8/9/2019 Unibê Wallnews 2015 USC Election Coverage

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The Bicol UniversitarianTHE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF BICOL UNIVERSITY 

Editorial Board and Staff AY 2014-2015

Editor in Chief  

Alyssa Joselle Bañares Associate Editor  Hermalyn ZantuaManaging Editor  Joshua Caleb PacletaSenior Editor  John Eulou Bas Online Content Editor  Randall Matthew LorayesArts and Graphics Editor Nichole Baloloy

Writers  Rojee Peninoy, Jervy Anne Romero, Jerald Talavera, Jessica Bechayda, Arthessa Marie Ladoing, DanicaNavida, Alyssa Joana Aro, Janelle Tanguin, Renz Nikkola Mortega, Bryan Del CastilloCartoonists  John Paul Revilla, Deano Christian Echague, Edward Lustan, Romel Noda

Photojournalist  John Emerson Bado, Don Mari Phil Frayna, Jerry Jetro Calag, Shan Gabriel ApuliLayout Artists  Exequiel Tugano Jr., Yves Lawrence Ivan Oarde

Public Relations Staff   Danica Villagarcia, Jeano Marcayda

Technical Adviser  Felipe Jose Peralta

The Bicol Universitarian is located at the 2F MP bldg., BU Main Campus, Legazpi City

UnibêAng Balitang Pader ng The Bicol Universitarian

Vol. XLVIII Series 1BU USC Election Coverage

John Emerson Bado

C O P Y R I G H T E D © 2 0 1 3 U N I B Ê . A L L R I G H T S R E S E R V E D .N O P A R T O F T H I S P A G E S H A L L B E R E P R O D U C E D I N A N Y F O R M O R B Y A N Y M E A N S W I T H O U T P E R M I S S I O N F R O M T H E P U B L I C A T I O N S T A F F .

R E M O V A L O R T A M P E R I N G I S P U N I S H A B L E B Y L A W .

tudent leadership is not solelyanchored on service.  It was an intense time or the

three rival parties as the studentscasted their votes yesterday, February13, or the next set o University Stu-dent Council (USC) officers.

Nevertheless, all the circum-stances that happened in this year’selection entailed our things.  First, the campaign period o-ered nothing new. Te usual politi-cal gimmicks with overrated political

speeches were still present. It has alsobeen a common scenario to hear in-nuendoes rom some candidates re-garding their ellow aspirants. It wasa disappointment that the period in-tended or them to present their plansonce seated in the council became aclash o varying colors. Adding to therustration were the students who in-cessantly called themselves as leaderswhen they ailed to maniest the at-tributes o a true leader.  Second, the election became anunhealthy arena or aspiring leaders.Supposedly, election must be a clasho student leaders, not political par-

ties. It must be a battle o platorms,not popularity. And most important-ly, it must be a match o service-ori-ented people, not ame-seekers. Elec-tion must have been a tool in unitingthe people who share a common goal- to serve the students. However, thecandidates treated other hopeuls asopponents, ailing to realize that atthe end o the day, they will still servethe same purpose in the university.  Tird, student leaders who lostin the election aces a new challenge– to continue what they have started.Every student, officer or not, will al-ways have something to contribute

or the welare o the institution.Serving does not end in losing a posi-tion; it starts by having the willpowerto do so.

And lastly, the newly electedUSC officers takes another step to-wards becoming better student lead-ers. Te chance to prove to the stu-dents that they are worth every voteis now on their hands. Te burden oshaping the kind o student leader-ship BU will have next academic yearare already on their shoulders. Teywere already given the opportunity tolead; they must utilize it well by tak-ing responsibility with passion and

commitment.rue enough, student leader-

ship is not only about serving the stu-dents; it also promises a new mold orthis institution.

New Mold

EDITORIAL

S

Despite some glitches, a more efficient vot-ing process through the electronic votingsystem was experienced by the colleges oBicol University (BU).

Pro. Ma. Merlie R. Arbo, Dean o theOffice o Student Services (OSS), claimed thatthis year’s e-voting “did not experience prob-lems.” “Although sa ibang colleges nagstartlang ng a little bit late pero wala namang nag-ing problema kasi may mga nakadeploy na-man na staff sa bawat college,” she said.

