IT IS Dekada’s year.
All seven candidates from the political party Dekada will sit in the Arts and Letters Student Council (ABSC) next academic year.
Garnering a total of 2,276 votes, former ABSC Vice President-External Ysabella Gabrielle Marasigan was proclaimed the president of the next council.
Grand Alliance for Progress’ (GAP) Renz Joshua Esguerra, Students’ Democratic Party’s (SDP) Samantha Makayan, and Student Alliance for the Advancement of Democratic Rights in UST’s (STAND-UST) Elizabeth Anthony got 666 votes, 235 votes, and 199 votes, respectively.
The newly-elected president believes the whole political party won because of Artlets’ trust. “Everyone in Dekada slate actually worked inside the student council. Because of that, they trusted us na ‘yung taong may experience sa loob ng konseho [ang] tunay na makakapagtrabaho nang mas maayos.”
Marasigan also assured the AB community of the execution of all the platforms under Dekada with their 7-0 win.
Jacob Israel Basilio secured the vice president-external position after earning 1,550 votes. Basilio defeated Hector Dominic Aleman of GAP (734 votes), Paolo Alezandro Nera of STAND-UST (385 votes), and Rafael Luis Lopez of SDP (383 votes).
Shaira Joyce Javier will serve as vice president-internal after a 1,288-vote victory against SDP’s Abdulrahman Mangandog II (638 votes), GAP’s Ma. Rica Mañalac (611 votes), and STAND-UST’s Tiffany Tolones (376 votes).
Mariele Carissa Embestro was named ABSC’s new secretary after earning 1,202 votes against the 983 votes, 409 votes, and 384 votes of Charrie Patricia Tadeo (GAP), Maria Ann San Andres (SDP), and Lourdes Nita Fausta (STAND-UST), respectively.
Assuming the position of treasurer is Rana Mae Dizon who garnered a total of 1,258 votes. Dizon beat GAP’s Daverick Angelito Pacumio (922 votes), SDP’s Horacio Tomas Castillo III (484 votes), and STAND-UST’s Moriah Dianne Dela Cruz (247 votes).
Brian Earl Leshen won the seat of auditor with 1,234 votes, outnumbering the 958 votes and 543 votes of GAP’s Wrexler Reiven Bayani and SDP’s Sebastian Gabriel Elardo, respectively.
Completing the list of new officers is Jan Krianne Pineda who garnered 1,123 votes. Pineda bested Alisa Robyn Artonio of GAP (884 votes), Tiffany Candelaria of SDP (582 votes), and Rochel Ellen Bernido of STAND-UST (371 votes).
Dekada’s clean sweep this year ended the party’s drought for a “take-all win,” which last happened 18 years ago, Dekada’s Chairman Gabes Gatmaytan said.
On the other hand, the UST Central Commission on Elections postponed the proclamation of the Central Student Council executive board due to “difficulty of downloading the results.”
The proclamation is rescheduled to April 25, Monday. F – KRYSTAL GAYLE R. DIGAY
