2021 SANGGUNIAN GENERAL ELECTIONS SPECIAL COVERAGE
Blue Ballot 2021 is The GUIDON’s special coverage of the Sanggunian General Elections. This is a project of the Editorial Board aspirants for AY 2021-2022.
Danielle Margaux R. Garcia Name Editor-in-Chief Tatiana Name L. Maligro Associate Editor Bryce Name R. Rubi Managing Editor Carmela Name B. Masiglat Design Executive Editor
Bea Bacason Name Name L. Maligro Tatiana EDITORS Jean Mangaluz Keziah Maru Z. Pasion Name EDITORS DESIGNER Mariana Gardoce Name Neil R. Reyes MANAGER DESIGNERS
WRITERS NamesR.Here Kiana Altoveros, Billie Asuncion, Francis Caiga, Moira V. Cayabyab, Ann Domingo, Natalie PHOTOSR. Gavino, Zachary C. Gonzales, Names Ignacio, Gerard Here George D. Kho, Andrea Mikaela Llanes, Mina Mata, Samantha Onglatco, Allianzaand O. Pesquera, ILLUSTRATIONS LAYOUT Teo A. Names Here Ricaforte, Joaquin Salazar PHOTOS Jim Dasal, Daryl D. Sy ILLUSTRATION Denev C. Ng LAYOUT Kaitlyn W. Mercado
EDITORIAL
Half measures UNIVERSITY-LEVEL democratic participation is a two-way conversation between the Sanggunian and its constituents, actively practiced through the annual Sanggunian elections. However, low voter turnout has been a consistent concern after less than 2o percent of the student body voted during the past three elections. With the COVID-19 pandemic prompting the University’s first-ever online Sanggunian elections, Ateneo Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Officer-in-Charge John Patrick Lumbre and Interim Sanggunian President Jb Bejarin expressed concerns on even lesser voter participation. However, the Loyola Schools (LS) community has been doing its best to debunk the age-old notion of Atenean apathy through its collective COVID-19 response that included mobilizations and relief operations, among other efforts. With the national context radically changing the LS, there is one question we must ask: How can the Sanggunian rally together a student body scattered across the archipelago in the face of mounting crises? The Sanggunian and the LS community cannot rely on ostensibly momentous crises to unite and col-
laborate. Not only is it unsustainable, it also creates a narrow perception of what student democracy means. STRIKE A CHORD A notable instance that prompted student body action is the the One Big Strike (OBS), which was held in mid-November of last year. Both students and the Sanggunian were taken by surprise when the strike clandestinely erupted and received mixed reactions from the community and other stakeholders. Orchestrated by a handful of LS undergraduates, the strike was not only telling of accumulated student frustration over online learning but also of student apprehensions in immediately approaching Sanggunian channels. The strike generated an unprecedented amount of approval and dissent from the student body. Enraged by their lackluster pandemic response, OBS admonished the national government’s apparent negligence and called for a mass academic strike in protest. Ensuing Sanggunian Central Assembly Emergency Meetings and Special Sessions livestreams drew viewers by the thousands, and social media was abuzz with the varied opinions of Ateneans. Arguably, OBS and its effect on the
Sanggunian will be looked upon as a pivotal moment in LS history—a defining display of participatory democracy as it should be, and a far cry from Atenean passivity towards school affairs. Although the strike imbued the Sanggunian and its constituents with reinvigorated and cooperative discourse, it was also a moment that forced a community to its limits because of a historically lackluster participatory governance. These long-standing lapses of representation in the Sanggunian have impeded the student body from participating in democratic University events. For instance, the first round of the 2o19 Sanggunian General Elections left vacancies in the two highest positions of Sanggunian—the president and vice president—alongside the seat of the School of Humanities representative. Opposed and unopposed candidates lost to the abstention vote, pushing Ateneo COMELEC to conduct the first Special Elections since the abolishment of the electoral quota. There was also a need to appoint a School of Science and Engineering representative due to the lack of running candidates for the position. SHOW AND TELL The cases of the AY 2o18-2o19 Special Elections and OBS both reflect Sanggunian’s long-running need to establish a relationship with the student body and other stakeholders that stretches beyond election season. Bejarin acknowledged earlier this year that there is an urgent need to uphold democracy at the University level amid issues exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. It can be said that the Sanggunian has been taking strides towards pre-
senting itself as a more accessible and student-centric student government. These are best observed through the launch of the Sanggunian’s official website in February 2o2o, the reimplementation of Sabihin sa Sanggu for the online setting, and the introduction of the BluePrint for Socio-political Engagement not long thereafter. However, the online setting has only added insult to injury—pushing the Sanggunian to the brink of irrelevance. Obstacles such as insufficient efforts towards student-centered public participation and varying contexts amid mass geographical dispersion continue to hinder the student government from operating to its full capacity. Had the 2o19 Special Elections or OBS not prompted the student body to act with more haste, it is likely that Sanggunian would have been viewed as nothing more than a figurehead for a half-baked democracy. With the uproar caused by these extraordinary events, the Ateneo community has proved itself capable of active student participation. The issue lies in the lack of determined action; The GUIDON recognizes how reactive the student body and the Sanggunian can be in the absence of catalyzing moments. GONE DOWNHILL It is due time that the Sanggunian become more proactively representative of its constituents by strengthening avenues of engagement and service. Beyond consulting with students for their needs and insights, the Sanggunian should strive to cultivate collaboration by empowering home organizations and sectoral representatives. Gradually, more constitu-
