As the Mindanao State University System Athletic Association (MSUSAA) is now back on track, it must not, in any way, be a burden to carry anyone off. However, the host campus of this year's unity games—Mindanao State University - General Santos City (MSU-GSC)—just opened the floodgates of drawbacks as it appears that algorithms for solid waste management have come ill-prepared. It should be known to the administration that before holding a gigantic event, they must have made sure that all is sorted out, not in this case that the system stumbles over the junk imposition of such sporting events.
Recently, the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) released a notice of meeting, ordering student organizations' presidents or their duly appointed representatives to convene at the OSA Building. There, student leaders are apprised of how the garbage disposal system works, as metal trashbins posted in their respective cottages will be used as solid waste repositories. With OSA's aim to flaunt an immaculate facade for this university, hosting MSUSAA at MSU-GSC is a total risk that led us to cut corners; problems only ramified to students as they resorted to sipping the last straw, an unconcealable truth that can never be blanketed.
Sure, it is a clear understanding that the role of student leaders is to serve and fulfill their duties and responsibilities to students, but foisting on them the accountability for the provisions and sustainability of metal trashbins is obviously beyond their service. Their roles have been overtly utilized, and it should not be this time that the event this institution grounds is an errand for them to run. Because, to think, there is already a budget allocated for MSUSAA—like, anticipation of litter management—but only then if it is really the administration's concern to bid us the service we deserve or dump us as we are'scholars' who are notoriously known for glorifying torment in our beloved institution.
Thus far, the administration has never learned. What is happening now is the reincarnation of Intramurals in 2023. The case is not different; there is the same anticipation, the same preparation, and the same lack of optics for foreseeing possible problems. It is highly feared by now that, counting all the available trashbins and waste repositories within the campus, the chances of them getting rapidly fully deposited are high, and when that happens, it is again placing additional strain on our university cleaners, and we can't run from carrying that burden.
Nevertheless, the administration is not perfect. We have to concede to that, as no one is. Even so, holistic groundwork never relies on perfection; we also have to internalize that our utterances and sentiments are rooted in their incompetence. We expect them to be highly competent to organize this kind of event, because this is not only MSU-GSC-based but a consolidated one. Well, our status quo already speaks volumes; if we could just think about it, the constant negligence for what students could benefit from this university is really perturbing, in both the sense of having only the Physical Plant Division (PPD) to clean littered garbage on campus and having no existing roaming truck collectors.
Perhaps the best thing the administration could do in these times is accept full accountability for the management of solid waste; as such, it should promulgate more trashbins rather than relying solely on what is located in student organizations' cottages. And, with the legion of delegates and their supporters, it is not just enough to have those standing alone; of course, its maintenance and sustainability must compensate not just for the week-long event but also for regular classes on campus.
Everyone shares responsibility for taking care of the reputation of this university, and the only way to keep it clean is when the administration starts to invest in things that truly benefit the students. Thus, the burden of existence at this hellbound university would at least be lessened.
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