DURING THE Sanggunian Central Board (CB) meeting held on January 17, the CB voted unanimously to legislate two resolutions that will be fully implemented next school year.
The resolutions are the “Religious Support Act of 2014” and the “Counseling and Assistance Act of 2014.” Both were filed by School of Social Sciences 2nd Year CB Representative Abbo Hernandez.
The aim of the Religious Support Act of 2014 is to promote and maintain religious diversity in the Ateneo by providing various religious denominations within the university with essential items and facilities that will aid students in practicing their respective faiths.
Meanwhile, the objective of the Counseling and Assistance Act of 2014 is to help students who are facing disciplinary actions by offering them legal counsel and other forms of assistance.
Religious diversity
Hernandez explained his rationale for filing the Religious Support Act of 2014 by citing Article 3, Section 5 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, which states that “the free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference, shall forever be allowed.”
He also cited Article 4, Section 3 of the Magna Carta of Undergraduate Student Rights, which states that “[s]tudents shall have the right to practice their respective religions as long as they do not impede the practice of other faiths and beliefs and they do not transgress the University’s Vision and Mission.”
Hernandez also discussed the plans for the eventual implementation of the resolution next year.
“We’re going to talk to the Registrar’s Office to ask for the religious denominations that exist in the university, the population of these religious denominations, and then give it to the CM (Campus Ministry) Office,” he explained.
“The CM Office would then communicate with religious leaders for all of these religions, may it be Islam, Buddhism or some other religion,” Hernandez added.
According to him, the CMO has agreed to work with the Sanggunian to implement the program and to evaluate it after a year of implementation.
“Due process”
According to the official document, the Counseling and Assistance Act or 2014 includes the creation of a new Sanggunian standing committee, composed of Sanggunian officers who will become “part of the available options a defendant has in assisting him/her in the process of trial and if necessary in choosing his/her counsel.”
Currently, there are four standing committees in the Sanggunian: The Committee on Academic Affairs, the Committee on Extra-curricular Affairs, the Committee on Formation Services and the Committee on Administrative Services.
Hernandez also explained his reasoning behind the filing of the resolution, citing Article 8, Section 1 (b) (IV) of the Magna Carta of Undergraduate Student Rights.
The said article states that a student has “[t]he right to defend oneself and to be defended by a representative or counsel of one’s choice. The counsel may be a faculty member, a counselor or a fellow student.”
“Basically, the [new] standing committee is a committee that’s ready to become the defense counsel of students [with disciplinary actions], if it is necessary,” he said.
“But if [the student] chooses someone else, if [the student] wants to choose a teacher, for example, [the student] can approach the committee and this committee can help [the student] with the process,” he added.
To ensure an efficient committee, Hernandez proposed a transitionary period, where Sanggunian officials who are part of the committee will undergo training with the Loyola Schools Office of Guidance and Counseling.
Hernandez also assured the CB that “all versions of confidentiality will still exist on all levels [between the committee and the student].”
In addition, he explained the logic behind the suggestion of wanting Sanggunian officers to be part of the standing committee, saying that “students would most likely feel [more] comfortable” with the idea, and that the officers “would support them in times of these cases.”
