Bautista alarmed over high school fraternities

MANILA, Philippines - Quezon City Vice Mayor Herbert “Bistek” Bautista expressed alarm yesterday over incidents of hazing, drug use, and riots linked to fraternities and gangs in private and public high schools.

He urged the Department of Education and school officials to work closely with parents to stop fraternities from recruiting members, which they sometimes do by force and intimidation.

“We don’t have problems with real fraternities that actually work to develop the talents and social awareness of their members. But what we have in our high schools are nothing but a bunch of young thugs who do nothing good but harass other students,” Bautista said.

He said some parents are already becoming alarmed because even students who are not interested in joining fraternities are forced to sign up.

“The gangs do not respect neutrality. Individual students who refuse to join any group become fair game for everyone. In the end they are forced to choose one for protection, but once in, members learn criminal activities as well as use of illegal drugs which could result to expulsion from the school,” Bautista said.

He added that students should be made to realize that they are missing an opportunity to map out a better future for themselves by joining such fraternities.                          – Perseus Echeminada