SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
S E N A T E
s . B. no.1 1 6 1
> r a a ii-
u f  I h e ^ r n i - t a r u
*16 
SEP 19 
P 7 « 3
Ul  Cf  l V : M Y :
In tro d u ced  by SENATOR LOREN LEGARDA
AN ACT
PROHIBITING HAZING AND REGULATING OTHER FORMS OF INITIATION 
RITES OF FRATERNITIES, SORORITIES, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, AND 
PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR VIOLATION THEREOF, REPEALING FOR THE 
PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8049
Explanatory Note
As part of governm ent efforts to ensure and promote a safe environm ent for 
students in schools and universities, this proposed m easure seeks to prohibit 
hazing and regulate other forms of initiation rites of fraternities, sororities and 
other school-based organizations. This is in response to the inadequacy of 
Republic Act 8049 which actually allows hazing, provided there is prior written 
notice to school authorities seven days before the conduct of the said initiation.
Apart from the outright prohibition on hazing, this bill requires educational 
institutions to be more involved in the regulation of fraternities, sororities and 
organizations, w hether existing or newly established. These groups m ust subm it 
requirem ents before any initiation rite takes places and the rites can only run for 
a m axim um  of three days. Schools m ust approve or deny applications based on 
established guidelines and at least two representatives from the school m ust be 
present when the hazing is conducted.
An inter-agency comm ittee will also be established with m em bers from the 
Commission on Higher Education (CHED), D epartm ent of Education (DepEd), 
D epartm ent of Justice (DOJ), Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of 
the Philippines (AFP), D epartm ent of Interior and Local Government (DILG), 
D epartm ent of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), 
National Youth 
Commission (NYC) to prom ulgate guidelines and im plementing rules and 
regulations in order to carry out the provisions of this act.
The bill also revises the penalties upon school, fraternity and sorority officers and 
other involved individuals. The penalty ranges from a fine of one million pesos 
and reclusion temporal to three million pesos and reclusion perpetua. The defense 
th at the recruit, neophyte or applicant consented to being subjected to hazing 
shall not be available to persons prosecuted under this Act.
Fraternities and sororities are necessary to foster community within an education 
system but will only be beneficial if they contribute to a student’s personal growth 
and development.


The tradition of hazing as a ritual, which individuals believe they m ust undergo 
to solidify respect and m em bership within an organization, is primitive, archaic, 
and in m any reported cases, m urderous. According to reports from the Homicide 
Division of the Philippine National Police (PNP), majority of the victims of hazing 
are people aged 16 to 25 years old. From 2000 to 2008, 13 people have died from 
this “ritual” with at least one death recorded annually since 2009.
For the above-cited reasons, the passage of this bill is urgently sought.
LOREN^LEGARD?
Senator


SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
S E N A T E  
S. B. No. I I G I
o f t h e c? '. n r t . 1 r i
'16 
SEP 19 
P 7 « 3
KF( r.j'. , 
n \.
In tro d u ced  by SENATOR LOREN LEGARDA
AN ACT PROHIBITING HAZING AND REGULATING OTHER FORMS OF 
INITIATION 
RITES 
OF 
FRATERNITIES, 
SORORITIES, 
AND 
OTHER 
ORGANIZATIONS, AND PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR VIOLATION THEREOF, 
REPEALING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8049
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assem bled:
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S ection 1. S h o rt T itle. -  This Act shall be known as the “Anti-Hazing Act.”
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Section 2. P ro h ib itio n  on H azing. - Any physical or psychological suffering, 
harm  or injury inflicted on a recruit, member, neophyte or applicant as a form 
of an initiation rite or practice m ade as a prerequisite for adm ission or a 
requirem ent for continuing m em bership in a fraternity, sorority or organization 
shall be considered as hazing and is hereby prohibited. Hazing shall also 
include any activity, intentionally m ade or otherwise, by one person alone or 
acting with others, that tends to hum iliate or em barrass, degrade, abuse or 
endanger, by requiring a recruit, member, neophyte or applicant to do menial, 
silly, or foolish tasks. All forms of hazing shall be prohibited at whatever stage 
of the initiation rites or practice.
Fraternities, sororities, and organizations not based in schools such as those 
which are com m unity based are likewise covered by the prohibition under this 
Section.
As used in this Act, the term  “school” shall include colleges, universities, and 
all other educational institutions, while the term  “organization” shall include 
but is not limited to any club, association or group as well as the officer and 
cadet corps of the Citizens’ Military Training and Citizens’ Army Training.
Section 3. R egulation o f In itiatio n  R ites. -  Only initiation rites or practices 
which do not inflict direct or indirect physical or psychological suffering, harm  
or injury to the recruit, neophyte, or applicant of a fraternity, sorority or 
organization shall be allowed: Provided;
a. 
That a written application to conduct the sam e shall be made to the 
proper authorities of the school not later than seven (7) days prior to the 
scheduled initiation date;
b. 
That the written application shall indicate the place and date of the 
initiation rites and the nam es of the recruit, neophyte or applicant to be 
initiated;


