Upsilon Sigma Phi


The Upsilon Sigma Phi is the oldest Greek-letter organization and fraternity in Asia. Founded in 1918, it is also the oldest student organization in continuous existence in the University of the Philippines. It has two chapters—an integrated chapter for the UP Diliman and the UP Manila campuses, and a separate one for the UP Los Baños campus.

History

Early years

The Upsilon Sigma Phi was founded in 1918 by twelve students and two professors from the University of the Philippines Manila.
It was formally organized on November 19, 1920, in a meeting held at the Metropolitan Restaurant in Intramuros, Manila where the fraternity elected its first officers. Four months later, on March 24, 1921, the Greek letters ΥΣΦ were formally adopted, along with themes, rites, and motto.
During its early years, Upsilon Sigma Phi invited individuals with exceptional leadership potential or achievements to its ranks. Notable members during the 1920s include José Abad Santos, Carmelino G. Alvendia, Teodoro M. Kalaw, Juan Liwag and Antonio Quirino.
From 1930 to 1949, then UP Student Council President Wenceslao Vinzons, together with fraternity members, led demonstrations before the Philippine Congress to protest the insertion of a provision in the appropriations act that gave lawmakers a salary increase. In 1933, five female UP students established the Sigma Delta Phi—which became the sister sorority of Upsilon.
In 1947, a chapter at UP Los Baños was established; the first Greek-letter organization on the campus. After the Battle of Manila, the UP administration relocated to the Diliman campus in 1949. Through the efforts of the UP Alumni Association headed by Upsilon member Hermenegildo Reyes, the fraternity helped raise funds for the construction of the bell tower called the "Carillon".
During the same period, the fraternity hosted the Cavalcades, a series of stage plays and musicals that began on campus and eventually toured nationwide. Profits from Aloyan and Hanako plays were used to help finance the construction and furnishing of the Church of the Holy Sacrifice. One of the fraternity's productions, Linda, cast the then seventeen-year-old Pilita Corrales.

Recent years

In 2013, the fraternity was named as a finalist in the Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations Awards, which recognize and support the outstanding contributions of youth organizations to the country.
On July 25, 2018, the Malacañang Palace issued recognizing the fraternity for its "significant contributions to numerous civic and humanitarian causes, as well as the dedication and commitment of its members to public service and nation-building." The year 2018 was also declared the "Year for the Celebration of the Centennial Anniversary of the Upsilon Sigma Phi."
In the same year, the fraternity dedicated the UP Promenade, a 120-meter public walkway with Internet and Wi-Fi capable facilities, at UP Diliman. In the Los Baños campus, the fraternity gave the Kapit-Kapit Monument, which depicts 14 individuals with their arms locked in solidarity.
In 2022, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines unveiled the "Upsilon Sigma Phi" historical marker on the Diliman campus for the fraternity's 104th anniversary,

Symbols

The Greek letters ΥΣΦ are the initials of the name "University Students Fraternity". The fraternity's motto is "We Gather Light to Scatter". Upsilon Sigma Phi members are called fellows or Upsilonians.
The fraternity's colors are cardinal red, honorable blue, and gold. Red symbolizes courage and bravery, blue represents loyalty, and gold symbolizes excellence. Its flower is the pink rose.

Membership

Membership is by invitation only and is exclusive to male individuals in the University of the Philippines Diliman, Manila, and Los Baños campuses. Selection is based on an individual's leadership positions and potential success and prominence in their respective fields.

Notable members

Among its alumni are two Philippine presidents, a vice president, 15 senators, 14 supreme court justices, three house speakers, a chairman of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, three executive secretaries, four solicitors-general, 26 ambassadors, an AFP chief of staff, a NEDA director-general, a Central Bank governor, 24 honorees of The Outstanding Young Men, four national scientists, three national artists, a recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay Award, and five UP presidents.
Following are a select number of notable members:
The Upsilonian Noble and Outstanding Awards are among the highest honors conferred by the Upsilon Sigma Phi Alumni Association, recognizing members whose lives, careers, and service exemplify the fraternity’s core values of brotherhood, integrity, excellence, leadership, and service. The awards are presented to distinguished alumni across a variety of fields, including law, business, public service, education, and community development, and are intended to acknowledge lifetime achievement and significant contributions to society.https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/cbb/content/862414/upsilon-sigma-phi-alumni-association-awards-18-members-with-uno-award/story/
The UNO Awards were instituted in 1985 and are considered the fraternity’s most prestigious individual honor. Recipients are selected by a committee of past awardees and senior members who assess nominees based on their adherence to the fraternity’s imperatives and their impact on national and community life.
Ceremonies are traditionally held during major alumni gatherings, such as the Upsilon Sigma Phi Biennial Congress. For instance, in 2023 the awards were presented to eighteen fellows during the fraternity’s 19th Congress at the University of the Philippines Diliman, reflecting achievements in diverse sectors including law, journalism, medicine, engineering, and public administration. In 2025, the UNO Awards ceremony took place at the Goldenberg Mansion in San Miguel, Manila, where winners were honored alongside the fraternity’s 20th Biennial Congress.https://www.upsilonsun.com/articles/upsilon-sigma-phi-honors-alumni-fellows-new-officers-elected-in-20th-congress
Notable awardees have included legal luminaries, prominent public servants, and leaders in education and industry, highlighting the fraternity’s long tradition of producing influential figures in Philippine society.