THE SANGGUNIAN Central Board (CB) laid out concerns regarding environmental issues and the transparency between the administration and the student body in its meeting last Friday, July 6. Intentions to craft specific plans of action were put forward. The meeting’s agenda also included a recap of international conferences participated in by the Sanggunian.

The meeting focused on the discussion of prevailing mining issues in the Philippines. Jenica Dizon, President of Environmental Science Society, said that although mining might be economically beneficial, it is not suitable for the country because of the interconnectedness of its ecosystem. The CB formed a group that will focus on action proposals for the said issue.

Senior School of Management CB Representative Alvin Yllana also raised pressing student concerns about the administration’s transparency. He pointed out that the Sanggunian should push for the administration’s openness, especially on matters related to the Student Activities Fund.

The CB recognized the need to encourage the administration to be more proactive in informing the students with their policies and actions.

Sanggunian President Gio Alejo said that a dialogue with Vice President for the Loyola Schools John Paul Vergara would help address the issue.

Alejo also delivered insights he realized from the Jesuit Universities Humanitarian Action Network conference he attended in Fairfield University, Connecticut. He pointed to the best-case practices of the service-learning program of Fairfield University and how it can serve as a model for the Ateneo.

Aside from Alejo, School of Humanities Chairperson Jiggy Villamin also represented the Ateneo in the first Association of Southeast Asian Nations Student Leaders’ Forum (ASLF) held in Singapore.

The goal of the conference was to address the question of staying relevant in the 21st century. Student unions across Southeast Asia gathered to compare and contrast their structures and representations, services and projects, and roles in external contexts.

He said that other student unions did not have a political agenda or direct interventions in their universities. “[We are lucky as Filipinos], moreover, as Ateneans, that we have this power. I hope we can give our constituents whatever goal we have,” Villamin said.

Corona’s post-impeachment situation and issues related to human rights were also part of the meeting’s agenda.