GLITCHES SEEN

  On its second year, glitches were stillobserved in the e-voting system amidst thepreparations.  College o Engineering (CEng), Insti-tute o Physical Education Sports and Recre-ation and College o Arts and Letters (CAL)started an hour behind the scheduled timedue to the late arrival o the technicians romPolangui Campus.  According to CEng’s College Student

Activities Coordinator Engr. Alwin M. Lunas,the technicians were the ones who knew thepassword or the sofware used in the votingsystem.  Furthermore, CEng students com-plained about the slow voting process in thecollege. “Halos wala namang pagkakaiba nunglast year. Magulo parin yung process and ma-haba yung pila,” Angela Louise D. Monorte,Philippine Institute o Chemical EngineersJunior Chapter V Auditor stated.  Moreover, insufficient number o com-puter units has been a common problem

among the colleges. CEng and CSSP lack theneeded computers which caused them to bor-row laptops and units rom students and pro-essors.  College o Industrial echnology andCollege o Education also stated that someo the 3rd year and 4th year students in theircollege ailed to vote because o their On-the-Job rainings.

Known or being an independent can-didate o the 2014 University StudentCouncil (USC) election, USC Chair-person and Student Regent Adelaine D.Bautista now has to ace the pressure oaffirming students’ expectations beoreshe turn over her position.  Bautista laid several platorms thatocused on quality projects. She addedthat her term would eye on the ‘benefici-ality o programs over aesthetics.’  Among her platorms were themaximized use and proper allocation ounds or tangible projects, saeguardingrights or students’ welare and effectiveUSC and College Student Council (CSC)partnership. She also aimed to make thestudents participate in activities whichwould oster their skills and not ocus on

those directed only or entertainment.  Flynn Golda Mirabete, a Civil En-gineering student directly expressed herassessment o Bautista’s term.  "Okay lang naman. Kaso di ko ma-syadong naramdaman yung council."

Contrary to Bautista’s goal, whatthe students remembered are the typicalannual projects o the council such as theFreshmen Welcome Party.  “I was expecting more rom hersince she broke the spell o clashing col-ors. Pero, parang naging ordinaryong taonpa rin ito [Bautista’s term] para sa USC atmga estudyante,” Mark Felix Ababa, a 3rdyear BS Entrepreneurship said.

In Te Bicol Universitarian’s latestissue, Bautista assured that in her term,the students will be part o the decision-making.

"As part o a University-Based Or-ganization, ramdam ko naman ang coun-cil everytime na mag me-meeting kami.Pero may mga time na di naman kaminai-inorm kaya di ko rin naman masasa-bing nagampanan niya lahat," said JomariM. Ezpartinez, President o Campus Cru-sade or Christ.  On the other hand, the next USCChairperson and Student Regent will en-counter the same challenge, which is toulfill the students’ expectations.  Te newly elected College o Arts

and Letters (CAL) Student Council VicePresident, Ariane Coleen abuzo chal-lenged the USC to be open-minded whenit comes to listening to comments andcriticisms.  In addition, Albert Jorge Emmanu-el Bersabe, Officer o BU Debate Societyurged the USC to orward to the studentsa stand or statements on social issues thataffect the university and the community.  BUeños challenged the new USCChairperson to go beyond Bautista's term.

As Bicol University (BU) welcomes its newpresident come March 9, the BUeños al-ready decided who will be their new Uni-

 versity Student Council (USC) Chairper-son and Student Regent last February 13.  Gaining 7, 040 votes and winning inseven colleges, Irene Kayle Santillan o Leagueo Liberal Reormists-Reporma Coalition(LLR-Reporma) secures the post as the newsupreme head o the USC.  Santillan, a third year AB Political Sci-ence student bested Jimmar Madridano o BULeague o Democrats (BU Leaders) who had5, 642 votes and Edric Ian Vargas o BUKLODwith 3, 244 votes.

