(2nd of four parts)

BEA GOMEZ (III BS Psy)
Ang IBIG-Agila

Why run?

I’m very square, and I’m into routine work. I think that’s the job of the Secretary-General - it’s to make sure that everything is working properly, and fit everything into the system. So yun, na-feel ko na fit yung personality ko and willing ako to make that change in the Sanggunian. And, yun nga, because my work is mostly behind the scenes for Partido Agila and more of campaigns, parang na-feel ko na I should start stepping up. Together with pushing people to lead in the Sanggunian, I should be a leader myself.

Plans

Ako, specifically for the office of the Secretary-General, yung mga kailangang ginagawa ng mga Sanggunian members na hindi na nga nangyayari or nade-delay palagi.

For example yung SONA (Sanggunian Official News and Announcements). It’s already a lagged version of the responsibility of the Sanggunian. Ang nakasulat kasi sa Constitution, monthly siya dapat eh. So ang ginagawa nilang SONA, parang sem-end siya, para at least, nakaka-cope yun. Pero under the Constitution, it’s monthly. Kailangan-especially in my position-kailangang ma-reinforce yung being diligent about your responsibilities, as according to the Constitution. ‘Yung mga ganon na projects na not necessarily having to change the entire system, but reinforcing what’s already there.

How IBIG-Agila has helped her

It’s taught me how to regulate my actions. Kasi dati parang pag nagalit ako as in mananapak talaga ako ng tao, wag mo ‘kong hahawakan. ‘Yung mga ganon; self-regulation and managing yourself. And learning how to deal with people. I used to be the kind of person who, ‘pag ayaw kita, ayaw kita. As in I will not talk to you. And now, I would say that I am a more flexible person when it comes to people.

As a leader naman, when I got a hold of my course reps last year, and I got a hold of the freshies in the previous freshie elections, I learned how to deal with different kinds of people with different leadership styles.

What sets her apart

First and foremost, I’m a mother. Mother figure ako. I would love to be the mother of the Sanggunian, taking care of the system, but first and foremost, taking care of the people, making sure that hindi na mangyayari yung nangyari this year na na-e-exhaust yung mga tao, na napapagod kaagad yung mga tao.

I want them to feel, through their secretary-general, that I’m not just their secretary, I don’t just keep files. But I keep track of their progress as people, as individuals, and I keep track of their morale and make sure that someone’s backing them up. Not only inside the Sanggunian, but the student body is backing them up because the student body knows what we are doing inside the Sanggunian.

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PEPI SISON (II BS HSc)
Partido Ignacio

Contributions to this year’s Sanggu

As Exec of SOSE, I helped out during the SOSE Exchange. ‘Yun ‘yung parang, for a day, parang alternative class. And then there’s also…Taralets. I’m the project head. It’s a dinner for the org presidents. It’s a tie-up with Sanggu SOSE and with the orgs na SOSE related. And there’s the SOSE week which was held nung January lang. I was the project head of “Helix,” it was the culminating night held in Tiendesitas.

And then I’m also the BCA (Batch Coordinating Assembly) Chair, tapos nung first sem, we had this NSTP information dissemination, parang it’s anong gagawin for NSTP, how do you register, etc….it was a tie up with OSCI.

After that, we had the batch logo, but naging batch t-shirt design making siya. So, parang we asked yung batch mates namin to send in entries…meron kaming theme and then gagawa sila ng design for that theme…after that, nagpa-vote kami, and kumuha kami ng judges. Tapos kung ano yung shirt, design na manalo, may P2,000 prize of pizza and ice cream…. On going, nag-se-sell sila ng batch shirt.

And then there’s also the Buhay Atenista. It’s a tie up with STRAW (Students Rights and Awareness). It’s parang a manual sa pagiging Atenista. So merong mga, kunyari how to reserve a room, how to ganyan, etc. It’s coming out this week.

How much will you prioritize Sanggu?

[Ever] since I was in first year, Sanggu na ako. Exec for two years ng SOSE and tinatanong sakin ng mga tao, “Tumatakbo ka na naman?” so ako parang, “Oo, kasi dito ko nahahanap yung fulfillment, na kung ibang tao nakukuha nila ‘yung fulfillment sa, kunyari, DL or sa mga org, nahahanap ko ‘yung fulfillment sa Sanggu.” Cheesy as it may sound, serving others.

[…]
Or better yet, ‘yun kunyari sa mga reps, because I’ve been handling reps for two years, parang close na sila sa akin and parang they’ve been both as inspiration, as a friend and as a co-worker. So yung fact na na-to-touch mo yung people near you is something na.

So parang in terms of priorities, hindi siya a question of ano uunahin mo or hindi, it’s more of how badly you want to make a difference, na parang yun nga, sinasabi ng mga tao na ang gulo gulo na ng Sanggunian this year, ‘wag ka na tumakbo, masasangkot ka pa sa gulo. Okay lang na masangkot sa gulo dahil gusto ko i-angat ‘yung Sanggu ulit dun sa dati na hindi magulo.

First thing she’ll do when elected

Ito joke lang ‘to, pero ayusin niyo yung Sanggu room (laughs). If you look at the Sanggu room, if you go in, sobrang kalat. As in sobrang kalat. It’s not conducive for a work environment.

Pero other than that, gusto ko talagang gawin is to fix the CIP, Code of Internal Procedures, of the Sanggunian as a unit, as a whole, kasi… for this year, each unit has its own CIP, parang kunyari 2nd year BCA, we have this particular, o sige, pag ganito cuts mo, ganito. ‘Pag SOSE naman ako, iba na naman CIP. It’s so confusing dapat at least… fix the internal systems. Make it standardized, that way it can be more effective.

On Gadfly

[Actually,] magaling yung mga points niya, whoever he is. Very articulate, very reasonable, basta matalino siyang tao. Pero if you want change, you should come out and actually help Sanggunian concretely and not just through words. Ito na naman tayo na puro salita, walang gawa.
Blue Ballot ‘08 will feature Dustin Balictar and Monique Salcedo, candidates for vice president, in the next installment of the Top 4.

With reports from Sandie B. Gadia