UPM student councils tally 9 resignations, LOA in mid-2024
by Janine Liwanag
In the first half of 2024, nine resignations and leaves of absence (LOA) have been filed by officers from local and university-wide student councils at the University of the Philippines Manila (UPM). This, coupled with the insufficient number of candidates who ran in the General Student Council Elections (GSCE) during the midyear term, contributes to the persisting problem of student representation in the University.
The workload pushing officers to resign
With six resignations filed in 2024, four cited “mental health” or “wellbeing” issues as the primary reasons for their resignation. Three of these resignations were from the College of Arts and Sciences Student Council (CASSC), with the two cases being filed by batch representatives in the holdover term.
Two came from the Dentistry Student Council (DSC), including DSC Representative to the University Student Council (USC) Prescilla Irabon who had also shortly been in a holdover term until her resignation. Notably, DSC did not synchronize their election calendar with the university-wide GSCE due to the lack of willing candidates at the time.
Another instance was recorded by USC when Brandon Deichmann resigned as the vice Chairperson, reducing the number of USC to only three officers — the same count 43rd UPM USC and 45th UPM USC had.
LOAs, reduced manpower
Meanwhile, three LOAs had been filed this year. All three stated “mental health” or “mental disposition” among their reasons, while two were filed in the CASSC. Both LOAs among CASSC were filed by standard bearers, namely Chairperson Britney Jimenez and CAS Representative to the USC Michaela Sison. Jimenez and Sison, who have since returned to the council after their LOAs ended in April and August, respectively, are also currently in a holdover term.
Similarly, former USC Chairperson John Venedict Cabrera filed a LOA in March, coinciding with the effectivity of Deichmann’s resignation. Cabrera’s absence left the USC with only two councilors-turned-standard-bearers.
Stuck in holdover terms
The lack of candidates has placed seven officers into a holdover term, all from CASSC. Due to a failure of elections after zero candidates ran in the GSCE, the entire incumbent council was put into a holdover term.
Although CASSC had filled all positions last term, this was only the case for a short while as the council soon faced a series of resignations and LOAs.
Ongoing special elections to fill seats
With special elections already underway for some councils, the patterns indicative of the state of student representation in the University are yet to be found.
However, after the candidacy period ended last Sept. 13 for USC, CASSC, and the College of Allied Medical Professions Student Council (CAMPSC), zero candidates filed for candidacy in both USC and CASSC, as announced by the UPM University Electoral Board and CAS College Electoral Board on their respective Facebook pages.
This marks the third USC special election since 2022 that did not receive any candidacies. Meanwhile, CAMPSC only has candidates for three out of five open positions.
Filing of candidacy for the DSC general election closed last Sept. 15. Although the general election was initially held last July, former UP College of Dentistry College Electoral Board (UPCD CEB) Chairperson Mikhaela Marcaida told The Manila Collegian that this was rendered invalid due to “the candidates being unable to properly campaign.” UPCD CEB has since restarted the DSC general election with 17 vacant positions.
Last Sept. 14, Medicine Student Council (MSC) announced its complete roster of officers after the MSC Representative to the USC seat was filled by appointment. Meanwhile, newly elected College of Public Health Student Council officers were proclaimed on Sept. 17, completing the council.
Filing for candidacy for the Nursing Student Council was opened last Sept. 16 and is set to close on Sept. 24.
There are no updates as of writing on special elections or other processes for the remaining open positions in the UP Pharmaceutical Association Student Council.
