What happened in the first State of the USG Address

University Student Government (USG) President Marvy Gomez delivered the first State of the University Student Government Address on  October 14 at the Ugnayang La Salle, addressing the role of student leaders in progressing and enforcing the newly established Constitution as part of the transition government this academic year (AY).

“It is more on the establishment, what became our progress, and what is our initiative that had been deployed,” Gomez briefly explained on what the state of the USG address is about.

The address is in compliance with Article IV, Executive Department, Section 16 of the USG Constitution, which reads that “The President shall once every semester give Congress the Information of the State of the University and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.”

Gomez clarified that despite some constitutional provisions being held off in compliance with the USG transition period, they carried on with the provision of conducting the State of the University Address.

“Even though mabagal ‘yung progress ng USG, we still wanted to push through with the provisions itself,” told The HERALDO FILIPINO. 

Gomez furthered that at the same time, the event opens the doors for freshmen on learning the processes that the USG is undertaking, “this allows them to become encouraged, to push through with the next student government.”

In the Joint Session of the Congress, the USG president discussed the vision and mission of the highest student-governing body: financial aid grants in the University, empowering student leaders, and promoting students to volunteer, as well as introduced newly appointed members of the Cabinet.

She also emphasized on questioning those who doubt the establishment of the USG constitution. In the same interview with The HERALDO FILIPINO, she addressed that for the first 100 days of the USG, students have been “close-minded” in terms of the student government forming the new Constitution.

“We’re having this new set of student officers who are guiding them because the idea that building this foundation is actually one of the hardest tasks that we are facing,” Gomez explained. “It is not easy to build a foundation, a strong foundation to be exact.”

Earlier this AY, the USG drew flak over concerns on information dissemination and event planning, with questions of constitutionality leading to discussions between student leaders.