(this article was published in Tatsulok (1st semester issue), the Official Student Publication of the College of Arts and Humanities, Palawan State University)

 

Last second semester of school year 2006-2007, the whole Palawan State University community was shocked by what happened to Roland Cequiña, a second year engineering student. He died an untimely death, hoping to be a part of a brotherhood. His body was found on a river, full of wounds and bruises with his arms and legs tied to a rock.

 

And just a few months ago, another likely case struck the national scene. Chris Mendez, a student from the University of the Philippines, was also killed during an initiation rite. What happened called a special attention from different government and non-government individuals and organizations. Once again, fraternities were put into the limelight, with criticisms from here and there.

 

The reasons for joining a fraternity may vary, depending on the person, of course. But mostly, one reason is given – brotherhood. It’s as if many people, especially students, want to belong in a group living by the cliché “One for all, all for one.”  

 

Most fraternities were established decades ago. And undeniably, this kind of brotherhood has helped many of its members in different aspects.  It is not surprising that a politician, a TV personality, a businessman, or a mere man on the street belongs to a fraternity. However, many still do not understand the prices to pay for joining such organizations.

 

Is it really necessary to suffer physically and be humiliated to be a member of a brotherhood? Why is it that one has to risk his own life just to be called a brod of a selected number of people? Does it feel good to accept all the blows, burns, and other physical aches given by the future brothers who do not even know one for a long time? What is the logic of letting other people almost kill a person and be like a brother to him in the future?

 

 If one survives all the torture given to him and eventually be a member, the tendency is for him to do the same to a new aspirant. In this sense, hazing is an unbreakable cycle powered by revenge. And surely, nobody would want to let someone in without experiencing the same things he went through. But what if that someone cannot stand the torments and die? It would be as if stealing someone else’s dreams and opportunities awaiting him.

 

True, fraternities have been the standard of real brotherhood. Perhaps, this is one reason why some people still want to belong to these groups despite the hardships they have to go through. However, would one still understand the fruits of brotherhood if he is already lying six feet below the ground?

 

Is brotherhood really worth dying for?