GMA Brandtalk
Tracking
Archives
Filtered By: Lifestyle
Lifestyle
Oblation Run 2013 raises awareness for Yolanda victims, environmental issues
Members of the Alpha Phi Omega fraternity at their annual Oblation Run in UP Diliman.
"It was a shocking experience because I'm a foreigner and haven't really seen anything like this before."
College sophomore Soeui Lee was on assignment for her photojournalism class, but nothing prepared her from what she witnessed for the first time.
"They're naked and not embarrassed at all," the journalism major, said in shock. "There's a lot of pushing and it's hard to get a shot."
Lee is one of the hundreds of students and guests that crowded UP Diliman's Palma Hall on Friday as around 30 Alpha Phi Omega (APO) fraternity members streaked anew for its annual Oblation Run.
Using nudity to raise awareness for social issues, the fraternity's thrust this year is a call to mainstream disaster risk reduction programs.
This year's run is also meant to appeal for continued support to victims of Typhoon Yolanda, raise environmental awareness and ask the government for proper budget appropriation for disaster risk reduction.
"Although baka sabihin nila na panay kalaswaan ang Oblation Run, it's more than that," APO publicity officer Darien Mitchell told GMA News Online. "It is part of our tradition. Every year, meron kaming cause sa pagtakbo."
This year's run is also meant to appeal for continued support to victims of Typhoon Yolanda, raise environmental awareness and ask the government for proper budget appropriation for disaster risk reduction.
"Although baka sabihin nila na panay kalaswaan ang Oblation Run, it's more than that," APO publicity officer Darien Mitchell told GMA News Online. "It is part of our tradition. Every year, meron kaming cause sa pagtakbo."
Last year, APO ran to encourage the youth to participate in elections.
In 2012, then Grand Chancellor James Philip Pellosis clarified the misconception that Oblation Run is part of the fraternity's rites for neophytes
"Yung privilege ng pagtakbo sa Oblation Run ay para lang sa mga members ng APO," said Pellosis.
The annual run "has gone a long way from being a publicity act for the 1977 play 'Hubad na Bayani,'" and as long as there are pressing issues to raise to the UP community and beyond, APO will keep running in the nude every year, he said.
"Lagi naming aim na makatulong sa society at saka maka-raise ng social awareness." said Mitchell. "Yung mga mask na gagamitin ng Oblation runners, ibebenta for the benefit of those affected by super typhoon Yolanda," he added.
As for Lee, she said covering the fraternity's bold protest is a unique experience.
"I really followed everything and I was eager to get a good look at them," she said. "They're proud of the nakedness. Usually when you're naked, you think it's an embarrassing thing."
"I think, in UP, it is a whole different thing." — JDS/VC, GMA News
