December 26, 2018
MANILA, PH - LAST TERM, The Office of the Dean convened a closed-door meeting with the UST Artlets’ Student Council, Society representatives and Interest Organization representatives to discuss the implementation of total prohibition of cash reimbursements, rigid regulation of cash requisitions and strict monitoring of number of projects per organization. [Such] procedural adjustments stirred several issues especially the ‘indirect budget cut’ posed towards Artlet student organizations.
‘TECHNICAL MALVERSATION’ - a Sudden Shift on Reimbursement Dynamics
The UST Board of Majors collectively expressed their dissent on the controversial banning of cash reimbursements. John Steven Usero, the Speaker of UST - AB BOM, said that the implementation by [The Office] of such ban has been grounded to the ‘technical malversation’ contra-finance policy. However, Mr. Usero pointed out that the cash reimbursement process is still manifest to other college-based organizations. He added that the significance of cash reimbursement is to at least sustain quality programs and necessary projects without compromising the paid fees of organization members.
“Tutol talaga ako doon sa biglaang implementasyon no’ng polisiya kasi nasa kalagitnaan tayo ng mga termino natin at walang proper transition. Even if may proper transition, kailangang malaman din ng mga estudyante na may ganito palang nangyayari [..] Kailangan din natin isipin iyong magiging epekto nito sa mga organisasyon at sa mga programa.” Mr. Usero told the Padayon.
Further, Mr. Usero described the process of reimbursement. “Mabagal yung proseso ng pera o ‘yung kalakaran kung paano umiikot yung pera para sa mga organisasyon sa Fakultad ng Sining at Panitik. May mga nai-re-reklamo na may mga papeles o dokumento na mahalaga na nawawala tapos hindi nakukuha ‘yung pera nang tama. Ayo’n sana ‘yung isa sa mga isyung bigyan dapat nang diin. Sobrang nakakadismaya na may maririnig ka nga na gano’ng isyu at nakaka-alarma ‘yun kasi kung nawawala ‘yung mga dokumento lalo na sa pang-reimbursement, paano na ‘yung makukuhang pera no’ng organisasyon? Kasi kailangan din nating bigyang diin na ‘yung pera na ‘yun, pera rin ng estudyante at pera na binabayaran din nila.”
According to the UST Board of Majors Deputy Speaker Franchesca Viernes, banning the students [organizations] from reimbursing the funds is overtly unfair because the money of the students should have been maximized in sustaining events and other extra-curricular activities. Ms. Viernes said that reimbursing money has always been the mode of students in getting their money ‘back’.
Ms. Veirnes said, “[..] telling organizations to stop the [reimbursements] in a very abrupt manner makes everything disorganized in a way that some of the students’ plans beforehand were suddenly put to waste because they had to adjust to what the administration wants. Besides, it is still allowed in other colleges. What makes our college any DIFFERENT?”
“What makes it really unfair for me is that we are the ONLY college experiencing this problem, which puts the administration into question. What makes our organizations’ money different from other colleges? Why must [we], out of all the organizations in the University, face this?” Ms. Viernes added.
UST AB Board of Majors member and UST Sociological Society President French Templonuevo told Padayon, “Malinaw itong manipestasyon ng student oppression. Bakit? Dahil pera ng miyembro ng bawat societies ang nakataya dito, tapos ipagkakait lang ng admin. Monetary glitches will gravely affect the plotted projects of the USTSS. How would the Executive Board materialize quality projects albeit this sudden unnecessary shift in budgeting process?”
Ms. Templonuevo added, “I have to stress that regulating the number of projects is irrelevant. Wala namang polisiya na nagsasabing dapat two (2) - four (4) ‘national-level’ projects lang ang dapat iimplement ng mga Societies for the whole academic year. Biglaan lang binaba sa amin ito. Limiting the programs and projects in order to practically ‘hamper’ monetary sustenance for student activities bypasses the democratic process within the college. Karapatan ng mga estudyante na makaranas ng mga proyektong kalidad na mismong binayaran nila.”
The Response of Artlets’ Student Council to the Budgetary Shift
Padayon asked the UST - ABSC Treasurer, Felize Ruth Belina, regarding the ban of cash reimbursements. Ms. Billena stressed that she is against the new process.
“Mahirap kasi talaga kapag bawal magpa-reimburse. Twice na kasing nangyari sa ABSC na nag-over the budget kami because of the venue rental. Hinahabol ko kasi yung time frame nga ng paglalakad ng cash advance, tapos hindi pa dumarating ‘yung statement of account for the venue kaya wala [ito] sa budget [..] wala kaming pagkukunan ng pera to pay for it kaya inabonohan muna namin. Until now, hindi pa nababalik yung money for the venue rental kasi nga bawal magpareimburse [..] Ang hirap lang kasi for the students naman ginamit ‘yung pera, and pera naman ng students yung Ipang-rereimburse pero pahirapan talaga.” Ms. Billena said.
Ms. Billena was also asked about the possible resolution(s) or directives of the UST Artlets’ Student Council in terms of addressing the issue. She told the Padayon, “Actually, during the closed-door meeting pa lang, I believe na we made it clear that this will NOT be favorable for the students. After the closed-door meeting, there has been instances wherein we would personally visit the dean and gradually bring up the topic in our conversations and point out the flaws of the rule and how it will be difficult for the students to comply to [it]. Board of Majors, AB Interest Organizations, and ABSC will be writing to Dean Vasco regarding this issue.”
Resolution to the Issue
According the Mr. Usero, he consulted the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) for an immediate resolution to the issue of reimbursement ban in AB. OSA duly advised him to raise the concern to the UST Artlets’ Student Council. [The] coordination of UST - ABSC to the university authorities is expected to maximize the student representation of grievances in AB as Mr. Usero stated. The Board of Majors Speaker added, “Pumunta ako sa OSA para itanong kung totoo o tama ba na pagbawalan ang reimbursement. Ang sabi lang sa akin ay nasa ‘discretion’ ng kolehiyo kung paano ‘yung komposisyon o istraktura no’ng polisiya nila [..] Wala namang mali sa sasabihin kong kailangan natin malaman ‘yung katotohanan sa isyu.”
Deputy BOM Speaker Franchesca Viernes disclosed to Padayon that the UST Board of Majors plans to draft a formal letter addressing this matter along with the UST Artlets Student Council and AB Interest Organizations.
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