TYPHOON FRANK prevented students and organizations from fully enjoying this year’s Recruitment Week (RecWeek), which had the theme of an open-air carnival.
The booths of 47 organizations located in the Zen Garden had to transfer to the MVP Roofdeck after strong winds and a heavy downpour interrupted the orgs’ recruitment, held June 16 to 19 and 23 to 27.
After class was suspended on June 23, supposedly the last day of RecWeek, student orgs had to extend recruitment for four days and transfer to their respective org rooms.
“Milestone”
Council of Organizations of the Ateneo (COA) Vice President for Special Projects Joy Ann Concepcion (IV AB Lit Eng) said this year’s RecWeek was a milestone, since it was the first time in many years that the Zen Garden was used for the event.
“Matagal [nang] hindi ginagamit ang Zen Garden [It has been a long time ago since the Zen Garden was used], and then we were able to open it up as an option to the OAS [Office of Administrative Services],” Concepcion said.
“The venue is more accommodating this year,” Ateneo Lex President Paul William Mayuyu (IV BS ME) said.
Ateneo Catechetical Instructional League President Mary Grace Anne Rosales (IV AB Ph) added that this year’s RecWeek was more visible in its location at Zen Garden.
Mayuyu said, however, that the organizers lacked contingency plans for the location in case of rains.
Good and bad
COA President Koi Mejia (IV BS Ch MSE) said that the orgs hit about one third of their target on the first day of RecWeek.
He added that the RecWeek had a good turnout as orgs were able to attain their quota early.
Some orgs were not able to reach their daily quota, however, said Management Economics Organization (MEco) President Jose Augusto Arreza (IV BS CTM). “I asked other orgs, they had the same problem…AJMA [Ateneo Junior Marketing Association] didn’t reach their daily quota, so did other orgs,” he said.
Carnivale
Org presidents were divided over the theme of this year’s RecWeek. “Nakita lang namin yung theme dun sa RecWeek manual…wala dun sa RecWeek itself,” said Ateneo College Glee Club Production Head Joseph Lawrence Daez (IV AB Eco).
Mayuyu said he liked this year’s theme better than last year’s. “This year also is well-promoted,” he added.
Aside from adopting the carnival-inspired theme, the RecWeek also had its first ever org mascots’ parade this year. “I really liked the org parade…the mascots really brought out the creativity of each org,” said Environmental Science Society (ESS) President Eryn Gayle de Leon (III BS ES).
Manuals and org rooms
Special Education Society President Amor Lynn Macalalad (IV AB Comm) said she found the RecWeek messy, since a lot of things were tentative.
Macalalad added that for the first time, a part of RecWeek was held at the org rooms. “I don’t know if it worked for the disadvantage of the organization,” she said.
ACIL President Rosales said she was disappointed because many plans for RecWeek didn’t push through as well.
“Not a lot of the plans were really executed and especially the logistics were not efficient at all,” Rosales said, pointing this as the main problem of this year’s RecWeek.
MEco President Arreza said he felt promotions were weak, and that the RecWeek team wasn’t able to “pump up” the RecWeek, a week before the event itself.
He added, “When I went to the COA room…nakita ko ang dami pang RecWeek manuals na nakatambak (I saw there were many RecWeek manuals lying around).”
“The printing [of the manual] could’ve been better as well,” said ESS President de Leon.
