12 February 2013, 11:37 p.m. – THREE political parties competing in the Central Student Council (CSC) elections faced off earlier today in the mandatory debate and miting de avance hosted by the UST Central Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Candidates for CSC posts were each given a minute to introduce themselves and discuss their platforms, followed by interpellation from their opponents. A series of questions were also asked by a panel composed of Varsitarian Associate Editor James Bryan Agustin, Students Organization Coordinating Council (SOCC) Benjamin Zoilo Ravanera III, and Kenneth Dizon, external vice president of Thomasian Debaters Club.
Lakas Tomasino Coalition (LTC) standard bearer and incumbent CSC vice president Raymond Angelo Gonzales assured the student body of the passage of the long overdue Students’ Code.
With “political will” and cooperation from the Office of the Rector, Gonzales said he was confident the magna carta for students will finally be approved when he wins the presidency.
Meanwhile, Lakas ng Diwang Tomasino (Lakas Diwa) standard bearer Miyuki Morishita, who has also called for the approval of the Students’ Code, said she would offer a new perspective to the council.
“[My] purpose is to govern because I asked for your votes and promised you change,” Morishita said during the debate.
Vice-presidential candidates Romulo Gabriel Kintanar (LTC) and Carl Vincent Palapal (Lakas Diwa) called for the lifting of restrictions on promissory notes, and rejected proposals to hike tuition by five percent.
Candidates for treasurer Ace Dominic Quebal (LTC), John Joshua Canasa (Lakasdiwa), and Julius Augustus Apacible (Alyansa ng Kristiyanong Lakas), said there was no need for an increase in the student council fund, which, at P17, is lower than the local student council fee.
The campaign period will run until Feb. 13. Proclamation of winners will be on Feb. 16.
Voter turnout must be at least 25 percent of the student population, otherwise, failure of elections will be declared. Last year’s election had a voter turnout of 64.27 percent, with 26,864 students voting out of the UST student population of 41,799. Nikka Lavinia G. Valenzuela
