(Full text of The Flame‘s exclusive interview with Office for Student Affairs officer-in-charge Asst. Prof. Jaezamie Ong)
Interview by Mei Lin Weng
Do you have any statement regarding your appointment as the officer in charge of OSA, and what is your vision for UST student organizations moving forward, especially since OSA is under national scrutiny due to the TomasinoWeb incident?
Siguro with or without that scrutiny thing, I have always looked at OSA as a happy place. When I was in college–kasi dito naman ako grumaduate—when I was in college, I was not a student leader but I was an active member of organizations…Happy ako na member ako ng [organization]. So I think…one of the things na gusto ko sana ay kasi we’re from the pandemic so talaga namang na-limit lahat ng…assemblies [and] gatherings [for] small or big [groups]. So I would like that sana, if there is any–sana wala akong ma-violate na protocol on health–that I want sana that the Tan Yan Kee be again the student center…‘yung laging maraming tao, masaya ‘yung mga tao, nagkakantahan, nagkukuwentuhan, nagkukulitan.
I want a very lively, pa’no ba ‘to, lively student organizations. I want the Tan Yan Kee, the OSA, to be the home of organizations talaga, that you’re welcome…And then maybe in here…what I can say is that I am happy, I am blessed that I am assigned or appointed to be the OIC though hindi maganda ‘yung timing kasi nagkasakit si Ma’am Tio (Cuison). Hindi naging maganda ‘yung reason kasi nagkasakit siya, so they need somebody to be OIC, but I’m happy dahil this is something na ginagawa ko rin naman sa senior high school (as assistant principal for student formation)…if you can ask any of your batchmates or ahead of you or before you na na-handle ko…siguro na-experience nila how I was personally, so I am that kind of person talaga na supportive talaga of student activities…given the guidelines and policies, s’yempre, we have to follow that. Pero I support activities of the students and so…sana gano’n ‘yung mangyari, maging happy ulit, mag-enjoy, mabuhay ulit ang Tan Yan Kee.
May I also ask for your comment on the resolution filed by Rep. Raoul Manuel urging the House of Representatives to investigate what they claim to be media censorship and other violations of students’ democratic rights in UST?
As I’ve said, I don’t want to meddle sana on that part…As OIC, I would not want to talk about it because I’m not the right person to talk about it. Kumbaga, nag-assume ako ng post ngayon [lang] naman…Kung tungkol doon sa…probe na ‘yan, siguro dahil legal na siya, I will allow our legal to answer to that. Pero kung very personal, siguro I’m not in the right position to comment on that. Kasi legal na so I will allow the legal to answer na lang.
What are your thoughts on the University’s plans to dialogue with student organizations? One of the issues students raised is the issuance of a show cause to students in non-recognized UST organizations. How do you plan to address this?
Alam mo, sa nakita ko, definition ang problema. ‘Yung definition natin ng “not recognized or unrecognized student organization.” For us, technically, the definition of the “not recognized [organizations] in the University” [covers] those…student orgs [whose] activities…are sanctioned by the University, okay? Kasi ‘di ba kailangan maingat tayo kapag, halimbawa, The Flame, may activity ‘di ba dapat may adviser, may approval ni dean, may approval ni– well, hanggang do’n lang naman ata kayo– o hanggang OSA, hanggang kung saan man, kasi anything that will happen to you is the responsibility of the school.
Ngayon, kapag mayroong organization…nagsabi siyang ‘UST,’ ‘pag may nangyari sa kanila, sagot ba sila ng UST kahit na not recognized sila? Hindi, ‘di ba? Kapag may, kunwari ‘yung ano ‘yung organization ‘ABC-UST’ nag-swimming, may nadisgrasya, sagot ba ng University kung may nangyari sa kanila? No. Because the ‘ABC-UST’ is not a recognized organization in the University. May nagtanong sa akin, “Ma’am, paano kung tanggalin ‘yung UST?’” Aba’y wala na kami do’n. Diba kasi…hindi na ginagamit ang pangalan ng University. So kapag nagtanong ang parents, “Ano ‘yang activity na ‘yan? Bakit may nangyari?” Who will be responsible? Well, not us because it is not a recognized organization and it’s not a UST organization, so ‘yun ‘yung pinanggagalingan no’n. It all boils down to the idea of who will be responsible if anything happens. Ang niri-regulate lang natin ay ‘yung gumagamit ng pangalan ng University because we don’t want to give the impression that it is or the activity is sanctioned by the University.
