SEVEN independent candidates will vie for six positions in the upcoming Central Student Council (CSC) Executive Board elections, the Central Commission on Elections has announced.
Initially, eight students filed their certificates of candidacy, but legal management junior Mike Cobarrubias, president of his program’s society, pulled out of the race for treasurer after facing issues with requirements.
Cobarrubias said he had problems securing requirements such as the certificate of good moral character and transcript of records.
Timothy Santiago, president of the Faculty of Arts and Letters (Artlets) Student Council, will run unopposed for the CSC presidency.
“I understand the need to set dialogues with the students for them to heed their demands and interests which can be done by consolidating our student sectors within the University,” Santiago told the Varsitarian.
Matthew Enriquez, external vice president of the Artlets Student Council, is the lone candidate for vice president.
“One of my focuses would be on student assistance, further strengthening the council’s assistance to students,” he said.
Artlets Student Council Secretary Hannah Calara is the sole gunner for secretary.
“I’ve seen the importance of a council that reaches out to the students and has multiple feedback mechanisms. I’m advocating for more avenues for these students to voice out their concerns,” she said.
Hanah de Leon, a former staff member at the CSC Office of the Treasurer, will run unopposed as treasurer following Cobarrubias’s withdrawal.
“I want to be able to continue what the Office of the Treasurer has done in the previous terms when it comes to properly allocating the budget and documenting all the expenses within the council,” De Leon said.
Only the auditor position will have two candidates: Josh Viray, auditor of the College of Information and Computing Sciences Student Council, and Stephan Aseron, executive associate to the president of the Faculty of Pharmacy Student Council.
“I saw the gaps towards student safety and how we would be able to create safer places for our students and towards student safety as well to how we deal crisis inside the University,” Viray said.
“Naniniwala po ako na kinakailangan bigyan ng plataporma ang mga students upang ma-address din ang mga concerns nila sa CSC. From there, we can also try as well to encourage student participation,” Aseron said.
Seeking the public relations officer (PRO) post is Francine Tuazon, executive associate to the PRO at the College of Fine Arts and Design Student Council.
“I think that it’s time for the CSC to start to reconnect with the students and to try to strengthen the bond and communication we have with the students,” Tuazon said.
This will be the fifth straight year in which no political parties were accredited for the CSC polls.
Tagisan, the mandatory debate for candidates running for executive board posts, will be held onsite on April 13.
The University-wide election period is slated for April 22 to 27.
The canvassing of votes and proclamation of the new set of Thomasian leaders will be on April 27.
