Eleven candidates vie for different ChES Executive Council Positions; Elections to be held on May 6

In an apparently low candidate turnout, eleven candidates this year vie for different positions in the upcoming elections for the new executive board of the UST Chemical Engineering Society.

According to Ian Micaller, chairperson of ChESelect – the official ChES Commission on Elections, only eleven candidates – one party and two independent candidates, submitted their respective certificate of candidacy last April 27, 2016. The elections for non-graduating students will be held on May 6 (Friday), according to Garvey Santos, vice chairperson of ChESelect. Special elections will also be held on May 7 for students without Friday classes. Voting for graduating students was done earlier, last April 30.

One Party

Only one party, Elements, was formed. It has the tagline “ChES: Committed in Honing Excellent Service, Engineering Leaders Empowering and Enriching Thomasian Students”, and its standard bearer, incumbent Junior Vice President Earvin Luis Jayag is running unopposed for the position of president.

Mr. Jayag explained in detail how the party was formed: “At first, kasi sobrang nagdadalawang isip ako pero pinush ako sobra ng council, at [ng mga] 4th yr, so sa tingin ko wala nang tatakbo at ayoko maiwan ung [ChES na] walang [presidente]. [So I] decided na tumakbo. Binuo ko ung party ng kasama ko si [Thea Mendenilla] at si [Janssen Peñaflor]. Then lately si Ronald dahil pinag isipan niya sobra kung tatakbo talga siya. Marami kaming napag tanungan kung sino gusto tumakbo pero marami ang ‘di qualified dahil irreg at kulang sa year of service kaya sobrang nahirapan kami. Naghahanap din kami actually ng kalaban para macomplete din ung kabilang party pero maraming nagreject at ‘di qualified. Di [lubos na nabuo] ung party dahil wala akong nakuhang VP for Social Welfare [but at least I know I] chose the best people for my council [lineup] na alam kong responsable at mapapanindigan ang pagiging officer.” he said in an interview with the news editor of The Reaction.

Two Independent Candidates

The two independent candidates are Arun Bryan Nanda Kumar, and Khristian Mike S. Cosinas, who are running for the positions of Vice President for Social Welfare and Vice President for Academic Affairs, respectively. 

The following table summarizes the list of candidates and their respective opponents, if ever.

Table showing names of candidates and their opponents
(Click image to enlarge)

Stock photo of a ChESelect Certificate of Candidacy

It can be noted that last year, Ann Christine Baual also run unopposed for the position of president, garnering 305 votes (76.25%) which was well above the 60% vote requirement in order to be proclaimed president.