#ASProfiles: On transparency
Photo by Janna Alessandra Lagman
Interview by Janna Alessandra Lagman
One of the platforms you have is the establishment of “Artlets Merch” to fund AB activities. What is the feasibility of this endeavor given that there are already existing merch stores around campus? How would you ensure transparency and equitable distribution?
"For this project po, although there are existing na merch na po as you have mentioned, this would be firstly run by the Council po and ma-eensure po natin na yung kikitain po natin dito would be directly going to doon sa mga events natin sa campus. Kumbaga, this project hindi lang for the benefit po of the council; we won’t profit from this. Kumbaga ibabalik po namin to sa mga Artlets sa pamamagitan po ng mga events natin and projects po. As for yung second question po, doon po sa transparency po, we would have a pre-order form, so doon po bago pa lang po sila makapag-order, we would detail there kung ano, kung saan madi-distribute like madi-distribute po yung magiging bayad po nila. For example, yung 75% po, yun po yung papaikutin po natin sa Artlets Merch since Artlets Merch po is a year-long initiative po ng Council and we also plan to have this running sa mga susunod na mga taon pa po ng ABSC para po yung solusyon po na ito magiging long-term. Also po, sa transparency, after po natin mag-benta, kunwari for Welcome Walk, magkakaroon po tayo ng transparency report so nandito po kung ilan po yung t-shirts na nabenta, kung ilan yung lanyards, and if ever na may tote bags, kung ilan din po, and siyempre po iba-ibang prices po ‘yan, so lahat po doon sa transparency report we would detail it accurately po para makita rin ng mga Artlets kung magkano talaga yung magiging o dadagdag sa aming funds for this academic year po."
"Thank you for that question. So, as a candidate running for the position of treasurer sa ABSC, if I am to be elected, ako po yung magiging highest finance officer sa buong AB, so I guess yun po yung nagbibigay ng qualification to make this guide. Pero, ic-clarify ko lang din po na this is not a standard guide, kumbaga hindi po lahat ng nandito is magiging rules na susundin nung mga finance officers. What I plan to do is a centralized guide lang, kumbaga, the problem po kasi that I noticed sa mga– kunyari po sa finance committee namin this year is that when you’re in this position po, minsan wala kayong susundan eh dahil nga po walang mga treasurer at wala pong stable na mga tao in the finance committees, parang yung knowledge po kasi hindi po napa-pass down sa amin so by creating a manual, magkakaroon tayo ng guide sa mga paper processes doon po sa ating financial monitoring as well as mga requirements, and dadagdag na rin po natin dito yung mga nuances to the job. Kunyari, paano pag na-delay tayo sa pagpasa ng papers? So ano yung pwedeng gawin? And given naman po doon sa concern regarding sensitive information, of course, hindi natin tatanungin yung ibang mga Societies ng accurate, like yung mga details lang na kaya nilang i-share, yun lang po yung kukuhanin natin and with their consent, yun po yung ilalagay natin sa guide pero if in the case na hindi pwede i-disclose yung exact details, we can have a situational example[s] po."
What made you run for the treasurer position? Why should we vote for you?
"Thank you for that question. So, the reason why I wanted to run for treasurer is that I saw something that needs to be changed, especially when it comes to the handling of finances within the council. And, I was also struck with the fact na as an EA, may limitations po tayo sa trabaho natin eh, and pag ang finance committees po kasi, if they don’t have dedicated Executive Board to monitor, talaga pong nagkakaroon [po] ng lapses eh. So that’s why I felt the need to step up and to change yung mga internal systems po natin sa loob ng ABSC because I believe din po na pag nabago po natin kung ano yung nasa loob, kung ano yung pamamalakad natin, makikita po ng mga Artlets ‘yan na mas gaganda ang events at mas magiging higher quality po yung service natin sa kanila, and, why you should vote for me? Kasi po I believe na yung motivations ko po to run is not just, hindi po siya sobrang laki. Ang gusto ko lang po talaga is to change the Council in my own way by being the treasurer po. We just want to manage the finances properly para po sa ganoon, magawa rin po nang mabuti yung mga ibang offices yung kanila pong trabaho. That’s all po, thank you."
— Naniela Nicole Lagunsad, ABSC Treasurer candidate and second-year Asian Studies student
