Greetings in St. La Salle!
Allow me to begin by sharing a promise I made upon knowing the results of the last General Elections 2013: “I will be firm with what I planned to share with the student body while respecting the platform and vision that won – our University Student Government (USG) President Migi Moreno’s REFOCUS.”
As EXCEL2013’s Legislative Assembly (LA) Representative and the Legislative Assembly’s Students’ Rights and Welfare (STRAW) Chairperson, I am focused in devoting my term in the USG to address issues relevant to this aspect. My teammates in the STRAW Committee (Bea M., Trina J., Jeri B., Anjho C., AJ D., Rap F., Bianchi T., and Matthew Y.) have their own commitments geared towards addressing related issues and concerns – security, facilities, fees, other growth opportunities, etc. I am here to try to guide them and indirectly fulfill my promise to the student body. Directly, I have been focusing on academic welfare (e.g. Latin Honors Policy amendments, new advanced online enlistment benefit to students in the 2nd Dean’s Honors List, and enrollment systems and concerns, consistency of academic programs information). I am stating these not to highlight our progress, but to share one principle or idea I maintain: If the students’ rights are respected and defended, and their general welfare upheld to the utmost integrity, they will be motivated further in excelling in their journey of becoming Lasallian achievers for God and country.
Concerns have reached me that the USG’s initiatives are not felt by most (if not all) members. However, I am aware that each elected and appointed USG officer exerts her or his equitable effort in contributing to the service for the student body. It is thus natural to ask, “Where lies the problem?” Perhaps the needs and concerns are not met by the services thus far offered. If this is solved, chances are student sentiments will be reduced.
As an economist in training, I aim to work (1) towards a state wherein the resources of our USG are used as efficient as possible, and (2) on providing a mechanism that will match what the students need and what the USG officers are initiating.
At this point, my promise on respecting Mr. Moreno’s REFOCUS comes in. We are proposing big changes in the USG structure and constitution (details will be discussed and decided upon during the LA Sessions every Friday, 1440H onwards). This letter seeks the help of our student publications in relaying to the student body some of the main intentions:
(1) Raise further the value of what student organizations can offer and focus on full student representation to the University’s administration [through rechecking USG’s being too ‘activity-based’ by diverting its initiatives];
(2) Acknowledge explicitly the presence and importance of other student sectors and provide an avenue for them to raise issues and concerns that the USG can address [through the Executive Assembly]; and
(3) Streamline all efforts and initiatives of the USG, being more unified and coordinated [through the new Executive Board structure, the Cabinet, the Executive Departments, and the new College Student Government structure];
I believe that with our proposal, the two points I raised above will be satisfied, and that this ‘new’ USG will be able to provide an avenue for the principle or idea I shared above to be maintained.
I pray that we, proponents, can clearly, logically and properly present the proposed new USG constitution to the LA, that your LA Representatives work on its improvement and approval, and that you, dearest students, vote for it when the plebiscite is set forth. This is for you – representing you, spotlighting others, and bridging all.
To end, allow me to share my personal mission: I seek to move at least a life, who will then influence others for the better, and so on…with this, I can say that I was a spark of the change that I want to see. DLSU, let us continue doing our part.
Live Jesus in our hearts, forever.
Continue living the Animo,
Gregg Louise C. Tolentino
Legislative Assembly Representative, EXCEL2013
Chairperson, STRAW Committee
University Student Government
One reply on “Letter to the Editor by Gregg Tolentino”
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hello!