Baguio councilor seeks review of fraternity ordinance

WITH the advent of the “hypebeast phenomenon,” Baguio City Councilor Peter Fianza has called for a review on the ordinance passed by the City Council in 2007 which seeks to regulate and strengthen the participation in governance of youth groups and fraternities as a possible answer to the impasse.

Fianza last week asked the City Council committee on public protection and safety under Councilor Roberto Francisco Ortega to include in its study the possibility of improving Ordinance No. 63 series of 2007 as a means of addressing the problems brought by the hypebeast and similar concerns.

The lawmaker said the Baguio City Police Office, the Office of the City Social Welfare and Development Office and the Department of Education should be tapped to revisit the measure and make suggestions on how the ordinance can be strengthened and work to prevent the emergence of similar problematic youth groups in the city.

Fianza recalled the ordinance was passed in 2007 after a spate of violent incidents involving fraternities in the city.

“Some of these groups disbanded because of the death of a student in one of the encounters. Hopefully the same thing will not happen in the case of the hypebeast,” Fianza said.

Ordinance No. 63-2007 authored by then Councilors Betty Lourdes Tabanda and Nicasio Aliping Jr. was passed following violations of the law by some fraternizes like vandalism, street fights, gang wars and other forms of violence.

It was remembered the street fight and shooting incident happened on April 13, 2007 and the all-out street brawl involving dozens of youth on April 14, 2007 along Bonifacio St. and the explosion on Oct. 2, 2007 also along Bonifacio St. which injured 12 students of St. Louis University.

“The rash of violent incidents shows signs of clear and present danger of substantial evil which the city government has the right to prevent by implementing stricter measures to regulate the formation of such groups and their activities to enable them to channel their efforts, resources and idealism to make them proactive partners in governance,” the measure notes.

As a result, the ordinance sought to require youth organizations or any group composed of at least 15 members with a formal organizational set-up such as the barangay youth, fraternities, sororities, samahans, indigenous and similar groups to register with the City Social Welfare and Development Office.

Registered group will be automatically involved in good governance and has easy access to raise their concern in the government.

At the same they will have the chance to participate in the city government community undertakings in various areas.

rTo date no fraternities have complied with the requirement and in view of the emergence of this hypebeast problem, Fianza said this ordinance should be strengthened based on the inputs of the different agencies. (Aileen Refuerzo)