Focusing on solidarity, governance, democracy, and student welfare, the Benilde Central Student Government (Benilde CSG) presented their accomplishments and initiatives for the past seven months and their future plans for Academic Year (A.Y.) 2020 to 2021 in their State of the Central Student Government (CSG) Address via Facebook Live, yesterday, June 1.

Along with Vice President (VP) for Finance OIC Darren Cabarrubia and VP for Internals Errica Buenconsejo, Benilde CSG President Jason Anchores commenced the Midterm Report with opening remarks by discussing the global and nationwide issues and events that affected the Benildean community such as the Taal eruption, COVID-19 pandemic, ABS-CBN franchise controversy, General Community Quarantine, lack of mass testing, lack of mass transportation for Filipino workers, U.S. riots, Anti-terrorism Bill, and first day of this year’s Pride month.

“They are all stories of trouble. They are all stories of solidarity. They are all stories of different people and different narratives. (…) It’s true that these issues should be a part of our educational system [because] these are issues that we cannot escape. These are issues that come along [with] our academic struggle,” Anchores stated, calling for the student body and the rest of the Benildean community’s responsibility to maximize their education in engaging with the ongoing issues, transcending the four corners of learning in the classroom.

The following which are presented consequently are the CSG’s general and specific projects and participations since November 2019:

Major CSG-wide activities:

• Operation: Sagip Mindanao (November 2019): A relief donation drive in partnership with Benilde Red Cross Youth Council (BRCYC), Greenergy CSB, and Center for Social Action (CSA) for the victims of the successive Cotabato earthquakes. Proceeds were given within two weeks of its launch to the partner communities.

• Benilde Enrollment Assistance (January 2020): A platform for technical assistance provided for students’ concerns regarding the manual enrollment process of the College.

• Operation: Sagip Taal (January 2020): A relief donation drive for their partner community and towns in Batangas and De La Salle-Lipa in response to the Taal Volcano eruption last January 12. In partnership with BRCYC, Greenergy CSB, and CSA, and the Benildean community, the drive came up with more than 300 kits and relief goods.

• Sana All MagStay: No To Tuition Fee Increase Campaign (February 2020): A proposal raised by the CSG as part of the Multi Sectoral Tuition Fee Committee to not increase the tuition for the upcoming school year. The plea was first not heard but due to the pandemic and presence of factors to consider, the College announced the retainment of tuition for A.Y. 2020- 2021.

• #SuspendOnlineClassesCSB (March 2020): A CSG proposal given the pandemic and Enhanced Community Quarantine for full suspension of online classes in consideration for students who lack access and privilege, and of the community’s mental health.

• #MassPromotionNowCSB (April to May 2020): A call for mass promotion in response to the continuation of online classes in the College, standing its ground to “not leave any student behind.”
• Student Solidarity Network to survive COVID-19 petition to CHED on six student demands (April 2020): A petition with various student governments for CHED’s approval on the six student demands, including mass promotion.
  
  

CSG Offices’ Initiatives:

• Executive Committee

• • Multilateral meeting with Adamson University Student Government and St. Scholastica’s College, Manila-College Student Council (November 2019): This meeting last November 9, 2019 resulted in the formulation of a joint resolution for mental health policies and well-being of each College’s community.

• • Mental Health Policy Proposal (November 2019): A CSG proposal for the creation of the Benilde Mental Health Policy that was approved by the Academic Council to take effect on A.Y. 2020 to 2021.

• Office of the President

• • Major Statements (Duterte Administration, Reinstatement of ABS-CBN Franchise, Protection of Rights, etc.): Proactive stands and joint statements of CSG alongside other universities’ student governments regarding national and student issues.

• • Commission on Safe Spaces (March 2020): CSG participated in the Safe Spaces Conference and built this in response to the Safe Spaces Act, ensuring student’s security and protection in the school.

• • Policy Committee: A committee formed to provide guidelines of the policies implemented by the administration and inform the Benildean community in additional information thereof. Such guidelines provided were for COVID-19 management and Malacañang Palace briefing on the management of COVID-19.

• Office of the VP of Academics

• • Student’s Rights and Concerns Portal: A platform formed and institutionalized by CSG to process official concerns from students, academic related or personal.

• Research Committee

• • CSG Constituency Check: All data gathered by the CSG from the Benildean community and student body are processed, analyzed, and interpreted by the formed committee to produce concrete evidence for the major decisions made by the CSG.

• Office of VP for Internals

• • CSG Rebranding: An event along with the Office of the Vice President of Operations and an action to signify a new era and change to the engagement level and more cohesive student governance for CSG for A.Y. 2019 to 2020.

