UP CMC urges hazing victims to file charges

University of the Philippines–College of Mass Communication (UP CMC) on Thursday denounced the “dehumanizing practices of hazing” amid reports of such incident circulating on social media recently.

In a statement, UP CMC expressed its commitment to its antihazing, prostudent welfare stance and urged victims to come out in the open and file charges.

“We will continue to bring the issue of hazing to the consciousness of the youth today using different and appropriate channels of communication,” it said.

“If this can be part of the healing process, we therefore encourage her, as well as others who had undergone similar experiences, to file official charges so that a thorough investigation into the matter may be done and warranted sanctions, imposed,” it added.

A Facebook post about a former UP student on her hazing experience when she was applying for membership at a university organization five years ago made rounds online recently.

She narrated in detail how the application process involved a lot of “screaming” and “cursing” and forced physical activities as part of the initiation rites.

The harrowing experience had given her trauma and nightmares to this day, she said in her post.

UP CMC confirmed that the said hazing incident five years ago involved an alumna of its college and said it was “saddening.”

The college emphasized that “hazing has no place in a university that upholds honor and excellence; hazing has no place in a nation that respects and protects the dignity of man.”