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Manila, Philippines (2nd UPDATE) – It’s been 100 years since the University of the Philippines (UP) in Diliman established the University Student Council (USC). The council held its elections on Thursday, February 28, with the KAISA party bagging at least 6 posts, including the council chairmanship.
Founded in 2005, KAISA, or the Nagkakaisang Iskolar para sa Pamantasan at Sambayanan, is the youngest party in UP Diliman. Its two other rivals associated with the Left, ALYANSA and STAND-UP, have been around for 12 and 16 years, respectively.
Castro’s victory is the second time Kaisa, an upstart party in the state university, has won the council’s top post. Its rival ALYANSA is affiliated with Akbayan, which represents the so-called moderate Left. On the other hand, STAND-UP is associated with the country’s national democratic movement represented by militant groups such as Bayan, Gabriela and the Kilusang Mayo Uno.
KAISA, in fact, split from ALYANSA in 2005. Branding themselves as Iskolar-Aktibista (scholar activists), KAISA believes in “academic excellence with social relevance” and “inclusive activism.”The party is known for its campaign for the Six Will Fix Bill which aims to automatically appropriate 6% of GNP to education.
During Thursday’s elctions, KAISA standard-bearer Alex Castro won by a landslide, getting 4,944 votes, making her the USC Chair who has garnered the most number of votes in the council’s history. The party’s previous standard-bearer, Titus Tan, also held the record of having the highest number of votes ever given to a USC chair candidate — with 4,905 votes in 2009. Castro beat that record last Thursday with 4,944 votes.
KAISA’s candidate for vice-chair – Jules Guiang – also won with 3,385 votes. It was a close vote. STAND-UP’s Kei Garcia got 3,319, while ALYANSA’s Alex Santos got 3,194.
The number one councilor is also KAISA’s Carla Gonzales, who got 3,379 votes.
The members of UP-Diliman’s 2013 University Student Council:
CHAIRMAN: Alex Castro
VICE-CHAIRMAN: Jules Guiang
COUNCILORS:
- Carla Gonzales (KAISA)
- Lem Magaling (STAND-UP)
- Aaron Letaba (ALYANSA)
- Dan Guzman (KAISA)
- Erra Zabat (STAND-UP)
- JP De Las Nieves (ALYANSA)
- Cha France (STAND-UP)
- Rafa Fernando (KAISA)
- Neefa Macapado (STAND-UP)
- Arjay Mercado (ALYANSA)
- Aio Santos (STAND-UP)
- Erica Lau (KAISA)
College of Architecture: Jose Ruel Fabia
College of Arts and Letters: Ma. Aliona Silva
College of Business Administration: Fenina Maria De Leon
College of Fine Arts: Carlo De Laza
College of Home Economics: Anna Alexa Nacional
College of Human Kinetics: Ma. Isabella Aurellado
College of Mass Communication: Carla Cucueco
College of Social Sciences and Philosophy: Chris Erwin Alquizalas
Collece of Social Work and Community Development: Erika Isabel Yague
School of Economics:Regine Beatrice Rodriguez
College of Education: Shamah Bulangis
College of Engineering: April Rose Ramos and Daniel Raymund Nieva
College of Law: John Paul Rotap
College of Music: Stefanie Quintin
National College of Public Administration and Governance: Francesca Anne Louise
College of Science: Ram Vincent Tomaneng
School of Statistics: Maria Angelica Rotoni
UP Alyansa ng mga Mag-aaral para sa Panlipunang Katwiran at Kaunlaran (ALYANSA) was founded in 2000. ALYANSA advocates “progressive multi-perspective activism” and practices activism that is “reflective of the diversity of the university and society; one that is responsive to our interests and needs; one that is concrete, innovative and realistic.”
Some of their advocacies include the passage of the RH Law, the Freedom of Information Act, and the Sin Tax Reform Law. They count Akbayan! Youth UP Diliman and BUKLOD CSSP as member organizations. Incumbent USC Chair and the University’s first transgender chair, Heart Diño is from ALYANSA. – Rappler.com
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