All eyes are on Denise Lauren after her past affiliation with Alyansang Tapat sa Lasallista (Tapat) and her response during The LaSallian’s Fast Talk interview both seeped into conversations during the campaign period. Running alongside a slate of relatively familiar names in student politics, these moments might be her ticket to standing out. Regardless, her credentials stand on their own: she has held numerous leadership roles, including team head for various projects and positions such as committee chairperson and director in the University Student Government (USG), particularly in public relations and information dissemination.
The LaSallian: You have served in various capacities across different branches of the USG. How has this helped prepare you for the role of executive secretary?
Lauren: I’ve served in the [Council of Student Organizations], the USG… I’ve learned how to be adaptable. Coming from the biggest batch in the biggest college, we meet different people from different walks of life [and] backgrounds. That is something I want to carry with me in the Office of the Executive Secretary (OSEC) since we not only deal with the social media aspect, we also deal with different batches, units, and colleges. To ensure that each and every student is well taken care of, we should be adaptable to not only their interests but also their status and position in life.
The LaSallian: One of your past experiences was serving under OSEC as the executive director of publicity and promotions. What insights into the role you are running for did you gain from this experience?
Lauren: Actually, I was the chairperson for BLAZE2024 before working in OSEC in publicity and promotions. I’ve learned how to be more adaptable to information. So first, I want to be more inclusive. For example, sa mga captions natin at mga pubs, I want to make sure that it is inclusive to the PWD community. And not only that, I want it to be digestible, especially when it comes to student and services concerns [because] ‘yung mga pubs natin, it can be quite heavy to digest, so I want the student body to look at the pubs and digest the information [well].
The LaSallian: The executive secretary is arguably the most low profile and least understood among the executive board seats. How would you explain the significance of this job to the Lasallian community?
Lauren: I want to eradicate the notion that OSEC only works behind the scenes. Lahat ng projects natin napapalabas because the pubs, [it] goes through OSEC. Not only that, the OSEC handles the different batches—’yung mga welfare and officer development. By tackling this with more efficiency and reliability, we can ensure that we have a more transformative student body, not only the USG offices for the executive board but also the batches and the colleges.
The LaSallian: What would you say are your most important plans of action once you take office? How will you ensure to deliver on these campaign promises?
Lauren: We have a project called “Veritas La Salle.” It’s an information dissemination initiative. [The] first part of this is bringing back the USG website. We want to update it to ensure that everything is centralized, especially ‘yung resources and ‘yung links. [The] second project under this is we’ll be having an AnimoSpace mobilization: important announcements will also be put there to ensure that information is streamlined to the student body. Third, we have Animo News. ‘Yung mga TVs around campus, we’ll be utilizing [those] to relay pertinent information not only about university announcements but also national announcements, especially with the upcoming [2025] National Elections.
The LaSallian: Are there any plans or programs that you would like to continue from your would-be predecessor? How about systems you would want to change?
Lauren: For the first project, [it would be the] “Lasallian Research Pulse.” Alam naman natin na almost all courses, [regardless of] college, may mga research talaga and it’s really hard to gain respondents. So, I want to continue that and help the student body with not only their theses but also ‘yung mga group works nila with different GEs or ‘yung mga ibang subjects nila.
Internally, I want to improve on the archive of [the] USG, especially when it comes to the Legislative Assembly and the other internal meetings of the USG and the different offices so that the next administration will be able to utilize this for better projects.
The LaSallian: During the open forum hosted by DLSU Comelec, you said that you found your values more aligned with Santugon sa Tawag ng Panahon than your previous party affiliation, Tapat. Can you elaborate on the difference in values that you saw between the two parties?
Lauren: I want to first show my appreciation to my previous party since they also provided me with guidance and growth in the time I was there. In the current position that I am in, I want to have a more consultative approach—more consultative in terms of the people I am with. I see myself growing in Santugon sa Tawag ng Panahon despite my short stay in the party so that is something that I want to continue to bring with me as I serve the student body.
The LaSallian: Can you explain what your campaign’s vision, “Realized Lasallian Purpose,” means?
Lauren: Okay, so for “Realized Lasallian Purpose,” we acknowledge that all students are going through different stages in their university life. May mga ma-org, may mga hindi ma-org, and there are people who are delayed, like me. I’m actually delayed since may minor ako. We want everyone to feel at home sa University. We want them to bring a piece of their selves. From “Your Genuine Lasallian Experience,” where they really saw what the Lasallan community can bring to them, we now want them to find their purpose in the University.
This interview was edited for length and clarity.
With interviews from Ibrianna Raven Madriaga and Carmen Maitem
