By AJ Alarcon

The Ateneo Senior High School (ASHS) Sanggunian Executive Council (ExeCoun) held “5YNC 2025: All for One, Sanggunian” on July 17 at the 3rd-floor Formation and Learning Center (FLC), orienting senior officers from the various organizations, sports clubs, and committees (OSCC) on key systems ahead of School Year (SY) 2025–2026.

The program opened with remarks from school principal Mrs. Rosanna M. Borja, who emphasized the role of student leaders within the school community.

”Whatever role you belong to, you will really do half of what is done in the school,” she said.

“We always acknowledge that part of the successes of the senior high school is because of the students,” she added. 

Following her message, the attendees participated in an opening activity titled “Spell in Sync,” before proceeding to their respective council breakout rooms.

During the breakout sessions, core officers from each of the five departments under the Office of the President (OP) presented department-specific systems, followed by discussions led by council core officers on council-specific processes, culminating in team-building activities.

Sanggunian President for SY 2025–2026 Troy Yusingbo shared that the event was conducted to make all student leaders more aligned across the Sanggunian and OSCCs.

“It’s a great day and a great opportunity for all student leaders of the ASHS na maging in sync with the vision and mission of the school and the Sanggunian as well,” he expressed.

Yusingbo cited that OSCC officers commonly experience confusion regarding the processes every year. 

“As a junior, magangapa ka talaga sa una,” he said.

“But your seniors [and] your co-officers will always be there, and most importantly, your OP departments and your Executive Council will be there to guide you throughout the year and throughout your journey as a student leader,” he concluded.

Departmental Briefings

The department officers provided briefings on specific systems and requirements relevant to student leaders.

The Finance and Audit Department (FAD) discussed the budgeting and accounting forms required for project implementation. 

The Communications Department outlined the process for requesting publication materials, posting on the ASHS Sanggunian social media pages, obtaining moderator approvals, and adhering to layout guidelines for official materials.

Meanwhile, the Project Operations Department (POD) explained the forms and systems used to request manpower for events, including procedures for urgent cases and standard operating protocols. 

The Department of Data Analytics (DDA) presented the forms used for project evaluation and assessment. 

Lastly, the Secretariat, along with Yusingbo, walked participants through internal university processes and policies under the Office of Student Activities (OSA).

Wackyboy Buenaventura, an attendee from Indayog ng Atenistang Kabataan (IndAK), described the event as well-structured and easy to follow.

“It’s like [in] small portions kaya very easy to digest,” he stated, noting that FAD’s discussion was helpful in his role as the organization captain.

“Knowing these processes and how we could use them would be very beneficial with our big ambitions for the organization,” he concluded.

Council Plans

Following the orientation from the OP department officers, core officers of each council conducted briefings on council-specific processes. 

The segment included an overview of each council’s mascot, logo, mission, and vision. 

Officers also presented planned projects for the upcoming school year, such as mentorship initiatives and outreach programs.

When asked about the intended outcome of the event, the Executive Finance Officer for SY 2025-2026 Aidan Sioson emphasized the importance of self-awareness and reflection among student leaders.

“I want them to have self-realization of what they’ve had in the past, what they’ve gone through, and what they have in the future,” he stated.

“The worst move to make right now is to [act in] haste. I want them to really realize what they want for not just [in] the short term, but [also in] the long term,” he concluded.

Sanggunian orientation assemblies are conducted annually in the ASHS to orient the student leaders.

While this year’s event focused on the five departments under the OP, last year’s event focused on the four councils — the Assembly of Class Officers (ACO), Athletes’ Council (AthC), Council of Student Organizations (CSO), and Council of Student Committees (CSC).