Tau Gamma Sigma

Infobox Fraternity
letters=ΤΓΣ
name= Tau Gamma Sigma
crest=
Triskelion Grand Sorority
founded= Birth date and age|1969|01|17
birthplace= University of the Philippines
type= Socio Economic Service Sorority
scope= International
motto= " A Triskelion firmly believes in the power of reason and not in the use of force as a reason. "
free_label = Cardinal Principles|free = The 3 Cardinal Principles:
"Fortis Voluntas Sororitas "
(Strength, Freewill and Sisterhood)
colors= ████ Gold
████ Black
████ Green
symbol= Triskelion (general),
Lioness (animal),
St. Francis of Assisi (patron saint)
chapters= PHL = 3000+ Philippine Colleges Universities and Community Based Chapters,
USA = 9 Active Regional Councils
Other Global T.A.O. / RC's :
flag|Australia = 3
flag|Bahrain = 1,
flag|Brunei = 1,
flag|Canada = 3,
flag|Guam = 1,
flag|Hong Kong = 1,
flag|Italy = 1,
flag|Iran = 1,
flag|Ireland = 1,
flag|Israel = 1,
flag|Japan = 1,
flag|Kuwait = 1,
flag|Libya = 1,
flag|New Zealand = 1,
flag|Oman = 1,
flag|Qatar = 1,
flag|Saudi Arabia = 3,
flag|Singapore = 1,
flag|South Korea = 1,
flag|Switzerland = 1,
flag|Thailand = 1,
UAE = 1,
UK = 1|address=University of the Philippines, Diliman
city= Quezon City
state= Metro Manila
country= Philippines
homepage= http://www.taugammasigma.org/
footnotes=

Tau Gamma Sigma also known as the Triskelion Grand Sorority, is a sorority founded at the premier state run and owned educational institution in the Philippines, the University of the Philippines on January 17, 1969. An affiliated sorority of the Tau Gamma Phi, also known as the Triskelion Grand Fraternity. It is considered as one of the most dynamic sororities in the Philippines today.

History

Confusion Behind the Date

The Tau Gamma Sigma - Triskelion Grand Sorority was originally founded on the 17th day of January in the year 1969 at the University of the Philippines, by a group of 10 Triskelion Lady Founders. Although known to the majority of the members that the Tau Gamma Sigma was founded on January 18, 1971 and was recognized by former 1971 Binibining Pilipinas - World beauty queen Sister Onelia Jose of the University of Santo Tomas on April 16, 1971. This historical background is an error and is now discredited due to facts and evidences that the Tau Gamma Sigma National Interim Committee and all Metro Manila Regional Councils have lately discovered through extensive research, investigations and interviews done to pioneering sisters of the sorority that the original founding history of the Tau Gamma Sigma can be traced back to 1969 at the University of the Philippines, Diliman campus, in Quezon City, Metro Manila Philippines.

Triskelion Grand Sorority - Birth of the Lady Triskelions

The formation of the organization was born out of necessity, because during those times the fraternity was not even a year old and just in its infant stage of existence in the campus, and their main focus is on recruiting male students and setting a foothold in the university, so they are not yet kin to the idea of having a Co-ed society, but since a lot of female students are friends and hanging around, supporting and attending social functions and gatherings with the Triskelion brothers that they quickly learned that having female members can be beneficial to the Fraternity especially in the recruitment of male members. So they decided to gather all their female friends and classmates to form an all female organization that will be their partner in pushing for their school and community service programs of pursuing their goal of educational excellence.

The Greek Connection

The Sorority was formed by adapting the letters Tau "Т", Gamma "Γ" and Sigma "Σ" from the Greek alphabet, which stands for Triskelion Grand Sorority, they are now officially the sister organization of the Triskelion Grand Fraternity, the Tau Gamma Phi, and henceforth shall be called and known as The Lady Triskelions, and the rest is history.Most of the founding members of U.P. Tau Gamma Sigma also belonged to the U.P. Political Science Club along with the Founding Fathers and Founders Batch of the Tau Gamma Phi.

