The Benilde Student Government (BeSG), formerly known as Central Student Government (CSG), is currently undergoing rebranding efforts to enhance student representation and create a safer space to exercise each student’s rights.
The current BeSG administration, elected on Aug. 5 and inducted on Sept.18, aims to resolve persistent issues from past student governments such as lack of representation, low engagement, and organizational challenges through constitutional revisions, organizational restructuring, and active campaigning.
As the biggest project of the BeSG, the constitutional revisions are deemed necessary to keep up with the evolving needs of the students considering the last constitution was ratified in 2016—nearly a decade ago. These changes also address recent shifts such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the heightened focus on inclusion.
The current administration is also improving their media presence through their course on BigSky and aggressive social media campaigning such as creating more TikTok content, email blasts, and urging student block representatives to share information and announcements.
Following the improvement of the governing system, the BeSG authorized the dissolution of the School Student Governments (SSGs) starting this Academic Year 2024-2025 until further review of the council in two years due to the declining activity and lack of representation over the last academic years. The resolution was announced on the official social media accounts of the BeSG on Nov. 14. However, the SSG SMIT and SSG SNMA have folded their last active operations into the larger council.
“We want to encourage harmony to student life and academics, and by [BeSG] being an active listener, magagampanan namin ‘yung trabaho to take care of the students, because by the end of the day, they are our target,” BeSG President Joshua Jeridan Castro said in an interview with The Benildean.
In order to ensure the success of the rebranding, Castro said the council conducts monthly analysis of student engagements through social media analytics and constituency checks. He expressed that although they have been settling for the bare minimum for now, Phase 3 of the project will soon roll out, increasing the BeSG’s presence virtually and physically.
Moreover, BeSG is currently working on public transparency through its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) for the Freedom of Information Policy of the Benilde Student Government bill and the State of Benilde Address, both aiming to give timely transparency reports and encourage certain discourses about topics such as the student handbook and tuition fees.
Castro also mentioned he envisions that, by the end of AY 2024-2025, the BeSG will be known as a friendly and open student government, especially through projects such as “BeTown” which is a town hall initiative that encourages students to raise their concerns and feedback.
“I hope that the Benildeans will be more active than ever when it comes to raising concerns. Moving forward, now that we’re trying to consolidate everything, I hope that everybody steps up to being an active student [in] the College,” Castro said.