ents will be motivated to engage in discourse and the decision-making processes of the Sanggunian. One concrete measure to achieve this is for the Sanggunian to publish the minutes or highlights of live stream hearings, akin to how the Presidential Communications Operations Office publishes full transcripts of President Duterte’s speeches. In addition, news and media outlets have also utilized social media platforms to post the highlights of public addresses to aid audiences in digesting pertinent information better. Given that not all students are able to view the sessions, these summarized highlights can help deliver readily visible and digestible points for students to respond upon— approvingly or otherwise. On the opposite end, students should also do their best to meet the Sanggunian halfway. Reciprocity is necessary for mending the relationship between students and the student government. Low voter turnout, for ex-
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ample, still relies heavily on the willingness of students to deliberately involve themselves in school-wide concerns. Exercising one’s right to vote during the Sanggunian Elections is a deliberate act of volition, underscoring the importance of LS students in University democracy as a whole. Other measures include accomplishing the Sanggunian’s email and SMS surveys, as well as formally coursing student concerns to the student government’s official social media channels. Simply put, the Sanggunian must communicate and the student body must open itself to dialogue; this symbiotic relationship is needed to best ensure that student needs are met and student government mandates are fulfilled. With the 2o21 General Elections fast approaching, both the students and Sanggunian must remember that democratic participation is dialogical. Any less than this will invariably mean that student pleas and student government promises fall on deaf ears.
Simply put, the Sanggunian must communicate and the student body must open itself to dialogue; this symbiotic relationship is needed to best ensure that student needs are met and student government mandates are fulfilled.
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THE GUIDON SPE
The Sanggunian General Elections’ voter turnout over the years BY FRANCIS CAIGA WITH THE 2o21 Sanggunian General Elections drawing near, it is important to analyze how well Loyola Schools (LS) students have exercised their right to vote. Hence, this infographic presents an assessment of the Sanggunian General Elections voter turnout from AY 2oo9-2o1o to AY 2o18-2o19. The data was obtained from the Ateneo Commission on Elections (COMELEC).
PRESIDENTIAL, VICE PRESIDENTIAL AND SCHOOL REPRESENTATIVE
CANDIDATE PROFILES
Approximately only 1 out of 10 LS students voted in AY 2018-2019’s General Elections, making it the lowest-recorded voter turnout since AY 2009-2010. AY 2o18-2o19 was followed by Special Elections due to abstaining vote results in most positions. Meanwhile, AY 2010-2011 has the highest voter turnout with 5 out of 10 students voting during the General elections.
The Sanggunian General Elections’ voter turnout from AY 2009-2010 to AY 2018-2019
Kara Angan PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE INDEPENDENT The average number of the LS student population from AY 20092010 to AY 2018-2019 is 8,440, while the average number of voters is 2,635. This means that 31.22% of the students are voting throughout this period overall.
»» This places AY 2o15-2o16 to AY 2o18-2o19 at the lower end of the average. »» This could be attributed to the new Electoral Code in AY 2o15-2o16, which no longer required quotas in the electoral system.
»» Before AY 2o15-2o16, not meeting the quota of 5o% + 1 of the constituency, meant the failure of elections, thereby putting pressure on the Ateneo COMELEC’s officials to reach a sufficient number of voters. »» Since then, the electoral code does not use quotas anymore after multiple failures of elections.
Percentage of students from the electorate who are voting
AY 2018-2019 has the lowest recorded percentage of participating voters from the electorate at »»
»»
Meeting students halfway BY MOIRA V. CAYABYAB
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE Kara Angan (1 AB POS) finds herself in a similar position she was in back when she entered the Ateneo Senior High School (ASHS). Hailing from Cebu, Angan was a newcomer in the ASHS who took the chance to run as the Humanities and Social Sciences Strand Vice Chair and
eventually, the ASHS Sanggunian Vice President. “I came from outside [the National Capital Region] and I wanted to run for Sanggu. It was only three or four months into my first year in Ateneo [Senior High School] in a completely different school and environment. It’s a welcome experience again to be in this position,” she says.
