2014 SANGGUNIAN FRESHMEN AND SPECIAL ELECTIONS

2 SOSS Executive Officer

Chris Andrea C. Pino
Chris Andrea Pino

PLATFORM

There is a need for the Sanggunian to re-think its role, relevance, and raison dtre. I, as a student, am driven by
hope, and this allows me to radically re-imagine and reframe my approach and thinking in reforming this institution in
the most concrete response possible.
Social sciences students are bound together by the diversity of our advocacies. We always stand for something beyond ourselves - for our passion for politics and development, for transformative media and journalism, toward
groundbreaking psychological discoveries, international affairs and culture, a more inclusive economy, among many
others.
Whatever field you are in, I want to invest in the drive and advocacy that you have. The School Board can do this by
organizing a flagship project that can serve as an outlet for social sciences majors to propose advocacies, pitch in
their mini-projects and start-up enterprises, or just talk about their thesis and its relevance. As a freshman block representative I have seen the seeds of this endeavor being planted through projects spearheaded by the School of
Social Sciences such as the funding of subsidies for individuals, groups, and organizations; however, more emphasis must be made on projects that offer students avenues to explore their competencies and utilize resources to advocate causes. The student government must invest in these innovative ideas by diversifying the school boards
financial grant system for start-ups, social enterprises, advocacy projects, theses, conferences, forums, and by providing assistance in networking with organizations within and outside the Ateneo.
The utilization of SOSS competencies can be encouraged through a project that is divided into phases in which advocacies and start-up projects are given the chance to first, propose their ideas, second, plan and utilize sources
that will be given (i.e. workshops) and third, to implement their ideas.
Among my fellow students the concept of batch unity is continually uttered and proposed by aspiring officers
however, oftentimes this term is used too vaguely, and its potential not fully recognized. The term batch unity can,
however, be used for a greater cause if students work together toward a cause much bigger than themthis is how
the School of Social Sciences must hone students as men and women for others. First, students must be educated
by means of talks and workshops on current issues and events such as the rapid internationalization of the country
by means of calendar shifts and the ASEAN integration, the feminist/meninist movements, and climate change imperatives, among others; through these endeavors, students will be able to at least bring home one specific issue or
advocacy that is personal to theman advocacy that they can zealously pursue. Second, more students must be
active in the efforts of the School of Social Sciences Sanggunian by means of asking block representatives to
spearhead specific batch projects and then looking for members of their teams in their corresponding blocks or
courses.

With the rapid assimilation of the University toward globalization, now more than ever there are so many opportunities
for students of the social sciences. Internationalization also means being responsive to global trends in a more competitive environment. I intend to coordinate with the Loyola Schools Office of Placement and Career Services
(LSOPCS) to ensure that social sciences students get access to opportunities related to their fields for internships
and employment. Moreover, there must be a school board project in partnership with discourse cluster organizations
that provide students specifically in the School of Social Sciences job and internship opportunities based on their
fields in the development, economic, policy, and psychology sectors, among others; this will in turn ensure that students get enough opportunities to form their identities and career paths as passionate women and men of the social
sciences.