President's Year End Report

PRESIDENT'S YEAR END REPORT

Ibalik an relasyon kan SSG sa mga estudyante.

These lines started our engagement in the student government. These lines captured what we want to happen with the institution that is for, by and of the students. From a government that is aloof and far away the persons it ought to serve, we envisioned a community of Ateneans with open communication sharing the same vision that is the improvement of student services and protection of student welfare through their sole representatives, the ADNU SSG. Nine months have already passed and it is but proper for me, as your president, to formally update you of the current status of your student government. This report shall consist all our accomplishments, internal status of the government and the plans for the next two months. 

WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH

I must say that we are not yet performing at our maximum potentials and we have not yet fully achieved what we have envisioned, that is to restore the confidence of every Atenean to the student government. But we have started becoming relevant to the student body as an institution primarily directed to serve every students and protect student welfare. This has been seen through series of reports, complaints and grievances submitted to the student government through its then-functioning ADNU SSG Group, the SWC Online Complaint Form, the Harampangan 2011 and specially, the influx of students coming in the office and sending personal messages to SSG Officers asking for advices and seeking for help. In the past, students had nowhere to ask for help. This year, we have started re-establishing a student government that is ready to accept complaints and that is ready to fight for the students wherever these complaints and grievances may be elevated. This fact alone constitutes a major accomplishment for the student government commitment to become more relevant to the lives of every Atenean.

            Aside from receiving complaints and disseminating information, with reflection, we were also able to redirect the student government to its most crucial functions -  representation and service.

In its representation function, the student government serves as the voice of the students in all university issues and concerns that is why student government officers sits in university councils and committees. They are tasked to air out the concerns of the students on different policies, proposals and programs so as not to put at stake their welfare. This imposes a vital responsibility to all officials and volunteers to first and foremost listen and to be aware of the sentiments of the students they ought to serve and represent. This is better done by creating communities of dialogues, immersion and direct engagement with the students. Online networking sites are a good way to do this but the superficiality of these modes must not hamper the creation of authentic and genuine relationship between and among the officials and the ordinary students. 

Our administration prides itself of having good, active and participative student representatives in different councils and committees of the university. We have provided good and strong inputs in the discussions of these university arms and have firmly stood for student welfare carrying the mantra of being a pro-student rather than as anti-admin. Our major lapse however is our inability to build communities and the lack of empowerment of the student congress. Yes, we have created and supported good policies and programs for the students. Yes, we have an active group where students are free to disclose and we also have an online form where students can submit queries, reports and complaints. Yes, we have acted upon these concerns raised. Unfortunately, these are only short-term. We have started reaching out but we have not yet achieved our goal of bringing back the student government to the student body. We have only stayed in that superficial interaction students through FB and online forms. We have not forged genuine relationship with the majority of the students in the grass roots leaving sustainable engagement and unity among students just a dream for the future leaders still to fulfil.

Service, on the other hand, incidentally carries with it the formative function of the student government. It must be able to deliver programs that will contribute to the university mission of forming individuals who competent, conscientious, Christ-centered and compassionately committed to change. It must have at its core the ability to cater to the needs of the students for them to be freed from the shackles that hamper them in advancing, developing and growing. This we did by streamlining the functions in the SSG by having a permanent volunteer pool and the creation of the departments. We also had a better delivery of the intramurals and by providing varied topics given by famous national personalities for the Alternative Class Program. 

In detail, the following summarizes the major accomplishments of the current administration:

§  REPRESENTATION FUNCTION. The current administration prides itself of its proper and active representation in university councils and committees thereby performing at an excellent degree its function of truly and faithfully representing the students and promoting their welfare. These councils and committees include:

a.      Academic Council;

b.      Formation Council;

c.       University Social Involvement Council;

d.      Disciplinary Board;

e.       Grievance Committee;

f.        Standards Committee;

g.      Committee on a Greener Ateneo;

h.      University Safety Committee;

i.         the University Celebration Committee;

§  ACTIVE PROTECTION OF STUDENT WELFARE. The ADNU SSG, to the best of its ability, has successfully protected student welfare and raised student concerns on the following major issues:

a.      Involuntary Contribution on Fun Runs;

b.      Misunderstanding as to the policy on the voyadores participation;

c.       Policy on Academic Scholar’s Office Services;

d.      First Class Day Sickness;

e.       Repairs and evaluation of university facilities;

f.        Enrollment Evaluation;

g.      Uniform Policy;

h.      Alternative Class Program;

i.         Online posting of Subject Offerings;

j.        July 30 Ignatiana Class Day;

k.       PTA Raffle Tickets

§  INTERNAL REFORM IN THE STUDENT GOVERNMENT. Several measures were adapted to ensure the proper function of the government including:

a.       Drafting of a Revised Election Code and SSG Constitution;

b.      Appointment of new justices in the tribunal;

c.       Creation of a Commission on Audit to review all financial statements and liquidation reports;

d.      Approval of a Code of Internal Procedures in all branches;

e.      Creation of departments and a volunteer pool – TUG;

