After almost a decade, the Department of Education (DepEd) has revived the National Federation of Supreme Student Government (NFSSG) by electing a new set of student-officers coming from various regions.
DepEd confirmed this in a statement issued Wednesday, Feb. 24. Organized by the Bureau of Learners Support Services-Youth Formation Division (BLSS-YFD), DepEd said that all 17 regional SSG presidents and other student leaders, Supreme Student Government (SSG) teacher-advisers, and regional and division youth formation coordinators nationwide attended the said election via Zoom video conference and Facebook live platforms on Feb. 12.
Education Secretary Leonor Briones was delighted with the revival of the NFSSG and lauded the newly-elected officers. “These young people were chosen by learners to lead all the supreme student government in the Philippines,” she said. “They are willing to step up and take charge,” she added.
Briones also underscored the importance of teaching children the most important values while they are still young. “We need to teach our learners more on citizenship and service to the country in a very real sense,” she said. “We have to move towards being universalistic; to think of the people we serve,” she explained.
The newly elected NFSSG officers for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 are Ken Bien Mar Caballes - President from CARAGA Region; French Bayer Bandong - Vice President from Region XII; Ser Nicholas Valmonte - Secretary from Region III; Gerilou Beatrine Bariuan - Treasurer from Region II; Ponciano Apa Jr. - Auditor from Region XI; Jan Loyd Abellano - Peace Officer from Region VI; and Jerson Cabunilas - Public Information Officer from Region VII.
The following regional SSG presidents were also elected as board members: Bienesto Fidel Junio (Region I), Earl Vincent Hiwatig (Region IV-A), Emmanuel Rodel (Region IV-B), Rixdon Niño Mape (Region V), Kenneth Anthony Manatad (Region VIII), Princess May Calasang (Region IX), Queenie Joy Cabatingan (Region X), Kurt James Quiambao (NCR), Angela Nicole Tibay (CAR), and Nicole Masay (BARMM).
Meanwhile, BLSS-YFD Chief Adolf Aguilar highlighted in his message that many student leaders have been waiting for the said election since the last one was held almost a decade ago.
“I am with awe that this election is a reality now,” Aguilar said. “This is truly the so-called renaissance of our SSG as the newly elected officers of the NF-SSG, I challenge you to become role models to the youth,” he added.
After their election, the national student government officers will meet virtually to discuss their plans and programs for the learners all over the Philippines.
As the newly-elected NFSSG president, Caballes expressed optimism that they would be able to conduct and implement projects in line with the core values of DepEd despite the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) situation in the country.
“As of now, we are still in the brainstorming process,” Caballes said. “However, things like inclusive education, mental health awareness projects are the common advocacies of each of the regional presidents,” he ended.