WITH THE conclusion of the academic year, the Sanggunian’s performance for AY 2025–2026 was characterized by strengthened administrative coordination amid recurring fiscal challenges, according to the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB), internal evaluations by the Sanggunian, and the first semester audit delay noted by the Ateneo Commission on Audit (ACoA).

Highlighting gaps in audit compliance, the ACoA issued a notice of delay on April 22 after the Sanggunian failed to submit complete first-semester financial documents—including Statements of Receipts and Disbursements—by the April 21 deadline.

Meanwhile, Ombudsman Dio Aumentado expressed appreciation for the Sanggunian’s proactive representation of the student body. However, he also noted internal challenges within the student government, including member burnout and budget management issues.

Critical review

Elaborating on challenges with fiscal spending, Sanggunian Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Chairperson John Victor Detablan remarked that Sanggunian units could have allocated funds more effectively. He also mentioned that underutilization is mostly driven by external factors such as downsized or canceled projects.

Despite these gaps, Detablan highlighted the Commission on Gender Equality’s One Big Pride initiative, as well as the School of Science and Engineering, as “exemplars” of efficient budget utilization, recording utilization rates of 95% and 101.87%, respectively.

With ACoA overseeing the audit of student funds, Chief Commissioner Tiffany Chua-Reyes clarified that they cannot comment on specific findings yet, but noted in the notice that Sanggunian’s delayed submissions will be factored into the units’ audit opinion.

In response to the notice, Romero shared that the delay in submission of financial documents is primarily due to competing priorities. As of writing, the Sanggunian has since requested a revised timeline from ACoA.

With regard to Sanggunian’s visibility and relevance, Aumentado shared that perceptions from students remain mixed. While he acknowledged the student government’s “more proactive” response in representing student concerns to the Ateneo administration, its reach is often limited only within the student government.

Aumentado added that the administration often treats Sanggunian as a “mouthpiece” that cascades information to students rather than viewing them as a representative body. Meanwhile, on the students’ side, he said that some students reduce Sanggunian to a typical organization rather than recognizing it as a governing institution.

Although Aumentado commended some Sanggunian schools and offices for releasing transparency reports on their budgets at the beginning of the term, he stressed that sustaining this initiative remains an area for improvement.

Looking internally within Sanggunian, Aumentado also highlighted the issue of burnout among members, describing it as an institutional issue caused by poor workload distribution and inadequate support systems. 

He cited an instance of a Sanggunian head denying a member of a Leave of Absence request and the prevalence of inactivity within the student government, where much of the work falls on the same set of people, while others lose motivation in their roles.

Term in focus

Within Sanggunian officials, Romero shared that the first semester was marked by uncertainty as the student government “struggled” with the absence of a president.

Apart from vacant presidency, he attributed delays in information dissemination and project implementation to manpower constraints in Sanggunian’s communications and transparency units, along with bureaucratic processes and reliance on administrative action.

Despite these constraints, Romero pointed out that, unlike previous terms where  coordination channels were often inactive, and interactions remained limited within individual units, the present Sanggunian pointed to stronger unity and cohesion.

However, student sentiments toward the Sanggunian remain varied. For one, Tim Aiken Leang (2 BS ME) noted that while efforts have been made to improve accessibility and visibility of services, such as increased public engagement on initiatives like livestreamed budget hearings, these have yet to reach the broader student body.

With this, Leang added that students remain uncertain about the Sanggunian’s day-to-day functions, leading to continued questions on how they directly serve the wider student body.

Charting ahead

For the upcoming AY, Romero expressed hope that the Sanggunian will move toward co-creation to strengthen engagement with the student body and administration. He also emphasized the need to address unresolved concerns on enlistment, student spaces, and cafeteria issues.

As for the OMB, Aumentado stressed that the next Sanggunian term must prioritize internal restructuring, particularly in human resources and accountability systems, to address recurring issues of burnout and workload imbalance.

“[Burnout is] an institutional problem [that’s] not going to be solved by [one] office alone. It needs a culture [shift] in how [the Sanggunian] handles [human resources and] member development formations,” Aumentado remarked.

Adding to these concerns, Detablan highlighted gaps in transparency within DBM, citing the need to strengthen internal systems, coordination, and public disclosure of financial records.

Amid these challenges, Romero articulated an outlook for a more stable Sanggunian, highlighting that the student government should move “less on survival mode,” and instead focus on increasing visibility and sustaining the systems that were built this term.