Upsilon Sigma Phi

The fraternity's early years set its tradition of exclusivity. Invitations for membership were extended only to individuals who served in leadership positions, possessed leadership potential, or excelled in their respective fields.[7] On campus, thirteen of its members chaired the UP Student Council from 1930-1949 (including Wenceslao Vinzons, Jose Laurel Jr., and Sotero Laurel). Its members were also prominent contributors in campus publications, a number of whom served as Editor-in-Chief of the Philippine Collegian (such as Arturo Tolentino and Armando Malay) and the now defunct annual publication, The Philippinensian.[10]

During this time, then UP Student Council President Wenceslao Vinzons earned himself the title "Father of Student Activism" when he, together with members of the fraternity, led demonstrations before the Philippine Congress to protest the insertion of a provision in the appropriations act that gave lawmakers a salary increase.[11]

Wenceslao Vinzons, World War II guerrilla leader and "Father of Student Activism in the Philippines"

Members of the fraternity also took key roles during World War II. Among those were Wenceslao Q. Vinzons (who led guerilla forces in Camarines), Agapito del Rosario, and José Abad Santos (Acting President of the Philippines, Secretary of Justice, and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court), all of whom were executed for refusing to swear allegiance to the Japanese.

Jose P. Laurel served as "puppet president" under the Japanese occupation, who tried to protect the interests of the Filipino people through bureaucratic resistance while suffering rebuke from his critics who accused him of collaboration with the Japanese.[12]

In 1947, the fraternity established a chapter in UP Los Banos.

During the 1950s, the fraternity hosted the Cavalcades, a series of stage plays and musicals that began on campus and eventually toured nationwide.[13] Profits from "Aloyan" and "Hanako" plays were used to help finance the construction and furnishing of the Church of the Holy Sacrifice in the Diliman campus.[7] These productions were led by writer Teddy Yabut and musicians Dick Zamora and Manuel Martell. One of the fraternity's productions, Linda, casted then 17-year-old Pilita Corrales.[7]

Through the efforts of the UP Alumni Association headed by Upsilonian Hermenegildo Reyes, the fraternity helped raise funds for the construction of the bell tower called the "Carillon" in 1952.[7] The tower still stands today as a landmark in the Diliman campus.

Under the term of Eric De Guia ("Kidlat Tahimik") as UP Student Council Chairman, the UP Student Union building was renamed Vinzons Hall in honor of Wenceslao Vinzons.

The administration of President Ferdinand E. Marcos saw Upsilon members lead opposing sides in the leadership of the Philippines. Fellows with the administration were President Ferdinand Marcos, Senate President Arturo M. Tolentino (who went on to become Philippine Vice President), Supreme Court Chief Justice Querube Makalintal (who after his retirement would be elected Speaker of the Batasang Pambansa), Secretary of Education and former UP President Onofre Corpuz, Batasan Speaker Nicanor Yniguez, Central Bank of the Philippines Governor Alfonso Calalang, and industry magnate Roberto Benedicto among many others.

Leading the opposition were senators Benigno S. Aquino, Jr., Gerardo Roxas, Salvador H. Laurel. Mamintal A.J. Tamano, and Domocao Alonto.[14] After the assassination of Aquino, Salvador Laurel would lead the opposition against the Marcos administration with Corazon Aquino and become Vice President after the 1986 EDSA Revolution.

Waging an ideological war were Upsilon members with the left Melito Glor[15] and Merardo Arce, who both served as commanders of the New People's Army. After their deaths, the New People's Army Southern Luzon and Mindanao Commands would, in their honor, be named the Melito Glor Command and the Merardo Arce Command, respectively.

In the arts, Behn Cervantes founded the UP Repertoiry Company to "combat the censorship that was in place during martial law."

The death of Gonzalo Mariano Albert on July 18, 1954 due to initiation-related hazing involving Upsilon Sigma Phi is the first recorded hazing death in the Philippines.[16] Mariano was allegedly mauled by other fraternity members after failing to do an assigned task.[17]

President Ramon Magsaysay created the Castro Committee on October 1954 to investigate the death. The eponymous committee was headed by Executive Secretary Fred Ruiz Castro joined by UP faculty members Arturo Garcia and V. Lontok. They submitted a 116-page report to Magsaysay and found hazing to be the cause of Albert's death. They also recommended the expulsion of 4 officers of Upsilon, suspension of 25 members for one year, suspension of 19 neophytes for a semester, and reprimand of 3 other members. The report also called for reforms on university regulation on fraternities and sororities and the prohibition of all forms of physical initiation. The report was not acted upon.[18]

On November 14, 2018, members of Upsilon Sigma Phi and Alpha Phi Beta fraternities were involved in physical confrontations at Palma Hall in the UP Diliman campus. The next day, another incident, supposedly involving guns, occurred along Magsaysay Avenue inside the same university. An official statement released by the university administration however stated that what occurred was a "car chase" and not a "shooting incident" between the warring fraternities. “The incidents are being investigated and charges will be filed against those found to be criminally liable. The penalties for violence are severe, and can include expulsion from the university,” the statement added.[19][20]

On November 20, 2018, an anonymous Twitter account, @100Upsilon, posted unconfirmed screenshots and archives purported to be from the group chat between members of Upsilon Sigma Phi. The conversations contained misogynistic, homophobic, racist, Islamophobic, pro-genocide, pro-violence, and pro-Martial Law content.[21] The disclosures attracted widespread attention, and garnered significant backlash. Numerous organizations and personalities across the country called for accountability and abolition of the culture of hegemonic masculinity within the fraternity's ranks.[22][23][24]