Internal problems. Ibig-Agila Chair Drex Oarde cites internal problems as the reason for the decision to restructure their political party. Photo by Kat A. Mallillin

CITING PROBLEMS within the party as the impetus for the move, Partido IsaBuhay IsaGawa – Agila (IBIG-Agila) President Denica Oarde confirmed that the oldest political party in the Ateneo is undergoing restructuring to address internal issues.

Oarde said that the party needs to identify its central ideology, revise its constitution, and fix its internal procedures and the structure of its Executive Board (EB).

One area of concern was the election of the party’s highest officers in the Ateneo student government.

“We find it hard that majority of our EB members are part of the Sanggunian,”Oarde said. “They are already immersed in their work with Sanggu, [but] then they still have to do their tasks as EB members of the party.”

Part of the restructuring plan involves changing the EB system. Oarde said that the party now prefers that its EB members should not hold high positions in the Sanggunian. Current IBIG-Agila Director for External Affairs Ian Agatep is also the Sanggunian Secretary-General, while IBIG-Agila Chairperson Gio Alejo also serves as the Vice President of the student government.

“Inside Agila, we see students who we believe have the potential and [are capable] of stepping up. We believe that they can run the party on their own,” said Oarde.

Alejo said that the party has assigned point persons to head committees for the restructuring. Third year School of Humanities (SOH) Central Board (CB) representative AJ Elicaño is heading the committee that will draft the Code of Internal Procedures while 2nd year School of Social Science (SOSS) CB representative Dan Remo is in charge of the committee assigned to revise the framework for the party’s ideology.

Meanwhile, Alejo himself heads the committee that will revise IBIG-Agila’s constitution.

No rush, no pressure

Alejo said that there were no external factors or political parties that pressured their decision to restructure. He said that the Alliance of Student Leaders even approached him and bid them good luck on their restructuring efforts.

With regard to the party’s central ideology, Oarde said that the party is still deliberating on which would fit them best. “Ever since Agila was established, we were already for social democracy. Right now, we’re still thinking [whether we will still advocate the same ideology].”

Currently, political party Christian Union for Socialist and Democratic Advancement (Crusada) is advocating for the same ideology, albeit with distinctions, more aggressively. In Sanggunian Finance Officer and IBIG-Agila member Steph Gumaru’s opinion, Crusada “is very good at it.”

But Alejo said that before the party finally decides on an ideology, they would first like to get a consensus from the party members. “We don’t want to make rash decisions,” Oarde said.

Internal consultations

“Right now, we’re having consultations with our members, by school [and] by batches,” Alejo said, although he added that consultations are being done informally.

“[We’ll see if they are open] to the [possible changes] because this will imply certain directions that [the party] will take not just for the next year but for a longer term,” he continued.

Alejo said that some members were asking why there was a need to change the whole system instead of simply pursuing certain reforms within the party.

But based on the experiences of some older members, Alejo said that changes in the party should be all-encompassing. “Eventually, [these members] understood [that need] and they were willing to continue [being part of the party].”

As the next leaders and standard bearers of IBIG-Agila, it would be they who would benefit from the restructuring, Alejo explained.

“They are willing to help and still be with us. That’s what’s important. Restructuring doesn’t mean that we will dissolve [or that] everyone will go their own separate ways. What restructuring means is that we’re going to form something new that will really be applicable to all of us and will really show our beliefs, principles, identities as leaders here in the Ateneo community,” Alejo said.

However, IBIG-Agila is giving its members the option to stay or to leave after the restructuring. “We don’t want to force them to stay if they don’t want to. If we [do so], we are hindering them from growing,” said Oarde.

Members react

First year SOH CB representative Harvey Parafina said that he was surprised when he first heard of the restructuring. “I’m new [to the party] and I didn’t expect that something like this would happen,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino. “But then again, if it will push Agila to be better, I say go ahead. It’s okay with me.”

Meanwhile, 1st year SOH Executive Officer Betty Caronoñgan acknowledged that the restructuring was called for. “There have been flaws. There have been problems in the past, and I think it’s good that the party recognizes these things,” she said.

Solidarity within the party is vital in forming a political party founded on a clear ideology, said sophomore SOSS block representative Exequiel Salcedo, an IBIG-Agila member for two years now.

“We all just have to observe how things will move, and hopefully all stakeholders would reach a consensus,” he said.

Alejo said that all of the members and alumni the party consulted agreed with the need to restructure. “Hopefully, with the output, it will be enough to at least show those who have qualms against it that [restructuring] is really the best way.”

