ATTY. TOMAS ALEJAN SAJO
Founder

In the 1960s, the mention of a Greek-letter fraternity registered a shudder in schools, after confirmed reports of hazing resulting in death of neophytes were headlined and editorialized. School heads have consistently denied recognition of such organizations, lest they open the floodgates to student violence, rumbles, demonstrations, and other pockets of anti-administration activities.

Since 1904, the year of its founding, the University of San Agustin has never entertained any application for recognition of a fraternity although student councils and other co-curricular organizations were active, as they are now, in different colleges.

Breaking into this barrier was, therefore, a challenge. A successful breakthrough would mark the birth of the first Greek-letter fraternity in the University. The idea was hatched in the College of Commerce, particularly in the Business English Class of Prof. Jose Garcia. What happened in the sophomore class, Section D, was just an accident.

When the professor required us, boys, to introduce ourselves stating which school we came from, a bespectacled reed-thin boy at the last row said, “Tomas Sajo, from the State University, Sir.” Hence, it became a class whisper that a fresh law graduate from the University of the Philippines was enrolled in the class. Since the students were arranged alphabetically, a friendship was immediately established by this lawyer with Eduardo Ramos Toralballa, Jr., who graduated from the U.P. High School in Diliman. In the process, the brightest pure Chinese boy in class, Eugene Tan Ong, got into the group, and brought along a Chinese mestizo, Jeremias Dy Gasuad. In a week’s time, Eduardo Aquino Lavente, Antonio Tinasas Gutierrez, and Eriberto Pelonia Pueyo started being part of the group. Others like Max Lopez, Hermelo Pido and Jose Marie Rodriguez also tagged along. When the idea spread, a Junior honor student and active in the ROTC, Rexie Cobaco Protasio, became a part of the group as well. These students constituted the Charter members who began thinking of formally organizing a fraternity. The question was: Will it be allowed in San Agustin? The first person asked was Prof. Garcia. He said, “Why not, if it is a good one?” Then, Dean Alfredo T. Javellana was also consulted. He promised help, if hazing will not be a requirement. Associate Dean Demosthenes Martinez was also sought for his advice. He would also support, with conditions that the fraternity will abide by the Augustinian educational philosophy, and that it must help the students in the College of Commerce, especially in their studies.

With these positive signals, the reservations earlier experienced by the group were somewhat minimized. Then followed the question of what the Fraternity name be. This name of the Fraternity must have its unique identity; that the nature of the group’s aspirations must prevail, and support the academic program of the College of Commerce. Hence the group agreed that the Fraternity would be named “SIGMA CHI,” which means “Seekers of Scholarship.”

The preparation became the responsibility of the leader. The vows emphasized in the fundamental law of the Fraternity are: Sacrifice, Loyalty, Obedience, and Service. The duties of every SIGMA CHIan were, and still are:

• a) To stand by the side of a brother SIGMA CHIan, in any cause or action;
• b) To love and respect the sister MU SIGMA PHIan;
• c) To fight against all incipient inroads to academic freedom; and
• d) To defend the country, university and fraternity from any form of injustice, oppression, and exploitation.

Consistent with the provisions of the Constitution on officers and their election, the first officers of the Charter Members were:

The orientation period of the Charter members started on July 15, 1961. In view of the charter character of their orientation, each member was initiated by all others.

There was, however, one paramount law which all members must accept: “The WORD of the Grand Archon is LAW.” This affirms the very unique character of the Fraternity, to distinguish itfrom other organizations (Luckily, since its founding, this law has never been abused by any Grand Archon.)

Other interesting insight was the statement on the history of SIGMA CHI which is “The SIGMA CHI Fraternity has existed since time immemorial. However, it was formally established in the University of San Agustin on August 19, 1961.” Also, each letter of the name of the Fraternity has to be spelled in capital letters, with space between the words, and ends with a period.

The final orientation rites for the Charter members of the Fraternity were held in the morning, through lunch on a rainy day of August 19, 1961, in Villa Beach. They went through with the initial induction of officers and members at Ledesma Hotel (now the River Queen Hotel) at seven o’clock in the evening of the same day.

This occasion was formally witnessed by Rev. Fr. Isaac Inzunza, O.S.A., Rector, University of San Agustin; Rev. Fr. Bienvenido Junquera, O.S.A. Vice Rector; Rev. Fr. Nicanor Lana, O.S.A., Spiritual Adviser; Mr. Alfredo T. Javellana, Dean, College of Commerce; Mr. Demostheses Martirez, Associate Dean, College of Commerce; and Mr. Jose Garcia, Faculty Adviser. It is of consequence to mention that, in student organizations and activities, this was the last act of Rev. Fr. Inzunza since he was transferred to Manila thereafter.

From these humble beginnings, more bright young men joined and spread the good word for and about the SIGMA CHI Fraternity. (*Dropped from the Rolls by the order of the Grand Archon Eugene Tan Ong in 1964. Jose Marie Rodriguez did not come for induction, and was dismissed.)

ATTY. TOMAS ALEJAN SAJO
Founder

The founding of the MU SIGMA PHI Sorority was the fruit of continued persistence and tenacity for a group of young and bright female students from various colleges of the University of San Agustin.

