By KAREN RENEE NOGOY
ONLY FOUR of the seven Artlets Student Council (ABSC) positions were filled in the recently concluded ABSC polls, but the newly-elected officers gave assurance that the vacancies won’t affect the performance of their duties.
The positions of president, vice president (VP)-internal, VP-external, and secretary will be occupied, while auditor, treasurer, and public relations officer posts will remain vacant.
“With proper delegations, I am confident that the Artlets Student Council will not be compromised by the vacancies,” incoming ABSC president Kim Czaccei Dacanay told The Flame.
Dacanay, DEKADA’s candidate and former ABSC Secretary, was proclaimed new president of the council after a 966-vote victory against independent candidate Cyrille Coronado, who got 465 votes. One hundred five Artlets did not vote for any candidate for president.
Dacanay said the new ABSC officers would strengthen the “pro-student calls and demands for self-expression,” continue the dialogue with the administration regarding tuition, and help ensure the safe transition to face-to-face classes.
Newly-elected internal vice president Jose Maria Balbaboco of DEKADA said the vacancies would not hinder the ABSC from offering “a more progressive council and delivering quality service.” The unopposed candidate secured the post after receiving 1,219 votes, as against the 317 abstained votes.
Ierathel Tabuno, who was elected external vice president, said the council must perform to its full ability regardless of the vacancies and hoped that more Artlets would come forward in the special elections.
“It (ABSC) must perform to its fullest extent no matter what,” Tabuno said.
Tabuno, who ran as an independent candidate, won after earning 727 votes, narrowly defeating DEKADA’s Timothy Santiago, who got 708 votes. One hundred one votes were left unanswered for the post.
The four ABSC executive members would work “hand in hand” to perform the duties and responsibilities of the vacancies properly, according to incoming ABSC secretary Janica Kate Buan.
Another member of DEKADA, Buan ran unopposed and obtained 1,279 votes, as against 257 abstained votes. F
