#BuildBetterTogether

PMBs' delegates to SCAP Panay Congress

The Student Council Alliance of the Philippines (SCAP) held its Panay Congress during October 5, 2014 at the Colegio del Sagrado Corazon de Jesus with the theme ‘#BuildBetterTogether’. SCAP is a national network of student councils/governments envisioning an educational system co-determined by all the stakeholders in the society who actively participate in making education accessible to all. The alliance advocates education reform through executive and legislative engagements; promotes unity, social consciousness as well as solidarity with other basic sector towards empowering student councils to act as catalyst for social change.

The Partido sang Mainuswagon nga Bumulutho (PMB) received an invitation from Rachel Antoinette Contreras, the Chairperson of SCAP Visayas for the said congress through Ms. Jereneah Gayle Raco (PMB Chairperson). Paolo Santos, Florenz Cojuangco, Karla Joyce Pineda and Wilfredo Orquia III were chosen to represent the organization. There were also representatives from other universities (Central Philippine University, West Visayas State University, and University of San Agustin, Filamer Christian University and etc.) from Iloilo, Aklan, Capiz and Antique. The congress proved that SCAP is working for progressive reforms by having talks on the MALAYA: Anti Human Trafficking, Student’s Right and Welfare, Illegal Recruitment, and Youth Vote Initiative.

To better connect with the Panay region, SCAP elected officers to represent students’ of the region including Iloilo City. It is a great honor and privilege that our very own Paolo Santos, a third year student of B.S Economics in the University of the Philippines Visayas who was nominated and elected as the SCAP Chairperson in Iloilo Chapter. As the Vice Chairperson-Internal of Partido sang Mainuswagon nga Bumulutho, Paolo unwaveringly applied our principles, SUGAR to adhere and promote various ideas, beliefs, and ideologies like freedom to attain human rights equally: that people in the minority sector also deserve equal rights for education and employment. Hence, Paolo highlighted that we are all human beings regardless of our race, gender, religion and socio-economic status that none of us deserve to be maltreated and discriminated just because of our noticeable differences.

Lastly, Paolo as an active advocate of Gender Equality and a member of UP Lipad, a student organization which promotes LGBT rights, has a wide discernment about the said issues and therefore, capable of addressing and alleviating the related concerns of gender discrimination and violation of human rights. The SCAP Iloilo Chapter entrusted this position to Paolo Santos because the alliance believes in his ability as a leader and capability to serve his fellowmen without even pulling other people down instead promotes helping each other to get equal rights in the society.