THE UST Central Commission on Elections (Comelec) proclaimed four Central Student Council (CSC) Executive Board officers on Saturday, April 25, with voter turnout slightly dipping to 60% after a week of voting.
Incumbent CSC President Annie Agon will lead the student body for a second term.
Agon, a legal management junior from the Faculty of Arts and Letters, won the presidency with 16,581 votes, while 9,775 students left their ballots unanswered.
This marks Agon’s third year in the CSC Executive Board following her election as public relations officer (PRO) in 2024 and vice president in 2025. Last year, she assumed the presidency after the position was declared vacant.
Legal management junior Franz Salangsang was proclaimed vice president after garnering 16,407 votes, while 9,775 students left their votes unanswered.
The lone candidate for treasurer, communication junior Zedrich Daz, won the post with 16,020 votes, while 10,336 students left their votes unanswered.
Fourth-year architecture student Mecaella Sean Capalar was proclaimed the PRO after garnering 11,414 votes, ahead of Errol Salamatin’s 5,152 votes. A total of 9,790 students left their ballots unanswered.
No candidate was proclaimed secretary as the blank votes, which totaled 9,358, were bigger than those obtained by two candidates contesting the post..
Philosophy junior Clarence Mindo had 8,565 votes, while psychology sophomore Elijah Viola drew 8,433 votes.
There were no candidates for CSC auditor.
The Varsitarian hosted the “Botomasino: The Election Forum” on Monday, April 13, a week before electronic voting opened and the release of the special Botomasino edition.
Central Comelec Commissioner Marianne Pami told the Varsitarian two posts, secretary and auditor, were left vacant and would be filled through an internal balloting process among CSC members.
“In case of vacancy in any other position of the Executive Board, each member of the CSC shall nominate any local council executive board officer. From among the nominees, three shall be chosen by the CSC through secret ballot to become candidates for the position,” the CSC constitution states.
The proceedings will be led by the CSC president, with the winner of the secret balloting deemed “resigned” as a local council officer.
Central Board
The Comelec also proclaimed the winners of the local student council elections.
The Central Board, the CSC’s legislative arm, will be composed of newly elected council presidents from the different academic units:
- Genina Rilles (UST-AMV College of Accountancy)
- Sophia Deligro (College of Architecture)
- Natalie Santos (College of Education)
- Mark Del Rosario (College of Nursing)
- Christian Inson (College of Rehabilitation Sciences)
- Karl Nicolas (College of Science)
- Kenneth Benito (College of Tourism and Hospitality Management)
- Justine Dela Cruz (Education High School)
- Kenny Guevarra (Faculty of Sacred Theology)
- Jennille Butacan (Faculty of Arts and Letters)
- Jan Zamora (Faculty of Civil Law)
- Ezekiel Lagat (Faculty of Medicine and Surgery)
- Maria Rellosa (Faculty of Pharmacy)
- Kyle Villanoy (Faculty of Philosophy)
- Alexis Garcia (Institute of Physical Education and Athletics)
- Aleena Diaz (Junior High School)
- Scimon Reyes (Senior High School)
Voter turnout for this year’s election slightly dipped to 60.08%, with 26,356 Thomasians casting their votes.
This was a decline from the 61.00% turnout recorded in the 2025 elections.
The Central Comelec conducted the elections from April 20 to 25. Czeantal Naomi P. Delos Santos