c. 
That the initiation rites shall not last more than three (3) days;
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d. 
The application shall contain the nam es of the incum bent officers of the 
fraternity, sorority or organization and any person or persons th at will take 
charge in the conduct of the initiation rites;
e. 
The application shall be under oath with a declaration th at it has been 
posted in the official school bulletin board, the bulletin board of the office of 
the fraternity, sorority, or organization, and two other conspicuous places in 
the school or in the prem ises of the organization;
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The application shall be posted from the time of subm ission of the written 
notice to the school authorities or head of organization and shall only be 
removed from its posting three (3) days after the conduct of the initiation rites;
The school, organization, fraternity, or sorority shall provide for their 
respective bulletin boards for the purposes of this section.
The appropriate authorities of the school shall have the right to approve or 
disapprove the application, and the reasons thereof shall be stated clearly and 
in unequivocal term s in a formal advice to the fraternity, sorority or 
organization concerned taking into consideration the safety and security of 
participants in the activity. Guidelines for the approval or denial of the 
application to conduct initiation rites by a registered fraternity, sorority or 
organization shall be prom ulgated by the appropriate school officials not later 
than sixty (60) days after the approval of this Act.
School officials shall have the authority to impose, after due notice and 
sum m ary hearing, disciplinary sanctions to the head and all other officers of 
the fraternity, sorority, or organization which conducts an initiation without 
first securing the necessary approval of the school as required under this 
Section. All m em bers of the fraternity, 
sorority or organization, who 
participated in the unauthorized initiation rites, even if no hazing was 
conducted, shall also be punished accordingly.
In case the written application for the conduct of initiation rites contains false 
or inaccurate information, appropriate disciplinary sanctions shall be imposed, 
after due notice and sum m ary hearing, against the person who prepared the 
application or supplied the false and inaccurate information and to the head 
and other officers of the fraternity, sorority, or organization concerned.
Section 4. M onitoring of In itiatio n  R ites. -  The head of the school or an 
authorized representative m ust assign at least two (2) representatives of the 
school to be present during the initiation. It is the duty of the school 
representatives to see to it th at no hazing is conducted during the initiation 
rites. The representatives of the school who were present during the initiation 
shall m ake a report to the appropriate officials of the school regarding the 
conduct of the initiation.
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Section 
5. 
R eg istratio n  
of 
F ratern ities, 
S ororities, 
and 
O ther 
O rganizations. -  All existing fraternities, sororities, and other organizations 
otherwise not created or organized by the school but has existing m em bers 
who are students or plans to recruit students to be its m em bers shall be 
required to register with the proper authorities of the school before it conducts 
activities w hether on or off-campus including recruitm ent of members.
A newly established fraternity, sorority, or organization in a school shall 
immediately register with the proper authorities of the school during the 
sem ester or trim ester in which it was established or organized: Provided, That 
the 
new 
fraternity, 
sorority, 
or 
organization 
has 
complied 
with 
the 
requirem ents prescribed by the school in establishing a fraternity, sorority, or