11.65%
The electorate refers to the eligible voters among the LS student population, as in some years, such as AY 2o17-2o18, graduating seniors were not allowed to vote. Meanwhile, the total LS student population includes these disallowed individuals. AY 2o12-2o13 to AY 2o14-2o15 are not included since both the Ateneo COMELEC and the Research Staff of The GUIDON do not possess the electorate data for these periods.
School voting demographics from AY 2009-2010 to AY 2018-2019
TJ Alcantara VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE RISE COALITION
The School of Social Sciences (SOSS) in AY 2018-2019 reflected the largest voting population share at Conversely, the School of Humanities (SOH) in AY 2017-2018 recorded the lowest at
42.6%
Keeping lines open BY KIANA R. ALTOVEROS
8%
Since AY 2015-2016, a reversal occurred between SOM and SOSS, with the latter now recording the highest voting population shares during campus elections.
»» These changes could be attributed to fluctuations in each school’s respective student population.
»» While the graph represents the voter turnout for School Representatives, the voting proportions for the presidential and vice-presidential candidates can also be derived from the data since these occur simultaneously during elections.
AND NATALIE R. GAVINO THROUGHOUT HIS service in the Sanggunian as School of Social Sciences (SOSS) Representative, TJ Alcantara spearheaded an approach of open communication between the Sanggunian and the Loyola Schools community. However, before the student government can further develop community engagement, Alcantara still acknowledges that
there is still room for internal restructuring and stronger membership commitment. “For the longest time, the Sanggunian has faced a lot of member concerns and formation issues that actually resulted in a lot of members not recommitting, leaving, or even ghosting the student government,” he explained. To resolve this, he aims to establish the groundwork for holistic studentleader formation should he be elected Vice President.
Despite being a freshman, Angan has held previous leadership positions in the League of Independent Organizations, ASHS Safe Spaces, and Akbayan! Youth Loyola Chapter. Even with a prominent leadership background, she says her experience with the ASHS Sanggunian inspired her to run as the Loyola Schools Sanggunian President. While Angan understands the general apprehensions the student body might have about a freshman presidential candidate, she insists that her previous leadership experiences helped her realize her intent to serve. “You really see the power and the capital that Sanggu has: Social, financial, [and] political, that can really affect the student body and the University at large,” Angan says. “I chose to take a chance to run [for] president because I believe that we can build on the efforts Sanggu has committed in inclusivity, participation, by meeting students where they are.” Furthermore, Angan’s platform as president aims to place more focus on inclusivity by strengthening the communication between students and the Sanggunian. Should she be elected, she hopes to introduce the Sanggunian Blueprint for Stakeholder Engagement. This project focuses on giving more students the capacity to become sector representatives by guiding them with the Sanggunian’s resources. Angan envisions it as a way of improving the student government’s communication strategies and problem-solving capacities by involving students coming from different sectors, as well as the faculty
and administrative organizations. She adds that the Sanggunian Blueprint will also focus on improving the processing of student feedback to encourage more consultations with the student body. Ultimately, Angan hopes to use her platform to bring the community together by leading the Sanggunian to where the students need them the most. “It always goes back to [the idea] because we are in the position to direct the student body or even the University towards a certain goal, it’s crucial that we only allow this to be something that students not only want and need, but are also a part of,” she says.
Seeking to improve the Sanggunian members’ experiences, Alcantara believes that streamlining internal units will help integrate practices that address the needs of every Atenean. This is the basis of his platform’s goal: Continuous engagement within and beyond the Sanggunian. In line with this thrust, Alcantara proposes the creation of the Sanggunian Leadership Journey Program to equip members with skills that enhance leadership, gender sensitivity awareness, and student empowerment. Alcantara’s focus on interaction also strengthened during his term as SOSS Representative as he observed a communication gap between the Sanggunian and the students. “People are not fully aware of what we do. We legislate, we write bills and resolutions, but we’re not sure if these truly impact our students well,” he said. Though the Sanggunian has units such as the Loyola Schools representatives, Alcantara strives for further improvement in creating personal, one-on-one dialogue with the student body through mandating Sanggunian members to conduct weekly interviews. To further bring the Sanggunian closer to the student body, Alcantara aims to transform consultative decision-making within the organization into a participatory process by further utilizing social media and text blasts. “We don’t want Sanggu to just be an institution,” he said. “We want Sanggu to have more humanity.” Lastly, Alcantara also hopes to strengthen socio-political engagement among students by creating and implementing policies that can serve as a framework for universities beyond the Ateneo. He cites
the Sanggunian’s ongoing Blueprint for Socio-Political Engagement project and the importance of its strategic implementation as one example. Through his platform and initiatives, Alcantara emphasizes that the Sanggunian’s internal growth has a direct impact on how they serve the student body. He highlights that there will be more opportunities to plant seeds that can bloom into long-term developments as long as the Sanggunian keeps all lines open to its own members and the Ateneo community.
