Serving as the former Laguna Campus College of Computer Studies (CCS) Representative, Tinig Coalition’s Amiel Pelobello will lead the Laguna Campus student body as its campus president for AY 2026-2027. As he ascends to the highest position of the USG Laguna Campus Student Government (LCSG), Pelobello hopes to deliver a better student experience that is more in line with the Manila Campus.
You’re running for campus president. Before this, you were the LCSG CCS representative. What made you want to run as campus president and why do you personally think you’re fit for this role?
I think it’s more of a passion for service. I didn’t think that I [would] be running for president. I’ve experienced a lot as a student [of the] Laguna Campus that was parang na-feel ko na nagiging restrictive ‘yung Laguna Campus instead of Manila, so that’s one thing that I also want to change and because of that parang with the experiences when [working] as [a] project head and as [the] CCS [representative], nakita ko na kung paano mag-work ‘yung mga admins and paano mag-work together ‘yung students to make solutions. Personally, I’ve been serving the student body not just [in] DLSU [but in my] last school [as well] in higher positions where I’ve had a lot of experiences in communicating with the students [and] with [the] admins, also ‘yung adaptability ko as a person like kung ano man ‘yung may problem na bigla na mangyari, I can adapt agad and make a solution so I think that’s [why] I think I am fit as the campus president.
You mentioned that you feel like there’s some sort of difference or deficiency when it comes to being a Laguna student. What do you think are the most pressing problems for students in Laguna?
I think as of now, madami, but [the] main problem is student participation. When it comes to events and orgs it’s evident naman na hindi na active masyado ‘yung mga orgs sa Laguna. Also parang siguro factor na rin ‘yun kung bakit ‘di sum[a]sayad ng events ‘yung students kasi parang hindi nila alam na may ganito palang nangyayari like for example, Animolympics from the [University Vision-Mission Week] kasi unti lang naman ‘yung nakakaalam and they didn’t know na meron palang Animolympics na magaganap and wala silang gist kung kailan talaga siya mangyayari because nagkaroon ng iba’t ibang reschedule so hindi na sila nagpa-participate because hindi clear kung kailan mangyayari ‘yung event. Most of the time, [the] problem is conflict sa time and lack of interest. Nabanggit ko rin [sa] Miting de Avance na mostly kasi ‘yung mga students gusto nila mag-participate because [of the] incentives [and subject requirements]. Gusto kong i-buhay ulit ‘yung mga orgs. I think [that] there has been [a lack of] partnerships when it comes to academic [and other] volunteer orgs sa Laguna Campus. Tapos ‘yung iba medyo hindi na nararamdaman kasi walang masyadong tao and wala silang masyadong manpower to handle the events. So, to address student participation, I would want to work with those academic orgs na makipag-partner up with them and also the profs, kasi ‘yung profs, minsan naman nagbibigay sila ng incentives if aligned talaga ‘yung event. It will also benefit the students and the profs rin kasi aligned rin sa mga courses na gusto nila and sa mga interests nila.
As the former LCSG CCS representative, what lessons did you learn from that experience that you believe will help shape your current run as campus president?
Before CCS, wala akong alam about CCS at all kasi I was a shiftee. So mostly ‘yung platforms ko [were] about job security. To be transparent lang, th at’s something na hindi naging feasible to work with [because of the] lack of budget. [There are also] logistical problems. Everything should be planned out months before bago ko pa siya i-implement. For example, five months or one year before would be fine kung siguro magpapa-project ako within CCS. Natutunan ko rin [as] CCS rep is how to work closely with the admin and the professors. So with [those] connections, I can also raise their problems kasi the admins [and] program directors natin [are] also having problems with Manila as far as I know. If I remember correctly, they work with [the] Manila Campus but hindi sila nabibigyan ng full authorization talaga. So, that’s one thing that I want to voice out as well if elected as president, like, bigyan [ko] mismo ‘yung Laguna ng power to solve things like enlistment concerns.
What did you think of your predecessor and founder of the Tinig Coalition, Lawrence Arroyo, and his specific leadership and how do you plan to improve upon it?
Si Lawrence, ‘yung leadership niya naman was to bridge Manila and Laguna, which nagawa niya naman. With that connection na nagawa niya, I feel like I can bring more to the table na if ever nagkaroon ng problems within Laguna. Si Lawrence made the foundation for bridging the gap between Laguna and Manila. So, with that foundation, [I can enhance the communication between the Laguna and Manila Campus]. For example, kagaya nga ng advocacy ko na I am for the Laguna Campus as a whole, kasama ‘yung admins, profs, and students, [I want] to be able to bridge the Laguna Campus sa Manila, especially sa mga [programs and services] hindi kayang gawin ng Laguna, na kailangan pang gawin ng Manila. That is one thing na I want to continue and improve on.
What do you think about the divide between the Manila and Laguna campuses today, and the supposed Manila-centrism some students feel in Laguna? How do you plan to address those feelings?
