GE 2014 campaign opens in STC

Executive Board candidates opened the campaign period for this year’s General Elections in DLSU-STC yesterday, March 6.

The campaign for the University Student Government’s General Elections (GE) started last Thursday, March 06, 2014 at the De La Salle University Science and Technology Complex (DLSU-STC).

With the Commission on Election giving the STC campus two additional days ahead of the Taft campus campaign, students in the campus were the first to hear the platforms presented by both Iisang Tugon Sa Tawag ng Panahon (Santugon) and Alyansang Tapat sa Lasallista (Tapat).

Last-minute preparations were being conducted by both parties in empty classrooms before 9 am until campaigning started after, with the room-to-room campaigns wherein the STC and Executive Board candidates went from room to room taking a few minutes of the class being conducted in order to address their platforms to the student body. This was followed by the person-to-person campaign during the 10-minute breaks in between classes, wherein each candidate took time to personally introduce themselves to individual students, to explain to them their platform, and to answer any queries.

Highlighting on the difference of their STC campaign with the ones conducted in the Taft campus, Tapat STC governor Arvin Yamauchi says, “When it comes to the intensity, of course (the) Taft (campus) is more intense kasi unang-una mas madaming estudyante. Mas madaming rooms na kailangan pasukan at mas madaming candidates, so yung level of competition is mas mataas sa Taft (campus) compared sa STC.”

Same campaign style

Meanwhile, Santugon Outer Core President Bee Villacorta says, “They’re relatively new to this. This is their second year experiencing the General Elections so we still want it how we usually do it in Taft: sing-song voice, paraphernalia everywhere. So basically, that’s it we’re sticking to the strategy we do before. Unlike in Taft kasi they’re craving for something new after 28 years as compared to (STC) which is something new.”

Sharing what they want to impart with STC students with their campaign, Carlo Inocencio, incumbent Vice President for Internal Affairs and Santugon candidate for USG president, said “What I want to ensure in STC is that everything about their student life would be represented, for example: facilities-related concerns, student services, academic transition, and the entire integration itself. What I want to ensure with the student body here in STC is that in every decision made by this University, there’s someone who will represent them for their own rights and their welfare.

“With that, I envision with my entire party, Iisang Tugon sa Tawag ng Panahon, a student-powered governance in which we envision an inclusive government which fosters student engagement where the success of the USG is defined by how much the students want to be a part of it.”

On the other hand, Patrick Lo, incumbent FAST 2011 batch president and Tapat candidate for USG president relates the campaign in STC in light of shifts in the educational hemisphere, such as K-12 and ASEAN 2015. “The main thrust of the campaign would be to provide seamless integration kasi kung locally pa lang hindi na seamless integration natin, paano pa once we go into the ASEAN, into the bigger picture.

Another main thrust of the campaign is to have an inclusive student government. Given that Student Handbook revisions (are) happening [next year], we need to hear out the students, so it’s more than empowering them to voice out their concerns but it is them being heard as students and we do an action for them as a student government.

He quips about the performance about the USG in STC:”This year was the first year of the USG here. Walang kahit isang Legislative Assembly na naganap dito at merong isang beses lang na Activities Assembly, nahirapan yung STCG (Science and Technology Complex Government) natin sa pagpunta lagi sa Manila, (so) it makes it two different governments so parang nababayaan talaga sila this year, so ang gagawin next year given the chance, given the opportunity, is to provide equal opportunities for both STCG and USG in Manila to meet and do exchange of ideas every now and then para talagang naririnig ang (mga) estudyante ‘di lang sa STC, di lang sa Manila, kundi lahat tayo [Not a single LA session happened this year, and the STCG had a difficult time going to Manila… it is as if one government was really left behind, so next year we plan to provide equal opportunities for the USG to meet so that students in STC are better represented]. We are treated equally.”

Vox Populi

Students on campus have, of course, expressed what issues concerning STC that they would like to be addressed by the USG and what they expect from the campaign. Speaking about the USG in the campus as a freshman, Shiela Suyo (I, BSIE) shares, “Makikita mo naman yung effort pero ‘di siya ganun ka-transparent yung effort nila. Parang kulang pa rin kasi feeling ko rin parang kulang din sila sa budget or kulang din sa support ng mga students [You see their effort, but it’s not so transparent. They do not seem to have what I am looking for, in their support for students.”

She adds, regarding the GE campaign itself, “Dapat lang yung sinasabi nila totoo (at saka) gawin talaga nila yung mga platforms nila, yung mga pangako nila sa students. Dapat talaga makita yun. Hindi naman nating ine-expect ­na as soon as possible. Dapat yung ano sinabi nila tutupad yun [Hopefully they will do as they promise in their platforms, and in their promises to students. We don’t expect it to happen right away but we expect things to happen].”

Both Valerie Gotuaco (I, AB-CAM) and Nikki Clarin (I, AB-CAM) also affirm that important issues to them as STC students include being recognized as a part of the DLSU community especially in terms of campus representation in the USG. They share that they would want the USG to give the students in STC more opportunities to participate in student activities. Acknowledging the difficulty in the distance between both campuses, they said that they would prefer the USG to campaign for fewer but better goals rather than to promise for unachievable objectives.

For those that have heard both platforms of Santugon and Tapat, some add like they have made a lasting impression on them and they expressed their hope for the future of STC with regards to the involvement of the USG in the campus. Reg Kanapi (I, BSISS) aspires to see their promises happen: “I will be looking forward (sa) mga ipapangako nila.”

Kat Delfin (I, BSISS) said “I find both campaigns interesting. Marami silang sinasabi about sa promises nila and sana magawa nila yung mga sinasabi nila even if yung mga sinasabi nilang gagawin is yung mga basic (issues) ng mga students like yung transportation, internet, stuff like that [They have interesting campaigns, and they say a lot of things but hopefully they live up to the solutions they propose for basic issues of students, such as transportation, internet, among other issues].” – Gabriel Hipolito