Beta Sigma Omega Phi

Beta Sigma Omega Phi (ΒΣΩΦ, stylized βΣΩΦ, and also known as Betans 1968) is a service fraternity and sorority founded at University of Bohol on October 10, 1968. This was organized by Frank Paz Jr., Frederick Loor, and Remy Galbizo. Their aims were to foster lifetime brotherhood and sisterhood and to build noble leaders and better citizens. Members are encouraged to promote the welfare of students and to work for better and greater involvement in the affairs of the school as well as in the community. The organization facilitates a variety of community civic involvement, and services like tree planting, feeding programs, bloodletting, operation tuli, and lately the Brigada Eskwela. Betans 1968 have established 72 collegiate chapters throughout Philippines; most of these are on the island of Mindanao.

History
On October 10, 1968, three students from the University of Bohol namely: Frank Paz Jr., Frederick Loor, and Remy Galbizo organized the Beta Sigma Omega Phi, service fraternity and sorority. Before organizing this fraternity and sorority decided to first walk 42 kilometers barefooted and a two-day fasting. They only drank water on their two-day fasting. After these sacrifices, the founders held their first initiation with 12 neophytes. Sad to note that after 4 years of growing, the organization was in vain because President Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law in the Philippines. During this time no fraternities and sororities were allowed to render initiation or to form organization and assemble in the public even if it is not contrary to law. However, a few years after the remaining members of the Betans decided to pursue the fraternity and sorority. By September 23, 1978 they held another initiation which served as an opportunity to those who wanted to join the organization.

For almost two decades the organization was limited to Tagbilaran City, Bohol schools and universities, particularly the founding school, University of Bohol (UB) as Alpha chapter, Philippine Maritime Institute as Beta chapter with some members coming from Holy Name University, formerly known as Divine Word College.

1980s
Some of the members of the schools came from the cities and provinces of Mindanao, gradually moving the organization to Mindanao. In the early 1980s there were members in UB who were apparently residing in Kibawe, Bukidnon, where they conducted initiations in the area wherein the pledges were studying at the University of Visayas, in Cebu City, at Southwestern University, in Cebu City, and some schools in CDO and Maramag, Bukidnon but under the supervision of the alumni members in Kibawe. Also of the same era, there were members in Butuan City who established a chapter in SJIT. In 1987, headed by Brod Boyet Abay of Holy Name University, brod Dennis Larrobis of University of Bohol and others who resided in Lupon, Davao Oriental held the first initiation of pledges coming from MATS College of Technology, Davao City and marked as the fourth collegiate chapter and named it as Delta chapter. That same year another initiation with pledges from the University of Southeastern Philippines (USEP), Davao City created the fifth collegiate chapter and would later go on to establish another eight collegiate chapters in Davao City.

1990s
In 1991, headed by Brod Roy Dano, Brod Gabo Santiago of MATS went to Tacurong and recruited college students from Sultan Kudarat Educational Institute, Notredame Of Tacurong College, and Sultan Kudarat Polytechnic State College (Tacurong City Campus), known today as Sultan Kudarat State University. Later, students at these three schools established a chapter. The 1990s symbolizes a golden era of the organization particularly in Mindanao Island with tremendous growth in terms of membership. From Tacurong, the organization expanded to almost all universities/colleges of Isulan, Gen. Santos City, Koronadal City, M’lang, Midsayap, Matalam, Kidapawan City, Kabacan, and Cotabato City. In 1993, Central Mindanao University (CMU) in Musuan, Maramag Bukidnon created a chapter headed by Brod Jesser Pairat and in the same year another chapter at Cagayan de Oro College, headed by Brod Noel Mundo.

2000 - Present
Growth continued after the year 2000; alumni members from the University of Bohol returned to their home towns to create collegiate chapters particularly in Sacred Heart College in Calamba, Misamis Occidental. These alumni re-established several collegiate chapters in Cagayan de Oro like Cagayan de Oro College and also chapters at colleges/universities in the town of Balingasag and Jasaan, Misamis Oriental. Of the same year, two collegiate chapters in Mati City, Davao Oriental were created and also in the province of COMVAL, Bansalan, Dvo. del Sur and Bislig City. In 2014, membership of the organization had also reached as far as Paniqui, Tarlac and Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija. By 2023 the organization had a total of 72 collegiate chapters.

Outreach program and community service
The organization has a various community services like tree planting, operation tuli, coastal clean-up, feeding program, blood donation (blood letting), project tsinelas, and brigada eskwela.

