PARTIES contesting the UST Faculty Union (USTFU) elections are urging the USTFU Commission on Elections (Comelec) to reconsider its rejection of proposals for a hybrid voting system.
In a Facebook post, FAIR presidential candidate Revenendo Vargas called on the poll body to adopt a blended voting method to ensure that election results “reflect the collective will of the entire membership.”
“The core of any democratic exercise is the inclusion of every member. A hybrid election mode is essential to ensure that every faculty member can exercise their right to vote, regardless of their circumstances,” the post read.
Vargas argued that online voting is “not a foreign concept to our union,” noting that the 2021 USTFU elections were conducted online during the pandemic.
“This was made possible because the Board issued a formal promulgation, which provided the Comelec with the necessary legal mandate to execute the process,” he said.
Vargas added that the lack of preparation for similar contingencies, despite the success of the 2021 polls, pointed to a “systemic gap.”
“I call on the Comelec to consider all legal avenues to ensure an inclusive hybrid election. Simultaneously, I call for accountability regarding the administrative oversight that led to this procedural impasse,” he said.
Sulong presidential candidate Emerito Gonzales likewise pushed for a blended voting scheme combining onsite and online voting over three days, following the Comelec’s decision to hold a two-day, fully onsite election.
“This request is not outside the authority of the Comelec. Under our Constitution and By-Laws, the Comelec is empowered to adopt rules and regulations that will ensure a free, clean, honest, and orderly election,” he said in a statement.
“A 100% manual, two-day onsite elections risks discourage participation, especially among members who do not even have an onsite schedule on the voting dates,” he added.
In a motion for reconsideration, Sulong representative Michelle Desierto pointed to online classes in several academic units during the scheduled election days.
“There is no reason to deny the USTFU voting population their right to vote in an election held when the nation in general and the University in particular experiences an extraordinary crisis, calamity, or pandemic, especially if its impact is global in proportion,” Desierto said in her appeal.
She proposed the use of a software designed for online voting, with a parallel onsite option for those who prefer a manual voting method.
Sulong also recommended the issuance of a board resolution authorizing blended voting for 2026 elections, which must be ratified by the board of officers on or before a fixed deadline.
The Comelec earlier rejected proposals for hybrid voting due to the absence of provisions for online voting in the union’s constitution and bylaws.
The enhanced virtual mode in academic units follow the Commission on Higher Education directive allowing up to 100% online delivery amid the national energy emergency.
The union will hold its onsite elections on April 28 to 29, with Vargas of FAIR and incumbent president Gonzales of Sulong competing for the presidency.
