THE STUDENT council elections in UST encountered a significant and unprecedented challenge this year when all Central Student Council (CSC) Executive Board candidates withdrew in March.
However, the UST Central Commission on Elections (Comelec) proceeded with the local student council (LSC) elections, and the winners were announced during the Proklamasyon at the Tan Yan Kee Student Center on April 27.
According to Central Comelec chairperson Noelle Isungga, these LSC leaders, now comprising the new Central Board, will assume the responsibility of overseeing campus-wide politics. They are set to take on the roles and duties of the Executive Board until a regular election is conducted at the beginning of the next academic year.
“The Central Board shall take over and assume the functions of the Executive Board only until the members of the executive board have been elected and qualified,” Isungga said.
“After the members of the executive board have been elected and qualified, they will now assume their office and function as the CSC Executive Board,” she added.
The Central Board is composed of the following elected presidents of LSCs:
- Manuel Marcon IV (UST-AMV College of Accountancy)
- Justine Ello (Faculty of Arts and Letters)
- Desiree Rivera (Faculty of Engineering)
- Mark Alpas (College of Commerce and Business Administration)
- Jerlhynne Andres (College of Fine Arts and Design)
- Earl Isidro (College of Information and Computing Sciences)
- Jose Domingo (Faculty of Medicine and Surgery)
- Kristahn Zoleta (College of Nursing)
- Gavinwill Uy (Faculty of Pharmacy)
- John Tubon (Institute of Physical Education and Athletics)
- Maria Pecson (College of Rehabilitation Sciences)
- Kevin Escosar (College of Science)
- Karyll Macalincag (College of Tourism and Hospitality Management)
- Sean Correa (Facuty of Philosophy)
- Jhon Sioson (Faculty of Sacred Theology)
- Juan Dimatulac (Junior High School)
The Central Board members will take on the responsibilities of the Executive Board for the remainder of the current academic year, the upcoming special term, and the beginning of the next academic year.
They will perform the functions of the Executive Board until a regular election is conducted at the start of Academic Year 2024 to 2025, or until the final list of voters is confirmed after enrollment.
Isungga told the Varsitarian that due to the absence of provisions in the existing UST Student Elections Code for a scenario where all positions lacked candidates, the Central Comelec had to consult the CSC Constitution to address the vacancies.
“It’s more on the CSC Constitution na kasi. Ang gino-govern lang naman ng (UST Student Elections Code) ay ‘yung election itself–paano mag-elections, paano ma-conduct ‘yung elections,” Isungga said.
“Pero ’yung series of anong gagawin ‘pag walang tumakbo or nag-withdraw lahat, it’s all under the CSC Constitution,” she added.
Based on the CSC Constitution, the Central Board shall assume the roles and responsibilities of the Executive Board if all positions are declared vacant.
“In case of vacancy in all the positions in the executive board, the Central Board shall take over and assume the functions of the executive and the central board until the members of the executive board shall have been elected and qualified,” Article 12, Section 6 of the CSC Constitution read.
The Central Comelec conducted the elections for LSC posts from April 22 to 27.
The lack of candidates for the CSC Executive Board was due to the withdrawal of Timothy John Santiago (president), Matthew Enriquez (vice president), Hannah Calara (secretary), Hanah de Leon (treasurer), Josh Viray (auditor), and Francine Tuazon (public relations officer) on March 20, followed by Stephan Aseron (auditor) two days later.
Most of them cited campus media censorship, red-tagging, suppression of democratic rights and student welfare, and the entrenched bureaucratic system as factors influencing their decision to withdraw.
