Senseless

Manila, Philippines – ANOTHER life was senselessly lost.

The death of Marc Andre Marcos, a law student of San Beda College, is the latest addition to the long list of persons who died for wanting to “belong“ to a “brotherhood.“ It is indeed ironic that Marc’s wouldbe brothers were the ones who killed him.

As a Bedan, I am one with the members of the Bedan community in denouncing, in strongest possible terms, the hazing tradition of many of the fraternities and sororities and the senseless injury, pain and death that they cause.

Are we really hopeless in stopping hazing?

I believe that stopping it essentially requires the recognition that we are all responsible for the said problem.

We cannot lodge responsibility to the school alone. San Beda College has put in place all policies and measures to prohibit membership in fraternities, sororities and other similar organizations that use violence in its ceremonies and practices.

The government, particularly our lawmakers, should revisit the Anti-Hazing Law and determine why despite the enactment of said law, fraternities and sororities continue to use hazing as part of their rituals.

The concerned fraternities and sororities should bear the responsibility for this problem, to a large extent. The fraternity and sorority elders, many of whom occupy positions of power and influence in our society, should take the lead in making a stand against hazing, particularly against upholding hazing as a tradition of their respective organization. Even if all current fraternity and sorority members went through their respective hazing rituals, they should all “let go“ of their privilege to administer such rituals to the future members of their organizations. The cycle of violence has to stop and they should commit to stopping it now.

The public has to make a stronger denouncement of the hazing and other related practices of fraternities and sororities. We should treat such organizations and their members like ordinary criminal circles or organizations. As a society, we should treat the concerned fraternities and sororities as outcasts because their uncivilized and violent practices and traditions should have no place in a civilized society.

Unless we all take a stand against hazing, it will continue to the cause of more senseless deaths.

For my dear fellow Bedans, let us all live the Benedictine value of community life permeated by true fraternal charity.

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