The GUIDON Blue Ballot 2020 - Outgoing Officers' Year in Review

SA NGGU N I A N 2 0 1 9 - 2 0 2 0

OUTGOING OFFICERS’

YEAR IN REVIEW B L U E B A L L OT C O V E R A G E 2 0 2 0 OUTGOING OFFICERS’ CHECKLIST

Editors Danielle R. Garcia Patricia Villoria Designer Carmela B. Masiglat Writers Billie Asuncion Raphael C. Dela Cruz Tatiana Maligro Jean Mangaluz Andrea Tibayan Kathleen U. Yap Illustrations and Layout Denev C. Ng Neil R. Reyes

BLUE BALLOT 2o2o is The GUIDON’s special coverage of the Sanggunian General Elections. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent cancellation of electoral processes, the project will not yet be able to cover the Sanggunian candidates for A.Y. 2o2o-2o21. In the meantime, Blue Ballot 2o2o will provide brief recaps of the outgoing officers’ terms.

This is a project of the Editorial Board aspirants for A.Y. 2o2o-2o21.

A YEAR IN R EV IEW:

Checks and balances EVERY SANGGUNIAN candidate champions a vision for the holistic formation of the Loyola Schools (LS) community and promises to enact their mission to promote the welfare of the Sanggunian’s constituents.

As the academic year comes to a close, we look back on the triumphs of the outgoing student government and inspect the gaps that their unfulfilled platforms leave behind.

Beyond fulfilling the objective to track the outgoing student government’s progress in AY 2019-2020, this hopes to guide the LS community in forming expectations for the next Sanggunian candidates.

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A Y EAR IN REVIEW

Quiel Quiwa SANGG UN I AN PRESIDENT

BY TATIANA L. MALIGRO

Throughout Quiel Quiwa’s leadership, he ensured that the Sanggunian was swift to respond to the student body’s needs in the ever-changing University and national situation. In his term, Quiwa faced issues ranging from sexual harassment and misconduct, the class disruptions brought about by the Taal Volcano eruption, and the suspension of online classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Photo courtesy of OFFICE OF STUDENT ACTIVITIES

TERM HIGHLIGHT Collaborate with the Office for Social Concern and Involvement and Introduction to Atenean Culture and Traditions (InTACT) to encourage student involvement with national issues Developed a module with InTACT and conducted room-to-room sessions to explain Sanggunian processes to students in their freshmen year Launched the “Silay with Sanggu” campaign during the Freshmen Orientation Seminar 2019: Silay to establish Sanggunian’s presence among newly-minted freshmen Partnered with Kabataang Kakampi ng Manggagawang Pilipino during their Zagu picket line visit Maintained the Ateneo Commission on Elections Satellite Registration booth

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Involve the Central Assembly and School Representatives in Sanggunian decision-making processes Coordinated with Vice President Jb Bejarin to hold regular meetings with the Central Assembly and School Representatives Continue the Sabihin sa Sanggu initiative to hear out student concerns Relaunched the project as the Student Rights and Welfare Desk Empower Ateneans’ socio-political engagement through the arts Launched creative art exhibits during Martial Law week last September Provide proper budget allocation for academic subsidies Allocated nearly Php 1.2 million for academic subsidies in all four schools Encourage school departments and student organizations to partner with the Sanggunian in projects Created the Commission on Persons with Special Needs Inclusion in partnership with the Ateneo Special Education Society Sustain the efforts of the Commission on Anti-Sexual Misconduct and Violence (CASMV) in handling sexual harassment cases Released a progress report on sexual harassment cases filed between August 2017 to July 2019 Currently working towards integration of Safe Spaces Act in LS sexual harassment protocols following CASMV’s dialogue with University President Jose Ramon Villarin, SJ Bolster the Commission on Mental Health’s initiatives Established the Mental Health Coalition with Ateneo Psyche and Ateneo PEERS In the process of creating the LS Mental Health Policy with the LS Office of Guidance and Counseling, hoping to finalize this by the end of the year Organize monthly Kapihan sessions among students, faculty, and administration Regularly conducted open forums specific to their advocacies through the Sanggunian’s various commissions instead

Hindi lahat naman ng in-organize nakikita pero dahil sa quick response ng Sanggu mas nakatulong din. Parang test of an institution’s character.

(Some of the events we organized can’t be seen, but Sanggu’s quick response to student concerns was still helpful. It’s like a test of an institution’s character.)

Jb Bejarin SANGGUNI AN VICE PRESIDENT

BY KATHLEEN U. YAP

Jb Bejarin is no stranger to campus leadership, having served as the Ateneo Senior High School President and Sanggunian Administrative Affairs Head in academic years 2017-2018 and 2018-2019, respectively. Throughout his term as Vice President, Bejarin aimed to build lasting progress within the Loyola Schools (LS) by engaging closely with the student body through his various initiatives.