And so on January 17, 1969, "The Lady Triskelions" were born with notable members such as the Honorable Associate Justice of the Philippine Court of Appeals, Associate Judge Rosmari Carandang, the Ambassadress of the Philippines to Switzerland and Norway, Ambassador Victoria Bataclan, the Commissioner of the Commission on Elections, Cmsr. Luzviminda Tanchangco, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (Philippines) Deputy Commissioner, Cmsr. Lucita "Babes" Rodriguez.

Triskelion Lady Founders

The 10 original Triskelion Lady Founders are:

* Rosmari "Rory" D. Carandang
* Victoria "Vicky" Sisante - Bataclan
* Lucita "Babes" G. Rodriguez
* Teresita Aguinaldo
* Mila Garcia
* Rowena "Weng" Celino - Alfonso
* Erlinda Arabejo
* Emily Sibulo Hieden
* Nitz Santos
* Naneth De Castro † (Deceased)

The Martial Law Years

The Raid

Martial Law was declared on September 21, 1972 by the late dictator President Ferdinand E. Marcos under Proclamation No. 1081. The Sorority with its affiliation to the protest fraternity the Tau Gamma Phi being a subversive group and a staunch critic of the Marcos administration, together with other fraternities and organizations in UP, became the target of military harassments and illegal detentions, believing that these student organizations posed a threat to the order and stability of the Marcos regime. Ostensibly due to leftist leanings, the office that Tau Gamma Phi Fraternity and Tau Gamma Sigma Sorority shared inside UP campus was raided under an Arrest-Search and Seizure Order signed by then Secretary of Defense and one of the "Architects of Martial Law", Juan Ponce Enrile which resulted in the confiscation of several subversive materials and documents, fortunately though, no one was at the office at the time of the raid so they narrowly escaped being locked up in a military stockade camp.

The U.P. Sedarum Saudara (UPSS) - A New Sisterhood

From 1973 to 1974 the camaraderie between the brother and sister Triskelions changed from warm to almost cold. Cordial relations were maintained all throughout the administrations of Grand Triskelion Florencio "Florence" Atanacio and Grand Lady Triskelion Suzette Badon (1973-1974). When the late Triskelion Valentino "Allen" Hernandez assumed the GT post in 1974, it was evident that the rest of the Triskelion brotherhood wanted to start fresh and organize a new breed of U.P. coeds. Friends, relatives, classmates and acquaintances were invited to an acquaintance ball at the Blue Ridge mansion of Triskelion Benjamin "Benjie" Rodriguez ('71) in October, 1974.

The plans for the new organization were introduced to the lady guests and around 21 or so agreed to attend a planned weekend Leadership Seminar and Retreat at another location in Quezon City (See photo at right). In November 1974, the original Founders Batch of the new ladies auxiliary sorority was formed. Their first task was to research and decide upon a name by which they shall be called, draft and ratify a constitution and elect officers among themselves. They also have to conceptualize and finish a group project within one year of their being members. To be unique among the countless women-based societies in the U.P. campus, the new sisterhood has to have a unique name based on the Filipino's Malay heritage. And that is how the name "Sedarum Saudara" was chosen by the group.

Derived from the Indonesian language or Bahasa Indonesia, in English meaning "Altogether, Friends" or "Altogether Brothers and Sisters". Each female member was called by the title "Saudari" (the male counterpart is coincidentally "Saudara"). The first leader of the group was Jennifer "Jenny" Dumo Alvarez as the "Supreme Saudari" with Juliana "Julie" Torres as the "Prime Saudari". Other Saudaris were elected to the positions of Secretary, Treasurer and other vital duties. Sedarum Saudara quickly became one of the most popular among sororities in UP. Composed of the "beauty and brains" of the UP Diliman campus' female students during those times. Some of which will go on and become the future shakers and movers of Philippine society, such as the incumbent Mayor of Marikina City, Honorable Maria Lourdes "Marides" Carlos-Fernando or simply known by her constituents as Mayor Marides Fernando, and the "Ranillo Sisters", the pretty Lilibeth Ranillo and movie and television actress, director and producer Suzette Ranillo aka Nadia Veloso, siblings of Philippine movie actors Mat Ranillo III and Triskelion Dandin Ranillo.

