Committee on Organizations,

Fraternities and Sororities

(COFS) Proposal
Committee on Organizations, Fraternities and Sororities Proposal

Rationale
History has proven time and again the power of our collective action. With the advent of last
year’s strike against the P1.39 billion budget cut, the highest in UP’s history, activism in the university
sparked its brightest as thousands of students marched on the streets and joined the nationwide call for
greater state subsidy for our education.

The strength of the campaign was not wholly because of its organizers (though we have to admit
that they have due credit for it), but because of the number of students who took part of the cause. All the
victories we have claimed, from the additions to the congressional insertions, are but a product of our
arduous effort to come together and fight for our democratic rights.

More to the individual characters of those who joined are members of different formations. The
success of the strike was not only because of the collective action of individuals, but it was the collective
action of the university’s student formations that saw the budget cut as a threat to their existence.

Here in the University of the Philippines, the organizations, fraternities and sororities (OFS) form
the basic, organized units of students. They serve as the home for development of specific skills and
expression of interests outside the classroom.

Student concerns are of different fields, and they are best manifested by the nature of these OFS.
But unity can be established among them despite their diversity, especially if the issue affects their
members and more importantly, their existence.

Who would forget the Martial law years under the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos, who stepped
on our human rights to remain in his seat? For twenty years he reigned, toppling the very right of his
people to organize. Even student formations and institutions, including the student councils and
publications, were declared illegal, and forming a group with a common aims and ideals were not allowed.

He knew the power of collective action, and he knew well that it is the way to take him down.
Indeed, despite all the suppression, it was the People Power which overthrew his government. Our
collective action brought the change the country has then long been seeking for.

Reclaiming all the rights that were taken was not as easy. It took years of assertion before the
youth were able to form organizations, and it was only in the 1980s when student institutions, including
the student councils and publications, were reinstated. This is the historical role of the student
organizations that fought for our right to organization, and even sacrificed their own lives just to bring
these formations back.

But despite the return of the organizations, threats continue to hamper our basic to right to
organize and be organized. Different issues haunt the existence of organizations here in the university,
the most contentious of which is the intervention of the administration to matters which are in every
respect of students’ concerns. These administration policies implicitly remove the right to existence of
OFS, which is defined through the activities that they conduct.

Of the more than 200 OFS here in the university, only about 30 percent are given tambayans.
These are places that serve as the personal space and home of each and every OFS in the university.
Venues of their expression are not as readily available and accessible, because of the stringent
processes and fees that the administration requires them to hold their activities. This includes the process
for org recognition, which is the most basic requirement for all OFS to be acknowledged as official
university formations.

Page 2
Committee on Organizations, Fraternities and Sororities Proposal

And recently, the manifestation of this repression is the 2010 Draft Code of Student Conduct.
Instead of upholding freedom of the students to form organizations, it instead proposes policies that are of
greater disadvantage to students. It is so far the biggest threat OFS have to face to remain in the
university.

It is therefore but the duty of the University Student Council (USC) to attend to these issues and
concerns, subject to the provisions of Article IV, Section 2. This is in accordance to Article II, Section 2 of
the USC Constitution that states we should “strive to defend and promote the rights and general welfare
of the University studentry and the Filipino people and serve as an active form for student ideas and
sentiment”; and Article II, Section 1 that qualifies organizing, coordinating and directing student activities
“designed to improve their general welfare as well as to prepare them for obstructive citizenship as part of
the powers and duties of the council.” Thus, the Committee on Organizations, Fraternities and Sororities
should be established.

Its importance could further be emphasized with the committee’s history. Before 2008, the
committee was known to be as the Dormitories, Organizations, Fraternities and Sororities Committee or
DOFS. But because of the number of organizations in the university and their increasing demands and
needs, the committee was revamped to concentrate on organizations, fraternities and sororities and the
overseeing of dormitories is transferred to the Basic Student Services Committee.

