The BEACON by Beacon Newsmagazine

The official student publication of Ateneo de Zamboanga University

AELECOM pioneers online election If COMELEC currently finds itself in the grill because of its procurement of poorlytested and glitch-vulnerable PCOS machines, then AELECOM finds itself in a different spot.

Volume 68 Special Election Teaser February 2013

by: The BEACON Research Team From there, they may log in with their respective usernames and passwords and cast their votes. Further instructions will be included in the said webpage. On the other hand, for voters who may opt to vote in the actual poll centers, they are required to present their ID cards to the registration personnel. Afterward, they will be admitted to their designated desks to cast their votes.

On February 14 this year, AELECOM, with the technical assistance of Center for Information and Technology Services (CITS), will pioneer Ateneo’s first online elections. While We are expecting rumors about it had been apparent in the previous year, to surpass last its implementation is said to year’s turn-out be the major reform in the history of student council [of 49%], maybe elections. around 50% to

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Delgado also said that unlike last year’s ballot count which normally lasted overnight before the official declaration of winners, this year’s release of results will be faster. “We will be releasing the results around 9:00pm to 10:00pm as soon as Sir Raymond prints it (tally sheets).” Raymond Ong is an IT specialist and systems developer of the online election.

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60%, Commissioner Airrish Delgado of AELECOM clarified that the polling center for the studentvoters will still be the Bellarmine-Campion Lobby and not the Basic and Advanced Computer Laboratories. Accordingly, AELECOM will deploy laptop computers with When asked about the expected Internet connection in order to effect the voter’s turn-out, Delgado said that electoral process. AELECOM has not released an official percentage projection, but they certainly Delgado also said that the election expect greater student involvement this period shall last from 8:00 in the morning to year. “We are expecting to surpass last 8:00 in the evening. During the said period, year’s turn-out [of 49%], maybe around voters, regardless of their location as long as 50% to 60%,” Delgado remarked in Chavacano. they have access to the Internet, may visit the official AdZU website and click the banner which indicates El Consejo Atenista Election.

The BEACON | The Official Student Publication of Ateneo de Zamboanga University

the

SOLE ELECTIONISTS’ BATTLE

With students’ lack of enthusiasm in running for student government One Ateneo will restructure and redefine the structures and functpositions, One Ateneo plans to provide a year-long student development ions of the academic organizations (AOs). Furthermore, they will redefine and leadership program to equip them with the necessary skills and leader- the officers’ job descriptions to improve the respective AOs as a collegiate ship values for the present and the future. They plan to attain this by doing body. the following: •Student-centered activities and programs. One Ateneo plans to train the Ateneo students to become student-leaders, speakers, facilitators, conflict managers, mediators and implementers of initiatives with the hope that One Ateneo will assist in the creation of relevant academic organistudents could represent themselves well as part of Ateneo even without zation (AO) initiatives to ensure that the officers in each AO will functionthe student government. alize not only within periods of Ateneo Fiesta, acquaintance parties and independent AO activities, but also perform their duties as an officer to the •Intensive and relevant student awareness programs and activities. Letting whole Ateneo studentry for the rest of their tenure. the students become aware, involved and exposed in the greater realities in the Zamboanga community, in order to reduce the gaps between the Ateneans and the rest in the society.

Compiled by Aseya Khadija Calo and Maliver Gaas

Party Name: One Ateneo Motto: One vision. One community. Re-electionist Adriel Earl Toribio and his vice-presidentiable Kevin Roy Jimera are this year’s front-runners of One Ateneo. With the belief that the studentry deserves more from their student government, they present their 5-point agenda which they will assure of delivering to the student body should they succeed the office.

Candidate for President: Adriel Earl Toribio Vice- President: Kevin Roy Jimera Governors and Vice-G: AAO –Governor: Milarose Barraca; VG: Judean Galvez NAO –Gov: Ma. Buenapedes Lae C. Agraviador; VG: Michael H. Ong MAO –Gov: AL-Zhayeeb Hamin; VG: Gian Carlo Siason Flores EAO –Gov: Abdurauf J. Baldomero; VG: Lizette Anne Carpio

5-point agenda platform:

•An automated lending, locker acquisition and mapping systems. Revising the current manual systems of borrowing materials and acquiring lockers and converting them into automated systems through the use of students’ RFIDs.