Increase student participation in the Sanggunian’s decision making processes Created a single online form to course sexual harassment, mental health, and academic concerns through the Student Rights and Welfare Desk Hosted issue-based forums for sexual misconduct and mental health, among others Foster a healthy work environment for Sanggunian members Revised the member recruitment process to be held only during Intersession Recruitment Week and the Council of Organizations of the Ateneo Recruitment Week Launched the Sanggunian Skills Integration Project for members to hone their hard and soft skills Organized the first ever Sanggunian-wide General Assembly

TERM HIGHLIGHT Strengthen efforts for the advancement of student rights Helped establish the LS Gender Hub, which aims to provide a safe space for all students in the campus Lobbied for the implementation of the LS Mental Health Policy

Encourage a socio-politically aware and active campus Released statements to address various socio-political issues such as sexual harassment and suicide awareness and prevention Held awareness projects in collaboration with various stakeholders, including the Global Climate Strike, Martial Law Week, and EDSA Anniversary Commemoration Streamline the Sanggunian’s systems for efficient student governance Passed the Code of Legislative Procedures for the Central Assembly Code of Internal Procedures draft is currently undergoing final revisions and has yet to be reviewed through member and public consultations

A Y EAR IN REVIEW

Empower students through transparency Launched the Sanggunian Gazette to serve as an organized alternative to the Sanggunian Facebook page Introduced an inclusive budget procedure by including the League of Independent Organizations, Scholars, and Sports Clubs sectors Freedom of Information Bill has yet to undergo final hearing, which will institutionalize the Sanggunian Gazette, as well as allow the website to fulfill the following functions: Publicize Sanggunian documents and inform the student body on the processes of obtaining certain information

Many people have criticized Sanggu, [saying] Sanggu is too big... We are at the point where we can recognize that, assess which issues we need to work on to enrich structures, [...] and [find] the right number of people and strengths needed from members within these units.

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Photo courtesy of OFFICE OF STUDENT ACTIVITIES

Matt Rodriguez SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES (SOH) REPRESENTATIVE Photo courtesy of OFFICE OF STUDENT ACTIVITIES

BY BILLIE ASUNCION

Matt Rodriguez put SOH student awareness and social involvement at the forefront of his platforms for the student body. He accomplished this by strengthening both internal processes and external partnerships of his Sanggunian school. Despite the hurdles that he faced, he remained steadfast in guiding the SOH student body towards visibility.

All in all, I think my term was just disappointing, but I have a lot of hope in those who come after me. I just hope the Humanities students can forgive me and still believe in what SOH Sanggu can do!

TERM HIGHLIGHT Improved partnerships with Tanghalang Ateneo, Ateneo Blue Repertory, and Ateneo Enterteynment para sa Tao, Bayan, Lansangan, at Diyos to stage shows that raise awareness on socio-political issues and current events Bought tickets in bulk to guarantee profit and to allow SOH students free entry on certain show dates

Improve the academic subsidy application process Created an assessment form to better define the criteria in which applications are graded to determine the amount of the subsidy grant Improve the internal structure of SOH Sanggunian Merged certain staffs to improve efficiency, such as the Academic Concerns staff with the Student Concerns staff, and the Creatives staff with the Communication staff Created the Events & Logistics staff to address past logistical concerns A YEAR IN REVIEW

Implement an initiative that allows SOH students to share their creations and the stories behind them on the SOH Facebook page Previously named the Happy Humans project, the initiative is still in its planning stages Updates on the status of the renamed initiative have yet to be released Engage SOH students in discourse by posting open-ended opinion questions on the SOH Facebook page Posts coursed through the SOH Facebook page did not garner enough traction Promote the creation of Humanities organizations through the SOH Fest Arranged collaborations with seven organizations and invited several professors to speak to each block Event was eventually cancelled due to inclement weather last August

Mica Torres JOHN GOKONGWEI SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT (JGSOM) REPRSENTATIVE

Photo courtesy of OFFICE OF STUDENT ACTIVITIES

BY JEAN MANGALUZ

Mica Torres was one of the two candidates elected in the 2019 Sanggunian General Elections, promising to elevate JGSOM Sanggunian’s internal structure, establish dialogue with different sectors of the Ateneo community, and forge advocacy-based JGSOM initiatives.

In terms of internal structure and to make the next administration’s processes more streamlined and faster, I am laying out a plan that would help guide the next JGSOM Representative in establishing the different divisions.