  Furthermore, Reporma made a land-slide victory or this year’s election afer notch-ing eight out o ten posts in the council whichincludes Internal Vice Chairperson (IVC),Secretary General, Deputy Secretary General,Finance Officer, Deputy Finance Officer, Busi-ness Manager, and Public Inormation Officer.  With an advantage o 1, 398 votes, San-tillan expressed her thanks to the studentswho supported her.  “Salamat sa lahat ng nagtiwala sa akin.For giving me the third chance to serve BU.First year ako muntik na akong manalo. Dur-ing HARAPAN wala na sa akin yung eelingna mananalo ako. My slate were demoralizedat that time. Sabi nila [supporters], 'di pwe-

deng hindi ako manalo. Ang stand kasi nggrupo namin, matalo na lahat huwag lang ako.Sabi ko hindi, matalo na ako, wag lang kayonglahat. Kasi I can’t afford to see the people thatI’ve helped para matalo.”  LLR Reporma on its 11th year anniver-sary claimed the Student Regency afer a longspell o drought o our academic years. In therecent memory o BUeños, Daisy Lleno o theCollege o Science was the last standard bearero the said party who sat on the highest posi-tion in the council.

MAIN PRIORITIES

  Santillan said that her administrationwill ocus more on the “output-based activi-ties.”

  “Ayaw ko na ng mga activities na onetime big time lang - na ang effect ay sa mis-mong day o the activity. I want activities thathave long term effects sa mga estudyante.Yung tipong kapag ginawa namin yung activ-ity or the students, hahanap-hanapin na nilayung presence ng USC.”  Te new USC Chair said that the coun-cil will avoid conducting activities involvinglarge crowds that will not inflict a great impactto the students.

“We will ocus on smaller groups peromas tangible, mas concrete yung effect sa mgastudents. Hindi lang siya basta ‘just USC hadan event’. We will not sacrifice the quality othe activity so just we could cater lots o stu-

dents.”  Also, Santillan said that she will be closewith the new administration o BU. “Sincebago nga ‘to [administration], my job is to set

a new image as the Chairperson and the Re-gent.”

GREEN DOMINANCE

  With a landslide win, Reporma’s stan-dard bearer stated how their party preparedor the elections. “Maaga kaming nabuo as agroup so everyone was given a chance to pre-pare and back themselves up with the thingsna kailangan nila.”  She added that they were trained as ear-ly as December and were exposed on the di-erent jobs inside and outside the council.  “Another thing is eight o us were al-ready part o the council, either USC incum-

bent or Junior Councilor. We have one incum-bent CSC Representative and dalawa lang angwalang orientation sa council. So that’s a goodactor na lahat kami, gamay ang kalakaran.”  However, with two BU Leaders earn-ing a spot in the elected USC officials, Santil-lan assures that the two officers will not eellike they are not part o the sphere. She alsosaid that she would not have any problem withDonna Mae Benitez, External Vice Chairper-son and Rae Gabrielle De Chavez, Auditor be-cause she already worked with the ormer onMr. and Ms. BU while the latter was her class-mate back in elementary and high school.

ADAPTATION, ADOPTION

  When asked i too much closeness tothe administration makes the USC a puppet,Santillan said, “I don’t think so. Kasi you haveto work both ways. Kahit ayaw ko sa kanya[new president] or ayaw niya sa akin we haveto work things out.

“I cannot promise you [BUeños] to bethe bridge to the admin kung kami mismo ngadmin ay hindi ayos,” she urther said.  Santillan stressed that she will be creat-ing a good relationship to the administrationor the students and not or her personal ben-efits.  Likewise, the Student Regent said thatshe is willing to adopt the platorms o her ri- vals in the position.  “Gusto ko talaga yung platorm ni Ed-

ric, yung State o the University Address. It’sreally a good platorm. Kailangan ko langmakuha yung ull mechanism nila, baka wecan reconcile with what they are planning dunsa platorm nila. I really like it.”  She added that she wants to adopt Ma-dridano’s platorm that ocus on the USC em-powerment.

EXPECTATIONS TO MEET

  With the overwhelming support she re-ceived during the elections, Santillan togetherwith the USC officers gear up in meeting highexpectations rom the students and BU offi-cials.