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organization: Provided, further, That schools shall promulgate their guidelines
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in the registration of fraternities, sororities, and organizations within their
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jurisdiction not later than sixty (60) days from the approval of this Act.
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Upon registration, all fraternities, sororities, and organizations shall submit a
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comprehensive list of members, which shall be updated not later than thirty
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(30) days from the start of every semester or trimester, depending on the
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academic calendar of the school.
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School officials shall have the authority to impose, after due notice and
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summary hearings, disciplinary penalties to the head and other officers of the
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fraternity, sorority, or organization who fails to register or update their roster
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of members as required under this Section.
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S ection 6. F acu lty  A dviser. - All fraternities, sororities, and organizations
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must be assigned a faculty adviser responsible for monitoring the activities of
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the fraternity, sorority, or organization. The faculty adviser must be a duly
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recognized active member, in good standing, of the faculty at the school in
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which the fraternity, sorority, or organization is registered.
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S ection 7. Role o f E d ucational In stitu tio n s. -  Schools shall implement an
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information dissemination campaign at the start of every semester or trimester
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to provide adequate information to students regarding the consequences of
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conducting and participating in hazing.
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An orientation program relating to membership in a fraternity, sorority, or
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organization shall also be conducted by schools at the start of every semester
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or trimester.
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Schools shall encourage fraternities, sororities, and organizations to engage in 
undertakings th at foster holistic personal growth and development and 
activities th at contribute to solving relevant and pressing issues of society.
S ection 8. R eg istratio n  o f com m unity based frate rn ities, so ro rities, or 
organizations. -  All new and existing com m unity based fraternities, sororities, 
or organizations shall register with the barangay or m unicipality or city 
wherein it is primarily based.
Upon registration, all com m unity based fraternities, sororities, or organizations 
shall subm it a comprehensive list of m em bers and officers which shall be 
updated yearly from the date of registration.
Section 
9. 
R egulation 
of in itiatio n  
rig h ts 
for 
co m m u n ity  
based 
fratern ities, so ro rities, or organizations. -  Only initiation rites or practices 
which do not inflict direct or indirect physical or psychological suffering, harm , 
or injury to the recruit, neophyte, or applicant of a fraternity, sorority, or 
organization shall be allowed. Provided;
a. 
That a written application to conduct the sam e shall be m ade to the 
barangay captain in the barangay or the m unicipal or city mayor in the city or 
m unicipality where the com m unity based fraternity, sorority, or organization is 
based not later than seven (7) days prior to the scheduled initiation date;
b. 
That the w ritten application shall indicate the place and date of the 
initiation rites and the nam es of the recruit, neophyte or applicant to be 
initiated;
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c. 
That the initiation rites shall not last more than three (3) days;


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d. 
The application shall contain the nam es of the incum bent officers of the
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community based fraternity, sorority or organization and any person or
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persons that will take charge in the conduct of the initiation rites;
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The application shall be under oath with a declaration that it has been
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posted in the official bulletin board of the barangay hall or the municipal or
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city hall where the community based fraternity, sorority, or organization is
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based and the bulletin board of the office of the community based fraternity,
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sorority, or organization,
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f. 
The application shall be posted from the time of submission of the written
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notice to the barangay captain or municipal or city mayor and shall only be
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removed from its posting three (3) days after the conduct of the initiation rites.
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Section 10. M onitoring of in itiatio n  rite s of co m m unity based fratern ities,
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so ro rities, or org an izatio n s. -  The barangay captain of the barangay or the
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municipal or city mayor of the municipality or city where the community based
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fraternity, sorority, or organization is based m ust assign at least two (2)
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barangay or municipal or city officials to be present during the initiation. It
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shall be their duty to see to it that no hazing is conducted during the initiation
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rites. The representatives who were present during the initiation shall make a
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report to the barangay captain, or the municipal or city mayor regarding the
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conduct of the initiation.
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Section 11. N ullity of W aiver and C onsent. -  Any form of approval, consent or
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agreement, w hether written or otherudse, or of an express waiver of the right to
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object to the initiation rite or proceeding which consists of hazing as defined in
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this act made by a recruit, neophyte or applicant prior to an initiation rite that
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involves inflicting physical or psychological suffering, harm or injury shall be
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void and without any binding effect on the parties.
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The defense that the recruit, neophyte or applicant consented to being
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subjected to hazing shall not be available to persons prosecuted under this
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Act.
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Section 
12. 
The 
In te r Agency C om m ittee A gainst H azing. -  The
Commission on Higher Education (CHED), D epartm ent of Education (DepEd), 
D epartm ent of Justice (DOJ), Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of 
the Philippines (AFP), D epartm ent of Interior and Local Government (DILG), 
D epartm ent of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), National Youth 
Commission (NYC) and an organization representing educational institutions, 
schools, colleges and universities shall create an inter-agency committee that 
shall prom ulgate guidelines and implementing rules and regulations in order 
to carry out the provisions of this act.
Section 13. A dm inistrative Sanctions. -  The responsible officials of the 
school or of the police or military may impose the appropriate adm inistrative 
sanctions, after due notice and sum m ary hearing, on the person or the 
persons charged under this Act even before their conviction.
Section 14. P en alties and Liability o f Those Involved in H azing. -
a) The following penalties shall be imposed:
1) 
The penalty of reclusion temporal and a fine of one million pesos 
(PI,000,000.000) shall be imposed upon the participating officers and 
m em bers of the fraternity, sorority or organization involved in the hazing.
2) 
The penalty of reclusion perpetua and a fine of two million pesos 
(P2,000,000.00) shall be imposed upon the m em bers of the fraternity, sorority


