ALL SIX candidates of the Students’ Democratic Party (SDP) secured a seat in the next academic year’s Arts and Letters Student Council (ABSC).
Former ABSC Treasurer Rafael Arellano (SDP) will lead Artlets as new ABSC president after garnering 892 votes, defeating Grand Alliance for Progress’ (GAP) standard bearer and former ABSC Public Relations Officer (PRO) Wrexler Bayani (656 votes), and independent bet Dindo Roxas (579 votes). A total of 232 votes were unanswered.
Arellano said that while he is grateful to Artlets for trusting his political party, the next student council will still need the students’ help.
“[H]aving a council hailing from one political party, I understand that we will be highly scrutinized, which is why I want to reiterate that we need the Artlets’ help because we could not actualize our platforms without them in the same way that we wouldn’t be here without them,” he told the Flame.
The newly-elected president added that his council will focus on enhancing student participation regarding issues both inside and outside the University.
Jeanric Biñas secured the position of vice president for external affairs after earning 759 votes. Lady Freyja Gascon (Dekada) gained 551 votes while Wilfredo Reyes Jr. (GAP) earned 399 votes. There were 650 votes counted as unanswered.
With 640 votes, Anika Simone Imperial (SDP) was proclaimed vice president for internal affairs. Thomas Sandino Baluga (Dekada) and Karen Daryl Brito (GAP) gained 520 and 482 votes, respectively, while 717 were unanswered.
Assuming the position of secretary is Pauline Bartolo (SDP) with 836 votes against Candace Marie Umbay’s (GAP) 792 votes, and 731 unanswered votes.
Felize Ruth Billena grabbed the position of treasurer after earning 635 votes. Tania Eliesha Luna (Dekada) gained 587 votes while Sandra Corinne Perdido (GAP) tallied 501 votes. A total of 636 were unanswered.
Lone candidate for auditor Brian Richard Diaz (SDP) won after gaining 1,184 votes against the 1,175 unanswered votes.
Special election for the position of PRO will be held next academic year as no one ran for the position, AB Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairperson Ayla-Rhey Salapare said in a previous interview.
Salapare said the local poll body met the expected 75 percent voter turnout as 2,359 out of the 3,135 total electorate casted their votes and all 69 sections in the Faculty were able to vote in the automated elections.
Last year, voter turnout only stood at 57.86 percent. F
