The University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD) Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs on Thursday, Oct. 19 said it is currently looking into reports about student organizations that allegedly initiate activities that run contrary to the university’s values.

In coordination with different units under the UPD Office of the Chancellor, the UPD Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs pledged to adhere to the established rules and procedures as investigations are underway to ascertain if any violations of university policies have occurred.

“Acts that jeopardize our safe spaces are never condoned,” it said.

"Consistent with established rules and procedures, investigations are underway to determine if there were violations of university policies in the conduct of certain organizations' activities that might have compromised the safety and security of students and other members of the UPD community," it added.

The statement comes in response to public outrage over the UP Junior Marketing Association's (UP JMA) controversial list of "dares" for an internal event known as the annual "committee wars," which circulated on social media.

Concerned about this issue, the UP Babaylan, an advocacy group of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI) students, said that “violence has no place in UP."

"Do better," it urged.

The organization has insisted that "violent activities" have no place, especially for an organization that champions safe spaces.

"Despite the shared history we have with UP JMA in the promotion of safe spaces, we are disappointed to see these accounts. As such, we strongly condemn the culture of violence they have created within their organization," UP Babaylan said.

"No spaces are safe if the people who claim to work toward it do not abide by the principles it entails. We demand that UP JMA exercise accountability to the highest degree," it added.

'We will do better'

Meanwhile, the UP JMA issued a statement in which it expressed its sincere condemnation and apologized for the severity of the circulated dares, stating, "we will do better."

"We realize the grave hypocrisy in championing the needs, rights, and welfare of women and the LGBT+ sector, all while holding an activity that is in direct opposition to everything that we stand for as an organization," UP JMA said.

"We have also expressed our sincerest apologies to our member Cent for our request to clarify on our behalf, subsequently bringing him undue attention, anxiety, and stress," it added.

"We claim full responsibility for this shameful lack of consideration for member welfare and safety," the organization said.

However, it clarified that neither applicants nor members were ever required or will be required to participate in the listed dares.

"Steps were made to ensure that consent is given at every level, and both the completion and non-completion of the dares have zero bearing on applicant's grades," it said.

"In hindsight, we understand the harmful dynamics present in releasing dares in an organizational environment that values competition. We understand that the very act of releasing the list of dares as part of the competition encourages their participation," it added.