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or organization who were intoxicated or under the influence of alcohol or illegal 
drugs when they actually participated in the hazing.
The sam e penalty shall be imposed upon the non-resident or alum ni m em bers 
of the fraternity, sorority or organization who actually participated in the 
hazing.
3) 
The penalty of reclusion perpetua and a fine of three million pesos 
(P3,000,000.00) shall be imposed upon those who actually participated in the 
hazing if, as a consequence of the hazing, death, rape, sodomy or m utilation 
results therefrom;
4) A fine of one million pesos (PI,000,000.00) shall be imposed on the school if 
the fraternity, sorority or organization filed a written application to conduct an 
initiation which was subsequently approved by the school and hazing occurred 
during the initiation rites or when no representatives from the school were 
present during the initiation as provided under Section 4 of this Act.
5) It shall be unlawful for any person to intim idate, threaten, force, or to 
employ, or adm inister any form of vexation against another person for the 
purpose of recruitm ent in joining or prom oting a particular fraternity, sorority, 
or organization. The persistent and repeated proposal or invitation made to a 
person who had twice refused to participate or join the proposed fraternity, 
sorority, or organization shall be prim a facie vexation for purposes of this 
section. Provided further, th at violation of this section shall be punished by 
prision correccional in its m inim um  period.
b) The owner of the place where hazing is conducted shall be liable as a 
principal when he has actual knowledge of the hazing conducted therein but 
failed to take any action to prevent the sam e from occurring or failed to 
promptly report the sam e to the law enforcem ent authorities if he can do so 
without peril to him self or his family. If the hazing is held in the home of one of 
the officers or m em bers of the fraternity, sorority, or organization, the parents 
shall be held liable as principals when they have actual knowledge of the 
hazing conducted therein but failed to take any action to prevent the sam e 
from occurring or failed to promptly report the sam e to the law enforcem ent 
authorities if he can do so without peril to him self or his family.
c) The school authorities including faculty m em bers as well as barangay, 
municipal or city officials shall be held adm inistratively liable for hazing 
conducted by fraternities, sororities and other organizations if it can be shown 
that the school or barangay, m unicipal or city official allowed or consented to 
the conduct of hazing or where there is actual knowledge of hazing, but failed 
to take any action to prevent the sam e from occurring or failed to promptly 
report to the law enforcem ent authorities if the sam e can be done w ithout peril 
to the person reporting or h is/h e r family.
d) The officers, former officers, 
or alum ni of the 
fraternity, sorority, or
organization who actually planned the hazing although not present when the
acts constituting the hazing were committed shall be liable as principals. A 
fraternity, sorority or organization's faculty adviser who is present when the 
acts constituting the hazing were committed and failed to take action to 
prevent the sam e from occurring or failed to promptly report the same to the
law enforcem ent authorities if he can do so w ithout peril to himself or his
family shall be liable as principal.
e) The presence of any person during the hazing is prim a facie evidence of 
partieipation therein as principal unless he prevented the comm ission of the


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acts punishable herein or promptly reported the same to the law enforcement
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authorities if he can do so without peril to himself or his family.
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f) The incumbent officers of the fraternity, sorority or organization concerned
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shall be jointly liable with those members who actually participated in the
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hazing. The prim a facie presumption that arises herein shall be rebutted only
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by the individual defense of desistance and renunciation by the accused.
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g) Any person charged under this Act shall not be entitled to the mitigating
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circumstance that there was no intention to commit so grave a wrong.
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h) This Section shall apply to the president, manager, director or other
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responsible officer of a corporation engaged in hazing as a requirement for
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employment in the manner provided herein.
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i) Any judgment of final conviction shall be reflected in the scholastic record,
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personal or employment record of the person convicted, regardless of when the
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conviction is arrived at.
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S ection 15. S eparability Clause. -  If any provision or part of this Act is
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declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not
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affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.
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S ection 16. R epealing C lause. -  Republic Act No. 8049 is hereby repealed. All
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other laws, decreed, executive orders, proclamations, rules and regulations, or
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parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby am ended,
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repealed or modified accordingly.
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S ection 17. E ffectivity C lause. -  This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
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after its publication in the Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general
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circulation.
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Approved,