Allow me to recall its precedents:

After the organization and recognition of the SIGMA CHI Fraternity on August 19, 1961, I introduced the idea of forming a sorority to a selected group of honor students. The idea caught immediate response and they formed a nucleus of the organization during the second semester of 1961-62 school-year.

Through my encouragement and prodding, they started a mutual orientation program and eventually came up with their own Constitution. Using the format of the Fraternity’s Constitution, they completed their own and submitted the same to the office of the Most Rev. Fr. Rector Bienvenido Junquera, OSA. However, they were denied.

Some of them would recall that every time they paid a visit to the Father Rector, he would merely lash them with a long black belt affectionately. Though they were close to him, they could not get his necessary approval.

Why did the group choose to be called MU SIGMA PHI? Several days of debating transpired in selecting the name. The light card came when the ideas of academic excellence and spiritual refinement were decidedly included in the name. In recognition thereof, they used the first letters of Merits on Scholarship and Purity. In the Greek alphabet, these are MU SIGMA PHI.

Rightly so, because all of them were top ranking honor students (all graduates with honors, some topped their respective classes and board topnotchers).

In spite of initial rejection, the group hold on to each other like they have organized. The Charter Members were: Joanna Villanueva Barrido, Nilde Sazon Bedua, Evelyn Canillas Camposano, Elyce Jaleco Hechanova, Emma Riccio Masigon, Meredith Mondejar Carag, Susan Peñaranda Ledesma and Rhodora Alva Fernandez. They came from the College of Education, Dentistry, Liberal Arts and Commerce. All of them were the first “sisters” of the SIGMA CHI Fraternity.

When the classes opened in 1962, the bid for recognition was reiterated. For a change, the cudgels were taken up by me, as Founder of the SIGMA CHI. Meanwhile, the ‘ingroup’ started mutual orientation regarding the proposed sorority.

They had their first ‘at home’ in the residence of Sis Elyce Hechanova in La Paz, Iloilo City. They started memorizing their respective names (including middle names) and the vows and duties of a MU SIGMA PHIan.

In campus, an almost daily encounter among the group was arranged. At break times, meeting places were identified (a forerunner of the ‘tambayan’ today). The fun was the unique way of initiating themselves mutually in the Sorority.

While the Sorority recognition was in process, the SIGMACHIans started knowing the prospective “sisters.” To begin with, the brods were required by me, as the founding Grand Archon, to get the sisters’ names, and be able to identify them. The brods joked who among themselves are ‘available’ to their future ‘sis.’ Some brods even gave names of others as their own.

On September 27, 1962, I was urgently called to report to the Father Rector. When I entered his office, Most Rev. Fr. Rector Bienvenido Junquera was very congenial in saying “Oh! How’s the good man from Barotac?”

After the amenities, the Father Rector asked why I was particularly interested in the organization and official recognition of the Sorority. I could still remember the classic response I made in a query: “Father, can you imagine a world without a woman?”

Fr. Junquera shook his head, smiling. “Well, there is none.” He replied as he leafed the papers and before all the others could sign, he affixed his signature to formally recognize the MU SIGMA PHI Sorority, the first sorority of the University of San Agustin.

There was a jubilation among the ‘sisters’ adjoined by their brother SIGMA CHIans. Two days after, they arranged their final rites in the residence of Sis Meredith Mondejar Carag. They saw to it that the house in Aurora Subdivision was all for themselves, and me, being the founder. It was a whole day of mixed silence and shouts, crying and laughing, jumping and kneeling, and all the other complements of sisterhood. It was memorable.

At the end of the day, when the ritual moved them to solemnly commit to the vows (SACRIFICE, LOYALTY, OBEDIENCE, SERVICE) and duties in a candlelight ceremony, the sisterhood of the MU SIGMA PHI was born.

During the first formal meeting after the final rites, the members selected Sis Joanna Villanueva Barrido as their first Most Idyllic Sister. Sis Nilde Sazon Bedua was the Idyllic Sister Premier. The Sister Keeper of the Scrolls was Sis Evelyn Canillas Camposano. Sis Elyce Jaleco Hechanova was the Sister Sentinel of the Chest.

The Sister Manager of the Affairs was Sis Rhodora Alva Fernandez. The Sister examiner was Sis Emma Riccio Masigon. Sis Susan Peñaranda Ledesma was the Sister Rapporteur. Sis Meredith Mondejar Carag was the Sister Vigilante.

As Spiritual Adviser, the Sorority chose Most Rev. Fr. Nicanor Lana, OSA. Prof. Elisea S. Saldaña, the Head of the University English Department, was unanimously chosen as the Faculty Adviser.

The first formal induction of officers was held in Ledesma Hotel (now the River Queen Hotel). The occasion marked the first of the series of activities of ‘brods’ and ‘sis’ together.

As a parameter to this fraternity and sorority relationships, the Founder issued an order that “There must be no courtship between a brod and a sis.” Years later, this rule was given lip service only. When I was not watching, some pairs of “brod loving sis” crossed the 38^th parallel, and then eventually “succeeded in later life.”