Former Central Student Council (CSC) Public Relations Officer (PRO) Francis Gabriel Santos is set to lead as the new president of the CSC following the proclamation of the new set of CSC executive board officers last Saturday.
The Political Science junior won the highest post with 13,351 votes, defeating Civil Law sophomore and former CSC Secretary Karizza Kamille Cruz, who garnered 9,414 votes. A total of 3,383 students left the ballots unanswered.
Along with Santos, the Central Commission on Elections (Comelec) also proclaimed the winning candidates for the positions of vice president, secretary, treasurer, auditor and PRO — marking the board’s return to a full slate after abstentions in last year’s polls left four posts vacant for the entire year.
Biochemistry junior and lone candidate Victor Amores was proclaimed vice president with 15,241 votes, while a total of 10,907 ballots were left unanswered.
Medicine freshman Robert Dominic Gonzales was elected secretary with 9,818 votes, besting Journalism junior Carol Anne Balita who obtained 9,156 votes. A total of 7,174 students left the ballots unanswered.
Marketing Management junior Alek Pierce Joell Santa Ana, who ran unopposed following the disqualification of Graduate School student Rome Voltaire Gomez, was proclaimed treasurer with 14,759 votes, while a total of 11,389 ballots left unanswered (READ: Comelec disqualifies treasurer bet).
Medical Technology junior and lone candidate Adrian Lee Fernando was elected auditor, winning 14,587 votes, while a total of 11,561 ballots were left unanswered.
Advertising Arts junior Jeanne Nicole Naval was proclaimed PRO, obtaining 7,649 votes, beating Political Science juniors Jan Krianne Pineda and Jeremiah Pasion, who garnered 6,645 and 6,273 votes, respectively. A total of 5,581 ballots were left unanswered.
All candidates for this year’s CSC elections ran independently, as sole accredited political party Lakas ng Diwang Tomasino did not field any bets for the polls (READ: Lakasdiwa fields no candidates for CSC polls as independent bets fill candidate list).
The Central Comelec removed “abstain” votes in the electronic ballots used this year following a resolution by the Central Judiciary Board regarding the abstentions in last year’s polls. Voters, however, could leave their ballots unanswered (READ: No ‘abstain’ in upcoming CSC elections; students develop new electronic voting system).
A total of 26,148 out of 38,045 students participated in this year’s University-wide elections, higher than last year’s 28,873 out of 43,762.
Continuing platforms, plans
In an interview with TomasinoWeb, president-elect Santos said he would continue what he has started and learned as CSC PRO.
“[P]apatawag tayo ng unang meeting with the new set of executive board officers so as to set the direction of the CSC next academic year,” Santos said.
He also said they would begin actualizing the Students’ Rights and Welfare (Straw) Coalition platform and the other platforms of the executive board officers.
“For my case, uunahin natin ‘yung pagtatag ng Straw Coalition dito sa University, that will be the first step. Para by August or by September ma-launch natin siya dito and ma-set na ‘yung general direction ng coalition para, at the end of it all, ma-produce ‘yung batas, congress or ‘yung Student’s code dito sa University, he added.
Next year’s CSC Central Board, composed of the newly-elected local student council presidents, are as follows: Rafael Enrico Arellano (Faculty of Arts and Letters), Maria Dascha Uy (College of Architecture), Jealar Lazaga (Alfredo M. Velayo – College of Accountancy), Carl Joseph Reyes (College of Commerce and Business Administration), John Louis Torres (College of Tourism and Hospitality Management), Nikki Mei Ko (Faculty of Civil Law), Maricris Chuang (College of Education), Kristienne Mary Magsanoc (Education High School), Catherine Rose Santa Romana (Faculty of Engineering), Jheanna Delleopac (Junior High School) , Marianne Therese Lacap (Institute of Information and Computing Sciences), Lance Estenar (Faculty of Medicine and Surgery), Mikaela Janelle Mallorca (College of Nursing), Carlo Miguel Sarrosa (Faculty of Pharmacy), John Alfred Ravena (Faculty of Philosophy), Vashwin Amarnani (College of Science), Maria Taña Sanchez (Senior High School), Bro. Sandy Alerta, O.P. (Faculty of Sacred Theology), Bryan Joshua Casao (Institute of Physical Education and Athletics).
Candidates for the Conservatory of Music Student Council were disqualified and is yet to announce a schedule for elections.
Local elections for the College of Fine Arts and Design, College of Rehabilitation Sciences and the Faculty of Canon Law are currently being conducted and is set to end on Friday, April 27. —M.W. dela Paz, with reports from P. Jamilla and A. Ortega
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