Students face a lot of problems in the university, and only through collective action could we work
on them. And with COFS, there is but greater means for the USC to develop this collective action with the
different organizations, fraternities and sororities as we together with them address these problems
especially those of their interest.

Committee Structure

Chairperson

Executive Business Affairs Media and Public

Secretary Director Relations Director

Volunteer Corps

Organizations Fraternities Sororities

Liaison Liaison Liaison
Director Director Director

Chairperson
- Represent the committee in meetings and dialogues inside and outside the council

Page 3
Committee on Organizations, Fraternities and Sororities Proposal

- Design and direct activities in line with the committee’s objectives upon the approval
of the body
- Ensure the outmost performance and participation of the committee’s members and
volunteer corps
- Serve as a leader to the committee members and foster a healthy working
relationship with and among the committee members and volunteer corps

Executive Secretary
- Document all meetings of the committee and keep the committee’s documents.
- Facilitate the internal information dissemination in the committee
- Draft the committee’s statements and stands subject to deliberations within the
committee
- Lead the volunteer corps and update their directory

Business Affairs Director

- Look over the committee’s financial activities and give assessment and approval for
each project’s budget proposal
- Supervise all business activities and financial resources of the committee
- Report on the status of the committee’s finance and other financial concerns

Media and Public Relations

- Conceptualize and create the publicity of the committee’s activities through all possible
venues (print, broadcast, online)
- Write press releases of the committee’s activities and hand them over to the proper media
institutions and establishments
- Manage and maintain the committee’s online extensions and other alternative forms of media

Liaison Directors (Organizations, Fraternities and Sororities)

- Serve as liaisons between the clusters and the chairperson of the committee
- Focus primarily on their respective clusters to attend to their specific

Volunteer Corps
- Provide whatever assistance the committee needs, most especially on logistics
- Engage them in the planning and execution of the committees activities

Plans of Action
Give OFS all available avenues in making the appropriate and immediate actions to address
their issues, concerns, and needs

Re-code the Code! – With the STRAW Committee, we shall continue the fight against the 2010
Draft Code of Student Conduct to ensure that it upholds OFS rights. We shall update OFS of its
current status and consult them to forward their views and suggestions, including the collated 18
student demands in 2008, to the Review Committee recently formed by the Office of the
Chancellor.

Org Camp – Revive this camping event in June to show the solidarity of the OFS in the campaign
on the 2010 Draft Code of Student Conduct set to be passed in July.

Page 4
Committee on Organizations, Fraternities and Sororities Proposal

FFF: Faster, Flexible and Free! – With the STRAW Committee, we shall consult organizations
to create a proposal to the administration on better policies for a:
o Faster and less stringent organization recognition process similar to UP Manila’s
o More flexible system and time usage for venue and equipment reservation, publicity (posting
pubmats) and other policies for holding org activities
o Free room and equipment rental fees

TAM(bahay)AN – With the STRAW Committee, we shall lobby for the construction and
renovation of conducive tambayans for organizations, including tambayan facilities and electricity
installation in different tambayan complexes, and push for greater budget allocation to meet them
instead of organizations shouldering the expenses.

ExTENd – With the LCC and STRAW Committee, we shall extend the curfew of the tamabayan
use from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Org look up? College Hop! – Consultations will be done not only through the usual monthly All
Leaders Convention (ALC), existing alliances and org hopping. With the League of College
Councils (LCC), w e shall also hop colleges for consultations in line of their college’s situation.
Tie-ups with the college-based OFS and their local student council will also be done in OFS
activities, including educational discussions and basic masses integration.

OFS Sit – With the STRAW Committee, we shall have a monthly dialogue with organizations
especially those that are not reached out through the college hopping and alliances, including
unrecognized organizations, to raise their demands and concerns. A report will be drafted to
compile these issues to be given to the orgs and at the end of every semester, to the Office of the
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs (OVCSA) and the University Council (UC). With the Mass
Media Committee, we could publish a situationer to be available to all students.