The restructuring process is set to begin during the semester break. “Come second semester, [we will be] ready once again,” Oarde said.The entire process is expected to be concluded by the end of the year.

CITING PROBLEMS within the party as the impetus for the move, Partido IsaBuhay IsaGawa – Agila (IBIG-Agila) President Denica Oarde confirmed that the oldest political party in the Ateneo is undergoing restructuring to address internal issues.

Oarde said that the party needs to identify its central ideology, revise its constitution, and fix its internal procedures and the structure of its Executive Board (EB).

One area of concern was the election of the party’s highest officers in the Ateneo student government.

“We find it hard that majority of our EB members are part of the Sanggunian,”Oarde said. “They are already immersed in their work with Sanggu, [but] then they still have to do their tasks as EB members of the party.”

Part of the restructuring plan involves changing the EB system. Oarde said that the party now prefers that its EB members should not hold high positions in the Sanggunian. Current IBIG-Agila Director for External Affairs Ian Agatep is also the Sanggunian Secretary-General, while IBIG-Agila Chairperson Gio Alejo also serves as the Vice President of the student government.

“Inside Agila, we see students who we believe have the potential and [are capable] of stepping up. We believe that they can run the party on their own,” said Oarde.

Alejo said that the party has assigned point persons to head committees for the restructuring. Third year School of Humanities (SOH) Central Board (CB) representative AJ Elicaño is heading the committee that will draft the Code of Internal Procedures while 2nd year School of Social Science (SOSS) CB representative Dan Remo is in charge of the committee assigned to revise the framework for the party’s ideology.

Meanwhile, Alejo himself heads the committee that will revise IBIG-Agila’s constitution.

No rush, no pressure

Alejo said that there were no external factors or political parties that pressured their decision to restructure. He said that the Alliance of Student Leaders even approached him and bid them good luck on their restructuring efforts.

With regard to the party’s central ideology, Oarde said that the party is still deliberating on which would fit them best. “Ever since Agila was established, we were already for social democracy. Right now, we’re still thinking [whether we will still advocate the same ideology].”

Currently, political party Christian Union for Socialist and Democratic Advancement (Crusada) is advocating for the same ideology, albeit with distinctions, more aggressively. In Sanggunian Finance Officer and IBIG-Agila member Steph Gumaru’s opinion, Crusada “is very good at it.”

But Alejo said that before the party finally decides on an ideology, they would first like to get a consensus from the party members. “We don’t want to make rash decisions,” Oarde said.

Internal consultations

“Right now, we’re having consultations with our members, by school [and] by batches,” Alejo said, although he added that consultations are being done informally.

“[We’ll see if they are open] to the [possible changes] because this will imply certain directions that [the party] will take not just for the next year but for a longer term,” he continued.

Alejo said that some members were asking why there was a need to change the whole system instead of simply pursuing certain reforms within the party.

But based on the experiences of some older members, Alejo said that changes in the party should be all-encompassing. “Eventually, [these members] understood [that need] and they were willing to continue [being part of the party].”

As the next leaders and standard bearers of IBIG-Agila, it would be they who would benefit from the restructuring, Alejo explained.

“They are willing to help and still be with us. That’s what’s important. Restructuring doesn’t mean that we will dissolve [or that] everyone will go their own separate ways. What restructuring means is that we’re going to form something new that will really be applicable to all of us and will really show our beliefs, principles, identities as leaders here in the Ateneo community,” Alejo said.

However, IBIG-Agila is giving its members the option to stay or to leave after the restructuring. “We don’t want to force them to stay if they don’t want to. If we [do so], we are hindering them from growing,” said Oarde.

Members react

First year SOH CB representative Harvey Parafina said that he was surprised when he first heard of the restructuring. “I’m new [to the party] and I didn’t expect that something like this would happen,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino. “But then again, if it will push Agila to be better, I say go ahead. It’s okay with me.”

Meanwhile, 1st year SOH Executive Officer Betty Caronoñgan acknowledged that the restructuring was called for. “There have been flaws. There have been problems in the past, and I think it’s good that the party recognizes these things,” she said.

Solidarity within the party is vital in forming a political party founded on a clear ideology, said sophomore SOSS block representative Exequiel Salcedo, an IBIG-Agila member for two years now.

“We all just have to observe how things will move, and hopefully all stakeholders would reach a consensus,” he said.

Alejo said that all of the members and alumni the party consulted agreed with the need to restructure. “Hopefully, with the output, it will be enough to at least show those who have qualms against it that [restructuring] is really the best way.”

The restructuring process is set to begin during the semester break. “Come second semester, [we will be] ready once again,” Oarde said.The entire process is expected to be concluded by the end of the year.