“Apart rom serving the students’ needsand interests, I think the most important thingthat the Student Regent must cater to the stu-dents is or them to orward BU’s stand orsay on issues affecting the university and thecommunity. Te problem right now is that the

PolSci stude is new USC helm

USC do have a voice, but the substance o that voice is parang kulang,” said Albert Jorge Ber-sabe, BU Debate Society Officer. “What I amexpecting rom the next USC Chair is to re-move the exclusivity o their priority. Tat thestudents should be prioritized o their needs

and o their interests,” he added.  Office o Student Services Dean Ma.Merlie Arbo also shares her expectations orthe newly elected USC officers. “Well, we usu-ally expect them to lead a democratic way oleadership. Bringing the USC closer to the stu-dents, I am expecting them to do it. I’m ex-pecting them to do what they promised.”  “I guess, they should be vigilant enoughto look into the financial status o each col-lege, college student councils, and likewise theCSCs to look into the accomplishment andfinancial status o the all CBOs and the USCor the UBOs. Kasi most o the problem alamnatin at the present revolve around that issue.Kaya, solusyunan nila, tulungan kung paano

maaayos,” Arbo urther stated.  Meanwhile, Edric Ian Vargas, BUK-LOD standard bearer said, “Sana she can walkher talk. Dapat matupad ang mga platormsniya at ng buong partido niya regardless kunggaano ka-idealistic ito. Explain their plat-orms well on how they can truly implementit. At the same time, dapat din mapangatawa-nan niya yung mga pinagsasabi niya duringthe campaign period na effective ang councilkung maayos ang namumuno.”

ENVISIONED USC  “It will be a big council next academicyear. It’s everything that is simple, realistic andbold. We will just go or what is right or thestudents,” Santillan said. “We have the power

to set images to the students. We just need tomake it right.”  Santillan promised that she will be verytruthul to the students.  “I don’t want to give the students alseimages o who your USC officers are. Gustolang namin kayong palaklakin ng reyalidadng buhay. We want to be a good model to thestudents. We want to show them that just likeyou, kung gugustuhin ninyong maging katu-lad namin, kaya niyo rin,” the new USC Chair vowed.  “I do not want to put ourselves on apedestal. Ang pagtakbo sa konseho is not giv-ing yoursel a pedestal and sitting on top o it.Ang pagtakbo sa USC is giving yoursel a ped-estal and bringing it with you along the way,”Santillan concluded.

2015 E-voting runs smooth;

bugs still visible

ADJUSTMENTS AND PLANS

As glitches were seen in last year’s e- voting implementation, adjustments weredone or a smooth flow this year.  Pro. Guillermo V. Red Jr., E-VotingDeveloper, explained that an online votingwas done last February 12, 2015 or those stu-dents who cannot vote in their colleges due totheir OJs.  “Ginawa na namin [online voting]ngayon sa GC kaso isa-isang tinetext yungmga nag-OJ kaya yung 130 na nag-OJ ha-los 90 lang yung successul na nacontact,” Red

explained.  In online voting, a code will be givento every student. Tis would then be enteredin a website where the students will cast their votes.  “With the whole year, pag-iisipan na-min ni Ma’am Arbo kung paano mas madi-disseminate yung codes,” Red urther said.Meanwhile, CE is planning or a “mobile vot-ing” in the succeeding years in order to in-crease voters’ turn-out in their college.

by  Jervy Anne M. Romero with reports from Jeano Marcayda,Edward Lustan and Exequiel Tugano

On quality and expectations: 

Last peak onAdie’s term

by Jessica Bechayda & Bryan Del Castillo

JUDGEMENT DAY. A Bicol University (BU) Tabaco Campus

student votes for her chosen University and College Student

Council candidates. The 2015 marks the second year of

electronic voting in BU.

by Shan Gabriel Apuli 

by  Joshua Caleb Pacleta and Arthessa Marie Ladoing, infographics by Exequiel Tugano Jr.

#AllergicAkoSa

Valentinesart by Jeano Marcayda

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