Vice President
Aiah Karrylle Jacinto
Advocating for a safer learning environment, a progressive council and effective student representation, Aiah Karrylle Jacinto, the public relations officer (PRO) of the College of Commerce and Business Administration Student Council, is gunning for the vice presidency in this year’s student polls.
Running unopposed, the former student coordinator to the vice president at the Student Organization Coordinating Council (SOCC) believes that her interpersonal skills as a student leader will significantly contribute to her leadership if elected.
“Throughout po my student leadership journey, I have learned the importance of, una, being able to connect [with] other people through active listening at pangalawa, the ability to empathize with others,” she told the Varsitarian.
Through her “Tungkod Tomasino” platform, Jacinto pushes for proper representation and recognition of different sectoral groups in the University, which she believes can be achieved by forming independent commissions, one of the proposed amendments of the 2003 Central Student Council (CSC) Constitution.
She plans to work with the CSC president to actualize the proposed constitutional revision and create a working environment to help execute her platform.
“Kahit po nasa president ‘yung legislative power [ng] konseho, maaari pa rin po akong makipagtulungan sa presidente upang maigi po kaming makapagplano sa mga gagawing hakbang,” she explained.
The incumbent CSC President Nathan Agustin released on March 5 the working file containing the proposed revisions to the charter.
Jacinto supports a constitutional convention instead of a constituent assembly where only the Central Board decides on the charter revision.
“Kung magco-constitutional convention po tayo ay maaari po akong directly makatulong po sa pag-rerebisa ng Constitution,” she said.
“Dahil dito po sa con-con na tinatawag po natin, pwede po tayong mag-delegate ng mga taong sa tingin natin mas makakatulong sa pagpapatibay ng mga provisions na ire-revise sa Constitution.” Judd Ericka Marie F. Crescini
Secretary
John Harold Peralta
Faculty of Medicine and Surgery freshman John Harold Peralta will set his sights on improving the University’s activity management system, prioritizing the needs of persons with disabilities (PWDs) and amending the Constitution if elected secretary.
Running as an independent candidate, Peralta, the incumbent CSC executive coordinator, said that the charter change would help future executive boards push for “genuine student representation” and make the code more “holistic and inclusive” to the Thomasian community.
“Unang-una sa lahat ng aking mga priorities ay ang Constitution revision dahil dito mabibigyan o maha-highlight ang policy-making mandate ng sentral na konseho,” he told the Varsitarian.
Peralta also promises to streamline processes in filing applications on the Electronic Reservation of Scheduled Events and Reservation of Venue (e-ReSERVe), the official activity management system for scheduling events in the University, to hasten document processing and improve dialogue with University offices.
“Makikipag-coordinate [ang] mga local student councils at Central Student Council sa mga administrators at offices para nang sa gayon ay hindi na ma-delay ang mga projects natin,” he said.
Peralta also seeks to build partnerships with organizations providing assistance to PWDs.
“Pagtutuunan natin ng pansin ang braille para sa mga persons with visual impairment, ang wheelchair mount at mga ramps para sa mga persons with physical disability,” he added.
Peralta has been unopposed since Peter Estalilla, the interim president of the College of Education Student Council, withdrew from the race on March 6. Allyssa Mae C. Cruz
Treasurer
Rafael Luis Pesueña
Incumbent CSC executive coordinator to the treasurer Rafael Luis Pesueña is pushing to strengthen Thomasian connections and establish mentors from top professionals in different fields in his quest to be the next CSC treasurer.
“Thomasian Case Week,” he said, aims to build “avenues to connect with top professionals” that encourage “applications and learning, and mentoring sessions, as well as establishing connections” that will contribute to the Thomasian identity.
Currently, the UST Counseling and Career Center consistently conducts career fairs and partners with different organizations to prepare Thomasians as they enter the workforce.