The first project for the group was to raise funds for the residents of Bgy. Tatalon in Quezon City. Then in 1975, the U.P. Sedarum Saudara (UPSS) produced and launched "Hala, Bira!", a concert which featured Asian Funk artist Andre Wilson and his band "Transit", singer Joy Salinas and a dance troupe performing at the "Ati-Atihan Festival". The show was a success.

The Saudaris continued to recruit until most members graduated and then sometime in December, 1981, Saudari Chloe Ceniza was the only UPSS member to accept the invitation by the U.P. Tau Gamma Phi to join the revival of the U.P. Tau Gamma Sigma, Chartered Batch and so Saudari Ceniza, likewise, became a Lady Triskelion.

The alumni Saudaris recently had a mini reunion last April in Manila with the first and second Supreme Saudaris in attendance (Jenny Alvarez-Bernardo and Julie Torres-Salazar), together with Marikina City Mayor Hon. Ma. Lourdes Carlos-Fernando. Third Supreme Saudari Annalisa Charisse Franco Gonzalez-Tootel was already home in Australia at the time of the meeting. Those present agreed to organize a grand Saudari Reunion in January or February , 2009 to be hosted by Mayor Marides Fernando in Marikina. One at a time, members from all batches are being located and contacted. This is indeed an event to behold almost 35 years after the founding of a unique and dynamic organization.

The Junior Lady Triskelions

Struggling from the effects of Martial Law which suspended all fraternal and organizational activity within the collegiate levels and the arrests of all militant students, the Fraternity and Sorority decided to stay low to avoid being tagged as a subversive group working for the Communists out to destabilize the government, although a lot of its members went underground and took up arms to join the New People's Army, the armed paramilitary group of the Communist Party of the Philippines, in the mountains and jungles. These developments temporarily freezed the recruitment of new members, and without fresh bloods to replace the old ones, these resulted in the dwindling down of membership population, due to graduating members or just simply dropping out of school.

Triskelion Atty. Ramoncito “"Monching" Ocampo, who was the Secretary-General of the Fraternity and Sorority during that time, had an idea and took the initiative and decided to tap the younger generations in the High School sector. This gave birth to the "Junior Tau Gamma Phi" or better known as the "Junior Triskelion", founded at San Beda College - High School in 1975. The rationale behind this is, to be able to solve the recruitment problems in the collegiate levels why not recruit in the secondary education level? Since these High School students will eventually graduate and attend college in the future then they won't have any more problems recruiting them since they are already Triskelions. The idea is simple and effective and the problem is solved.

Although at first, because San Beda College - High School is an all male, non-coed school, that only male members of the Tau Gamma Phi are being recruited, but soon enough the popularity of the Fraternity and the effectivity of the program quickly spread across the University belt area and other colleges, universities and high schools nationwide, that already female High School students are also willing to join the Sorority and saw the beginnings of the "Junior Lady Triskelions".

Triskelion Youth Movement

Another first in the history of fraternity and sorority in the Philippines. True to its objective of changing the elitist orientation of the fraternity system, the Tau gamma Phi Fraternity decided to open its doors to out-of-school youth through the Triskelion Youth Movement (T.Y.M.), so that they too, who were not privileged of higher education, may also share in the fruits and the glory of the Tau Gamma Phi and Tau Gamma Sigma. Again conceptualized and conceived by the leadership of then Secretary-General of both the Fraternity and Sorority, Triskelion Atty. Ramoncito "Monching" Ocampo. It was born out of necessity during the trying times of the Fraternity from a struggle to survive for its existence during a long violent frat-war against a rival fraternity during the early part of the 70's.

