EVERY NEW set of Sanggunian officers brings the promise of serving its stakeholders—promises that remain non-negotiable in every candidate’s platforms. This commitment naturally includes echoing students’ voices and amplifying constituent concerns.

However, the repetition of such promises every campaign season raises doubts about whether they ever come to fruition or only remain as mere empty words. Given this, it becomes crucial to critically assess whether those who take office truly uphold their promise of serving as their constituents’ voices throughout a year in service.

Left on mute

Upon entering office, the incumbent Sanggunian officers made their presence felt in the Ateneo community through initiatives like #OurSanggu briefers, surveys, and community sensing on campus concerns.

While the student council has made efforts to connect with its constituents, how the Sanggunian utilizes survey data remains a point in question, especially with a lack of follow-through on some occasions. When updates are absent, the Sanggunian’s efforts appear to be mere symbolic gestures rather than genuine steps toward student representation.

This observation is evident in initiatives like the enlistment concerns survey, which the Sanggunian claims to be for understanding students’ experiences and for gauging possible efforts to address such concerns. However, to this date, the Sanggunian has yet to provide any update on how the survey data has been applied to the improvement of enlistment processes.

Meanwhile, cases like the release of the GenAI policy reveal that the Sanggunian attends consultations with the University administration regarding institution-wide changes. However, the absence of prior dialogues with students fuels more doubts about whose voices the Sanggunian truly represents in closed-door meetings with the administration.

This skepticism is further compounded by how the Sanggunian has merely been reactive on certain campus issues—despite having prior knowledge of them—such as the construction of E-Jeep Express Lanes and the bidding for the Higher Education (HE) concessionaire.

This tendency underscores how the Sanggunian waits for administrative action, instead of taking its own. Notably, when the E-jeep Express Lanes opened, the Sanggunian only reposted IdeaBox, an existing initiative from the Office of the Assistant Vice President for Social and Environmental Engagement for Development and Sustainability.

To its credit, this year’s Sanggunian released briefers documenting its involvement in discussions of several campus issues, such as the HE concessionaire bidding and the Ateneo’s partnership with Shell and SolX. However, these briefers, while informative, lack the conviction that the Sanggunian should have: a stance–one that is reflective of the student body’s needs and interests.

The glaring absence of a clear position in the Sanggunian’s performance this year raises the question of whether the council still serves its purpose at all. When compared to the previous academic year, the Sanggunian then took part in at least five solidarity statements, echoing its stakeholders’ call for transparency and accountability on issues like the construction of the North Carpark and longstanding concerns of faculty members.

However, this year’s student council has yet to release a single united statement—not even to echo students’ concerns on the widely criticized construction of the E-jeep Express Lanes.

Misplaced service

The seemingly consistent inability of Sanggunian to properly amplify the voices of its constituents has only deepened the student body’s sense of disconnect from their supposed representatives.

On issues that truly matter, such as during the call for the release of the Campus Master Plan, the Sanggunian did not stand up for and represent the students. Rather than taking a firm stance, it merely echoes the administration’s announcements, never releasing statements that meaningfully engage with the decisions and measures affecting the student body.

This seeming lack of action suggests that the Sanggunian has grown overly cautious, begging the question of whether they rightfully live up to being Atenean students’ representative body. Its preference to not take a stance is arguably a disservice to the student body whom it has vowed to serve.

Despite this, the Sanggunian has recognized the widening gap between them and the students—attempting many times to bridge it by being relatable to their constituents through humorous and relatable posts. However, for students longing for genuine representation and connection, this effort falls flat as it only makes the Sanggunian look unprofessional.

With this sense of disconnect, students have taken matters into their own hands when it comes to rallying for their rights. Political organizations have stepped up to amplify student concerns through critical posts and open letters.

Aside from merely voicing collective student sentiment, these political organizations have actively participated in mobilizations and organized initiatives advocating for justice and commemorating historical events. One recent initiative was the silent protest they conducted to show their opposition to the newly opened E-jeep Express lane.

Thus, instead of resorting to shallow attempts to connect, resonating with its constituents necessitates the Sanggunian to genuinely understand and root itself on its stakeholders’ grievances in order to take decisive actions on matters concerning them.

Back to basics

As the Sanggunian General Elections begin, the students must carefully assess the next set of leaders to avoid electing candidates who lack the courage to stand up for their constituents.

As long as the Sanggunian remains silent and neutral on issues directly affecting their constituents, the disconnect between the student council and students will only persist. Genuine leadership thus calls for the Sanggunian to reassert its relevance within the community.

The next set of officials must remember the most fundamental duty of student governance—to serve and truly represent the student body.