Philippine fraternity stages naked protest supporting freedom of expression
Members of a university fraternity in Manila ran naked around their campus on Friday to draw attention to "fake news" and alleged media suppression in the Philippines. About two dozen men took part in the "Oblation Run" — an annual campus tradition at the University of the Philippines. They wore masks to hide their faces and carried placards as they campaigned for freedom of expression. "Everything in media right now is being silenced. Everyone is being 'un-kept' (sic) from speaking the truth and the era in which fake news is really blatant," said Alpha Phi Omega fraternity Spokesperson, Mathew Asuncion. "We really need to establish within ourselves that we are able to express what we want to say, and that being honest and being able to really speak for the masses, speak for the oppressed, because that is what we want to do and that's our mandate to society." Each year, participants raise awareness of social causes. They said freedom of expression and press freedom were important issues this year, due to a resurgence of "fake news" and an alleged clampdown on news media under the current Philippine administration.
