EUROPEA
II. LA CORTE CONSTITUCIONAL COMO GUARDIÁN DE LOS PRINCIPIOS DE SOBERANÍA POPULAR Y DE
Anthony Tiu
March 19, 2013 (General Elections 2013
March 19, 2013 (General Elections 2013 Special Issue)Special Issue) By Juan Batalla and Miguel Luis Gayares
By Juan Batalla and Miguel Luis Gayares
Back in 2003, Student Council President Saint Anthony Tiu Back in 2003, Student Council President Saint Anthony Tiu
drafted a then
drafted a then revolutionary idearevolutionary idea: a University Student: a University Student Government, with three functional branches patterned after Government, with three functional branches patterned after the Philippine government.
the Philippine government. “The vision of the USG back then“The vision of the USG back then was really to
was really to create the right identity for a studentcreate the right identity for a student government
government. Back then, we were an. Back then, we were an activity generationactivity generation body
body . Every now and then, Student Council (SC) officers. Every now and then, Student Council (SC) officers would think of short-term projects versus lon
would think of short-term projects versus long-termg-term sustainable programs.”
sustainable programs.”
““ And back then, the issue was And back then, the issue was [the SC’s][the SC’s] overlappingoverlapping primarily with the Council of Student
primarily with the Council of Student Organizations (CSO)
Organizations (CSO): the two could not distinguish: the two could not distinguish who and what they were anymore, whether they were a who and what they were anymore, whether they were a
government or just some student organization government or just some student organization.”.”
“What
“What we were trying to address back then w we were trying to address back then was [our] needas [our] need for an
for an identity identity …So…So the vision was that the the vision was that the student councilstudent council should [stand] as a
should [stand] as a student governmentstudent government, to the point that, to the point that instead of creating activities, it should
instead of creating activities, it should create policies,create policies, advocacies, and services for the student body advocacies, and services for the student body …”…”
Legislation Legislation
Coordination
Coordination RepresentationRepresentation
“That
“That was the rule agreed upon b was the rule agreed upon by the CSO and othery the CSO and other organizations. The entire student government would focus organizations. The entire student government would focus
mainly on
mainly on policy creation, creating resolutions andpolicy creation, creating resolutions and stands on issues
stands on issues at hand, whether University wide or at hand, whether University wide or national or international. The [USG] would
national or international. The [USG] would not create anynot create any activities or short-term projects
activities or short-term projects.”.”
Campaign Center Campaign Center
Activity Center Activity Center Service Center
Service Center Campaign Center
Campaign Center
Activity Center Activity Center Service Center
Service Center
““There will still be some executive power, butThere will still be some executive power, but thethe problem with the executive is that we think its problem with the executive is that we think its always about execution and activities
always about execution and activities, when it’s all, when it’s all about creating programs and execution in the
about creating programs and execution in the form ofform of creating policies. Lobbying a policy is executive power, creating policies. Lobbying a policy is executive power, right? You lobby this to the University President or to right? You lobby this to the University President or to
the Senate. The
the Senate. The USG really calls for someUSG really calls for some paradigm shift in terms of how
paradigm shift in terms of how we ground thewe ground the government
government.”.”
ADMIN
ADMIN
Lobby policiesLobby policiesUSG USG
and programs and programs
“A
“A good example is the batch good example is the batch government.government. Instead ofInstead of
creating batch level activities, it should instead utilize creating batch level activities, it should instead utilize
manpower in terms of lobbying [and] enforcing manpower in terms of lobbying [and] enforcing University wide advocacies.
University wide advocacies. So let’s say, for example, theSo let’s say, for example, the Legislative Assembly (LA) will create a policy or a stand on Legislative Assembly (LA) will create a policy or a stand on something. Batch Representatives should ask themselves: how something. Batch Representatives should ask themselves: how
can I translate this to my batch? What kind of program will can I translate this to my batch? What kind of program will enable me to deliver the stand to the rest of my batch? The enable me to deliver the stand to the rest of my batch? The
Executive Board will be responsible for
Executive Board will be responsible for large-scalelarge-scale representation, in terms of being active in representation, in terms of being active in committees inside the University, as well as committees inside the University, as well as becoming front liners in advo
becoming front liners in advocating stances oncating stances on national issues
national issues.”.”
EXECUTIVE
(policy, advocacy or stand) (policy, advocacy or stand)
““The other thing is the fact thatThe other thing is the fact that there is a lack ofthere is a lack of understanding on what the USG really is for the understanding on what the USG really is for the
people who actually led the USG
people who actually led the USG, such as the USG, such as the USG presidents. Superficially,
presidents. Superficially, they call it a they call it a government, butgovernment, but they’re actually operating like a student council they’re actually operating like a student council.”.”
?
?
“It
“It takestakes timetime. When we envisioned the USG, we knew it. When we envisioned the USG, we knew it wouldn’t just happen overnigh
wouldn’t just happen overnight; it came along with a five yeart; it came along with a five year sustainability program, where the
sustainability program, where the first year focused onfirst year focused on internal reforms
internal reforms…the…the USG for that year would focus onUSG for that year would focus on what is needed in te
what is needed in terms of internal reformsrms of internal reforms.. If necessary, weIf necessary, we stop some external ties so we
stop some external ties so we could focus internally could focus internally ..
After that one year, when you build
After that one year, when you build up the internal capability,up the internal capability, the second year will be the year where you build the the second year will be the year where you build the external ties
external ties, thinking, ‘now that we’re strong internally, we, thinking, ‘now that we’re strong internally, we need to go out’. Then,
need to go out’. Then, these organizations can be linked up,these organizations can be linked up, creating a stronger alliance with each other, USG included creating a stronger alliance with each other, USG included.”.”
“I
“I think it is very important thatthink it is very important that the USG institutionalizesthe USG institutionalizes principles in terms of running the USG
principles in terms of running the USG, such that even, such that even though the president may have a different view, for
though the president may have a different view, for as long asas long as the principles are clear and tackles that,
the principles are clear and tackles that, this is how the USGthis is how the USG should operate, then all parties could always come back should operate, then all parties could always come back
to the agreed principles
to the agreed principles. There might be some difference in. There might be some difference in policy creation and execution here
policy creation and execution here and there, but it should beand there, but it should be minor to the overall principles and strategy
minor to the overall principles and strategy .”.”
My | I | Me
My | I | Me Our | We | Us Our | We | Us
“The
“The current limitation with our student leaders back then wascurrent limitation with our student leaders back then was this mentality:
this mentality: ‘This is my year, I will do whatever I can‘This is my year, I will do whatever I can for my batch.’
for my batch.’ There There was was aa lack of long termlack of long term sustainable envisioning of plans
sustainable envisioning of plans, so there was no , so there was no thoughtthought of:
of: ‘This‘This is what I want in the future; that is why I is what I want in the future; that is why I amam doing this today. Even though I neglect some
doing this today. Even though I neglect some of myof my current duties as a president, [creating a system]
current duties as a president, [creating a system] willwill still help me get
still help me get there’.there’.””