Executive Director,
AKO BICOL Party-list
Member, Tau Gamma Phi Fraternity
Author, Anti-Hazing Law of 2018 (RA 11053)
Non-registration of fraternities is a violation of Section 6 of Republic Act 11053 or the Anti-Hazing Law of 2018. If a fraternity is not a recognized student organization, that means it is not registered. If it is not registered, the fraternity and the school are both liable for violating Section 6, for not complying with Section 6.
If a fraternity is not recognized or accredited but is still able to exist and operate with a chapter in the school, then both the fraternity and the school are liable for the violation of and not complying with Section 6.
Non-recognition of fraternities has become the shield and insulation of schools, so they can wash their hands of and deny any knowledge of the existence of these fraternities and their activities. It is time to take away this shield.
Section 6 is clear. Fraternities must be registered student organizations. Section 6 does not give the schools the option to deny the fraternities recognition or not register them.
Non-compliance with the registration requirement in Section 6 renders Section 7 about the faculty adviser and Section 8 about the Role of Educational Institutions useless and immaterial.
The Commission on Higher Education and the Department of Education must therefore require the registration of all fraternities, sororities and similar organizations that exist, operate and have members in the schools. The law requires registration. Non-accreditation is not an option. Take away their shield of non-recognition of fraternities and sororities. This is an implementation matter. Implement the law.
The situation with Section 6 is the same with Section 9 on Community-based Fraternities. If there is no registered fraternity at the barangay where any fraternity chapter is based or operating, there is no compliance with Section 9, thereby rendering Sections 10 and 11 useless and immaterial.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government must order all barangays and all their mayors and governors to register all fraternities, sororities and similar organizations in their jurisdictions. There must be nationwide compliance of Sections 9, 10 and 11. The law requires registration. Non-accreditation is not an option. If the barangays do not register or have no registration of fraternities and sororities, and gangs, the barangay chairpersons must be suspended for non-compliance with and violation of RA 11053.
The penalty for the schools is a P1 million fine. But this has never been imposed, to our knowledge.