By Rhobie A. Ruaya
and Leslie J. Batallones
SILLIMAN UNIVERSITY STUDENT GOVERNMENT (SUSG) President Kirk Emperado confirmed that the remaining resolutions from the SUSG assembly have been sent to the concerned departments and offices in the university in an interview last Jan. 24.
Emperado clarified this after SG representatives claimed that he is not doing his job efficiently during the past student assemblies held in Oriental Hall.
Article VIII Sec. 8 of the SUSG Constitution states that every resolution, petition and other measures passed by the Student Assembly before it comes valid shall be presented to the President. If he/she approves the same he/she shall sign it; otherwise, he/she shall veto and return it to the Student Assembly for reconsideration; if the same is approved by two-thirds vote of the Student Assembly, it shall become valid.
The President must respond to every petition, resolution and other measures passed by the Student Assembly within 15 days after receiving it.
Emperado stressed that he was only waiting for Committee on Resolutions Chairperson Maria Ina Elnar to give him the resolutions.
“It would be unfair on my part, although it’s not my only job to act upon the resolutions, pero parang it’s their role sana just to give it to me on time,” he added.
In his interview with the Weekly Sillimanian, Emperado admitted that he also had lapses. As an example, he said that once the resolutions are with him, he cannot immediately act upon them.
Emperado said that he cannot cater to all resolutions in one semester, which was why the assembly claimed that he was not working on the resolutions.
“Yes, I’m not perfect di ba? Naa man jud kay lapses, dili biya nimo makaya tanan; student man pud ko di ba? But given na ako ang nasa position so mura’g ga-expect sila maingon ana in respect with [the SG assembly] ba na ga-effort ug resolutions,” said Emperado.
Emperado also said that he is directly responding to the students’ needs even without any resolutions filed.
“Students can directly face me, chat me on Facebook, go to the [SUSG] office, and we will respond,” Emperado added.
The lights and basketball ring for Monapil Court and the extended hours for students who want to study at Oriental Hall Student Lounge was one of the matters that did not undergo the SUSG Assembly that Emperado personally worked on. He also called the attention of the SU Buildings and Grounds and Office of Student Services.
In the SUSG assembly Facebook page, 11 resolutions were posted as infographics. For the 11 approved resolutions by Emperado, two are already done by the university while nine resolutions are yet to be followed up.
Emperado said that he wants concrete and long term resolutions, “kahit matagal ma-implement and not some na just for the sake ra of having resolutions.”
He also said that he wants all representatives to talk to their constituents and not to make resolutions based on observations only.
“Representatives have the power to make resolutions, so make resolutions that would really help the students,” Emperado added.
According to Emperado, he gave all the copies of the passed resolutions to Vice-President Nikko Paolo Calledo as of Jan. 31.
**The tWS is yet to be given copies of the complete resolutions by Calledo.~
