Last May 27, the Legislative Assembly (LA) called its first session for the third term of the Academic Year (AY) in the University Student Government (USG) Session Hall. The session’s agenda revolved around the resignation of FAST2015 Batch President Maxine Pampolina and other matters concerning the governing body.
Health-related concerns
The first resolution submitted to the floor called for Pampolina’s resignation proposed by Majority Floor Leader Neal Gonzales. He relayed Pampolina’s personal desire to vacate the post due to “health-related issues and concerns”. Gonzales added that the resolution was made on Pampolina’s behalf in lieu of the latter’s temporary incapacity.
“She’s a very good leader. Although we have different ideals and come from different parties, in terms of morals and virtues, I really look up to her as a person,” Gonzales said, expressing sadness over the former’s resignation.
In her resignation letter, Pampolina extended her gratitude to the batch government for giving her a “chance to serve”. She had held the position for two consecutive years. In the letter was also a request to have FAST2015 Batch Vice President Belle Ledesma assume the vacated seat. Gonzales explained that this was in consideration of practicality, as the ID 115 batch is now terminal.
Upon consultation with Pampolina and Ledesma, the latter would still retain her current post, Gonzales added, which means she would hold both positions simultaneously. But this is not Ledesma’s first appointment. USG President Gabbie Perez gave her the batch vice president position last January which was left vacant after Shanta Carlos’ resignation last November.
Chief Legislator Stella Santos casted doubt on the constitutionality of Ledesma assuming two positions and asked the proponents to conduct a review of its validity. However, the floor resolved to accept Pampolina’s resignation with a unanimous vote.
Candidates wanted
Opening up the agenda on other matters, Santos relayed to the assembly urgent concerns forwarded by DLSU Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairperson JC Ababan. The Science and Technology Complex Government lacked candidates for Campus President and LA representatives in the upcoming General Elections. Comelec commissioners, too, were insufficient in the Laguna Campus.
The only applicants for the positions were freshmen, but they were ineligible due to not meeting the residency requirements. As elections season draws near, Santos urged the assembly’s Rules and Policies Committee to draft a resolution addressing the problem.
Pre-enlistment woes, resurrecting COA
CATCH2T21 Representative Jaime Pastor called the attention of legislators to problems encountered during the pre-enlistment process, raising the possibility of calling Vice President for Internal Affairs Adrian Mendoza into a legislative inquiry on the effectivity of the new system.
Santos, however, shot down the idea, suggesting that an inquiry be called at a later date as enrollment is still ongoing and some students are still trying to enlist in their classes. “I think it’s best now [to let] these things take its course,” she said.
Meanwhile, Gonzales bared progress on plans to bring back the Commission on Audit (COA). Plans to set up a commission training under the Office of the Treasurer is ongoing, with consultation from veteran COA members and Executive Treasurer Adrian Briones. He also announced that similar progress is being made in rebuilding the Judiciary.
He hoped that both the Judiciary and COA will be operational by next AY.
With reports from Joseph Aristotle de Leon
