Phi Beta Rho Confraternity () is a

coeducational Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to t ...

student organization founded in 1962 in the Philippines.

History

Phi Beta Rho began on June 24, 1962 at the National University, Manila. Three engineering students, Ariel Gomez, Conrad Aquino, and Ruel Ramos, leaders of the rural farmers in their provinces and also members of the N.U. Bulldogs Varsity Team, were the founders. Their mutual goal was to promote the interest of the Filipino people specifically the students, marginalized sector such as the peasants, the workers, and the urban poor. On August 1 of the same year, they voted to recognise their co-athletes Annie Lactao and Isabel Romero to be the Founding Sisters of Rho Beta Phi Sorority as counterparts in upholding their principles and objectives.

Political struggle

The fraternity was active in the

First Quarter Storm The First Quarter Storm ( fil, Sigwa ng Unang Sangkapat), often shortened into the acronym FQS, was a period of civil unrest in the Philippines which took place during the "first quarter of the year 1970". It included a series of demonstrations, ...

, a period of political unrest in the Philippines, composed of a series of heavy demonstrations, protests, and marches against the government from January to March 1970. Members under the name Kapatirang Mag-Aaral ng Republika (KAMARA) participated in student demonstrations against growing social injustices, graft and corruption in the government. Martial Law was declared on September 21, 1972 through Presidential Proclamation 1081, wherein it disbanded the fraternity and other political organizations. Many fraternity members active in the protest movement were arrested, while others were forced to relocate to their provinces and went underground to organize labor unions, farmers, and new school chapters mostly in

Central Luzon Central Luzon ( pam, (Reyun ning) Kalibudtarang Luzon, pag, (Rehiyon na) Pegley na Luzon, tgl, (Rehiyon ng) Gitnang Luzon, ilo, (Rehion/Deppaar ti) Tengnga ti Luzon), designated as Region III, is an administrative region in the Philippines, ...

Recognition

Following this period, the fraternity's primary objective was to be legally recognized by school administrations, and indulged themselves within the University Student Council, promoting the interest and protecting the rights of the students. They earned the reputation for being the principal leaders of their respective academe organizations, and were instrumental in the formation of the

League of Filipino Students The League of Filipino Students ( fil, Kapisanan ng mga Pilipinong Mag-Aaral}, abbreviated as LFS) is a student-led national democratic mass organization and movement organized during the martial law era in the Philippines on September 11, 1977. ...

(LFS) in Region III. as.

References

* *{{better source needed, date=September 2012 Fraternities and sororities in the Philippines Student organizations established in 1962 1962 establishments in the Philippines