Chapters

 * 1) University of Bohol, Tagbilaran City - Alpha Chapter
 * 2) Philippine Marine Institute / Holy Name University, Tagbilaran City - Beta Chapter
 * 3) Saint Joseph Institute / Urios University, Butuan City - Gamma Chapter
 * 4) MATS College of Technology, Davao City - Delta Chapter
 * 5) University of Southeastern Philippines, Davao City - Epsilon Chapter
 * 6) Sultan Kudarat Educational Institute (SKEI), Tacurong City - Zeta Chapter
 * 7) Notre Dame of Tacurong College, Tacurong City - Eta Chapter
 * 8) Sultan Kudarat State University, Tacurong City - Theta Chapter
 * 9) Cagayan de Oro College/LICEO/Capitol University, CDO - Iota Chapter
 * 10) Central Mindanao University (CMU) / BNHSHI, Maramag, Bukidnon - Kappa Chapter
 * 11) Philippine Computer College, Maramag, Bukidnon - Lambda Chapter
 * 12) Kings College of Isulan - Mu Chapter
 * 13) Sultan Kudarat State University (Isulan Campus) - Nu Chapter
 * 14) Davao Merchant Marine Academy (DMMA) - Xi Chapter
 * 15) Mindanao Polytechnic College (MPC), Gen. San. - Omicron Chapter
 * 16) Mindanao State University (MSU), Gen San. - Pi chapter
 * 17) Notre Dame of Dadiangas University (NDDU), Gen. San. - Rho Chapter
 * 18) University of Mindanao (UM), Davao City - Sigma Chapter
 * 19) AMA Computer College, Davao City - Tau Chapter
 * 20) Notre Dame of Marbel University - Upsilon Chapter
 * 21) University of Southern Mindanao (USM), Kabacan - Phi chapter
 * 22) Bohol Island State University/Bohol Institute of Technology - Chi Chapter
 * 23) Marbel School of Science and Technology - Psi Chapter
 * 24) Holy Cross of Davao College - Omega Chapter
 * 25) University of Immaculate Conception, Davao City - Alpha Alpha Chapter
 * 26) Bukidnon State University/San Isidro College, Malaybalay City - Alpha Beta Chapter
 * 27) Southern Mindanao Institute of Technology (SMIT), Isulan - Alpha Gamma Chapter
 * 28) Philippine College Foundation, Valencia City, Bukidnon - Alpha Delta Chapter
 * 29) STI College Koronadal - Alpha Epsilon chapter
 * 30) Regency Polytechnic College, Koronadal City - Alpha Zeta Chapter
 * 31) AMA Computer College of Marbel - Alpha Eta Chapter
 * 32) University of Mindanao Tagum College - Alpha Theta Chapter
 * 33) Samal Institute, Island Garden City of Samal - Alpha Iota Chapter
 * 34) Bukidnon State University (Monkayo, COMVAL Campus) - Alpha Kappa Chapter
 * 35) Saint Peter's College of Balingasag - Alpha Lambda Chapter
 * 36) Holy Cross of Babak College, Island Garden City of Samal - Alpha Mu Chapter
 * 37) University of Southeastern Philippines (Tagum Campus) - Alpha Nu chapter
 * 38) Hi-Tech Institute of Technology, Gen San., Alpha Xi Chapter
 * 39) General Santos Foundation College Institute (GFI) - Alpha Omicron chapter
 * 40) Davao Oriental State College of Science and Technology (DOSCST) - Alpha Pi Chapter
 * 41) Mati Polytechnic College - Alpha Rho
 * 42) Golden State College, Gen San. City - Alpha Sigma Chapter
 * 43) Sacred Heart College, Calamba Misamis Occidental - Alpha Tau Chapter
 * 44) Notre Dame College of Midsayap - Alpha Upsilon Chapter
 * 45) Southern Baptist College, M'lang, North Cotabato - Alpha Phi chapter
 * 46) St. Ritas College of Balingasag, (Misamis Oriental) - Alpha Chi chapter
 * 47) John Paul College of Davao - Alpha Psi Chapter
 * 48) Matalam Polytechnic College - Alpha Omega Chapter
 * 49) Philippine College of Technology (PCT), Davao City - Beta Alpha Chapter
 * 50) Polytechnic College of Digos - Beta Beta Chapter
 * 51) Misamis Oriental Institute of Science and Technology (MOIST), Balingasag - Beta Gamma Chapter
 * 52) University of Mindanao Digos College - Beta Delta Chapter
 * 53) Legacy College of Compostela - Beta Epsilon Chapter
 * 54) Cor Jesu College, Digos City DVO del Sur - Beta Zeta Chapter
 * 55) University of Southeastern Philippines (Bislig Campus) - Beta Eta Chapter
 * 56) SPAMAST, Digos City - Beta Theta Chapter
 * 57) Green Valley College Foundation, Koronadal City - Beta Iota Chapter
 * 58) University of Southern Mindanao (Kidapawan City Campus) - Beta Kappa Chapter
 * 59) De La Salle John Bosco College, Bislig City - Beta Lambda Chapter
 * 60) Notra Dame of Cotabato, Cotabato City - Beta Mu Chapter
 * 61) Saint Vincent de Paul College, Bislig City - Beta Nu Chapter
 * 62) Cotabato City State Polytechnic College - Beta Xi Chapter
 * 63) Northlink Technological College, Panabo City - Beta Omicron Chapter
 * 64) St. Mary's of Bansalan College - Beta Pi Chapter
 * 65) University of Mindanao Bansalan College - Beta Rho Chapter
 * 66) Southern Technological Institute of the Philippines, Bislig City - Beta Sigma Chapter
 * 67) Kapalong College of Agriculture and Science and Technology, Kapalong DVO del Norte - Beta Tau Chapter
 * 68) AGRO-Industrial Foundation College of the Philippines, Davao City - Beta Upsilon Chapter
 * 69) Global System Institute of Technology, Bansalan Davao del Sur - Beta Phi Chapter
 * 70) Beta Chi
 * 71) Beta Psi
 * 72) Mindanao University of Science and Technology formerly known as Don Mariano (Jasaan Campus, Misamis Oriental) - Beta Omega Chapter