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—an integrated chapter for the UP Diliman and the UP Manila campuses, and a separate one for the UP Los Baños campus.

History

Early years

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 del Rosario, 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 were formally adopted, along with themes, rites, and motto.

During its early years, Upsilon Sigma Phi invited individuals with exceptional leadership potential or achievements to its ranks. Notable members during the 1920s include José Abad Santos (Chief Justice and Acting President of the Philippines), Carmelino G. Alvendia (Senior Associate Justice of the Court of Appeals), Vicente J. Caedo (Governor of Batangas), Teodoro M. Kalaw (Father of the Philippine Library System), Juan R. Liwag (Senator and Justice Secretary), Pio Pedrosa (Finance and Budget Secretary), and Antonio Quirino (Father of Philippine Television). From 1930 to 1949, members, including UP Student Council President Wenceslao Vinzons, spearheaded protests against legislative salary increases, demonstrating the fraternity's social and political advocacy engagement. Following the Battle of Manila, the fraternity played a vital role in the university's post-war reconstruction efforts. Upsilonian Hermenegildo Reyes led fundraising for the Carillon Bell Tower, a prominent symbol on the Diliman campus. During this period, the fraternity also established a chapter in UP Los Baños, the first Greek-letter organization on the campus. It was also in this decade, in 1933, that five young women from UP established an organization devoted to excellence in dramatics and fine arts—th
Sigma Delta Phi
��which became the sister sorority of Upsilon.

However, during World War II, there were no classes in University of the Philippines except in the College of Medicine, leading to most recruitments during the 1940s to be in the field of medicine, such as Victor Potenciano (Founder of Polytechnic University of the Philippines Hospital). The decade also gave way to a virtual unknown in the political landscape at the time, Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. who would write his name into Philippine history next to Ferdinand Marcos along with other well-known Upsilonians such as Arturo Tolentino and Gerardo Roxas Sr. In addition to civic contributions, Upsilon became known for cultural initiatives such as the Cavalcades, a series of stage plays and musicals that toured nationwide. Proceeds from productions like ''Aloyan'' and ''Hanako'' were used to help build the Church of the Holy Sacrifice at UP Diliman. These artistic endeavors also launched careers, with one production, ''Linda'', featuring a young Pilita Corrales, who later became a celebrated performer. Such initiatives highlighted Upsilon's commitment to the arts and community development.

From 1930 to 1949, then UP Student Council President Wenceslao Vinzons, together with fraternity members, led demonstrations before the Philippine Congress to protest the insertion of a provision in the appropriations act that gave lawmakers a salary increase.

In 1947, a chapter in UP Los Baños was established; the first Greek-letter organization in the campus. After the Battle of Manila, the UP administration relocated to the Diliman campus in 1949. Through the efforts of th
UP Alumni Association
headed by Upsilonian Hermenegildo Reyes, the fraternity helped raise funds for the construction of the bell tower called the "Carillon".

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. One of the fraternity's productions, ''Linda'', cast the then seventeen-year-old Pilita Corrales.

Recent years

In 2013, the fraternity was named as a finalist in the Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations (TAYO) Awards, which recognize and support the outstanding contributions of youth organizations to the country.

On July 25, 2018, the Malacañang Palace issue
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 the "Year for the Celebration of the Centennial Anniversary of the Upsilon Sigma Phi."Proclamation No. 539 - Declaring the year 2018 as the "year for the celebration of the centennial anniversary of the Upsilon Sigma Phi"
/ref>

In the same year, the fraternity dedicated the UP Promenade, a 120-meter public walkway with Internet and Wi-Fi capable facilities, at UP Diliman. In the Los Baños campus, the fraternity gave the ''Kapit-Kapit'' Monument, which depicts 14 individuals with their arms locked in solidarity.

In 2022, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines unveiled the "Upsilon Sigma Phi" historical marker on the Diliman campus for the fraternity's 104th anniversary,

Symbols

The Greek letters ΥΣΦ are the initials of the name "University Students Fraternity". The fraternity's motto is "We Gather Light to Scatter". Upsilon Sigma Phi members are called fellows or Upsilonians.

The fraternity's colors are cardinal red, honorable blue, and gold. Red symbolizes courage and bravery, blue represents loyalty, and gold symbolizes excellence. Its flower is the pink rose.

Membership

Membership is by invitation only and is exclusive to male individuals in the University of the Philippines Diliman, Manila, and Los Baños campuses. Selection is based on an individual's leadership positions and potential success and prominence in their respective fields (both on- and off-campus).

Notable members

Among its alumni are two Philippine presidents, a vice president, 15 senators, 14 supreme court justices (including three chief justices), three house speakers, a chairman of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, three executive secretaries, four solicitors-general, 26 ambassadors, an AFP chief of staff, a NEDA director-general, a Central Bank governor, 24 honorees of The Outstanding Young Men, four national scientists, three national artists, a recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay Award, and five UP presidents.Ninety Years of Upsilon Sigma Phi
/ref>

