ALL VOWING to bring change in the Thomasian community, three aspirants from the Faculty of Arts and Letters are among the 17 candidates declared eligible to run in the upcoming Central Student Council (CSC) elections by the University’s Central Commission on Elections (Central Comelec).
Newly-resigned Arts and Letters Student Council (ABSC) Secretary Samantha Anne Williams seeks to bring to the Thomasian community the service she gave Artlets, as she now runs for the post of CSC secretary.
“Kasi kung may nakikita kang problema, you go forth and address the issue. So as a student na nakikita ‘yung mga problema na ganoon, I want to make a change. [I want to] step up and make that change that’s why I’m running,” independent candidate Williams said.
Meanwhile, Behavioral Science junior Jherome Ramos of Lakas Tomasino Coalition (LTC) and Journalism junior Enna May Hermoso of Lakasdiwa will go against each other for the position of public relations officer (PRO).
Ramos, who lost in last year’s race for ABSC vice president for external affairs, eyes empowering every student by bringing out their potential and confidence, a change he wants the Thomasian community to experience.
Having served as a staff member in the University’s student council, Hermoso said she sees a lot of things that need to be changed. “Bakit ko kailangang hintayin na ibang tao [ang kumilos], bakit hindi ako? So ayun, I decided to run.”
Meanwhile, incumbent CSC PRO Ranel Simon Rey withdrew his candidacy for auditor a day after the filing of certificates of candidacy to focus on his studies and fulfill his remaining projects as council officer.
Vying for presidency are Institute of Physical Education and Athletics’ Janela Love Nartates (LTC), College of Commerce and Business Administration’s (Commerce) Patricia Mae Yi (Lakasdiwa), and incumbent CSC treasurer Roi Sergio Rey as independent candidate.
Steven Grecia (LTC) from the Faculty of Pharmacy and Jose Ramon Liñan (Lakasdiwa) from Commerce will go head-to-head for the vice presidential post.
Joining Williams in the secretarial race are College of Rehabilitation Sciences’ Nina Jessica Pasno (LTC) and College of Fine Arts and Design’s Nina Bianca Ramirez (Lakasdiwa).
Rjay Yu (LTC) from the Faculty of Engineering, John Rick Marwell Bartolome (Lakasdiwa) from the College of Architecture, and independent candidate Ma. Glyden Aguilar from the College of Nursing are the official candidates for the position of treasurer.
Competing to be next academic year’s CSC auditor are Commerce’s Romulo Terrado III (LTC), AMV College of Accountancy’s Amiel Justine Ollica (Lakasdiwa), and College of Science’s Joseph Lee as independent candidate.
Running also for PRO, independent candidate Patrick Joseph Magyani from the Institute of Information and Computing Sciences will go against Ramos and Hermoso.
According to the Central Comelec, the UST Halalan 2016 will include a mock election on April 4-5, and Harapan Online! on April 6-8 and 11-13 to allow students to ask the candidates through social media.
The campaign period will be from April 12 to 18, while the election period will be on April 20-22. The annual face-off of CSC candidates will be on April 12-14, while the mandatory debate will be held on April 19.
The winners will be proclaimed on April 22. F – Mikkah F. Factor
