THE SANGGUNIAN Central Board (CB) held its budget hearing last Friday, June 22. Initial plans for the new school year were also laid out.

Finance Officer Billie Dumaliang presented the new Sanggunian Financial Grant System for SY 2012-2013. She specified three types of activities that can be applied for the Sanggunian financial grant.

These activities are (1) research and thesis; (2) projects such as information initiatives and student movements; and (3) internal and external conferences and field trips. The grants, however, are not limited to the said activities.

Dumaliang also noted that there is a cap on the budget for the grants. The respective school board chairs and secretaries-general will have a hand in specifying the budget limits, basing them on the nature of the projects.

After the approval of budget proposals from the different units, President Gio Alejo pointed out that for this year, the Sanggunian wants to assure that the proposals are “really close to what [they] actually spend.”

Ateneo Task Force Comelec 2013 was also discussed in the meeting. It has been confirmed that there will be off-site registration for Ateneo students from Districts 1 to 4 of Quezon City. Registration will be held on campus.

Sanggunian representatives are planning to discuss with the Office of Social Concern and Involvement (OSCI) about whether registration should be required for students taking InTACT and NSTP.

The CB also talked about the creation of a Crime Prevention Council, which was noted under the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Memorandom Series of 2005.

The council, with the help of the administration, parents and the Sanggunian, will be in charge of proactively campaigning crime prevention on and around campus.

The Sanggunian’s cooperation in the planned Strengthening Our Understanding of Life project of the Loyola Schools Guidance Office and the Loyola Schools Health Services were also brought up during the meeting.