Tingog and SPP Standard Bearers Win USC-SSC Elections 2019

Photo by Keith Ayuman‎

On May 6, 2019, the University of San Carlos – Supreme Student Council (USC-SSC) Elections 2019 saw the culmination of several weeks’ worth of preparations from running candidates vying for a seat in the next student council. Grand rallies, debates, and room-to-room campaigns were conducted by the candidates from different parties to prove their merit to the students prior to the day of the elections,

Charlene Dasig from the Tingog Carolinian party and Kayelenn Palabrica of the Student Power Party (SPP) won president and vice president respectively. Dasig bested Clare Inso, the standard bearer for the Student Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy (STAND), winning 2262 votes or 63.58% of the total voting population, while Palabrica garnered 1669 votes or 47.21% of the total voting population, winning over Kimberly Tubil of the Tingog Carolinian party and Miku Vicente of STAND.

Tingog took nine seats in the councilorial positions with John Cadiz, Klark Kent Co, Erna Cabarrubias, Kristian Asi Moro, Diane Aliser, Glysa May Blanco, Miguel Sandico, Elliot Robles and Ayla Gaudiel each winning a seat in the next council. STAND won seven seats with representatives Angel Mendiola, David Suico, Andre Juntilla, Stacie Cayanong, Ma. Fatima Alob, Kit John Flores and Alexander Cortes, while SPP filled in the remaining councilorial positions with their winning representatives, Mary Therese Tabada, Daniel Lim, Hezron Bensig, Gilbert Jr. Apura, and Patrick James Camarista.

With the winning president and vice president coming from different parties, Dasig stated that she and Palabrica “can deliver a more colorful and vibrant student council that could represent each and every Carolinian of this university.” With regards to the diverse mix of councilors with little party dominance, she said that the “diversity in the council is suitable in this situation” and that “the platforms from each party have the right to be recognized in the council” as those platforms are for the Carolinians.

Upon her official initiation as vice president, Palabrica confirmed that she will prioritize the issue of the tuition fee increase and encourage student involvement in the whole university so as to guarantee true representation, not only for the percentage active in student organizations. After SPP being deemed the minority party for so long, Palabrica expressed that she’s glad that the students finally see their potential. Asked what she thinks the dynamic between her and the next student leaders is going to be, Palabrica said “I cannot judge them by names alone. Maybe, we could look past parties for once this time.”

Furthermore, in an interview with incumbent and outgoing SSC president, Joahanna Veloso, she stated that the next term is going to be exciting and she hopes that the elected councilors “will continue to listen to the different concerns of the students and continue to be an open book to the Carolinians.”

Albeit seeing a small increase from last year’s voter turnout of 34.96%, this year’s turnout of 37.42% or 3642 voters out of 9732 students, remains arguably unrepresentative of the entire Carolinian student body. Incoming SSC president, Dasig added, “I hope that the voter turnout next year would become greater and the Carolinians would be more aware of what’s happening in the campus.”