Assist OFS in conducting their events and activities to uphold their right to organize

Or(Guide) – With the Secretariat Committee, we shall release how-to memos to OFS on different
guidelines on activities such as org recognition and Alternative Classroom Learning Experience
(ACLE) inclusive of the requirements and dates. We shall also ask the help of the LCC to inform
college based organizations on how the local college processes for these activities are done.

VE list: Venues and Equipments – With the LCC and the Office of Student Activities (OSA), we
shall also create a list of venues where the different organizations could hold their events,
equipments they could borrow from these activity areas and guidelines how to reserve them.

HDD: Handy Dandy Directory – A contacts database containing contact details of the OFS,
local student councils, colleges and UP offices among other will be created at the start of the
semester to help the OFS for their tie-up proposals.

OrgDev – We shall continue conducting this themed training seminar per semester with the help
of experienced OFS to help them better lead and manage their respective organizations and their
activities.

ACLEnd a Hand – With the EDRES Committee, we shall help in the improvement of the
processes in holding the ACLE and give them whatever assistance the USC can provide (i.e.
room reservations, equipment, etc.). We shall also invite more organizations to hold their own
ACLE.

Express OICA Process – With the CCA Committee, we shall push for the reduction of the
number of days in processing OICA sponsorship and lobby for a less rigorous process.

Page 5
Committee on Organizations, Fraternities and Sororities Proposal

Abogado ng Bayan – With the SLAAC Committee, orgs will be given free legal consultations
and notarization.

Let USC be – Give the control of the student facilities in Vinzons to the USC, including their
equipments.

Increase OFS involvement to show and recognize the individuality of each OFS as they work
together with the USC and establish unity with them

OFS in the Know – With the LCC and the college representatives, information dissemination will
be strengthened to reach out to more organizations and improve their attendance in conventions
such as the ALC to unite them with the activities of the USC. Communication between the USC
and the OFS will also be extended online, with the creation of mailing lists and social network
groups.

OFS Pasikat! – With the Mass Media Committee, we shall help the OFS to promote their events
and share their issues and concerns with the whole UP community by:
o PRINT: Publish the announcements through the Oblation, USC’s official publication
o BROADCAST: Coordinate with DZUP for air time
o ONLINE: Post them in USC’s website

Org Fair – With the FRESHIE Committee, we shall hold the annual Org Fair to help organizations
in building up their membership and lead freshies to these formations where they could discover
more of themselves, develop their skills and potentials and make friends who can guide them in
the rest of their years in UP. With the LCC, we shall also encourage local student councils to hold
local org fairs in their respective colleges.

Org Primer – With the LCC and OSA, we shall create an org primer containing the organizations’
names, logos, brief description, pictures of their activities, and contact details to be distributed to
the freshies and transferees. This will acquaint them with the organizations in the university and
help them choose which among these organizations to join.

Lifeline: CC – A consultation and counseling of freshies, transferees and non-affiliated students

or interested ones to help them choose what organizations to join. We could tap the Office of the
Counseling and Guidance for expert opinions and suggestions.

OFS of the Year – An awards night at the end of the second semester will be held to recognize
outstanding OFS of the year. A point system will be formulated to be included in the criteria to
encourage the attendance and participation of the OFS in different activities especially those
organized by the USC.

Launch projects with the university’s existing student alliances to expand them and provide
support through continuous consultation, consolidation, updating and publicity

Acad Core – An alliance of academic organizations. We shall forward common advocacies and
establish a support system for activities and events by encouraging the production of research
and study outputs which address the important concerns in the University and the country.
o Isko ng Bayan Lecture Series – With the EDRES committee, we shall have a call for
papers tackling the analysis of various issues in our country and proposed solutions, all
of which will be archived at the CNS library.

General Assembly of Gender Advocates (GAGA) – Alliance composed of gender advocates,

Office of the Anti-Sexual Harassment (OASH), UP Diliman Gender Office (UP DGO), Gabriela,

Page 6
Committee on Organizations, Fraternities and Sororities Proposal

and the Inter-Sorority Council (ISC). With the Gender Committee, we shall launch projects not
limited to the gender awareness week, because gender issues exist all year round.