Mainly, it focuses more on the admin side, like sa [Office of the University Registrar] and enlistment. To be transparent, our [Academic Programming Officer] sa Laguna, dito pa rin siya nagre-report mismo. So, wala talagang authority ‘yung Laguna mismo na to work [by] itself. Well, Laguna can work by itself but it may take a long time pa kasi Manila and Laguna are also dependent on each other [and] vice versa naman. If Manila wants something from Laguna, then Laguna can help Manila, then vice versa. To address that, [I want to use] my position as the campus president to communicate with our University Student Government (USG) Executive Board if ever magkaroon ng problems sa Laguna, then I can raise it to them. But my main platform is to make Laguna na magkaroon sila ng system na para sa Laguna students lang. Pagdating pa lang sa enlistment, sa Manila, madali sila mag-inter-campus sa Laguna, but sa Laguna Campus, madami pa [na] process[es] when it comes to enlisting their subjects in Manila, kaya na-feel ng students na bakit kailangan ganun sa Laguna students but pagdating sa Manila students, ang dali ‘yung process pagkagawa sila ng klase sa Laguna. For that, with the past administration naman siguro, kasama na rin ‘yung mga ibang projects like Archers Kitchen, napapadala niya sa Laguna. So, if I were to be elected and dun sa pagiging close with the USG Manila, I also want to bring their projects here sa Laguna. For example, ‘yung ID on Wheels, tapos ‘yung mga tutoring nila sa mga batch government. Hindi lang dapat Manila. Kasama rin dapat ‘yung Laguna. Laguna students rin naman ‘yung nakaka-benefit [from] it. So, why not na isali rin ‘yung projects ng USG Manila sa Laguna?
Since you and your fellow coalition members currently run unopposed in Laguna Campus in electoral seats in the College of Liberal Arts (CLA) and College of Science (COS), what major goals does your coalition as a whole have?
For us, ‘yung coalition namin [is] called TINIG. We want to amplify, or rather, sow our purposes into actions, which means na we should be open [to] the students. We will be open to mak[ing] that feedback into a solution. So, for example, it’s more of a Laguna Campus problem, but madami kasing problems when it comes to transportation [and] then, ‘yung enlistment especially may mga courses [din] na two years [in] Manila [and] two years [in] Laguna. One thing that we want to address the most is to make Laguna better, to make Laguna siguro I can say na as free as Manila but hindi ‘yung magiging restrictive sa mga college students nila. Pansin nga dito sa Manila na they are making full use of their tuition [fees], especially sa paggamit ng mga facilities.
Do you have any concrete collaborative plans between you as the president and the CLA and COS?
So, with them kasi, their projects are mostly centered sa mga pahiram projects like lab gowns. Then, if I remember correctly, si Ethan [Manalansan], he wants to push for the transportation sa mga platform niya. Then, I think we are very close naman to each other kasi I have worked with them in the past. So, ‘yung mga projects nila or platforms is connected rin naman sa mga gusto namin gamit for Laguna Campus as a home. So, with that, ‘yung one example na pwede kong i-connect with them is ‘yung transportation. Currently, I think there was a partnership with the Biñan Local Government Unit (LGU) when it comes to transportation. So, as the campus president, pwede ko naman siyang i-communicate rin with the LGU about ano ‘yung [puwedeng] gawing solution pagdating sa transportation dito sa Laguna. So, ayun, one of the projects rin ‘yun ng CLA. Tapos, as the school year goes by, magkakaroon rin naman ng collaboration with our college governments pagdating sa mga activities and projects na gusto nilang ipagawa.
What do you think contributes to high abstentions, and what do you want to do to curb it for this coming election?
For the high abstentions, I feel like there was a lack of pagkakalat ng [information] about sa students kasi there was like, I think it was [room to room] lang. Like, [room to room] lang ‘yung campaign na gawa namin and ‘yung MDA sa Manila, tapos nag-MDA rin sa Laguna. So, I think nagkaroon [din] ng lack of information na kung ano man ‘yung platforms or kung ano ‘yung advocacy na gagawin namin. Pero ngayon sa Comelec side naman, they’re doing a good job rin kasi nakita ko sa Canvas meron silang credentials and platforms before the students vote. Last time, walang ganun when it [came] sa Canvas mismo. ‘Yung solution ko para hindi maging high abstention is to inform [students] fully well that there’s an election going and tse-check muna ‘yung mga credentials namin.
Why were you unable to find a CCS representative knowing that you were previously the CCS president and what made looking for a successor difficult?
Siguro, it’s more of a lack of commitment. Being a CCS rep is very hard, especially naman na sobrang daming students sa Laguna. Halos kalahati ng students sa Laguna [are] CCS. Medyo hindi rin kaya ma-balance ‘yung academics and ‘yung commitment as CCS rep. Kaya nagiging mahirap na maghanap ng successor for CCS rep. But, for the upcoming terms, hopefully, there will be someone na maglalakas-tao and makaka-commit fully as they will serve the student body, especially sa CCS.
What do you wish Laguna Campus would look like after your term ends?
For the Laguna Campus, I wish na lahat ng orgs magiging active again and with those orgs, magkakaroon na madami collaborations with the students. I think this was the first time na nangyari na hindi masyadong nagiging active ‘yung orgs sa Laguna Campus. If I remember correctly, nung frosh ako, sobrang active [ng] mga student orgs sa Laguna Campus. So, by the time na tapos na ‘yung presidency ko sa Laguna Campus, madami na ulit na student leaders and student orgs na ready na mag-serve sa mga upcoming and current students sa Laguna Campus. I would want to see a connected and inclusive Laguna Campus where the students in Laguna College collaborate, especially [with the] junior high, senior high, and elementary [students]. I would want them to see me as someone who is open for them and someone who bridges the gap between the collaborations within the Laguna Campus. So, I want them to see that in my term, because the orgs and student orgs became active again, and the orgs were integrated within the Integrated School.
This interview was edited for length and clarity.
