Tau Gamma Phi

Tau Gamma Phi (ΤΓΦ), also known as the Triskelions' Grand Fraternity, is a fraternity established in the Philippines. Its members call themselves Triskelions. Their aims are to see a Fraternity System devoid of violence in lieu of the rampant violence pervading the university campus at the time of its founding, to avoid elitism if they can, and to earnestly propagate their fraternity's principles as their way of life. Based on these goals, the Triskelions categorized their formal group as a 'protest fraternity'. The Fraternity encourages its members to strive for spiritual growth and to organize socio-civic activities for the benefit of communities.^[1] Tau Gamma Phi is now one of the largest international fraternities, with about 500,000 registered members worldwide.^[2] Its counterpart is called Tau Gamma Sigma (ΤΓΣ) also known as the Triskelions' Grand Sorority.

The Triskelion Alumni Organization (TAO) is the umbrella organization for all its alumni associations worldwide. The TAO has established close-knit enclaves in the United States of America, Canada, the Middle East, Asia and Europe.

The Triskelion Radio was set up by capable Triskelions, and it is probably the first ever fraternity and sorority on-line radio station in the Philippines.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/22/TGPseal.png

Founding[edit]

The fraternal organization, originally known as the Order of the U.P. Triskelions^{[citation needed]}, was founded on October 4, 1968 by four arts and science students from the University of the Philippines in the Diliman campus, Quezon City, Philippines. Membership grew when the Greek-lettered name Tau Gamma Phi was adopted. A few years later, chapters were established at other college and university campuses in the Philippines.^{[citation needed]}

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Martial law era[edit]

When martial law was declared on September 21, 1972 by the late Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, some university organizations including Tau Gamma Phi became targets of military harassment, believing that these school organizations posed a threat to the Marcos regime. ^{[3][4][5][dead link][self-published source]}

With martial law forestalling most of its fraternal activities, the Triskelions faced the problem of continuous decline in recruitment. In the 1975 general assembly, they explored the idea of including younger members. Recruitment began in the high school sector with the "Junior Tau Gamma Phi", also known as the "Junior Triskelions", founded at San Beda College–High School in 1975.^[6]

Triskelion Youth Movement[edit]

True to its objective of veering away from the elitist orientation of the fraternity system, the Tau Gamma Phi and later on also the Tau Gamma Sigma, decided to open its doors to aspiring youth in the community through the Triskelion Youth Movement (T.Y.M.), so that they too, who temporarily stopped pursuing higher education to continue their chosen vocation, may also share in the glory of the Tau Gamma Phi and Tau Gamma Sigma. Another milestone in fraternity or sorority history. As Triskelions they also persevered to preserve the fraternity's existence during its trying times. Numerous notable Triskelion alumni actually started their Fraternal Journey in the T.Y.M.

Hazing[edit]

Despite an anti-hazing law in the Philippines, many university fraternities in the Philippines have been involved in a dozen cases of hazing deaths since 2006, and have been implicated in numerous incidents of violence.^[7]

The Tau Gamma Phi called on all chapters through their provincial and city councils to the fraternity motto Primum Nil Nocere or "First, Do No Harm", and commit to avoid violence related to hazing.^[8]

Affiliated Groups[edit]

• Tau Gamma Sigma (ΤΓΣ) — Triskelions' Grand Sorority.
• Triskelion Alumni Organization (T.A.O.) — The umbrella organization of all Triskelion alumni associations worldwide.
• Triskelion Order of Law (T.O.L.) — Alumni association of Triskelions who are in the judiciary and paralegal profession.
• Triskelion Order of Medicine (T.O.M.) — Alumni association of Triskelions who are in the medical profession.
• Triskelion Order of Business (T.O.B.) — Alumni association of Triskelions who are in the corporate world, businessmen and those who operate their own entrepreneurial ventures.
• Triskelion Information Technology Group (T.I.T.G.) — Alumni association of Triskelions who are computer engineers, technicians and information technology professionals.
• Triskelion Order of Call Center Professionals (T.O.C.C.) — Alumni association of Triskelions who are in the Business Process Outsourcing industry or contact/call centers.
• Triskelion Law Enforcers Group (TriLEG) — Alumni association of Triskelions who are currently working and those who retired from government armed services.
• Triskelion Seafarers League (TriSEAL) — Alumni association of Triskelions who are professional mariners, shipping executives, military personnel, and crew in ships sailing oceans around the globe.
• Triskelion Order of Teachers (T.O.T.) - Alumni association of Triskelions who are in the teaching profession. The T.O.T. was first organized at the West Visayas State University, Iloilo City, Philippines.