March 29, 2016, 10:29p.m. – ELECTION season has begun in UST with 18 students filing their certificates of candidacy for the upcoming Central Student Council (CSC) polls.
The contenders as of March 29 included two incumbent CSC officers, candidates from two recognized University-wide political parties, and independent bets.
Lakas Tomasino Coalition (LTC) and Lakas ng Diwang Tomasino (Lakasdiwa) are fielding candidates for all six CSC positions, while the remaining six candidates are running independently.
Competing for the presidency are incumbent CSC treasurer and marketing management sophomore Roi Sergio Rey (independent), former Institute of Physical Education and Athletics Student Council president Janela Love Nartates (LTC), and the outgoing assistant secretary of the Commerce and Business Administration Student Council (CBASC), Patricia Yi (Lakasdiwa).
For the vice presidency, the outgoing external public relations officer (PRO) of the Pharmacy Student Council, Steven Grecia (LTC), will run against former CBASC assistant treasurer Josh Liñan (Lakasdiwa).
Eyeing the post of secretary are former Faculty of Arts and Letters Student Council secretary Samantha Anne Williams (independent), physical therapy freshman Niña Jessica Pasno (LTC), and fine arts student Niña Bianca Ramirez (Lakasdiwa).
Nursing junior Ma. Glyden Aguilar (independent), engineering student Rjay Yu (LTC) and architecture junior John Rick Bartolome (Lakasdiwa) will run for the position of treasurer.
Running for the position of auditor are incumbent CSC PRO and engineering sophomore Ranel Simon Rey (independent), biology junior Neil Joseph Lee (independent), outgoing CBASC auditor Romulo Terrado III (LTC), and accountancy student Amiel Justin Ollica (Lakasdiwa).
Three candidates are gunning for the position of PRO: information technology sophomore Patrick Joseph Magyani (independent), behavioral science student Jherome Ramos (LTC) and journalism junior Enna May Hermoso (Lakasdiwa).
Central Commission on Elections (Comelec) vice chairman Raymond John Naguit said the filing of certificates of candidacy does not ensure the students’ eligibility to run in the upcoming elections, as the poll body will still review their qualifications. The Comelec will release the official list of candidates on March 31.
Lakasdiwa and LTC are the only accredited political parties this year. The Central Comelec cancelled the registration of Alyansa ng Kristiyanong Lakas, the oldest University-wide political party, for its failure to field candidates in the last two elections.
The campaign period will be from April 4 to 20, and the mandatory debates will be on April 19. The proclamation of the new CSC officers will be on April 22. Kathryn Jedi V. Baylon and Alhex Adrea M. Peralta