Editor’s Note: Kara Angan is an Inquiry staffer for The GUIDON. This article was written following editorial guidelines.
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You really see the power and the capital that Sanggu has: Social, financial, [and] political, that can really affect the student body and the University at large.
‘‘ We don’t want Sanggu to just be an institution. We want Sanggu to have more humanity.
Heather Andres SOSS REPRESENTATIVE CANDIDATE SAMA-SAMA ATENISTA COALITION
Engaging within and beyond BY MINA MATA
HEATHER ANDRES (1 AB DS) believes that engagement is key to good governance. Although only a freshman, they are keenly aware of the issues plaguing the Sanggunian and the student body. They spent the past year familiarizing themself with problems concerning the youth sector, having served as an officer for One Big Fight for Human Rights and Democracy, Kabataan Partylist Katipunan, and other youth-led organizations. Hoping to serve the Loyola Schools and fill the gaps in engagement left by the incumbent Sanggunian, they placed their bid as the next School of Social Sciences (SOSS) Representative. Through this position, Andres hopes
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2021 Sanggunian General Elections
ECIAL COVERAGE
to foster greater engagement with the SOSS student body and rebuild their trust in the SOSS Sanggunian. “I believe that there’s so much potential with the SOSS student body. It’s just that the potential isn’t brought about, and it’s just buried under all of these [bureaucracies],” they explain. Andres wants to tap into this potential by establishing increased transparency and clearer communication of the SOSS internal processes. “I plan to present myself not just as a representative, but also as a friend and a mirror Atenean student who wishes to help you,” they say. Although kamustahan sessions are harder to stage in the online setup, they plan to check in on their constituents through a less formal method like Facebook group chats.
They also want to enlist the help of SOSS home organizations, SOSS Sanggunian volunteers, and course representatives for this. Alongside meeting the needs of the SOSS student body, Andres hopes to spark discourse on issues beyond the Loyola Schools and mobilize their fellow SOSS students into action. “We are not here to learn theory without engagement to national issues,” they explain. With this ambition in mind, Andres aims to introduce a new section in the SOSS Student Rights And Welfare desk forms, where students can request to amplify certain national issues that need to be discussed more in the University. To protect students who lend their voices to national politics, Andres hopes to partner* with the Ateneo Legal Services Center and the Free Legal Assistance Group for legal consultation and advice. They also plan to publish a basic paralegal training resource database to prepare students should they experience socio-political harassment. In fulfilling these goals, Andres emphasizes the indispensable role of engagement. “I am resolved to unite a SOSS Sanggunian that is at the forefront of leading, serving, and delivering concrete results, not only to the student body, but to the people as well,” they say. Editor’s Note: Incumbent SOSS Representative TJ Alcantara is in the process of drafting the Socio-political Safeguarding Bill, which also aims to provide legal assistance to red-tagged or “socio-politically harassed” students. As of press time, Alcantara aims to file the Bill in the Central Assembly by April.
Ivan Nabong SOSS REPRESENTATIVE CANDIDATE RISE COALITION
Tried and tested BY ALLIANZA O. PESQUERA
IVAN NABONG (2 DipIR) is no stranger to leadership. He was student council president for his entire senior high school career in La Salle College Antipolo before he came to Ateneo. As a freshman, he joined the School of Social Sciences (SOSS) Sanggunian as the Deputy for Internals. Following this, he became SOSS Sanggunian’s External Relations Officer then Incumbent SOSS Representative TJ Alcantara’s Chief of Staff and right-hand man. Nabong says he was motivated to run for SOSS Representative as an act of gratitude to Ateneo as a financial aid scholar. Having spearheaded projects like #AskSOSS Kamustahan,
he also said he wanted to provide the student body with tested leadership that produces outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic. “This would mean providing sustainable and student-centered initiatives, engaging in transparent student governance, [...] and cultivating relationships with organizations and sectors within and beyond the Ateneo,” Nabong adds. In line with this, Nabong states that he aims to prioritize student services like career fairs, SOSS Week, and SOSSalubong. Additionally, he wishes to enact legislation that would address concerns like the climate crisis, gender equality, sexual harassment, and protection for minority sectors such as persons with special needs.
Aside from pursuing legislation that would achieve these goals, he intends to integrate other sectors and political groups into the Central Assembly and the School Assembly to reflect the diversity of the student body. As a starting point, he emphasizes the importance of member wellness, empowered leadership, and sectoral engagement in implementing the mandate of the students. “We have to act decisively and we have to act openly by listening to others and being an open leader yourself,” Nabong adds. Further, Nabong aims to achieve two long-term goals: Institutional trust and far-reaching policies. With this, he plans to address the students’ distrust in the Sanggunian by enhancing SOSS Sanggunian’s communication strategies to improve student engagement. As for pursuing plans that continue outside of the Ateneo, he intends to initiate a forum called Tapatan sa Loyola to promote voter awareness in time for the 2o22 General Elections. Lastly, by showing his competence and readiness through his campaign, he hopes to gain the trust of the students and that the students, in turn, engage with the Sanggunian. “Whoever [the students vote for], what’s important is they [...] participate in the Sanggunian elections,” Nabong says.
