Tau Gamma Phi History
Through the years, the Tau Gamma Phi Fraternity has never strayed from its goals, and although the cause of which it has chosen to champion has proven to be difficult and sometimes, seemingly hopeless, as it is sucked repeatedly into the void of fraternity violence that it has fought hard to end. The Fraternity has, nevertheless survived and even increased a thousand-fold in strength and in number. Knowing fully well that peace is a product of strength and not of weakness. Where other fraternities with the same noble intentions failed and succumbed into non-existence by adopting a passive stance against fraternity violence; the Tau Gamma Phi has chosen not to follow the same path. Lest it suffers the same fate.
Furthermore, as a manifestation of its sincerity towards the achievement of such goal, the Fraternity has taken an active role in organizing inter-fraternity alliances in the various schools and universities all over the country in the hope that such alliances will provide the conducive atmosphere where fraternities can slowly grow and mature together in fellowship and mutual trust by respecting each other's philosophies and ideals. "De gustibus non desputandum est - of likes and dislikes there should be no disputing, live and let live", this is one of the guiding principles of the Triskelion.
Today, the Tau Gamma Phi Fraternity is already the biggest and most cohesive fraternity in the Philippines. It boasts membership numbering to about eighthundred thousand including community chapters known as the Triskelion Youth Moement or TYM. It maintains numerous college and university chapters around the country, and now with Triskelion Alumni Organizations (T.A.O.) in all regions of the United States of America and other continents of the world.
Tau Gamma Phi's vision and mission is to serve and excel in all fields of human endeavor. Thus, a way of life in accordance with the Tenets and the Triskelion Codes of Conduct while empowering the principle: "Man is Brother unto Man". All Triskelions share a common ground and that is to support every endeavor each member has chosen and help make every member's dream come true.
The Founding
The Tau Gamma Phi or the Triskelions' Grand Fraternity was established at the University of the Philippines, Diliman in Quezon City, Philippines on October 4, 1968, by student leaders from U.P. College of Arts and Sciences. They were all members of the U.P. Political Science Club. In the pre-martial law years, they were active street parliamentarians, knowing the impending social upheaval and political turmoil looming in the fatherland.
Moved from the discovery of a problem and by seeking viable solutions and initiating purposeful action for personal, familial, vocational and community betterment, prompted the action-group of Rod Confesor, Roy Ordinario, Talek Pablo, Tito Venida, Restituto Alfonso and Romeo Fortes to form "The Order of the U.P. Triskelions". Initially however, this small group did not much influence the times and decisions within the university so that it was renamed "The Order of the Grand Triskelions". Again, due to lack of interest by the studentry, led to another renaming of the group. Realizing the trend of ever growing popularity of the Greek-named organizations in the campus, finding common interests and being bonded by very similar principles, the founders voted to change the organization to a Greek-Lettered name. Finally adopting the Greek letters Tau (Τ), Gamma (Γ) and Phi (Φ), which stands for Triskelions' Grand Fraternity on that fateful Friday of October in the year Nineteen Hundred and Sixty Eight.
The Four Founding Fathers
By now only four of the original six founders were left to continue the saga of their vision for the Fraternity, more famously known to its members as the "The Four Founding Fathers" or just plain "FFF" for short. They are Rodrigo "Rod" Sta. Maria Confesor, Roy Alolor Ordinario, Talek Hamias Pablo, and Vedasto "Tito" Sario Venida. Convinced of the success of a unified endeavor, the Founding Fathers proved to be the real pillars that was later manifested in the succeeding recognition of the Fraternity at the University of the Philippines. Showing the public a discipline and collective determination and good examples, the Fraternity got the attention and respect of the University of the Philippines student body so that in the process an enlightened group headed by Triskelion Jun Rodriguez took the leap-of-faith forward by inaugurating the Fraternity in 1968 at Cavite - the first site of formal initiation, to be the first "Founding Batch" of the Tau Gamma Phi Fraternity. Under the leadership of Founding Father Rod Confessor as the first Grand Triskelion, much influence and action came to the history of the fraternity which reached to the heights by gaining control of the College of Arts and Sciences (C.A.S.) student body. The C.A.S. at that time was the dominant college within the University with regards to the logic of numbers, which therefore proved that the Tau Gamma Phi is a group to reckon with.
The Founding Fathers proved to be the paradigm of leadership as the Fraternity attained official recognition at the University of the Philippines. By showing discipline, collective determination and good examples, the Fraternity further grabbed the attention and respect of the University of the Philippines students. Much influence and action came to the history of the fraternity which reached to the heights by gaining control of the College of Arts and Sciences (C.A.S.) student body. The C.A.S. at that time was the dominant college within the University with regards to the logic of numbers, which therefore proved that the Tau Gamma Phi is a group to reckon with.
The Early Chapters and the 1970's - A Decade of Awakening
Reaping the fruits of labor, discipline and confidence of the University of the Philippines Chapter, the Triskelion principles reverberated outside of the U.P.-Diliman campus, which signaled the advancement of the fraternity. The inspired U.P. Chapter founded a new home for Triskelions at the Philippine Maritime Institute (P.M.I.) on August 3, 1969. Seven months later, another group of students at the Far Eastern Aeronautics and Technical Institute (F.E.A.T.I.) now known only as FEATI University also embraced the Tenets and principles of the Triskelion on March 5, 1970. Following the success at the P.M.I. and FEATI University, the Fraternity explored at the Mapua Institute of Technology (M.I.T.) on April 1970, and was later revived on December 2, 1973. While at the National University (Philippines) (N.U.) the Fraternity readily found acceptance on October 23, 1970 and the Philippine School of Business Administration (P.S.B.A.) - Manila, on August 21, 1971. Following these developments came a succession of chapter foundations.
