THE SANGGUNIAN ng mga Mag-aaral this school year, said Partido Ignacio President JC Taruc (III AB IS), “was too detached from the student body and too concerned [with] political issues.” For this year, Taruc said, Partido Ignacio envisions a strong and relevant Sanggunian—one whose presence is “felt by the student body in its daily experiences, and not merely when issues and controversies arise.”

“We envision a ‘rebirth’ of your Sanggunian that returns to its essence of being an institution of service and an arena for leadership training.”

On the Sanggu

Ogy Yap (II AB Comm), for example, has noticed that “the projects the Sanggu work on are a bit superficial … all are pakitang-tao lang so that no one will say they’re not working.”

In response, the party emphasizes relevance in all its future Sanggu projects, if any of its candidates are elected.

“Ateneans are very far from being apathetic. As long as we are informed of our roles as stakeholders in any issue, Ateneans always stand up and make sure that their voices are heard,” said Taruc.

The challenge lies in making Sanggu projects hit closer to home. “Motherhood statements can only go so far,” he added.

“Shared vision”

“Partido Ignacio … shows that they have a shared vision,” said Anj Santos (IV AB Comm), Ateneo Association of Communication Majors president. “This is what I’d like to see in the Sanggunian—but I think it’s the party system and their rivalries that hinder this.”

Taruc said that they plan to focus on building up their strengths, rather than focus on the weaknesses of other groups.

They also plan to bring back the Sanggu’s roots through “student service and formation.”

Candidates

Partido Ignacio’s candidates for the Sanggunian general elections this year include Gab Perez (III AB MEco) for president, Monique Salcedo (III AB Comm) for vice president, Pepi Sison (II BS HSc) for secretary-general, and Westin Contreras (III BSM AMF) for finance officer.

“We chose these individuals because they have that strong vision along with the unwavering passion to actually make things happen,” Taruc said.

After the elections, the party plans to remain active in achieving their vision-mission. “We really look forward to strengthening our party, not just in elections but more importantly, as a training ground for leaders,” added Taruc.

Tags: Partido Ignacio, Sanggu Election