Sigma Kappa Pi

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The Sigma Kappa Pi Fraternity is a nationalist, service-oriented fraternity founded at the University of the Philippines (UP) in Diliman on September 1, 1968.

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[edit] History of the Fraternity

In the summer of 1968 a group of more than twenty UP students built the foundations of a new fraternity. It was their desire for a stronger and more kindred bond of political unity that they sought to intervene the purpose of and action of social ideals with the camaraderie and integrity found in a brotherhood.

The fraternity envisioned was to be different from the existing ones. It was a nationalist, service-oriented, counter-institution brotherhood that was to bind Filipino people from all concerns of the Philippines.

Doroteo Cubacub Abaya Jr., a member of Crux Anzata (organization of martial arts practitioners), one among twenty students, devised the measures to determine who will be the master founders. These included hiking, swimming and many physical activities. Soon, the group was trimmed down to just five: Doroteo "Doti" Cubacub Abaya, Luzvimindo Timbang David, Joaquin "Jack" Maniego Gan, Alfredo "Fred" Dela Cruz Lansangan and Willam "Willy" Yao.

And on September 1, 1968, in a sugarcane field in Pampanga near the Abacan River, the Sigma Kappa Pi Fraternity was born amidst the turmoil of the times. Among the five left, William Yao unfortunately missed this historic event due to bad weather.

1969 was a silent year for the fraternity as it was a time for recruitment and a time to strengthen the bond between and among the members. Manny Manuel and Ding Baluyot, along with other new brods, helped the master founders lay the grounds for the fraternity's take-off.

The early 1970's was a time to lead. Fraternity members are in the forefront of student demonstrations against growing social injustices, graft and corruption in the government and other issues that were important to the students and to the Filipino people in general. By then there was a growing dissatisfaction among the people with the incumbent administration. Mobilizations formed part of the neophyte process.

When martial law was declared on September 21, 1972 by virtue of Presidential Proclamation 1081, it disbanded most of the political organizations and forced the remaining hardy few to go underground. As a consequence and in wanting to serve the people better, Mindo left the fraternity and went underground. Doti, along with Rey Mendoza and other brods, went as far as Mindanao, penetrating the plantations of Transnational Corporations (DOLE, Standard Fruit Company) to organize farmers. Brod Ed Aquino became the fraternity's first martyr when he willingly gave up his life fighting for the people's cause. One by one, many of the brods active in the protest movement were arrested. Jack eventually became a doctor while Fred tried his luck in US. Those who were left continued to fight.

[edit] An Organization Based on Nationalism, Service and Brotherhood: The Orientation of the Sigma Kappa Pi Fraternity

The Sigma Kappa Pi Fraternity, which stands for Samahan ng Kabataang Pilipino, being a nationalist and service-oriented brotherhood, seeks to bring down the walls of exclusivity surrounding fraternities and be one with the masses in order to serve them better. In the process, we necessarily seek to avoid the violence that accompanies vain and petty squabbling.

[edit] Nationalism

Taking a cue from Claro M. Recto, nationalism is "... a banner of freedom proclaiming the national interest of the people, to be promoted or safeguarded by themselves so that the fruits of their efforts and wealth derived from their God-given resources shall accrue to them and thus enable all our people to rise above poverty, and march to prosperity contentment and dignity..."

The fraternity espouses a kind of nationalism that does not advocate economic, political, scientific or cultural isolation. It is not anti-development in that it believes that our people deserve all the ease and comfort, good health, and access to the best products of man’s intellect and artistic spirit that the highest achievement of science and art can provide. For this reason, nationalism that believes in the economic, political, scientific and cultural interchanges with other countries but is careful and selective, always placing priority needs and welfare of the majority of the Filipino people.

[edit] Service

The Sigma Kappa Pi is a fraternity committed towards serving the Filipino people specifically of marginalized sector such as the peasants, the workers, the urban poor and the indigenous people. In this light the fraternity conducts activities to provide its members with first hand experiences of the prevalent problem problems affecting these sectors. It serves to heighten the social awareness of its members and provide them with the opportunity to extend whatever support they can give to uplift the conditions of these people.

As students, members serve the studentry by trying to fulfill their role as catalysts of change by providing venues to understand issues affecting them and the country. As professionals, members serve the people they deal with everyday in their individual professions with utmost fairness.

[edit] Brotherhood

What makes the Sigma Kappa Pi Fraternity different from the rest of the Greek-letter society is the bond that embraces its members. Unlike other traditional fraternities, the brotherhood being espoused within the fraternity does not prejudice against chapter, age, race, or religion. Every brother is treated with utmost respect.

[edit] Chapters