Photo by Enrique Agcaoili
Collegiate students and alumni were gathered at the Colegio’s Salon de Actos as the Letran Commission on Elections (Comelec) proclaimed the winners for the LSC Elections 2019 on Tuesday, March 12.
Aksyon Alyansa Letranista (AAL) standard bearer Charmaine Yatco will lead the student body for A.Y. 2019-2020 as the next LSC President after garnering 679 votes against Partido Muralla (PM) presidential bet Carl Joseph Ferrer with 561 votes.
The poll body named PM’s Kyra Macapagal with 793 against AAL’s Gian Valiente with 514 votes. Meanwhile, Trisha Santiaguel was elected as the new LSC secretary, Mitch Costales as deputy secretary, James Cane as treasurer, Victoria Sayong as auditor and Mandy Macapagal as public relations officer.
AFTERMATH WITH THE STANDARD BEARERS
Having witnessed the proclamation of their respective slates leading the positions they were vying for the LSC, Yatco shared how she felt right after hearing the results.
“Masaya sapagkat naipanalo ‘yung karamihan sa mga kasapi ng pamilya ko [Alyansa], at malungkot sapagkat may iba na hindi nabigyan ng pagkakataon na maging sandigan ng mga Letranista pero sa kabila ng lahat ng ‘yun, ibibigay ko ‘yung serbisyo na para sa mga Letranista at dapat sa mga Letranista,” she said in tears.
She added that her victory will give the answers and the opportunity to serve the student body. “Ito po ‘yung mabibigyan ng sagot, kung mabibigyan po ba kami ng pagkakataon na maglingkod.”
When asked about what to expect from her term for the next academic year, Yatco emphasized the platforms she has in store under Alyansa and the coordination with Muralla for the improvement of the next school year. “I-expect po nila na kung ano man ‘yung mga plataporma ng Aksyon Alyansa Letranista, kasama ang mga plataporma ng mga kandidatong nanalo mula sa Partido Muralla ay susubukan namin abutin at gawin para sa mga Letranista.”
Despite his loss to Yatco, Ferrer took his electoral defeat positively and took notice of the trust given by the voters to him and his party. “’Yung 500 plus na students na bumoto sa akin that’s a big population for me na ganon kalaki ‘yung nagtiwala sa akin as running [for] president,” he said.
“Hindi lang ako pero ‘yung Partido Muralla, we also won the fight. We also won this thing. Pwede kami maging leader kahit wala sa amin ‘yung pangalan,” he added.
When asked about the tight race between the two, Ferrer told The LANCE that he anticipated a close match knowing that Yatco has gained experience as LSC staff, “I expected it, in the first place magkasama na kami sa ‘SC’. Ako as education representative, siya as staff so we have both experience and I know na mas marami siyang experience sa akin lalo na pagdating sa credentials niya.”
MURALLA GAINING BACK MORE EXEC POSTS
It has been a long time since Partido Muralla has gained more than one position at the executive level of the council which was acquired by Kyra Macapagal for vice-president and Mandy Macapagal for the position of PRO, respectively.
Kyra Macapagal stressed that even if they were the only two candidates from the same party in the executive committee, the ideology of a student-centered student council is still there, “Kahit kaming dalawa lang ni Mandy yong nakapasok sa execomm ‘yung ideyolohiya namin ay nandoon pa rin.”
She also added that they are willing to set aside political colors for the well-being of their fellow students, “Pagkaupo namin siyempre wala nang kulay. Dahil tumakbo naman kami para sa mga estudyanteng naniwala sa amin.”
Being speechless when asked about the support his party gained, the male Macapagal was thankful for the support he gained. He even mentioned of serving the student body and the Colegio that has been a home for him since he was in elementary.
“Ang ideas ng Muralla maipasok namin, ma-apply namin at mag serve lang sa estudyante, mag serve sa school na naging tahanan ko sa 14 years kong nandito,” the newly-proclaimed PRO said.