§  STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS and VARSITY PLAYERS. The SSG has also expressed its support to student organizations and varsity players through the following:

a.       Attempt to reform the Ateneo Directorate of Student Organizations;

b.      Financial support for members of student organization who represented the university in international and national conferences;

c.       Financial support for student leaders attending the ADMU Bidahan as initiated by the Office of Student Affairs;

d.      Support in organizational development modules of the Office of Student Affairs through the seminar on financial reporting;

e.      Support in the Ateneo Golden Knights and the promotions of the Ateneo Football League;

§  EXTERNAL AFFILIATIONS. The SSG has shown active participation, allegiance and effort to fulfil all Buklod Atenista Resolutions which it has neglected in the past few years. The SSG has also benchmarked with Student Councils of NCF, Mariners, CSPC, UNC and USI to be able to build a coalition among Naga Student Councils. The SSG has also partnered with several civic organizations such as the IBP, YSAGE – Coalition against women trafficking and Pugadlawin.

§  ACTIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH UNIVERSITY OFFICES. We have partnered with OSA, DAVP, IFC, CAO and other entities and organizations in conducting activities such as: Intramurals 2011, RH Bill Forum, Nueva Camarines Forum, Dugong Atenista, ASUL, ORSEM, PhilRice Forum, Ignatian Fun Run and Community Merienda among others.

§  DRAFTING OF THE MAGNA CARTA OF STUDENT’S RIGHTS

   THE STUDENT GOVERNMENT FROM WITHIN

DUES AND OBLIGATIONS. The Student Government has the following obligations:

a.       Avenue Plaza Hotel thru Mr. Raffy Magno

b.      Madrigal Foundation for Madrigal Amphitheatre (as of Dec. 1, 2011)

c.       Some ACP Speakers

d.      Mr. Macandog thru Mr. Raffy Magno for Buklod Atenista Plane Tickets

BUKLOD ATENISTA. Raffy Magno, in his capacity as Buklod Atenista Ambassador, requested additional P3,000.00 from the SSG Treasurer which I duly approved as SSG president for the Buklod Atenista. This is is currently being contested by the Student Congress as being inappropriate. This P3,000.00  has already been properly liquidated by the SSG president and the SSG Moderator, Mr. Patrick Balmaceda, for food, baggage allowance and transportation.  A review of the liquidation report submitted and prepared by the ADNU SSG Treasurer on Buklod Atenista expenses is also currently conducted due to some accidentally-pasted receipts in the liquidation report. Mr. Raffy Magno received the Buklod Atenista budget and gathered all the receipts of Buklod Atenista expenditures.

MISSING CASH. The ADNU-SSG Treasurer has claimed responsibility over an allegedly lost cash in her custody which shall be used to pay  Buklod Atenista Plane Tickets which were initially paid through a credit card. The money was allegedly lost on November 3, 2011 but was made to the awareness of the Buklod Atenista Ambassador Raffy Magno, the SSG President and the SSG Moderator only on November 16, 2011 though some officers of the executive and the legislative have already knowledge of the event since it was allegedly lost.  It is expected that the Commission on Audit will be releasing a report on this matter as they have already started conducting test of internal control and audit procedures to determine the accuracy and fairness of the liquidation and financial reports. 

RESIGNATION. The SSG EVP Kate Flores has already filed her resignation effective November 1, 2011. The SSG President is still in the process of selecting the new EVP from the members of the Student Congress. SSG Moderator Patrick Henry Balmaceda has also filed his resignation effective December 13, 2011. 

PLANS FOR THE NEXT TWO MONTHS

The SSG hopes to deliver the following events for the last two months:

a.       Event for Student Organizations (PINTAKASI-like event)

b.      Alternative Class Program

c.       Gawad SSG

d.      Grand Harampangan with University Administrators

We also hope to address the following:

a.       Ratification of the Magna Carta, the Revised E-Code and if time permits us, the Revised Constitution;

b.      Lobbying of the following policies:

c.       Guidelines on TFI

d.      Student Membership in Budget Committee;

e.      Lifting of Delayed Exam Fees for certain cases;

f.        Guidelines for sending official school representatives;

g.       Policy on Giving Term Examinations;

h.      Revised Uniform Policy;

Specific Concerns to be addressed:

a.       Implementation of Uniform Policy by the guards

b.      Listings of Office Services

c.       Nature of Fees and update on the SIC and Culture and Arts Fee

d.      Sports Development

e.      Online Prospectus

f.        SSG Volunteers and Departments

g.       Benches at Xavier Hall

h.      Student Welfare Center

i.         Empowerment of the Student Congress

j.        Ateneo Directorate of Student Organizations

k.       ONE NAGA – Consortium of Naga City Tertiary Student Councils