Erica Gines, a senior Development Communication student, and Ryan Ilaida, a third-year BSED major in Filipino student and the incumbent Vice President of the University Supreme Student Council (USSC) of VSU Baybay, have made their mark at the national level after being selected as National Officers for Media and Communications and Strategic Partnerships, respectively, of the National Executive Council (NEC) at the G17 University Ambassadors Consortium - Philippines. With the passion to help and serve, they are now heading towards the national stage to promote the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs).
They aim to introduce and educate others more about the nature of SDGs and promote these goals as a step to attaining the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development within the university and the local community.
In an interview with Ilaida, his task as the National Officer for Strategic Partnerships includes reaching out to universities for partnerships to promote the 17 SDGs. Some of the activities delve into issues that are often neglected, such as waste management and bloodletting programs.
Apart from this achievement, Mr. Ilaida has also harvested several awards such as Ambassador of the Month (October 2022), and Most Promising Ambassador, and is a graduate of the G17 Consortium PH Class of 2022-2023, recently as the representative of the Visayas State University (VSU) at the National Summit 2023 held at the Lyceum of the Philippines University, Intramuros Manila.
Relatively, Ms. Gines expressed her excitement in promoting the SDGs, which are not limited to projects but also to capacity building, leadership, and policy advocacy. These goals are also connected to the advocacies of the United Nations (UN), which foregrounds a responsibility for all to create sustainable change in our communities.
"In this ever-changing world, it's really better to take part in advocating the SDG as we're trying to reach the agenda, we ViSCAns are also trying to achieve a greener university; not hostile, in the VSU environment,” Ms. Gines added.
Ilaida and Gines will be part of the Class of 2023-2024 of the G17 PH Consortium which aims to materialize goals by cultivating sustainable development programs anchored on the 17 SDGs. Their official induction as official members of the NEC will be held this coming November where they will take the oath as official National Officers of the G17 PH consortium.