MASKS STILL A MUST HERE After a three-year absence due to the pandemic, the Oblation Run is back on Friday, streaking through the University of the Philippines Diliman campus. The tradition kept alive by the Alpha Phi Omega fraternity doubles as an event for student activism. This year, it carried the theme “Sama-sama Tayong Babaon Muli (We Will All Sink Together),” apparently mocking the election campaign slogan—“Babangon Tayong Muli (Will Will Rise Again Together)”—of President Marcos. —NIÑO JESUS ORBETA
After a three-year halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Oblation Run returned to the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman on Friday with the theme “Sama-sama tayong babaon muli,” which derives from a wordplay on President Marcos’ slogan “Babangon Muli,” demanding accountability from the government. Around 15 members of the Alpha Phi Omega Fraternity (APO) ran naked around the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy Hall with masks concealing their identities while carrying protest placards.
“It seems like the new regime of Bongbong Marcos Jr. is a sequel to the Marcos Sr. regime: the inflation of basic needs, weakening of peso versus dollar and the rising foreign debts,” the fraternity said in a statement.
Rectify mistakes
The fraternity further condemned policies of the current administration which are “not based on scientific and native knowledge,” such as the amendment of Public Service Act, the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement and the mandatory Reserve Officers Training Corps.
“It’s time that we leave our comfort zone and do away with the status quo—along with tireless persuasion and rectification of our mistakes—of ourselves and others,” the statement added.
According to Wilnor Papa, APO member, the Oblation Run is a form of protest to express the brotherhood’s stances on socially relevant issues.
“The oblation is a platform that students use to protest and to make people aware about the relevant issues in the university and of the country. While we do other services, this is one of our highest forms of service,” said Papa.
“This is not for clout. This is our way to protest and fight because the fight is not yet over,” added Papa.
The annual celebration of Oblation Run will continue as long as there are injustices in the country, said APO member Bruno Abenojar.
“Our calls are unfortunately not being heeded. What we are seeing, in fact, is the continuous erosion of our democratic rights,” Abenojar said.
The tradition of naked fratmen running, which began in the 70s, was rooted in the UP-based fraternity’s history of political activism under Marcos Sr.’s dictatorship.
In 1977, two APO members ran around the campus to protest against the censorship of Robert Ylagan’s film “Hubad na Bayani,” which was about human rights violations during the martial law regime.
The title “Oblation Run” was named after the statue sculpted by National Artist Guillermo Tolentino of a naked man offering himself to the country, which is symbolic of UP.
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By Abby Boiser
@AbbyBoiserINQ