LOCAL student council officer Anna Mariz Mangalili is determined to prove that she can take over the Central Student Council’s (CSC) presidency even without the backing of a political party.
Mangalili, a third year Management Accounting student, is the incumbent assistant secretary of the AMV-College of Accountancy Student Council.
She said her candidacy would give Thomasians a choice, considering that Lakas ng Diwang Tomasino was the only political party accredited by the Central Commission on Elections this year.
“As an independent candidate, [I am] not [here] to ask for sympathy but rather to give [students] an opportunity to elect someone who will not just promise and do what was promised, but to elect someone who will give and help provide solutions to problems,” she said in an interview.
Mangalili said her experiences in the local student council already serves as sufficient background for her candidacy.
“I can’t say that my experiences are enough but I can say that [the] experiences that I have reflected on and I have learned from [will be] enough para tumakbo ako and maging credible to run for CSC presidency,” she said.
A leader who listens
If there is one thing Mangalili can assure Thomasians, it is her willingness to listen before anything else.
“I am a leader who listens and produces actions,” she said. “Hindi ako laging magpo-provide ng solutions but I will help you provide solutions to your problems kasi as president, I can only do as much. Kailangan may gagawin din kayo as students.”
She believes that the present CSC did well in establishing a good relationship between local student councils and the CSC.
However, she is not content with some of the council’s projects that are “not beneficial to everyone.”
“Para sa akin, not everyone is given a voice loud enough to be heard,” she said. “Hindi talaga natin naa-address kung ano ba talaga ‘yung problema nila (students) kasi hindi naman natin naririnig. We always come up with projects pero kailangan ba talaga nila ‘yun?”
In her campaign for presidency, Mangalili eyes students’ rights-centered platforms, such as: Pro-Active Grievance Process, Promotion of Socio-political Awareness and Active Intellectual Discourse, Protection of Students’ Rights and Welfare, and Support for Thomasian Diversity.
She also seeks to promote professionalism in the student council, saying it would lead to better governance.
“We practice professionalism na kung trabaho, trabaho lang, walang personalan,” she said. “Isa lang naman ‘yung goal ng mga tumatakbo, that is to serve, so kailangan mag-stick ka sa goal mo, that is to serve.”
In case of a defeat, Mangalili said she would still be keen on serving the Thomasian community in other ways. She noted that she began as a student volunteer in Sto. Domingo Church before becoming a CSC staff.
“Kung gusto mo talagang mag-serve, there are other ways, you can be a staff and you can volunteer for community development works,” she said. Delfin Ray M. Dioquino and Arainne F. Merez