So hindi po siya dapat issue na kapag may estudyante na sumali naman ng organization outside UST pero wala naman po silang kini-claim na UST sa name?
Oo, yes. Hindi siya issue. Halimbawa, kung ano mang organization ‘yan, rotary, oh sumali ka do’n, okay, fine. Hindi siya issue kasi hindi naman siya recognized ng UST unless…nagpo-promote ‘yun ng, kunwari, violence, s’yempre hindi na ‘yun. Pero hindi…naman ibigsabihin iri-regulate ka rin namin but s’yempre, kailangan, we trust the student na alam mo rin kung ano ang sinasalihan mo pero at least sanction-wise, wala. Wala.
Another one is the guidelines for the responsible use of social media set by OSA that others claim to be “restricting.” Do you plan to continue its implementation? If so, how? If not, why not?
Since the Father Rector (Fr. Richard Ang, O.P.) already appointed us as members, myself, as the chair of the technical working group for that, diba? Father Rector promised that we will be listening to the organizations, to the students regarding their concerns, and well, about the policies. Because of that, kapag kinailangan niyan na pag-usapan, pwede siya i-review, kasi meron nang instruction from the Father Rector. The Father Rector is very…open to that, ang instruction niya is, “Please listen to the students, so we would know what they want, what they need.”
And then from whatever we will hear from the organizations, then we will find out…what are these things that are quote-unquote problematic. Or probably there are things that we have… to review and change ‘di ba or present something new. So if that policy that you’re telling me is problematic, if ever, then probably, we can talk about it. The committee can recommend…changes, improvements, kasi nagbago na rin naman ang environment natin.Hindi na tayo pure online, hindi na rin naman tayo pure face-to-face, so we’ll have to consider the changes. So if there, again, if there will be need for changes, there will be changes…Ako lang naman, it’s always towards what’s best for the students, for the admin, for the faculty ‘di ba, for your parents, stakeholders.
Do you have other plans to address the office’s handling of student organizations? If so, what are these?
First, kailangan ma-acknowledge natin na meron kayong advisers. If the students [of the] organizations acknowledge the presence of their advisers, I am very sure na the advisers naman would plan, would want only what’s good for you. So gano’n din kami. So naniniwala ako sa kakayahan ng mga advisers. Now, kelan ba papasok ang OSA do’n? Siguro kung medyo meron lang [lapses or oversights]. Kasi naman OSA is responsible naman kapag nagkaroon na ng problema sa labas.
Ganito ang tatandaan niyo, kaya kami maingat kasi kapag…for example, meron kayong activities…kunwari nagkamali, sino ang idedemanda?…Ang estudyante ba? Hindi. University ang idedemanda nila kasi nag-approve kami. Kaya maingat kami for approvals kasi it is something that will protect you, ourselves [and] the University para hindi tayo umabot doon kasi ang University, hindi namin kayo iiwan. Halimbawa…may reklamo, hindi kayo ang haharap do’n, it is your administrators…It is us who will face those questions and all kaya maingat kami…Ang gusto ko lang natin na pag-isipan ulit, ‘yung mga plano, ‘yung mga activities, kasi baka meron tayong hindi nakita…na maka-apekto nang mas malaki, gano’n lang siya. Kasi kapag lumaki ‘yung issue na ‘yun, hindi naman ‘yung estudyante ang pagagalitan or idedemanda, University pa rin. So it’s more of protecting you…kasi you are our students, kami ang adults. Kami ang adults, so kami ang mananagot kasi kami ang naka-sign…so siguro kung titingnan natin…sana makita [that it is] not because [“everything is prohibited”]…Gusto lang natin pag-isipan, baka may options…baka may pwedeng palitan lang ng kaunti pero ituloy lang natin. Gano’n lang siguro para malinaw sa ating lahat. F
