March 30, 2016, 10:07p.m. – A FORMER campus leader on Wednesday urged candidates to put more substance in the Central Student Council (CSC) election campaign, noting that students tend to vote based on looks.
“We live in a world of visual worlds. People will always remember you physically. May mga taong boboto dahil cute ang tatakbo. Sad to say, ganyan ang ating pulitika. Sana lagpasan natin,” said Henry Tenedero, former Student Organizations Coordinating Council president who now heads the Thomasian Alumni Leaders Association.
Council officers must make an impact on the Thomasian community, he said in a forum with CSC candidates titled “Thomasian Open Dialogue: Konseho ko Para sa Susunod na Taon” at the Benavides Auditorium.
Unrelenting passion and commitment are tools for an effective term of office, Tenedero added. “I want you guys to change the notion of leadership. Make a difference and don’t just say ‘I want to serve,’ but touch the people’s lives,” he told candidates under the Lakas ng Diwang Tomasino, Lakas Tomasino Coalition, as well as independent bets.
Twitter mishap
Tenedero’s statements came after cryptic tweets seemingly criticizing council officers and independent candidates were posted on the official CSC Twitter account, prompting an investigation.
The tweets were posted March 29 after the first day of the filing of certificates of candidacy for the annual University-wide student elections.
The first tweet, posted at 5 p.m., said, “Remind me again what you did in your term of office?” Seven hours later, the account posted a tweet criticizing independent candidates, saying “Independent candidates pa more #NeverAgain.”
Both tweets were deleted immediately after they were posted.
CSC President Anna Mariz Mangalili, in the forum, said the council was looking into the matter.
The forum, organized by the CSC in partnership with the alumni leaders’ group, sought to orient candidates on the role of student council officers.
Bets down to 17
The number of CSC hopefuls was trimmed to 17 from 18 after the incumbent public relations officer, Ranel Simon Rey, withdrew his candidacy for auditor. Rey, an independent, said he had decided to focus on his engineering studies.
The campaign period for the student council elections 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. Roy Abrahmn D.R. Narra, Vianca A. Ocampo, Alhex Adrea M. Peralta
