RA 8049 (1995)
merely regulated hazing or initiation rites.
defines hazing as “an initiation rite or
practice as a prerequisite for admission into
membership in a fraternity, sorority or
organization by placing the recruit, neophyte
or applicant in some embarrassing or
humiliating situations such as forcing him to
do menial, silly, foolish and other similar
tasks or activities or otherwise subjecting
him to physical or psychological suffering or
injury.”
“by not defining hazing as a criminal act per
se, subject to specific very narrowly-drawn
exceptions, the law itself guarantees that
hazing will continue.”
“hazing” is made synonymous to initiation
rites or practice, and makes punishable the
act of hazing only when the latter is a
prerequisite for admission into membership
in a fraternity, sorority or organization. This
explains why the present law has no teeth;
there are just too many defenses available to
the perpetrators to avoid liability and secure
acquittal. For example, under the present
law, if the act of violence was committed not
as a prerequisite for admission into the
membership of a fraternity or organization,
then there is simply no hazing to speak of. All
that the perpetrators have to do is to claim
that the victim was already a member when
violence was committed upon him.
According to the law, these initiation rites
can still push through if:
 There is written notice addressed
to the school authorities or head
of organization 7 days prior
 There are at least two
representatives from the school
present
RA 11053 (2018)
Act prohibiting hazing and regulating
other forms or initiation rites of
fraternities, sororities, and other
organizations.
1. definition of hazing has been
expanded to include
“physical or psychological
suffering, harm or injury
inflicted on a recruit,
neophyte, applicant or
member as part of an
initiation rite or a
requirement for continuing
membership in a fraternity
or sorority or organization.”
organizations are now required to apply and
be recognized by school authorities before
implementing any activity in and out of the
campus, the school, on the other hand, shall
have sets of guidelines that every
organization shall adhere to 60 days after the
act has been approved.
mandates schools to “take more
proactive steps to protect its
students from the dangers of
participating in activities that involve
hazing.”
The law allows school-based initiation rites as
long as a written application with all necessary
details are made to the proper authorities at
least a week before the planned date. Details
include the place and date, the names of all
those who will participate, and all incumbent
officers of the fraternity, sorority, or
organization.
The written application should state that no
harm shall be inflicted on anybody during the
initiation rites, and that the activity should not
The written notice should include details
about the activity, including how long it will
last, the names of those who will undergo
the initiation rites, and an "undertaking that
no physical violence will be employed."
The representatives assigned by the school,
meanwhile, have the duty to “see to it that
no physical harm of any kind shall be
inflicted upon a recruit, neophyte or
applicant.”
2.Members of organizations – regardless
whether fraternity, sorority, or otherwise –
directly involved in the infliction of harm will
be liable if the person who went through the
hazing or any form of initiation rites “suffers
any physical injury or dies,” according to the
law. The law does not penalize the actual act
of initiation rites.
If a neophyte dies, has been raped,
sodomized, or mutilated, those
responsible can face life imprisonment.
3.Meanwhile, those who have actual
knowledge of the hazing conducted but did
not do anything about it – such as owners of
the place where it was held, school
authorities, and other members of the
organization – can be considered as
accomplices.
last more than three days.
The law also requires the head of the school or
at least two school representatives during the
initiation.
RA 11053 provides for harsher penalties
compared to RA 8049 as it also penalizes those
who will try to cover up the fact that such a
hazing happened.
Organizations that fail to compromise with
the law shall pay a Php 3 million fine and be
subjected to reclusion perpetua (life
imprisonment) if the initiation activity results
in death, rape, sodomy, or mutilation.
A penalty of reclusion temporal and a P1-
million fine will be imposed on all those
present during the hazing, and all those who
will try to hide the fact that such act happened,
and those who will obstruct any investigation
that will be conducted.
Stiffer penalties:
penalizes individuals who will try to cover up
the alleged hazing activities of their colleagues.
penalty of reclusion perpetua and a fine of P2
million will be imposed upon all who
participated in the hazing, all officers and
members of the organization present during
the act and knowingly cooperated to carry it
out, the adviser of the organization who is
present and failed to take action,
penalizes a person who participated in the
hazing, whether or not the victim was
subjected to substantial risk of physical injury
or death, and regardless whether actual
injuries or death resulted.
If those involved are members of the Philippine

4.The law also does not entirely cover the
effects on mental health of an applicant –
only if he or she becomes "insane, imbecile."
Imagine the number of now-members who
were subjected to the paddle and
fortunately left physically “unscathed” but
left with psychological scars.
bar, they shall be The law explicitly states that
in no case will hazing be made a requirement
for employment in any business or corporation.
If they belong to any profession under the
regulation of the Professional Regulation
Commission (PRC), they shall immediately be
subjected to disciplinary proceedings and may
face a maximum three-year suspension or
revocation of license.
bans all forms of hazing in
fraternities, sororities and
organizations in schools,
communities and even businesses
and uniformed service learning
institutions.
covers emotional and psychological hazing,
aside from physical hazing.
covers acts ranging from paddling to
whipping, beating, branding, forced
calisthenics, exposure to the
weather, forced consumption of any
food, liquor, beverage, drug or other
substance or any brutal treatment or
forced physical activity likely to
adversely affect the physical and
psychological health of such recruit.