FOUR INDEPENDENT Artlet bets are eyeing positions in the UST Central Student Council (CSC).
Former CSC public relations officer (PRO) and Political Science (PolSci) junior Francis Gabriel Santos is vying for the position of president, saying he wants to continue what he started last year.
“Gusto ko kasi ipagpatuloy ‘yung nasimulan namin ni Ate Therese (Gorospe), at gusto ko ‘di lang continuity, improvement din sa kung ano man ‘yung pagkukulang namin para ma-make sure natin na ‘yung CSC ay papunta sa tamang direksyon,” he said.
Santos was one of the only two officers elected in the CSC last year, with the other being Therese Gorospe as secretary, after “abstain” outnumbered the votes for the candidates in other positions.
Santos will go against former CSC secretary (A.Y. 2011-2012) Karizza Kamille Cruz.
Journalism junior Carol Anne Balita, meanwhile, is gunning for the position of secretary, sharing that she originally planned to run in the UST Journalism Society but chose the central council instead.
“If same rin ‘yung plan ko na maging progressive din ‘yung Journalism Society, why not lawakan ko pa ‘yung scope na pwedeng ma-influence ang mga Thomasians,” she said.
Press freedom and the condition of the marginalized sectors of the society would be among her main concerns, she said.
Balita will go against Medicine freshman Robert Gonzales.
PolSci juniors Jeremiah Pasion and Jan Krianne Pineda are eyeing the position of PRO.
Pasion said he wants to unite Thomasians to fight for their rights.
“Nakikita natin ‘yung pangangailangan na dapat makilahok tayo doon sa eleksyon ng Central Student Council upang makiisa ‘yung malawak na masang estudyante, ‘yung mga Thomasians, at ‘yung malawak na masa’t mamamayang Pilipino na pag-isahin ang ating mga laban para abutin ‘yung ating karapatan,” Pasion said.
Pineda, on the other hand, said her experiences as former Artlets Student Council PRO and CSC executive coordinator allowed her to run in the upcoming elections.
She said she wants to raise Thomasians’ awareness on the internal and external issues of the University.
“As we have seen naman na maraming issues na bumabangga sa UST and I think it’s about time na we make sure na we, Thomasians, we should be abe to resonate kung ano ba talaga ‘yung ideals ng pagiging Tomasino,” Pineda said.
Pasion and Pineda will be joined by Advertising Arts student Jeanne Nicole Naval in the race for PRO.
Lakas ng Diwang Tomasino, the only accredited student political party this election period, did not field candidates, leaving all bets this year as independent.
The UST Central Commission on Elections ruled out the Lakas-Tomasino Coalition for violating online campaigning rules in the previous polls.
The mandatory debate is set on April 3, which will also be the start of the campaign period, running until April 17.
The tentative date for the elections is from April 11 to April 21. The proclamation of winners is also on April 21. F
