Philippines: University students run naked in government transparency push

Dozens of men from a Philippines university took part in an annual naked run organised by their fraternity on 14 December to call for government transparency in its anti-corruption policies.

The fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega, said about 90 men, some current students and others from the alumni, took part in the event, a campus tradition that celebrates academic freedom. Some of the participants wore masks to protect their identity while they streaked along the campus hallway. Ed Lucero, an alumni organiser of the Alpha Phi Omega Fraternity explained their aims.

"Our theme is 'unveiling the road' because the government needs to be naked, to be transparent with their work. It means we should strive very hard to strip them bare, not a fake road where only a few can benefit," he said.

The naked men gave out roses to onlookers and carried placards calling for support for their cause. "The way they do it is very untraditional, very extravagant," student Jen Pauline Cruz said.

The alumni said the tradition started in the late 1970s, when members of the fraternity ran naked on the campus grounds to protest against former President Ferdinand Marcos' censorship of a film criticising his administration.