Liezel Brito
Rika Cruz
Patrick Capili
JGSOM REPRESENTATIVE CANDIDATE INDEPENDENT
SOSE REPRESENTATIVE CANDIDATE RISE COALITION
SOH REPRESENTATIVE CANDIDATE INDEPENDENT
Bringing it on BY ANDREA MIKAELA LLANES
IT ALL started with a digital note on her laptop. John Gokongwei School of Management (JGSOM) Representative candidate Liezel Brito (2 BS LM) shares that being the JGSOM Sanggunian Chief of Staff granted her some muchneeded perspective. “I was in a position where I could see how students were coping, and it made me have this fire to do something for the community,” she says. Not long after, Brito began drafting her plans on digital Sticky Notes— eventually narrowing her platform to three salient points that would take JGSOM to newer heights. Brito’s first priority is to strengthen the presence of the JGSOM Sanggunian. Having been in the student government since freshman year, she witnessed massive structural changes within the organization. The next step, according to Brito, would be ensuring that all JGSOM students get to benefit from the department’s initiatives. Brito shares that not all students join their home organizations, which may discourage their participation in school-wide initiatives. She insists that this should not be the case and plans on making JGSOM Sanggunian’s projects more visible to everyone. To ensure that all students benefit from the Sanggunian’s projects, Brito’s second thrust is to further uphold the school’s mission-vision of uplifting
both business and community. A manifestation of this would be her hopes for an online platform entitled Kitakits sa Katipunan, which will be an avenue for Ateneo stalls and Katipunan restaurants to market their dishes albeit remotely. “In this [pandemic], we really have to work together as a community. Wala nang kanya-kanya (No more individualism),” Brito insists. However, Brito recognizes that only so much can be done from the position she stands. Her third point in her plan of action is to fortify student service communications of Sanggunian as a whole. While Brito mentions that departments are generally doing their best to address student needs, she also acknowledges the importance of being timely and empatwhetic. She envisions a JGSOM Sanggunian that is able to provide its constituents with services that exceed expectations. In line with this, she plans to establish a consolidated database of JGSOM minor and major programs after students expressed interest in having a consolidated directory for available department programs. Despite running independently, Brito is driven by the potential to serve boldly and daringly. “JGSOM Sanggunian should be for and by the student body,” she declares. “We are prepared to serve and ensure that students’ voices are heard. Bring it on.”
Aiming for change
Transparency and efficiency
BY BILLIE ASUNCION
BY GEORGE D. KHO
AS A member of the Sanggunian since her freshman year, aspiring School of Science and Engineering (SOSE) Representative Rika Cruz (2 BS BIO) intends to apply what she learned in previous years to further her platform. With a focus on empowering the student body, Cruz hopes to create open and clear communication lines in the Loyola Schools (LS) community. In doing so, Cruz mentions that her main motivation is rooted in wanting to do more for the LS community. After being tasked with evaluating the Sanggunian’s internal processes under the Sanggunian’s Office of the Vice President, Strategy and Development Division, she found that she would rather hold a position with more executive power. Thus, she decided to run for SOSE Representative. “I wanted to make a more concrete change in fixing and identifying the problems of SOSE [students],” she says. In line with this, Cruz mentions that her platform consists of three key reforms: Acknowledging SOSE Sanggunian’s communication issues, building a safe learning environment conducive to self-expression, and amplifying students’ voices when addressing their concerns. If elected, Cruz plans to tackle these objectives by focusing on improving
SOSE Sanggunian’s transparency for better communication with the student body. One such initiative she plans to execute is the implementation of quarterly online kamustahans. According to Cruz, this initiative will give students an avenue to voice out concerns so that they recognize the Sanggunian’s willingness to listen to their pressing issues. “[Quarterly online kamustahans are] to make the students feel as if we are here,” she says. “Because we are! [Kamustahans] would strike a casual and homey vibe.” Cruz also hopes to hold SOSE-wide General Assemblies if elected. These would ideally be held at the start of the year with the purpose of informing SOSE students of SOSE Sanggunian’s internal processes, policies, and upcoming plans. In order to make concrete change within the student body, Cruz acknowledges that if elected, her job as SOSE Representative would not only entail mere supervision, but also service. With this, she reminds students that while she has ideas for addressing their concerns, transparency is a two-way street that also requires the student body’s input. To emphasize this, she states, “All I’m going to say is, ‘How can I help?’”