Inter-Fraternity Council – We shall form the ISC’s counterpart as a formal alliance of all
fraternities in the university by assembling existing Frat Alliances, to unite and encourage
fraternities to advance common goals and advocacies most especially the elimination of fraternity
disputes.

Interfaith Assembly – Composed of different religious formations. We shall encourage them to

conduct activities together to assert their right to existence and their common advocacy of human
rights and love for others.

Inter-Sorority Council (ISC) – Alliance of sororities and ladies core. With the Gender
Committee, we shall launch activities to campaign for gender issues such as women and child
abuse.
o Empo(W)er – a women’s emancipation campaign: through symposia, research,
consultation, and massive information drive, we shall examine the changing socio-
economic landscape in which the female is exploited both as workers and objects of
possession.

InterSports – Alliance of sports organizations. With the SPOFI Committee, we shall launch
activities to promote and support their university’s athletes and lobby push for greater budget for
their facilities and benefits for varsity players.
o Palarong Pinoy – With the CRAW committee, we shall hold sports clinics at communities

Katipunan ng mga Sangguniang Mag-aaral sa UP (KASAMA sa UP) – An alliance of student

councils UP system-wide. We shall engage with the student councils not only from UP Diliman
but also from the other units to know what issues and concerns their OFS are facing and learn
from their experiences in addressing them.

League of College Councils (LCC) – An alliance of all student councils in UP Diliman, convened
by the USC Vice Chairperson. We shall clinch their unity in fighting for the rights of OFS and
coordinate with them regarding the situation of college based OFS.

Solidaridad – Alliance of student publications in the university. Media repression also exists in
the university, with the massive problems such as funding and administration intervention that
student publications face. With Mass Media Committee, we shall continue our fight to uphold the
freedom of the press and of expression.
o Reach Out to Pubs – We shall publish a situationer on the state of the different college
publications in UP Diliman, conduct workshops to improve their journalistic skills and tap
the help of local college councils to revive the local publication in their respective
colleges.

Sanlahi Alliance – Composed of different provincial, regional and ethno-linguistic organizations.

With the CCA Committee, we shall arrange socio-cultural activities and support their events and
projects to promote unity amidst cultural diversity. These organizations are always subject to
tambayan disposals, so we shall be their ally on addressing the issue.

Ugnayan ng mga Nagkakaisang Artista (UNA) – Alliance of cultural performers and

practitioners in the university. With the CCA committee, we shall promote the exchange of
nationalist culture and arts through bridging these organizations to the administration in
organizaing the UP Diliman Arts Month.

Page 7
Committee on Organizations, Fraternities and Sororities Proposal

Ugnayan ng mga Mag-aaral Laban sa Komersalisasyon (UMAKSYON) – Student formation of

OFS, freshmen block, and student publications working together to oppose commercialization
and fight for our right to education. We shall continue joining its campaigns and protests and
provide help in consolidating other organizations to expand the alliance and strengthen our fight
against commercialization.

Kilusan para sa Demokratikong Pamantasan ng Bayan (UP Kilos Na) – A multi-sectoral

system-wide alliance to address various issues within and outside UP. It was formed August 2009
in time with President Benigno Aquino III’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), calling for the
fight against the P1.39 billion budget cut, the largest in history. We shall continue our cooperation
and consolidation with the other sectors in UP in upholding OFS rights to existence and
organization.

Youth for Earth Alliance – formation of different environmental organizations. With Environment
Committee, we shall promote the sustainable use of the environment that caters to the local and
national demand. Aside from the usual tree-planting and clean-ups, we shall also organize basic
masses integration to see the relationship between the oppression of people and exploitation of
environment.

