Report by Joshua Brian Buenviaje

SINAG is the official student publication of the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy (CSSP). 

The largest it has been since 2020, it currently has 15 editors and 42 staff members. SINAG editor-in-chief Eileen Kasan points to the publication’s improved staff orientation, journalism skills training, induction and its membership and training head as reasons for the newsroom’s growth. However, it faces difficulties in mobilizing its staff members.

Kasan also said that SINAG currently has approximately P1 million in its trust fund collected from student pub fees, but cannot be accessed due to lack of fiscal autonomy. Its progress with funding is also being stalled due to a lack of endorsement on their budget proposal by CSSP Dean Ruth Lusterio-Rico. 

SINAG instead relies on alumni donations, staff contributions and income-generating projects to ensure continued operations.

Despite the budget constraints, the publication remains active in publishing stories covering college, university and national issues. With staff members from various regions, the publication is also able to cover provincial stories, albeit with the members’ own resources and equipment.

SINAG also faces online attacks and threats, including troll attacks on its social media accounts and posts about the Toboso 19 and suspicious login attempts to its platforms. But Kasan underscored the help they receive from its alumni and UP Solidaridad, particularly on articles that may be subjected to legal repercussions and sensitive stories.

Despite these challenges, Kasan highlighted the collective care within the publication that enables them to continue making SINAG active. 

“We’re functioning at its best considering yung mga nakaraang problema namin [na] more on budget, logistics, and then yung security. Pero other than that, I think [ang SINAG] ay meron talagang collective care within the publication and kami-kami lang din sumasandig sa isa’t isa so we still have that and ‘yon ‘yong pinanghahawakan namin sa pub kaya hindi rin namamatay.”