HAVING BEEN in the School of Humanities (SOH) Sanggunian since his freshman year, Patrick Capili (3 AB IS) is no stranger to mediating for the various issues that students face. Capili has always enjoyed representing his fellow students. “I really feel like [bridging dialogues between students and the administration] is something I want to continue to advocate [and] liaison for in my last year as an Ateneo college student,” he says. Capili began his Sanggunian experience as a Student Concerns staffer, followed by Deputy for Externals, and Deputy for Student Concerns. Capili’s last appointment as Chief of Staff for the Interim SOH Representative allowed him to recognize the various internal and external issues that SOH Sanggunian struggles with. “I think SOH Sanggu could be more organized and structured,” Capili says, mentioning the lack of coordination and transparency, as well as the overlapping responsibilities among staffs. Capili also lamented how the lack of transparency has left newer students unaware of the Sanggunian services available to them. These issues are the mainstays of his platform, which focuses on restructuring and institutionalizing the roles of various departments.
Capili particularly aims to reestablish the Formations Department to assist with internals and member welfare, as well as the Events and Logistics Department to oversee events and projects. Additionally, he hopes to empower members and to better schedule projects by holding more consultations and advising staffers on their timelines. Aside from internal reforms, Capili also intends to expand SOH Sanggunian’s external reach. Among the programs he plans to sustain is the Resource Partnership program, which offers subsidies for student organization projects. Another is the Sanggunian Academic Subsidy, which assists in subsidizing theses and academic-related projects. He also hopes to re-launch discontinued events such as SOH Fest and SOH Week. Finally, Capili aims to build a more transparent SOH Sanggunian. He plans to publish reports on the constituency checks and projects held, as well as present clear guidelines on how to avail SOH Sanggunian’s services. Through these initiatives, Capili hopes to smoothen coordination and transparency not only within Sanggunian but also in their relationship with the student body.
THE INCUMBENTS’ CHECKLIST FULFILLED
Jb Bejarin PRESIDENT BY KIANA R. ALTOVEROS
THE SUDDEN appointment of Interim Sanggunian President Jb Bejarin last May 2o2o pushed him to create new goals to bridge the gap between students, the Loyola Schools (LS) administration, and the country amid a pandemic. During his term, Bejarin confronted unprecedented challenges such as the transition to online classes and the reconfiguration of Sanggunian’s system to conduct operations online.
Lead the transition of internal Sanggunian processes to adjust to the online setting •• Created the Phases Program to boost member productivity by establishing the long-term and short-term plans of each department under the Office of the President •• Drafted the Sanggunian unit operation manuals to establish proper administrative structure and workflow processes •• Revised the Code of Legislative Procedures, the Code of Internal Procedures, and the Code of Financial Procedures to adjust to the online setting’s limitations •• Signed the Freedom of Information Act and expanded the Executive Order on Freedom of Information •• Oversaw the release of the Sanggunian Live Budget Tracker Develop programs and initiatives to help the student body’s concerns reach the LS administration •• Organized and broadcasted Ask VPLS through Facebook Live in collaboration with other organizations •• Created the Sanggu Student Perception Survey and constituency checks to alert the administration about students’ concerns •• Brought back Sabihin sa Sanggu, an online feedback platform for various student concerns and launched it on the Our Sanggu website Promote socio-political awareness and engagement within the LS community •• Conducted online protests for the Anti-Terrorism Law and campus mobilization during President Duterte’s 2o2o State of the Nation Address •• Arranged the first set of the Coalition of Ateneans for Indigenous Peoples’ webinars Conduct social engagement projects that will provide aid to communities affected by the pandemic •• Collected monetary donations for Indigenous communities in partnership with the Ateneo Disaster Response and Management Team
UNFULFILLED
IN PROGRESS
