As agreed in its first regular session, PUP Student Council Assembly (SCA) conducted a special session to spearhead the deliberation, nomination, and election for the SC Constitutional Commissions and Student Tribunal members on December 4.
This was attended by the Sentral na Konseho ng Mag-aaral (SKM) officers led by its President and SCA Presider Kirchhoff Angala, and Vice President Benhur Quequegan, with other presidents from the 14 colleges of the university.
Under the recently passed Act No. 001 Series of 2022, known as "An Act Establishing the Selection Mechanism of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Student Council Constitutional Commissions and Student Tribunal", it states that the selection mechanism must proceed to the following phases: (1) application; (2) centralization; (3) nomination; (4) interview; (5) deliberation and election; (6) electoral protest; and (7) proclamation.
The application started from November 15 to December 2, opening its available positions for the four independent governing bodies, namely the PUP SC Commission on Elections (COMELEC), Commission on Audit (COA), Commission on Student Organization and Accreditation (COSOA), and the Student Tribunal.
Applicants have to be formally nominated by the SKM President and elected by the SCA members.
𝗠𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗼 𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘀 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗠𝗮𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗨𝗣 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝗻𝗮𝗹
Last school year’s Chief Magistrate Maria Quinntine Mercado chose to revalidate her position against Associate Magistrate John Rev Catan, which Mercado won by a majority of votes.
In her recommendation letter, she recommends that Catan and Associate Magistrate Antonio Ocampo be revalidated and Tribunal Clerk Ralph Payabyab be accepted as an Associate Magistrate. On the other hand, the chief magistrate did not grant former Associate Magistrate Neilvin John Aventurado his revalidation due to her "great doubts and reservations."
"Moreover, consider his personal reasons why he became inactive and unresponsive for two months. His inactivity and unresponsiveness for two months can be deemed grave negligence of his duty as an Associate Magistrate of the PUP Student Tribunal," she stated.
Furthermore, Catan, Ocampo, and Payabyab were chosen as associate magistrates, with Carlos Jude Maminta taking the last spot.
𝗖𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗦𝗖 𝗖𝗢𝗔 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻
BS Accountancy (BSA) 3-2 student Patricia Cabiles was unanimously voted as the new COA Chairperson among the five applicants.
Quequegan announced that no previous COA officers were revalidated; in effect, the SC would choose the would-be chairperson among the nominees, under its constitution.
The four remaining applicants, Althea Dela Peña, Rodolfo Ordonio, Jr., Prince Adrian Pines, and Madeline Villanueva, were elected as COA commissioners.
For the said commission, it requires four commissioners and one chairperson.
𝗣𝗨𝗣 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗖 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀; 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗮 𝗣𝗲ñ𝗮 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗖𝗢𝗦𝗢𝗔 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽
SCA members elected new representatives and reinstated several for this school year’s PUP COMELEC.
The following are the students coming from their corresponding colleges who were accepted by gaining majority votes:
College of Architecture, Design, and Built Environment (CADBE): Piolo Miguel Barcelona
College of Accountancy and Finance (CAF): Melwel Arcel Gorumba
College of Arts and Letters (CAL): Gad Thomas Mendiola
College of Business Administration (CBA): Adam Jess De Guzman
College of Computer and Information Sciences (CCIS): Luke Mark Leona
College of Engineering (CE): Carlos Jairo Tiaga
College of Human Kinetics (CHK): Kristal Andrea Marquez
College of Communication (COC): Lorelyn Belmonte
College of Education (COED): Gener August Lintag
College of Science (CS): Mary Joy Dagdag
College of Social Science and Development (CSSD): Paul Janry Rolusta
College of Tourism, Hospitality, and Transportation Management (CTHTM): Alyanna
Mikaela Delos Reyes
Institute of Technology (ITech): Keren Claire Cabuello
It is worth noting that Lintag from COED beat Marc Daniel Cervantes by 16 votes to one.
Furthermore, because RJ Salamera's revalidation failed to receive a majority vote, the CPSPA will hold its special application later this week, led by the assembly.
The commission is composed of one commissioner per local student council, for a total of 14 commissioners.
Since only Charles Jansenn Dela Peña of COED submitted an application for COSOA chairperson, he was elected by the SCA with 11 votes in favor, four votes not in favor, and zero abstentions.
As stated in the constitution, the chairperson will choose the two commissioners.
𝗦𝗥 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗹𝘆 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆; 𝗣𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗿, 𝗣𝗮𝗰𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹
After the deliberation and election for the governing bodies, recently elected Student Regent and CCIS President Wilhelm Provido left the meeting alongside CBA and CHK President Clark Picar and Reinier Pacquing, respectively.
When Provido reentered, he explained he ran out of data and then said he would join on another device, several minutes before the meeting ended. Picar, on the other hand, stated on the SCA main group chat that the signal in Trinoma was unstable.
During the final roll call, the said student-leaders were no show and marked as ‘left early’ by the body.
CPSPA President Joshua Aquiler stated in his manifestation, "Nakaka-disappoint lang na may mga kinatawan tayong basta-basta na lang umaalis sa meetings natin, na animo’y hindi pinapahalagahan [ang] mga usapin dito. Lalo na isa sa mga wala rito ay isa sa mga kasamahan nating tumatayo bilang bagong student regent. So, malaking usapin kung gaano ba ang commitment natin na pumaloob, tumalima sa disiplina na tayo’y tinatapos natin ang bawat meetings at actively participating tayo rito."
"Ganito rin kami nung SCA ‘21-’22, ‘pag tapos na ang part nila sa agenda, which is most likely reporting about the council, nagli-leave na," former SKM Secretary General Vanessa Llana also said in a Facebook comment.
"SCA will continue its discussion for as long as a quorum is present. What’s in it for the council representatives and the council if they leave early or absent? They don’t participate in a healthy discussion, and the council/college is left behind on student campaigns. Especially when the current pol-sit and educ-sit need urgent discussions and actions," she added.
Before the session concluded, the SCA endorsed students' participation in the events prepared for the upcoming International Human Rights Day on December 10.
The SCA is the highest policy-making body of the SC.
Article: Toni Rose Baldovino
Graphics: Cathlyn de Raya
Comments