NEWLY elected officers of the Central Student Council (CSC) Executive Board vowed to make the incoming council more efficient, despite feeling “a bit paralyzed” after Thomasians rejected candidates in four of six posts in the recently concluded student polls.
Independent candidates Therese Gorospe and Francis Santos, CSC secretary-elect and public relations officer-elect, respectively, said work in council would be difficult with only two officials.
“Sobrang hirap! Pero kung kinaya namin ni Kiko lumaban mag-isa, paano pa kapag magkasama na kami?” Gorospe said in an online interview.
Santos said they would work with the Central Board, the CSC legislative arm composed of presidents of the student councils of the faculties and colleges.
“[W]ith only the two of us in the council, we’re a bit paralyzed. . . But Therese and I will work with [the] Central Board to ensure that the CSC will be able to compensate for the vacant positions in the meantime and make the CSC function as it should,” Santos told the Varsitarian.
Gorospe will act as the president until a special election is conducted. Based on Article 11, Section 4 of the CSC Constitution, the secretary shall act as president in case of vacancies in the office of the president and the vice president.
“Sa totoo lang… na-pressure at natakot ako bigla. Hindi ko hiniling na maging presidente pero ito `yung binigay sakin,” Gorospe said.
‘Right decision’
Gorospe and Santos said the “unexpected” election results reflected the Thomasians’ awareness about the student council.
“[M]ulat na nga ang mga Tomasino at hindi na hinayaang mag-settle for less kaya ganon na lang na abstain ang nanalo sa ibang positions,” Gorospe said.
“I believe that the outcome of these elections is a message [that] they are tired of the traditional politics in the university,” Santos said.
The announcement of results last April 22 revealed that most students opted to abstain from voting for president, vice president, treasurer and auditor.
READ: Thomasian rejects council bets, vote ‘abstain’ in 4 of 6 posts
Gorospe, an elementary education junior, won the CSC secretary post with 11,319 votes, defeating hotel and restaurant management junior Alexandra Guevarra (Lakas Tomasino Coalition or LTC) who got 5,262 votes, and travel management sophomore Josephine Beatrice Domingo (Lakasdiwa) who obtained 3,031 votes.
Santos, a political science sophomore, garnered 9,877 votes, defeating literature junior Lance Santiago (LTC) who earned 6,948 votes and nursing junior John Rhorick Legaspi who obtained 3,393 votes, for the position of public relations officer.
The elections were held from April 18 to 21.
The Central Commission on Elections has yet to announce the date for the special polls.