•• Facilitated donation drives and consultations for displaced University workers through Pangga Kasangga in collaboration with Ateneo Loyola Schools Faculty Association and Development Society of the Ateneo Advocate and support programs concerning students’ holistic welfare and development •• Facilitated projects like Safe Spaces Webinar and Letter to Blue Katip Freedom Wall on Homophobic Posts with the Commission on Anti-Sexual Misconduct and Violence, Commission on Gender Equality, and Gender Hub •• Launched the Mental Health Series led by the Commission on Mental Health Strengthen the Sanggunian’s online operation system •• Design the Sanggu Transition Process for incoming Sanggunian officers to learn current administrative systems for each unit •• Draft the Code of Communications Procedures to streamline the process of relaying information to different units
Rebrand the SOH Sanggunian
Matt Rodriguez SOH REPRESENTATIVE BY TEO A. RICAFORTE AND KEZIAH MARU Z. PASION
MATT RODRIGUEZ focused his second term on reshaping the School of Humanities (SOH) Sanggunian more reflective of its constituents by placing emphasis on SOH students and their needs. Although he was reluctant to take a second term, he made sure that this year made up for last term’s shortcomings. Make internal processes within SOH Sanggunian more efficient
Create initiatives that promote transparency in Sanggunian’s future plans for the student body
•• Optimized internal workflow by downsizing SOH Sanggunian units
•• Launch the BluePrint for Socio-Political Engagement, a manual on the LS community’s plans leading to the 2o22 elections such as maximizing voter participation, engaging in socio-political awareness activities, and requesting the revision of policies regarding in-campus mobilizations and red-tagging •• Arrange for a second Ask VPLS session to accommodate questions and concerns going into the second semester Engage with communities beyond the Ateneo •• Sustain Pangga Kasangga operations and extending aid to dormitory staff, cafeteria concessionaires, JSEC workers, and tricycle drivers Continue creating avenues that will aid students’ holistic welfare •• Transform One Big Pride into an online event, in celebration of the LGBTQ+ community •• Oversee the Mental Health Week 2o21 to continue promoting mental health awareness in the LS Community Lead a University-wide social development project between student organizations and the LS administration •• Transformed into Pangga Kasangga, an initiative to help displaced University workers, primarily due to different priorities by various student organizations and the University Partake in the Buklod Atenista 2020 Conference, where student government organizations of various Ateneo universities assess issues of both University and national importance
Kat Moreno VICE PRESIDENT BY JOAQUIN SALAZAR
Cecilia Cancio JGSOM REPRESENTATIVE BY ANN DOMINGO
JOHN GOKONGWEI School of Management (JGSOM) Representative Cecilia Cancio was appointed in August 2o2o after the resignation of her predecessor Mica Torres. During her term, she assisted in the enactment of several bills, supportted unemployed John Gokongwei Student Enterprise Center (JSEC) employees, and strengthened the social media presence of the JGSOM Sanggunian Page.
•• Postponed due to schedule conflicts among the student-leader participants
Spearhead an internal audit of the Sanggunian’s processes to uncover bottlenecks within the body’s systems •• Pending release of the results of the internal audit conducted from January to February 2021 Establish a system that will better ensure student representation in the drafting of bills within the Central Assembly •• Require policymakers to consult with students affected by the bill before it reaches the second reading
Enact different measures in an effort to increase member engagement within different the Sanggunian offices
Increase member retention in all Sanggunian offices
•• Reduced the size of the Sanggunian to half by accepting less members during Council of Organizations of the Ateneo - Manila Recruitment week •• Implemented a mentor-mentee system for leadership within the Sanggunian wherein members are guided by senior members of the student government
•• Observed both stagnant and decreased member retention rates in Sanggunian units •• Analyzing retiring members’ exit interviews to diagnose unimproved retention rates despite the Sanggunian’s downsizing
Coordinate with LS administrators to streamline feedback systems between the student body and the administration
Sanggunian trainings and development assemblies
•• Evaluate the feedback filing system between the student body and the school administration
•• Hosted the webinar TINDIG: Youth Activism in the Modern Day Encourage socio-political activity by managing physical and digital mobilizations
TJ Alcantara SOSS REPRESENTATIVE BY NATALIE R. GAVINO
•• Handled logistics and security at Gate 2.5 for the One Big Strike protests •• Organized UNSETTLING NOISE: AN HOUR OF REMEMBRANCE in line with #MLWeek
UPON HIS appointment as the School of Social Sciences (SOSS) Representative, TJ Alcantara spearheaded a revitalization of the SOSS Sanggunian through open communication and active socio-political engagement.
