(APR. 15)— Nagkakaisang Iskolar para sa Pamantasan at Sambayanan (KAISA) standard bearer Sean Angelo Thakur is the new chairperson of the UP Diliman University Student Council (UPD USC) after defeating Student Alliance for the Advancement of Democratic Rights in UP (STAND UP) standard bearer Floricar Meirylle Manalo in the Apr. 11 election.
Thakur garnered a total of 3,538 votes while Manalo had 2,168 votes.
A School of Economics (SE) student, Thakur will lead the red-dominated USC, succeeding former USC Chair and fellow KAISA member Jose Rafael L. Toribio.
Meanwhile, STAND UP’s Kenneth Eser Jose, a College of Arts and Letters (CAL) student won as vice chairperson with 3,374 votes beating KAISA’s Franceska Louise Faraon who earned 1,891 votes.
Although KAISA topped the councilor position, STAND UP dominated the polls with seven members elected as councilors.
KAISA’s Jesus Reyna III led the 12 elected councilors after earning the highest number of votes with 3,955 followed by Hernan Joseph Delizo of Alyansa ng mga Mag-aaral para sa Panlipunang Katwiran at Kaunlaran (ALYANSA) with 3,448.
The seven elected STAND UP members are School of Statistics’ Tierone James Santos (3,448 votes, 3rd place), National College of Public Administration and Governance’s Kerr John Carlobos (3,103, 4th), College of Mass Communication’s (CMC) Lucia Ann Silva (3,076, 5th), Froilan Adrielle Cariaga of College of Social Sciences and Philosophy/CSSP (2,783, 7th), CMC’s Kevin Van Sulitas (2,538, 8th), College of Architecture’s Richard Pagaduan (2,535, 9th) and College of Engineering’s (COE) Carl Owen Andal (2,346, 11th).
Completing the list of councilors are: ALYANSA members and CSSP students Lorenzo Miguel Relente and Gemina Dela Cruz was garnered 2, 938 (6th) and 2,295 (12th) votes, respectively, and KAISA member Jeremiah Velmonte of the College of Fine Arts/CFA (10th) with 2, 468 votes.
Meanwhile, of the 27 degree granting units, 17 college representatives were also elected comprising three from ALYANSA, five from STAND UP, three from KAISA and six independent candidates.
The three ALYANSA representatives are Jezrel Bugtaas (Cesar E.A. Virata School of Business), Kritiene Nathaniel Miranda (College of Education) and Joshua Matthew Dy (CSSP).
The five STAND UP representatives are: Cristobal Rabino (Technology Management Center), Ralph Revilla (College of Social Work and Community Development), John Ray Dionisio (College of Home Economics), Audrey Olivia Rendora (College of Fine Arts) and Lee Alfonso Apostol (College of Architecture).
The representatives from KAISA are: Christian Delos Santos COE, Andrea Kay Ocampo (Asian Institute of Tourism) and Ma. Kristine Calleja (Asian Center).
The independent candidates elected are: Jeremy John Magpantay (SE), Aldrin Dale Nera (NCPAG), Paul Redillas (COE), Izabelle Dolore (CS), Dominque Jhocson (College of Music) and Elliah Bettina Gomez (CMC).
The 10 units without representatives are the College of Arts and Letters, College of Human Kinetics, College of Law, School of Library and Information Studies, UPD Extension Program in Pampanga and UP Extension Program in Olongapo, Archaeological Studies Program, Institute of Islamic Studies, School of Urban and Regional Planning, and School of Labor and Industrial Relations.
According to Article IV Section 2-A of the Constitution of the USC in UPD, “The college representative shall serve as a liaison between the USC and the local student council.”
Of the 22, 160* registered voters for Halalan UPD 2019, this year’s election only had 9,191 voters or 41.48 percent turnout which is lower compared to last year’s 42.88 percent turnout.
Election results were based on the number of students who voted manually and online through the open-source software Halalan. The Halalan software was initially used in the 2009 USC elections.
All elected student officials will serve in UPD’s USC for Academic Year 2019-2020. —Haidee C. Pineda. Photos courtesy of DZUP and infographic by Jacelle Isha Bonus
*Based on the data given by the Office of Student Activities as of Apr. 15, 2019.