Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) have warned their sons and daughters studying in colleges and universities in Philippines to reject and denounce the practice of “hazing” after a Filipino law student died from such an initiation.
It is known that some hazing victims subjected to the same initiation rites as San Beda Marc Andrei Marcos are sons of OFW parents.
Ryan Maranan and Ed Lara are among the six members of the Lex Leonum Fraternitas and whose parents are working abroad.
Early this year, Marvin Reglos, 25 and a freshman from the San Beda College of Law, died from an alleged hazing incident. Reglos mother is also an OFW.
John Leonard Monterona, regional coordinator of Migrante-Middle East, said: “This is not purely coincidental. “Poor and not so rich parents who want their sons and daughters to become lawyers are also forced to work overseas to support their children’s studies.”
Monterona noted there are instances where OFWs’ sons and daughters often end up dropping their studies and instead became victims of common vices.
“It certainly falls down to the fact where parents away from their sons and daughters cannot properly exercise parental guidance.”
Marlene Ibanez-De Guzman, a Saudi-based OFW, has two sons.
One is a freshman and the other is a third year college student; both are currently studying in Metro Manila.
She said: “I am constantly reminding my sons to not join fraternities. Not that I am against them, but hazing is a big, big no.”
Another Saudi-based OFW Rustico Marcos expressed his strong opposition against hazing.
He said: “Hazing was outlawed as it has cost the lives of many young bright men. “It’s unfortunate that fraternities that still practice hazing continue to ruin and kill.” Both, just like many OFW parents, call on President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III to strictly implement an anti-hazing law.
Monterona is calling on law fraternities and sororities and their members whose parents are OFWs to instead provide voluntary legal aid to Migrante.
He added: “We have lots of cases involving OFWs.
“They can choose which cases to handle ranging from labor rights violations to abuse, sexual harassment to mysterious deaths by joining our volunteer legal aid program. They’re most welcome.”
“OFW parents would be more than happy to see their sons and daughters to be working with us handling pro bono cases involving OFWs such as writing pleadings, drafting case briefs, assisting victims to execute affidavits and accompanying and guiding victims during case hearings.”
San Beda College in Manila may be held liable this time for failing to control its fraternities after Marcos became the second student to die within five months, the national Commission on Higher Education said Wednesday in a local Philippine newspaper.
Commission chairperson Patricia Licuanan said her organization was “alarmed” by the incident and reminded the school of its responsibilities and duties stipulated by the Anti-Hazing Law.
She ordered San Beda officials to explain what sanctions the school has imposed on students charged with the death of law freshman Marvin Reglos in February.