Proposed Schedule and Phasing

May
PROJECT TASK DATE IN CHARGE

Review Committee's initial meeting on the 2010

Draft Code of Student Conduct May 5 USC, OSR
Re-code the Code!
Information dissemination campaign; consultations
with different OFS and alliances May 9 onwards COFS, STRAW, LCC
COFS Volcor Recruitment May 9 onwards
Meeting, planning with concerned committees May 16-20 COFS, SLAAC
Abogado ng Bayan
Search for lawyers May 23-June 3 SLAAC

Get org recognition guidelines from OSA; CSCs on

Or(Guide): Org Recognition local org recog process May 23-27 COFS, LCC

Compilation of all local org recog process May 30-June 3

COFs canvass of venues and their reservation

VE list process in UP, including equipment rentals and
fees; CSCs on college facilities (specific per
department if possible) May 23-June 10 COFS, LCC
OFS Pasikat! Dialogue with DZUP and UP Radio Circle May 23-May 27 COFS, Mass Media Committee
Permits and reservation, info dissem to OFS May 16-27
1st ALC
1st ALC May 28

OFS in the Know Creation of mailing list May 30-June 3

Lifeline: CC Dialogue with the OCG to propose the tie-up and

lay out plans May 30-June 10 COFS, Freshie

June

Page 8
Committee on Organizations, Fraternities and Sororities Proposal

PROJECT TASK DATE IN CHARGE

Meeting with interested orgs, CSCs June 4 COFS, LCC

Permits and reservations June 6-June 17
Org Fair
Final planning June 20 COFS, CCA

Org Fair 2011 June 23-24

Or(Guide): Org Recognition Release of memo on org recognition process June 6

Compilation of needed info; CSCs on college-

Org Primer based OFS June 6-June 24 COFS, LCC

Layout and production June 27-July 1

Compilation of info most especially on OFS's

HDD contact deets; ask help from CSCs on college-
based OFS June 6-June 24 COFS, LCC

Layout and production June 27-July 8

Meeting with interested orgs, alliances June 13-June 18
Org Camp
Solicitations; permits and reservations June 20-July 1
Compilation and layouting June 13-24
VE list
Release June 27

Re-code the Code! Forward the outputs of the consultation series

including the 18 student demands to the Review
Committee June 20-July 1 COFS, STRAW

July
PROJECT TASK DATE IN CHARGE

Org primer Release July 4

Lifeline: CC Publicity and execution July 4 onwards COFS, Freshie

Final planning July 6

Org Camp
Org Camp 2011 July 9-10
HDD Release July 11

Or(Guide): ACLE Release memo on ACLE registration process, with

all requirements and dates to remember July 11-15 COFS, EDRES
FFF: Fast, Flexible and Free Dialogue with concerned admin July 11 onwards COFS, STRAW
Let USC Be Dialogue with concerned admin July 11 onwards COFS, STRAW

ACLEnd a Hand Org hopping on ACLE's importance and encourage

orgs to join the event July 18 onwards COFS, EDRES
Meeting with orgs, alliance July 23
Org Dev
Permits and reservations; invitation to speakers July 25-August 12

August
PROJECT TASK DATE IN CHARGE

Express OICA Process Consultation on OFS on the OICA process August 1-26 COFS, CCA

Page 9
Committee on Organizations, Fraternities and Sororities Proposal

Dialogue with OICA, presenting the collated view

and suggestions of OFS August 29 onwards COFS, CCA
Meet with CSCs to plan on engaging their college
Tam(bahay)an, ExTENd admins in providing conducive tambayan to OFS August 8-12 COFS, STRAW

Dialogue with concerned admin August 15 onwards COFS, STRAW

Final planning August 13
Org Dev
1st Org Dev August 15

ACLEnd a Hand Provide logistical or whatever assistance to orgs for

their ACLE August 15-26 COFS, EDRES

Others
PROJECT TASK DATE IN CHARGE

Compilation of OFS's issues and demands September 5-23 COFS, STRAW

Report drafting September 26-30 COFS, STRAW
OFS Sit
Layout and production October 3-7 COFS, Mass Media Committee

Release October 10 COFS, Mass Media Committee

Org Dev 2 January
OFS of the Year March COFS, LCC, CCA
OFS Sit 2 March COFS, STRAW

Page 10