Pesueña also proposes a unified financial manual entitled “ReAlign: Treasurer’s Manual” that will make the financial dealings of the CSC and local bodies with the Office of the Vice Rector for Finance more efficient.
“Nakita ko na mahirap intindihin ‘yung mga finance process na meron tayo especially if galing ka sa labas […] ‘Yun ‘yung nakita ko talaga na dapat bilang isang treasurer [ay] matugunan natin,” Pesueña said in an interview with the Varsitarian.
The SOCC and Office for Student Affairs (OSA) internally organize a yearly financial seminar for treasurers and auditors from the CSC and local student councils.
If elected, the marketing management student wishes to reinforce the ties between the CSC and University administrators, stressing the need for proper communication.
“Bilang UST Central Student Council kasi, ikaw ‘yung bridge ng administrasyon sa Thomasian body and vice versa,” he said. Karis M. Tsang
Auditor
James Arrenkiel Ceñido
James Arrenkiel Ceñido of the College of Commerce and Business Administration aims to boost public accountability and capacitate local-level officers by creating a “unified strategic goal” as he runs unopposed for auditor.
“Syempre bilang isang auditor, hindi lang naman tayo sa pinansyal na aspeto. More of the compliance side rin tayo. Iche-check natin kung ‘yung mga target objectives natin ay nakakamit ba [sa] bawat lokal at maging [sa] sentral,” the business administration junior told the Varsitarian.
Ceñido, who is this year’s CSC deputy chief of staff, offers two platforms centered on upholding accountability: “Amplify” and “Magnify.”
Through “Amplify,” Ceñido vows to “hear the Thomasian voice” and empower students by creating a semestral evaluation that will quantify the effectiveness of the CSC in implementing its policies and programs.
And through “Magnify,” he aims to implement unified strategic objectives by establishing manuals on general statutes for local student councils across the University.
Citing the platform of former CSC auditor Dale Marollano, Ceñido also plans to continue the outgoing administration’s efforts but is still keen on assessing its effectiveness.
Marollano resigned from his post on Feb. 24 due to the “restrictive system” that bars his vision for a “policy-driven student council.”
Given this, Ceñido plans to intensify the council’s communication with the University administration.
“It [boils] down to communication and good relationship with the admin. Of course, we would be representing the student body. ‘Yun ang gusto natin ma-establish: Maintindihan tayo,” he said. Nyah Genelle C. De Leon and Niña Angelica M. Rodriguez
Public Relations Officer
Maxine Javier
Fine Arts junior Maxine Javier advocates for effective information dissemination and a financial support system for competing organizations as she runs unopposed for PRO.
Javier, the incumbent executive associate to the PRO, has two primary platforms: a constitutional revision information campaign and a program to raise funds for e-sports and debaters organizations.
“If the students won’t come to me and they have concerns and issues they’d like to raise, then I’m willing to be the one to come [close] to them,” the advertising arts junior said in an interview with the Varsitarian.
The campaign, Javier said, would disseminate the Google Docs working file of the proposed constitutional amendments.
“I’d like to make sure that the Thomasian community is well-informed about the old Constitution and the new working proposal so that we all know what we are fighting for,” she said.
“But I feel like if we were able to push through with this constitution revision, we will be able to open more doors or opportunities for us to really pursue our duties as the Central Student Council.”
Javier also eyes giving more monetary support to dance troops, debaters, e-sports athletes and other competing groups representing the University by connecting them to the UST Alumni Association.
“We have organizations that do competitions that don’t have [the] time to do [fundraising] events — they have to focus on their training. I’d like to help them get financial funding from the alumni so they can compete in competitions without the issue of looking for funds themselves,” she said.
Javier believes she can still be a student leader despite the alleged “restrictive system” in the University that Marollano cited as one of the reasons for stepping down.
“For me, my motivation to keep going with this restrictive system is to just keep fighting and continue their fight, even if it’s only small — but at least it’s progress,” she said. Angeli Ruth Acosta
