THE CENTRAL Commission on Elections (Comelec) will resume efforts to revise the UST Students’ Election Code (USEC), using its 2025 draft as the basis for the 2026 version after the previous draft failed to get ratified.
In a resolution dated Aug. 23 and released on Sept. 12, the Central Comelec said it would use the 2025 USEC draft as the “foundational basis” for the revisions.
“The Commission shall continue the revision process by examining, consolidating, and, where appropriate, further developing the existing proposed revisions, taking into consideration new developments in the electoral system, experiences, and matters not expressly covered by the current Code,” it said.
The Central Comelec seeks to address gaps in the existing code and add procedures for new electoral situations and special cases.
It noted that the current USEC, in place since 2011, does not provide procedures or disciplinary measures for several circumstances that have arisen since its implementation.
The election body warned that the lack of procedures and remedies for cases not covered by the code could affect its quasi-judicial, administrative and regulatory functions.
The Central Comelec said it would coordinate with the Central Board and other stakeholders during the consultation and ratification of the 2026 USEC draft.
The USEC governs student elections and covers the activities of student leaders, political parties and councils.
Attempts to revise the code date back to 2018, when the Central Comelec began coordinating with the Central Student Council on proposed changes.
In 2023, the commission proposed revisions to the Central Board, with 17 of its 23 members voting in favor.
The latest attempt came in 2025, when then-Central Comelec chair Franz Soriano pushed for the revised USEC to take effect in time for the student council elections.
READ: What you should know about the UST Students’ Election Code revision
The 2025 USEC draft was presented to the student body during a town hall in February 2025, where students were invited to provide feedback. It was later forwarded to the Central Board for review.
