After a two-year absence, two independent candidates from the Broadcast Media Arts and Studies (BMAS) occupy the department’s representative seats in the College of Mass Communication Student Council (CMC SC).
Third-year students Jephmar Francis Lagdan and Josh Christian Velilla were elected BMAS representatives to the college’s council in a two-day voting period that ended yesterday, Oct. 30.
Lagdan garnered 133 votes from BMAS students, while Velilla earned 118 votes. The poll recorded only 10 abstentions.
The college had a 55.84% voter turnout in this special poll. This is higher than the May regular election and last year’s special election which had 41.40% and 29.93%, respectively.
Campaigning under the “Jeph, Seph, Go!” tandem, Lagdan and Velilla aim to ensure BMAS representation within and outside the department, address the lack of funding and equipment, and foster BMAS students’ potential through student-led projects.
Read: Independent bets vie for BMAS representative seats after 2-year vacancy
After their proclamation, Lagdan shared that their priority is to start forwarding the calls and demands of BMAS students and working with the department and college administrations.
“Sa mga susunod na araw ay plano na naming ilunsad ang mga communication at consultation channels upang lubusang mai-align ang aming pagkilos sa mga pangangailangan nating lahat,” Lagdan said when asked about the first initiatives he and Velilla will implement as the newly-elected department representatives.
Meanwhile, Velilla expressed his gratitude to students who supported their campaign and urged the BMAS student body to hold them accountable and support them in their campaigns and projects.
“Sana lagi kaming maging kasangga nila [BMAS students] sa lahat ng hamon at panawagan bilang estudyante. Malaya naming nilalagay ang aming sarili sa kamay nila upang aming tunay na marepresenta ang boses ng [BMAS] student body,“ Velilla said.
Remaining vacancies
Despite the election of the two BMAS representatives, four positions in the CMC SC remain unfilled, including treasurer, two film and one journalism representatives.
To fill in the gaps in manpower, CMC SC Chairperson Edelweiss Nazal plans to mobilize the council’s volunteer corps next semester.
“Ang power naman talaga ng [CMC SC] ay hindi lang nasa officers, but also sa mga taong nakasama nating gumawa and bumuo ng campaigns,” Nazal said.
She added that for the long term, the council will continue to push for the revision of the CMC SC Constitution in order to set guidelines for appointments in the event of vacancies in its posts.
“What we have to do is to revise the constitution and to have it ratified para in the next years, sure tayo na hindi maiiwang bakante ang CMC SC,” Nazal mentioned.
Read: Vacancies remain in CMCSC amid independent slate win
Nazal’s predecessor Kiara Gorrospe previously shared that following the initial vacancies after May’s polls, the lack of “clear” guidelines on special elections and appointments prompted the need to revise the council’s constitution.
Gorrospe added that the ratification process for the revised CMC SC Constitution would require a majority affirmative vote of the CMC student body.
View the voter breakdown here:
BMAS REPRESENTATIVE (2)
Jephmar Francis Lagdan – 133
Josh Christian Velilla – 118
ABSTAIN – 10
TOTAL NO. OF VOTES – 261