In the next few years many other chapters would follow suit. Trying to find a Christian home the Tau Gamma Phi was founded in the two biggest Catholic universities in the nation, the University of Santo Tomas (U.S.T.) on March 1, 1971, and at the Adamson University (Ad.U.) on July 8, 1973, and in that same year National College of Business and Arts (N.C.B.A.) - Manila on October 1973. The year 1974 saw the series of foundations and gave birth to the chapters at the University of the East (U.E.) - Manila and also on January 21, at the Manuel L. Quezon University (M.L.Q.U.) came on October 8 and at the San Sebastian College (S.S.C.) on November 19. These schools,colleges and universities will ultimately complete the phenomenal growth of the Fraternity in the early 1970s, but it didn't stop there. The meteoric rise of the Tau Gamma Phi Fraternity in that decade have only just began.
After the 3rd Regional Convention in 1975 at Narvaez Farm in Laguna, another school embraced the Tenets and the Codes of Conduct of the Fraternity. The Far Eastern University (F.E.U.) was founded on July 27, 1975, the 13th and only chapter found in that year. Then the next year, 1976, six succeeding chapters have been founded one after the other. They are the Philippine College of Arts and Trades (P.C.A.T.), now the Technological University of the Philippines (T.U.P.) on February 22, 1976, the University of Manila (U.M.) on March 7, 1976, the Central Colleges of the Philippines (C.C.P.) on July 11, 1976, the Philippine College of Criminology (P.C.Cr.) on August 7, 1976, the Lyceum of the Philippines on August 15, 1976, the Gregorio Araneta University Foundation (G.A.U.F.), now the De La Salle Araneta University on October 15, 1976, making 1976 the most productive year for the Fraternity.
Then a few more chapters had been added in the later part of the 1970s. The De Ocampo Memorial College (D.O.M.C.) on August 30, 1977, the Eulogio "Amang" Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology (E.A.R.I.S.T.) on March 19, 1978, the Philippine Air Transport and Training Services (P.A.T.T.S.), now called PATTS College of Aeronautics on September 5, 1978, and to close the decade with a bang, the Philippine Merchant Marine School (P.M.M.S.) - Manila on March 2, 1979, and the Perpetual Help College of Rizal (P.H.C.R.) - Las Piñas, now University of Perpetual Help System on August 9, 1979, were established.
The 1970s is the most challenging but also the most fruitful decade for the Tau Gamma Phi being a young Fraternity. This trend of chapter foundations goes on through the 1980s and 1990s, and until now, in the new millennium, new chapters in schools, colleges, universities and even communities in some far flung corners of the Philippines were being established. Making it the biggest and most dynamic fraternity in the country.
Tau Gamma Sigma History
from TGP Cyberspace Council
It was a cold afternoon of January 17, 1969 in Mandaluyong when the TAU GAMMA SIGMA was formed. Eleven (11) illustrious coed girls from UP Diliman campus are “barkada” of the Tau Gamma Phi founders. These girls were all political science students and members of the Political Science Club who are valiantly embraced the TENETS AND CODES OF CONDUCT.
The founders are Rosmarie Carandang, Victoria Sisonte Bataclan, Lucita Rodriguez, Erlinda Arabejo, Teresita Aguinaldo, Mila Garcia, Rowena Celino Alfonso, Emily Sibula Hiadini, Nitz Santos, Flery Tesado Tesoro, and Luzviminda Tancangco. The first batch that had initiation rites was held in Bustos, Bulacan. Successive batches came in until they reached the number of almost fifty members of different courses in UP campus.
Formal structure followed in July 1970 when they had their 1st Induction cum Ballroom. Despite of the girls very stiff class schedules as well as busy bodies in the campus, the Tau Gamma Sigma members managed to formulate policies and guidelines of the sorority particularly the Constitution and Initiation Procedure. Eighty percent (80%) is mental torture while only minimal percent on the physical contact.
It is indeed in great pride that the Tau Gamma Sigma members are very active in participating school activities especially in the Student Council. The sorority was an ultra ego image of the TGP fraternity which forces become stronger in the campus due to their individual excellence.
A few years later, in 1971, the number of the Sigma members had gone down due to many had graduated and recruitment process then, had become too rigid due to the sudden declaration of the Martial Law. Many things had changed, some were transferred to other schools, went abroad and some had to take leave of absence for various reasons.
Early 1973, the sorority had faded in the campus. But the brods did not stop in looking for other recourse due to the fact that they cannot live without Sigma, they need someone always at their side, “taga-luto, taga-payo, taga-gamot, taga-alaga” and all the rest of being a “taga”. By the late 1973, a Brod also from UP Diliman formed the group called “Sedarum Saudara”, an organization but not a sorority. The UP TGP Brods also called these girls as sisters. Membership in this organization has no initiation rites; they just submit their application with corresponding academic excellence, then interview portions followed. It was only in 1981 when UP TGP revived the sorority and they are Dinky Ruivivar, Chloe Ceniza, Grace Corachea and Macris Santos. In the revival batch, two members came from the Sedarum Saudara.
Presently, the original eleven UP founding sisters are now happy with their family. Some are now based abroad, few are on their businesses and others are holding top positions in the government.