TERM HIGHLIGHT Maximize the efficiency of previously established JGSOM Sanggunian divisions Regulated the number of JGSOM Sanggunian members from 30 to 23 to increase productivity Established partnerships with organizations for different advocacies, such as the University of the Philippines (UP) Career Assistance Program and UP Junior Marketing Association MarkEd through the Externals division Implement the past administration’s Handog Pasasalamat packages initiative for John Gokongwei Student Enterprise Center (JSEC) employees, which contained rice, canned goods, instant noodles, and coffee packs Gave packages last March instead of December due to project delays Organize a dialogue between JGSOM Sanggunian and JSEC employees regarding the workers’ status during the COVID-19 outbreak Communicated with JSEC employees and stall owners Transparency report regarding compensation given to the employees has yet to be released

Create a partnership with Savemore Berkeley Residences for discounts on future JSEC Handog Pasasalamat packages Collaborate with the Ateneo Environmental Science Society for Likha: Eco Fair Discontinued due to the COVID-19 outbreak Finalize the JSEC Association Constitution Attempted to reassert the need for a JSEC Constitution after the JGSOM administration rejected the initial draft that former JGSOM Representative Rige Encarnacion submitted Improve SOM Week by gearing it towards community-building rather than competition Discontinued due to time constraints Rebranded as Business Month upon the advice of the faculty Reorganize JGSOM Sanggunian’s internal structure by merging divisions and lowering the number of members Maintained last year’s structure Will communicate details of the plan to the next SOM representative

Create other channels of communication regarding long-standing issues such as contractualization FULFILLED

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LA Ibarrientos SCHOOL OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING (SOSE) REPRESENTATIVE Photo courtesy of OFFICE OF STUDENT ACTIVITIES

BY RAPHAEL C.DELA CRUZ

LA Ibarrientos assumed his position following his stint as Undersecretary of the Office of the Executive Secretary last academic year. During his term, LA worked on his platforms such as supporting SOSE students’ undergraduate research, raising awareness and appreciation for the sciences, and promoting partnerships for different initiatives that non-academic student groups can undertake.

For our efforts this year, I wanted to communicate how important science is to society and how it’s connected to other aspects of life like politics, culture, and business.

TERM HIGHLIGHT Continue the implementation of the Sanggunian Academic Subsidy (SAS) in partnership with the SOSE Dean’s Office Provided Php 454,94o worth of subsidies to 22 undergraduate research groups during the first semester Ensured that a maximum of Php 3oo,ooo can be distributed to deserving research groups for the second semester

Promote awareness and appreciation of science to the Loyola Schools community Organized the Ateneo Global Climate Change Week 2o19 Helped arrange Angat Agham forums, particularly the “Environmental Impacts of the Martial Law in Mindanao Forum” during Martial Law Week 2019 and “Through the Storm: Hope for Women Empowerment and Disaster Resilience” in Talakayan Alay sa Bayan 2019 Support the projects and initiatives of SOSE home organizations Partnered with SOSE home organizations through the SOSE PrepCourse Subsidy for preparatory course funding A YEAR IN REVIEW

Introduce a resolution that standardizes SAS processes for all four schools and requests assistance from their respective deans’ offices for additional funding Central Assembly has not yet convened to finalize the resolution Support science-related projects and initiatives of non-academic student groups and organizations in Ateneo All events and funding for the SOSE Resource Partnership Program were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Kat Moreno

Photo courtesy of OFFICE OF STUDENT ACTIVITIES

SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES (SOSS) REPRESENTATIVE

BY ANDREA TIBAYAN

Kat Moreno placed student welfare and social awareness at the forefront of her platforms. As the other candidate elected in the 2019 Sanggunian General Elections, Moreno ensured that SOSS students’ needs were properly addressed on all fronts by optimizing academic subsidy processes and advocating for mental health within the Loyola Schools (LS).

The goal [for SOSS midterms week] was more to lighten the mood and help students see that SOSS Sanggunian isn’t just here for serious matters, but we’re students too that share the same burdens.

TERM HIGHLIGHT Establish student welfare campaigns on campus and online Spearheaded Pangangatawan, a week-long body positivity advocacy project stationed at the LS Promenade Organized the SOSS Sanggunian Midterms Week, a social media campaign aimed to ease the worries of students during midterms season

Organize skill building workshops for SOSS Sanggunian officers Invited former SOSS representatives, one of the Freshman Orientation Seminar 2o19 Chairpersons, and non-profit organization Women in Tech, among other groups as speakers Distribute welcoming kits for Ateneo students in partnership with the other Sanggunian schools Smoothen processes for the Student Academic Subsidy and Resource Partnership Program Initiated social media blasts and continuously updated organization presidents for student awareness on applying for academic subsidies

Conduct Human Development research on SOSS students’ needs and interests Did not push through in favor of focusing on the Mental Health Subsidy Bill, which has been drafted and has yet to be reviewed by the Central Assembly Protect students from sexual harassment during internships through the Standardized Internship Contract Various LS departments did not find the contract feasible due to internship policies that differ within each company, which may result in inconsistencies with monitoring student welfare Discover innovative solutions to social issues through the SOSS Week Case Competition under SOSS Week 2020 Did not push through due to the COVID-19 pandemic FULFILLED

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