Following are a select number of notable members:
* Gémino Abad - National Artist of the Philippines for Literature, literary critic, poet
* Jorge Araneta – billionaire businessman; Chairman, Araneta Group of Companies; director, 7-Eleven Philippines
* Joker Arroyo – Senator; Executive Secretary; Makati Representative; founder of Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG)
* Ninoy Aquino – Senator; Tarlac Governor; founder, Lakas ng Bayan; recipient, Quezon Service Cross
* Danilo Concepcion – President, University of the Philippines; Representative, Interim Batasang Pambansa
* Onofre Corpuz – Minister of Education; Secretary of Education; President of the University of the Philippines; Member of the Interim Batasang Pambansa; National Scientist; Academician, National Academy of Science and Technology
* Jose Encarnacion Jr. – National Scientist for Economics; Dean, UP School of Economics
* Dick Gordon – Senator; Chairman, Philippine Red Cross; founding Chairman, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority; delegate, 1970 Constitutional Convention
* Ted Herbosa - Secretary of Health; President, 78th World Health Assembly
* Teodoro Kalaw – Father of the Philippine Library System; Batangas Representative; Interior Secretary
* Doy Laurel – 8th Philippine Vice President; 5th Prime Minister; Senator; founder, United Nationalist Democratic Organization (UNIDO)
* José Laurel Jr. – 9th Speaker of the House of Representatives; Batangas Representative
* José P. Laurel – 3rd Philippine President; Senator; Justice of the Supreme Court
* Salvador P. Lopez - Filipino writer, journalist, educator, diplomat, and statesman
* Tony Mabesa – National Artist of the Philippines for theater, actor, director, pioneer of Philippine university theater
* Ferdinand Marcos – 10th Philippine President; 3rd Prime Minister; 11th Senate President, Ilocos Norte Representative, World War II veteran, bar topnotcher
* Querube Makalintal – 11th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court; 14th Speaker of the House of Representatives; Solicitor General
* Mel Mathay – Quezon City Mayor; Quezon City Representative; Chairman, Metropolitan Manila Authority ( MMDA)
* Christian Monsod – Chairman, COMELEC; member, Constitutional Commission of 1986
* Kiko Pangilinan – Senator; President, Liberal Party
* Alfredo Pascual – Secretary of Trade and Industry; President and Regent, University of the Philippines
* Gil Puyat – 13th Senate President; founder, Manila Banking Corporation (now China Bank Savings)
* Antonio Quirino – founder of the first television station in the Philippines, Alto Broadcasting System (ABS-CBN)
* Boying Remulla – Secretary of Justice; Cavite's 3rd district Representative; Deputy Speaker
* Jonvic Remulla – Secretary of Interior and Local Government, Governor of Cavite
* Martin Romualdez – Speaker, House of Representatives; House Majority Leader, Leyte Representative; National President, Lakas–CMD
* Roman Romulo – Pasig Representative; Chairperson, House Committee on Higher and Technical Education
* Gerry Roxas – Senate Minority Leader; Capiz Representative; lawyer; founder, Gerry Roxas Foundation
* José Abad Santos – Acting Philippine President; 5th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court; Secretary of Justice
* Kidlat Tahimik – National Artist for Film
* Arturo Tolentino – Senate President; head of the Philippine delegation, UN Convention on the Law of the Sea
* Wenceslao Vinzons – Camarines Norte Governor; "Father of Student Activism in the Philippines"; member, 1934 Constitutional Convention
* Nicanor Yñiguez – 15th Speaker of the House of Representatives; Southern Leyte Representative

Member and chapter misconduct

Hazing incidents

On July 18, 1954, a UP student recruit, Gonzalo Mariano M. Albert, died in the wake of the fraternity's initiation proceedings. After experiencing abdominal pain, the student was rushed to a hospital where he was diagnosed to undergo emergency appendectomy but succumbed on the operating table. Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay assigned an ''ad hoc'' medico-legal committee, that failed to indicate that hazing "contributed to Albert's death" in their findings; albeit which jeopardized his physical condition before the patient's appendectomy. The committee further recommended the expulsion of four officers of the fraternity, implicated residents and neophytes being suspended, and a censure of several UP deans, directors, and faculty members for their collective remiss to discharge proactive duties. Albert's death was the first recorded fatality attributed to hazing in the Philippines, and the only known demise of an Upsilon Sigma Phi neophyte.

On July 4, 2014, the fraternity was once again implicated in the hazing of a seventeen-year-old neophyte who sustained physical injuries during fraternity initiation.

Inter-fraternity brawl and group chat leaks

On September 20, 1969, an fraternity members was fatally pummeled by members of the rival Beta Sigma fraternity. It was the first publicly documented fatality of a fraternity "rumble" (brawl) in the University of the Philippines, that prompted UP president Salvador P. Lopez to issue stringent regulations effecting university organizations, and suspended both the Upsilon Sigma Phi and Beta Sigma fraternities.

On June 18, 2015, Quezon City police arrested five Upsilonians after allegedly mauling three rival fraternity members and leading police in a brief car chase while fleeing. The five felons were released on June 24, 2015, upon posting bail of each on frustrated homicide charges, and each for illegal possession of ammunition.

On November 14, 2018, rival frats Upsilon Sigma Phi and Alpha Phi Beta were recorded on campus CCTV in a brawl. The incident prompted campus authorities to tighten security within the UP system and a statement of condemnation from Diliman chancellor Tan and UP president Concepcion. The same month, a Facebook Messenger chat by alleged Upsilon members was penetrated by a rival frat to reveal misogynous banter censured by UP President Danilo Concepcion, himself an Upsilonian, as "reprehensible and totally unacceptable" language by its fellows.

See also

* List of fraternities and sororities in the Philippines

References

{{Reflist, colwidth=30em

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