The TYM was comprised in it's early stages, of out-of-school youths, but fast became the biggest integral part of the Tau Gamma Sigma Sorority and its affiliated Brother Fraternity the Tau Gamma Phi, by having professionals and students who don't have a resident chapter but wants to be part of the Triskelion way of life and ideals. Now it has a very diversified member portfolio, which boasts from among its ranks respected professionals, one is a Doctor who is practicing his profession in the state of Texas in the United States, a couple of Congressmen and some few well known local government oficials and some famous actors and entertainers in Philippine show business industry.

Notable Members

* Hon. Rosmari D. Carandang (UP) - Associate Justice, Philippine Court of Appeals
* H.E. Victoria S. Bataclan (UP) - [http://www.dfa.gov.ph/posts/pemb.htm Philippine Ambassador] , stationed at the [http://www.philembassy.no/consular.html Philippine Embassy] in Oslo, Norway
* Hon. Marides Fernando (UPSS) - Mayor, City of Marikina, Metro Manila
* Hon. Aurora Villamayor (TYM) - Mayor, Township of Angono, Province of Rizal
* Hon. Luzviminda Tangchangco (UP) - Former Commissioner, Commission on Elections
* Hon. Lucita "Babes" G. Rodriguez (UP) - Deputy Commissioner, Bureau of Internal Revenue
* Onelia Ison Jose (UST) - 1971 Miss Binibining Pilipinas - World title holder.
* Suzette Ranillo (UPSS) - Movie and TV Actress, Producer, Director
* Frenchy Dy (EAC) - Singer, Entertainer, TV personality and stage performer.
* Diofanny "Jopay" Paguia - Dancer, Actress. Member of the dance group SexBomb Girls.
*Amina Rasul-Bernardo (UP) - Former Chairperson of National Youth Commission, now the Director of the Philippine Council on Islam and Democracy. She is the daughter of the late former Ambassador Abraham Rasul and her mother is former Sen. Santanina Rasul.

Affiliated Groups

*Tau Gamma Phi ( ΤΓΦ ) — Also known as the Triskelion Grand Fraternity, is the affiliated fraternity of the Tau Gamma Sigma Sorority.
*Triskelion Alumni Organization (T.A.O.) - The umbrella organization of all Triskelion alumnus worldwide.
*Triskelion Order of Law (T.O.L.) — Triskelion Alumni members who are in the judiciary and paralegal profession.
* [http://mdtriskelions.tripod.com Triskelion Order of Medicine] (T.O.M.) — Triskelion Alumni members who are in the medical profession.
*Triskelion Order of Business (T.O.B.) — Triskelion Alumni members who are in the corporate world of business and those who owns their own entrepreneural ventures.
* [http://tito.taugammaphi1968.org/links.html Triskelion Information Technology Organization] (T.I.T.O.) — Triskelion Alumni members who are in the Computers and Information Technology profession.
*Triskelion Law Enforcers Group (TRILEG) — Triskelion Alumni members who are in the Police, Military and Armed Forces profession.
* [http://www.bagongtao.com/4436.html Bagong Tao Movement] (B.T.M.) - A duly accredited political party list organization of the Tau Gamma Phi Fraternity and Tau Gamma Sigma Sorority.
*Triskelion Seafarers League (TRISEAL) - Triskelion Alumni members who are plying and working in the world's seas and oceans as seamen, navy and crew in any sea going vessels and ships around the globe.

Reference

Some statements are quoted from the program of the Tau Gamma Sigma - First General Assembly, dated Sept. 28, 2002 held at the University Hotel (formerly PCED), University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines.

See also

* Triskelion
* Tau Gamma Phi
* Fraternal and service organizations
*University of the Philippines, Los Banos
* List of UP Diliman student organizations
* List of fraternities and sororities in the Philippines
* List of fraternity and sorority mottos
* List of social fraternities and sororities
* List of high school fraternities and sororities

Links

* [http://www.taugammasigma.org/ Tau Gamma Sigma Website]
* [http://www.taugammaphi1968.org/ Triskelion Web Portal]
* [http://thomasiantriskelion.org/ University of Santo Tomas Triskelions]
* [http://www.northeast-triskelion.org/ Tau Gamma Phi - Northeast USA Regional Council]
* [http://www.triskelions.net/ Middle East Triskelions]