor Yap (Tarlac), Roman Romulo (Pasig), Rimpy Bondoc (Pampanga), Arnie Fuentebella (Camarines Sur), Alfred Vargas (Quezon City), and Martin Romualdez (Leyte). Martin Romualdez is also the incumbent Majority Floor Leader of the HoR, the National President of Lakas–CMD, and president of the Philippine Constitution Association (PHILCONSA).

In the Local Government Units, Dennis Socrates is serving as Vice Governor of Palawan; Jay Rodriguez is a board member in Palawan; Ping Remulla is a board member in Cavite; Jovi Fuentabella is a mayor in Camarines Sur; Vince Soriano is a mayor in Laguna; Zaldy Laudencia is a councilor of San Fernando, La Union; Jay Quitain Jr. is a councilor of Davao City; Rhichie Brown is a councilor of Pasig; and Cocoy Lopez is a councilor in Laguna.

Three (3) Upsilonians are currently serving as diplomats: Carlos Sorreta as Ambassador to Russia, Julius Torres as chargé d'affaires of the embassy in Iraq, and Jaime Victor Ledda as ambassador to The Hague, Netherlands. Jaime Victor Ledda is also the current Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons Asian Group coordinator.

Lastly, under the Duterte administration, Jesus Melchor Quitain is currently serving as officer-in-charge of the Office of the Special Assistant to the President. He has previously served as City Administrator of Davao City and is said to be influential in Malacañang and is known for writing the State of the Nation Addresses. Meanwhile, Kristian Ablan is serving as Undersecretary of the Presidential Communications Operations Office.

Membership

Members of the Upsilon Sigma Phi are called Fellows or Upsilonians.

Membership is by invitation only and is exclusive to male individuals in the University of the Philippines Diliman/Manila and Los Banos campuses. Selection is based on an individual's leadership positions and potential success and prominence in their respective fields (both on- and off-campus). Owing to its rigorous screening of invitees, its alumni roster consists of a diverse roll of successful members in public service, industry, medicine, military, and academia among others.

In public service alone, the fraternity has produced two Philippine Presidents, an Acting President, a Vice President, 15 senators (including three Senate Presidents), 14 Supreme Court Justices (including three Chief Justices), three House Speakers, 37 Representatives, 20 members of the Batasang Pambansa, 19 Governors, three Executive Secretaries, four Solicitors-General, 26 Ambassadors, five Commissioners in the Constitutional Commission of 1986, and five UP Presidents, among the numerous more that have led executive departments and agencies, judicial incumbencies, local government units, and other constitutional offices.Ninety Years of Upsilon Sigma Phi
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Beyond public service, its roster includes a Ramon Magsaysay Awardee, four National Scientists, a National Artist, 24 honorees of The Outstanding Young Men, and many more pioneers in business, research, and medicine.

Its vast network of tight-knit influential alumni both in public service and private enterprise has led several publishers to cite it as the most prominent and influential fraternity in the Philippines. Notable people known to be Upsilon Sigma Phi fellows include:

* Ninoy Aquino – Senator; Tarlac Governor; Korean War correspondent; founder, Lakas ng Bayan (now PDP–Laban); recipient, Quezon Service Cross
*Ferdinand Marcos – 10th Philippine President; 3rd Prime Minister; 11th Senate President, Ilocos Norte Representative, World War II veteran, bar topnotcher
* Gerry Roxas – Senate Minority Leader; Capiz Representative; lawyer; founder, Gerry Roxas Foundation
*Doy Laurel – 8th Philippine Vice President; 5th Prime Minister; Senator; founder, United Nationalist Democratic Organization (UNIDO)
* Gil Puyat – 13th Senate President; founder, Manila Banking Corporation (now China Bank Savings); Knight of the Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great
* Jorge Araneta – billionaire businessman; Chairman, Araneta Group of Companies; director, 7-Eleven Philippines
* Arturo Tolentino – 12th Senate President; head of the Philippine delegation, UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)
* Antonio Quirino – founder of the first television station in the Philippines, Alto Broadcasting System (now part of ABS-CBN)
* José Abad Santos – Acting Philippine President; 5th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court; Secretary of Justice
* Teodoro Kalaw – Father of the Philippine Library System; Batangas Representative; Interior Secretary
* Wenceslao Vinzons – World War II hero; Camarines Norte Governor; "Father of Student Activism in the Philippines"; member, 1934 Constitutional Convention
* José P. Laurel – 3rd Philippine President; Senator; Justice of the Supreme Court
* Joker Arroyo – Senator; Executive Secretary; Makati Representative; founder of Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG)
* Kiko Pangilinan – Senator; President, Liberal Party; alumnus, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
* Dick Gordon – Senator; Chairman, Philippine Red Cross; founding Chairman, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority; delegate, 1970 Constitutional Convention
* Roman Romulo – Pasig Representative; lawyer; Chairperson, House Committee on Higher and Technical Education; principal author, Iskolar ng Bayan Act of 2014
* Martin Romualdez – current Speaker, House of Representatives; House Majority Leader, Leyte Representative; National President, Lakas–CMD
*Alfredo Pascual – current Secretary of Trade and Industry; President, University of the Philippines
* Danilo Concepcion – current President, University of the Philippines; Dean, UP College of Law; Representative, Interim Batasang Pambansa
* Mel Mathay – longtime Quezon City Mayor; Quezon City Representative; Chairman, Metropolitan Manila Authority (now MMDA)
*Jose Encarnacion Jr. – National Scientist for Economics; Dean, UP School of Economics
* Christian Monsod – Chairman, COMELEC; founder, Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE); member, Constitutional Commission of 1986
*José Laurel Jr. – 9th Speaker of the House of Representatives; Batangas Representative
* Nicanor Yñiguez – 15th Speaker of the House of Representatives; Southern Leyte Representative
* Querube Makalintal – 11th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court; 14th Speaker of the House of Representatives; Solicitor General

References

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Fraternities and sororities in the Philippines
Student societies in the Philippines
University of the Philippines
Student organizations established in 1918
1918 establishments in the Philippines