• CSG Media Team

• • Multi-sectoral Tuition Fee Committee Press Conference: An announcement of the final decision of the final meeting with the Multi-Sectoral Tuition Fee Committee and an assertion of their stand to not increase the tuition fees for the upcoming year.

• • #MagtanongSaAdmin: A Townhall Meeting (April 2020): An online meeting of CSG with the Vice Chancellor for Academics Geronio Ulayao for students to raise and address their concerns to the admin regarding the mass promotion, term extension proposal of CSG and other academic-related concerns.

• Office of the VP for Finance

• • Specific Guidelines for Pre-Enrollment and Enrollment: A guide released by CSG to aid students who have pending clearance on the Student Information System (SIS) and other concerns regarding pre-enrollment.

• Office of the VP for Externals

• • Student Solidarity Network to survive COVID-19: A coalition joined by CSG that consists of organizations and student governments which promotes students’ rights amid the pandemic built upon by the six student demands.

• • National Youth Response Team (NYRT): A team joined by CSG under the Office of the Vice President of the Philippines that consists of associations, individuals, and student governments for nationwide protection of the students’ welfare amid COVID-19.

• • Benilde IDeas: An ongoing project in partnership with Benildean Industrial Designers to send out designs for personal protective equipment and tools that are essential and beneficial to combat the global pandemic.

• • Mental Health First Response (MHFR): CSG partners up with MHFR for online and free telecounseling or telepsychology services and appointments to address mental health concerns for students.

• • UP Manila Bayanihan Na! Operations Center: CSG partnered up with University of the Philippines Manila (UPM) for the promotion of a hotline, which caters to medical questions, for donations, health concerns, and patient transfers. This Operations Center is stationed in UPM.

• School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies (SDEAS) School Student Government (SSG)

• • SDEAS Ball: A major and grand event in collaboration with the Benildean Deaf Association in celebration of graduating students’ successes and appreciating their efforts for the enrichment of SDEAS. It is one of their traditions to gather the Deaf community and bring them together and have fun.

• School of Management and Information Technology (SMIT) SSG

• • SMITensity: Also known as SMIT week, it is an annual event by SMIT department which CSG is in partnership with. The 2019 SMITensity highlights health, well-being, and equality, which resulted in talks, classes, events, and programs to emphasize and improve the student’s overall being.

A future Benilde centered on sector recognition and social welfare protection

According to Anchores, the CSG is currently focusing on making a democratic society within Benilde. It starts with the College’s continuation and encouragement of good governance, recognition of the marginalized sectors, and addressing their needs within the community to serve as catalysts “beyond the four corners of the classroom.”

“The call for democracy begins from the educational level. It begins with schools recognizing their different sectors in a College and their huge need to socialize welfare to protect the marginalized, to protect vulnerable sectors. And it is something we will do. (…) We begin in our community,” Anchores highlighted.

Given this, CSG proposed and plan to uphold the following projects:

• CSG Discernment Talk: Given that the Benilde Commission on Elections usually holds the elections during the third term, this event or forum aims to entice students to run and continue the governance CSG has started given that it is time to welcome new people to pass on the torch as they go into the “new normal.” They do not want also for students to be deprived of the right to vote and run given their circumstances by the pandemic.

• Gender Coalition #EqualityNowCSB: In celebration of the Pride Month and in line with the advocacies of CSG, this multi-sectoral coalition is formed to protect the marginalized sectors, highlight the value of Benilde as an inclusive school, to localize SOGIE Bill, and to create a Benilde SOGIE Equality Policy: an anti-discrimination provision against gender and highlights gender sensitivity and security of rights towards equality.

• Final Safe Spaces Desk Proposal for Academic Year 2020- 2021: A CSG proposal for everyone’s rights for private and public security and safety, especially to protect women from sexual harassment.

• Benilde Mental Health Policy for A.Y. 2020- 2021: The policy agreed upon by the Academic Council to be implemented on A.Y. 2020 to 2021 which is still being drafted. The Benildean community is encouraged to answer their survey as inputs that can help as they draft this policy to provide social safety, mental health protection and implementation, and well-being for the College.

“Rest assured that we will be more vocal and responsive in calling for more democratic practices not just within the school but to the nation because it is one of the cornerstones of our Benildean-Lasallian education: it is always oriented to social justice,” Anchores concluded, thanking the students and viewers in behalf of the CSG thereafter.

Any concerns about the College can be raised through this portal that will be catered and handled by the CSG.

Visit Benilde’s Central Student Government’s social media accounts at Facebook and Twitter, or email them at csg@benilde.edu.ph for more details.