Co-author Sanggunian resolutions to address relevant issues within and outside of the Loyola Schools
Conduct online initiatives promoting SOSS advocacies, course offerings, and home organizations
Ease processes for the Sanggunian Academic Subsidy (SAS) and Resource Partnership Program (RPP)
•• Launched the SOSS Series Webinar, a series of roundtable discussions about pandemic events •• Created SOSSalubong, a series of webinars featuring professionals introducing SOSS courses and organizations to incoming freshmen
•• Issue grants to fund SOSS students’ academic research projects •• Evaluate applications under the RPP and manage start-up grants for SOSS home organizations
•• Participated in writing resolutions covering political matters
Help in the creation of the Socio-political Safeguarding Bill to empower student activists
•• Canceled a number of assemblies due to unforeseen circumstances •• Postponed the Sanggunian’s Training and Development Assembly indefinitely due to typoons and heavy academic workload
•• Collaborate with the Sanggunian Commission on Socio-political Development, the Ateneo Assembly, and Council of Organizations of the Ateneo - Manila to form a helpdesk for red-tagged or harassed student-activists •• Draft a long-term plan to streamline contact with the Ateneo Bulatao Center and offer psychosocial support for student-activists •• Form the Sanggunian Legal Counsel to provide support for the Sanggunian and studentactivists seeking legal aid Formulate guidelines for the Course Representatives Bill •• Encourage an increase of home organization representatives for SOSS Sanggunian to conduct comprehensive discussions on student concerns Organize Kapihan sessions to address the SOSS students’ concerns •• Lacked manpower and time to establish logistics due to the online set-up
BY SAMANTHA ONGLATCO
PRIOR TO her appointment, Enza Quimson was the Chief of Staff for the School of Science and Engineering (SOSE) Sanggunian. Used to doing administrative work behind the scenes, Quimson prioritized strengthening SOSE Sanggunian’s internal processes, increasing interaction with constituents, and boosting their sociopolitical presence. Strengthen SOSE Sanggunian’s socio-political involvement •• Created the position of a sociopolitical deputy, who is tasked to draft SOSE Sanggunian’s statements on national and University-wide issues •• Released a statement on the national government’s disregard
Showcase the stories of SOH students through their creations in the project Humanithings •• Cancelled due to the lack of manpower and timeliness at the time of proposal Hold the annual SOH Fest •• Opted not to push through for the year due to a lack of foresight on the event’s online transition
Strengthen ties within JGSOM organizations by holding a month-long event that will support student-managed enterprises (SMEs) •• Conduct TAYO - Creating Shared Initiative, an event that aims to promote SMEs with sustainable and ethical business practices
•• Recruited content strategists and creatives to generate content on the JGSOM Sanggunian Facebook page •• Increased applications for the Academic Subsidies and Resource Partnership Program through social media promotions
•• Use consultation insights in future modules and learning sessions that aim to equip employees with diverse skillsets for different jobs •• Reference consultation database in drafting the next JSEC Constitution
Scrapped the JSEC Constitution due to a provision that violated Labor Union laws
Strengthen ties between JGSOM Sanggunian and the JGSOM administration
•• The provision reportedly allowed stall-owners to form unions on behalf of their employees. •• Articles 243 and 246 of the Labor Code dictate that employees have the right to self-organize without interference of that right.
•• Maintain consistency with endeavors such as the JSEC consultations in order to gain the support of the administration
Provide financial assistance to JSEC employees in response to Typhoon Ulysses ••
•• Provide public access to JGSOM Sanggunian’s relevant databases and financial reports through the Freedom of Information Act •• Create Manuals for availing mental health subsidies
Hold consultations with JSEC Employees for JSEC Fundraising Coalition and Employee Database
Maintained consistent communication with the employees through Facebook group chats
Increase student-engagement by garnering more partnerships with home organizations
SOSE REPRESENTATIVE
•• Oversee an inititiative that promotes Ateneo’s freelance student artists
Boost JGSOM Sanggunian’s communication strategies and social media presence
and criticism of scientists and experts in the country
Enza Quimson
Launch SOHpport the arts
Implement the Freedom of Information Act and Mental Health Subsidy Act
•• Oversee the creation of a swimlane diagram to inform students on the process of filing general complaints and concerns to the school administration regarding online classes
ASIDE FROM initiatives targeted towards improving the student government’s membership engagement and feedback systems, Moreno has also spearheaded efforts for stronger sectoral representation in the Sanggunian.
•• Reformed online image to be more informal and casual compared to other school Sanggunians •• Increased visibility and traction for SOH Sanggunian’s social media accounts
•• Held a focus group discussion with the Ateneo Chemistry Society regarding chemistry students’ experiences with the online setup •• Established a transparent and collaborative relationship with SOSE home organizations by integrating them into decision-making Strengthen internal systems and migrate them to an online platform •• Released a streamlined process for the Resource Partnership Program (RPP), a program allowing organizations to partner with SOSE Sanggunian for financial, logistical, technical, and promotional support •• Reconfigured the Sanggunian Academic Subsidy (SAS) system into the online setting •• Continued partnership with the SOSE Dean to increase the budget for SAS in order to accommodate more students
Draft a new JSEC Constitution to uphold workers’ rights • • Prioritize consultation efforts for the JSEC Employee Database and Fundraisers Coalition
Implement the RPP for the second semester •• Pending budget approval from the Office of Student Activities Plan a talk showcasing the works of Filipino women and LGBTQ+ scientists in commemoration of National Women’s Month •• Collaborate with the Commission on Gender and Equality and Commission on Anti-Sexual Misconduct and Violence Conduct the Science Summit •• Recruit core team members to conduct the Science Summit, a week-long series of webinars, talks, and activities featuring experts from the field of science and technology Collaborate with the School of Humanities Sanggunian on a comic series featuring science-related issues to raise awareness •• Cancelled due to the lack of manpower and timeliness at the time of proposal