THE OFFICE of Student Activities (OSA) has transferred the responsibilities of handling the Unaccredited Student Groups (USG) Recruitment Week (RecWeek) to the Sanggunian, in light of the restructuring being done with regards to the USG’s placement.
The USG was formerly known as the League of Independent Organizations (LIONS).
In a previous update, OSA disclosed that they were delaying USG RecWeek due to what they called “restructuration,” a reevaluation of the services that they provide to unaccredited organizations.
As of writing, the Sanggunian Liaison for USG RecWeek Richard Mercado reported that recruitment period is set from September 20-22.
The Sanggunian has also begun efforts at online recruitment, starting September 14.
“Students at the forefront”
According to OSA Director Christopher Castillo, OSA will still be supplying logistical support for RecWeek, but the Sanggunian will be in charge of handling its chief operations.
“We will still be providing logistical support, but it will be Sanggu who will supply people on the ground, running it,” he said.
Mercado said that ensuring the event’s pushing through was important in giving the unaccredited organizations the ability to offer more than the accredited ones.
“The main reason naman why we fought for this event is that because we know a lot of people want and need this,” he said.
“Yes, [Council of Organizations of the Ateneo] provides 53 different amazing organizations, but those are not the only organizations that exist in the school. We have more and these organizations offer a colorful variety,” he added.
Castillo also mentioned that this is not the first time for the Sanggunian to spearhead USG RecWeek. The Sanggunian had initially taken charge of the USG RecWeek after the division from COA RecWeek.
“[From] a historical perspective, this is not the first time Sanggu is doing the lead role. We’ve given it to them before, when COA RecWeek included some unaccredited organizations. Eventually, problems came in, Sanggu couldn’t handle them, and we took over again,” he said.
Castillo said that given OSA’s preoccupation with the restructuring, it would be best to give the responsibility of handling USG RecWeek back to the Sanggunian.
“The way most offices work with students is with students at the forefront; but in the event na hindi kayanin, sasalo kami,” he said.
Temporary solution
Although OSA has given the responsibility of heading USG RecWeek to the Sanggunian, Mercado thinks that this should not be the case every year, since it would seem more “proper” that the USG be handled by OSA and COA.
“Sanggu handling [RecWeek] this year will not be a yearly thing. This is only a band-aid solution because of the restructuring happening in OSA,” he said.
“I personally don’t think Sanggu should handle this in the coming years. These are student organizations, unaccredited as they are, and it seems to be proper, in my opinion, that [OSA and COA] handle them,” he added.
However, Castillo thinks that they should take this opportunity as a means of strengthening their new image after the new Constitution.
“Ngayon, bago na rin kayo, invigorate yourselves. Take this on. This is also our way of reaching out, na sana makatulong din sa Sanggu (Now that you have a new image, invigorate yourselves. Take this on. This is also our way of reaching out, as a way to help Sanggu),” he said.
Mercado urged the Loyola Schools community to support the USG RecWeek to show OSA and COA that the unaccredited orgs are significant regardless.
“We need the support of the student body in order for this to happen. We need the support of the student body so that we can show people from OSA and even COA, the importance of the unaccredited orgs,” he said.
