Pagbutlak

by: Vladimir Amadeus Mercado

The 56th Convention of the General Assembly of Student Councils was successfully convened on February 8-10 at the UP Visayas Miagao campus, which saw the attendance of over 45 student councils across the UP System.

Following a series of educational discussions leading up to the assembly, the student councils drafted resolutions addressing critical issues within the university and the broader community. All 20 resolutions were adopted after the assembly and will serve as a guide for the Office of the Student Regent and the student councils on their campaigns for the rest of the academic year.

On budget cuts

Despite the restoration of budget cuts on the UP Budget for 2024, student councils still reported budget constraints that bar them from realizing their plans and forwarding their campaigns.

Student councils also reported a need for more student and learning spaces inside the university.

In her midterm report, Student Regent Iya Trinidad expressed the need to assess and recalibrate decisions regarding the UP Budget cut that is ever-existent in the whole UP system, saying “Kailangan talaga natin tingnan kung paano gagastusin ng mga local units ang mga ito [budget].” 

She added that there are limitations as to how the student councils forward their campaigns inside the university due to budget constraints and unnecessary bureaucracy they face. 

“We can only do so much as student councils lobbying sa ating local institutions”, highlighting the need for student councils to extract all possible means from their collective struggles and problems within and out.

On student councils, publication’s fund

Allyssa Marie Nogariza and Joelian Dolendo of UPV CASSC emphasized the necessity for increased and more accessible student funds, citing the significant impact of funding limitations on their ability to fulfill their duties effectively.

Nogariza pointed out that in the context of UPV USC and local college councils, P5.50 of every student’s tuition every semester is allotted for the councils’ budget. However, a lack of direct access to these funds exists, limiting the council’s ability to carry out activities, thus affecting the council’s overall operation.

Dolendo, on the other hand, sheds light on the burden faced by student leaders who often spend their money on council expenses with no guarantee of reimbursement.

“Hindi naman lahat ng mga lider-estudyante ay may kapasidad para maglabas ng sariling pera para ipatupad ang mga nais na programa ng konseho. Kaya naman kadalasang nakasalalay ang mga student councils sa mga fund raising activities, sponsorships, at solicitation para lamang ma-itaguyod ang mga inisyatibo at kampanya,” Dolendo emphasized.

Nogariza emphasized that advocating for increased and more accessible student council funds means supporting initiatives grounded in the studentry’s and the masses’ best interest.

UPV’s call for univ-wide pub

The call for a university-wide publication remains one of the central issues in UP Visayas as UPV remains the only UP unit yet to instate a university-wide publication after the UP Open University cemented its publication with The Cursor.

Ciana Belle Gloria of UP Visayas USC urged the inclusion of the UP Solidaridad, the widest alliance of campus publications in the UP System, in OSR’s UP Student Summit to help institutionalize university-wide publication in UPV.

UP Solidaridad Executive Vice Chairperson Justin Felip Daduya, in his privileged speech during the assembly, spoke on the importance of the roles of student publications in being the bearers of truth and service. He calls for the OSR to bring UP Solidaridad in the OSR visit to regional campuses.

“Ang hinihiling ng UP Solidaridad ay makasama sa mga programa ng OSR para malaman namin ang mga kondisyon ng mga publikasyon sa bawat panig ng Pilipinas. Hiling na mapuntahan sa susunod na semestre ang mga units na may campus pubs na developing pa,” said Daduya.

Currently, the UPV USC is in constant dialogue with the UP Visayas admin on the instatement of UPV univ-wide publication.

20 Resolutions passed

During the three-day assembly, the body delivered salient points and exhausted discussions and manifestations on crucial university-level issues up to nationwide concerns. After over 24 hours, the body adopted 20 resolutions that will guide the student councils and the Office of the Student Regent in formulating their campaigns for this semester.

Among the issues discussed during the assembly are the hefty bureaucracy experienced by student councils and publication, commercialization in UP, demands for more student and learning spaces, healthcare and additional assistance to students with special needs (SWANS), and support for student-athletes, interns, and student assistants. 

But the highlights from the adopted resolutions are the resolution supporting the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) investigation of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s crimes against humanity, the resolutions urging the student councils to continue the campaign against budget cuts, and the Marcos Jr. administration’s railroading of the Charter Change.

Moreover, with the threat of the looming jeepney phaseout, the assembly also calls on the student councils across the UP System to unite and intensify the campaign against the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) and its respective local implementations of Local Public Transport Route PLans (LPTRPs) through a resolution co-authored by the UP Visayas USC.

The 56th Convention of the General Assembly of Student Councils ended as early as 6 PM on Feb. 10, the first time the assembly ended early in recent years.