One Ateneo will ensure improved El Consejo Atenista systems and processes. They believe that documentation of processes and transactions are found to be needed as they advocate for transparency and accountability in their exercise of governance. They would like to achieve this by doing the following:

One Ateneo advocates for Improved Reliable Student Services which includes the reduction of paperwork for more automated systems. They plan to achieve this by doing the following:

•Full change of wooden lockers to metal lockers. By May or April 2013, all the wooden lockers will be replaced by metal lockers. This will serve as a continuation of the previous administration’s project. •El Consejo Atenista hotline¬¬. The hotline will come in the form of a cellphone number that will serve as the core communication line for the students. Should students need to reach and address any office in the Ateneo, this hotline will redirect you to your desired contact.

Compiled by Christianne Dawn Sicat School or College: Nursing Academic Organization NAO Governor: Geraldine Jaji NAO Vice- Governor: Kris Bordner Hacut

Party Name: independent Motto: <not applicable>

platforms: 5.

Creation of outlets for students to voice out their concerns and opinions regarding issues affecting the department they may find in need of discussion, such as a suggestion box.

Promotion and implementation of outreach programs for less fortunate sectors and individuals in society.

Further involvement of student-nurses in school activities that will bring nursing students from all campuses and colleges closer to one another, thus strengthening the nursing community.

•Semester-end and year-end financial disclosures. Publication of a comprehensive report regarding their expenses and allocated budget at the end of the semester and academic year.

Promotion and implementation of fund-raising events that will help each batch finance their expenses for academic or non-academic activities.

and comprehensibility of information regarding re7. Accessibility quirements, activities, classes, duties, and class funds to the stu-

•Monthly publication of El Consejo Atenista summary report. Publication of a comprehensive report regarding certain financial issues and activities that Consejo will involve in within every month.

Implementation of engaging activities beneficial to all levels in the Nursing Department for the betterment of their education, such as tutorial programs for their under-class men.

of nursing students to volunteer works through dif8. Engagement ferent medical missions.

•Expanded and restructured student subsidy policy. At present, Consejo is only able to provide a subsidy of Php2,000.00 per organization. Should they get elected, they offer to increase the subsidy to approximately Php5,000.00 to Php10,000.00 per organization.

•Information delivery through social media. One Ateneo will pursue on utilizing the El Consejo Atenista Bulletin and Ateneo Issue Page Facebook pages for quicker, more improved, and more reliable delivery of information to address the urgency of the students’ queries.

•Student loan program. They will be allocating funds to those students who are in need financially. Such subsidy will be extended as loans which are to be repaid within or at the end of the semester.

•Formalization of Code of Financial Procedure: Accountability in Requesting and Liquidation. This is under the monthly summary report that will enable the students to be knowledgeable about the processes of liquidation of grants and subsidies.

Volume 68, Special Election Teaser, February 2013

independent candidates

•Development and increased subsidies for Council of Leaders Assembly. COLA is an umbrella alliance of student leaders from all organizations in the Ateneo. It has legislative powers and acts as the lower house of the Legislative Branch. Should One Ateneo succeed in the elections, they will ensure higher subsidies for the development of COLA’s projects, activities and initiatives.

Equal prioritization among all activities and sports during Ateneo Fiesta and Nursing Days.

dents.

Party Name: independent Motto: <not applicable>

School or College: College of Science and Information Technology Vice Governor: Abdel Aziz A. Alfad

No platform submitted to Ateneo Electoral Commission.

Volume 68, Special Election Teaser, February 2013

Half-baked A student government should never be fair, because they should always side with the students. Their existence, their resources are owed to the studentry and not to the administration. They are the student’s voice, the link to the decision-making tables. They are the student’s force. So then, what use for a student government to be called as such when it fails to serve the studentry’s interest? What use for a student government to be called such when it does not even make aggressive stance, and continuously succumbs to the bureaucracies around it without regard to what the studentry really deserves? What Ateneo and its leaders need is to mature politically. Maturity in a sense of realizing the greater powers beyond governance—governance not in the fashion of organizing parties and events, but governance of entitling to the students what they inherently own, what they deserve. Governance does not end at allowing the students ventilate their concerns at a Facebook group, in fact governance begins right there. It ends when such concerns are addressed, and when the studentry sees the benefit of complaining materialize in the end.

by Kelvin J. Culajara

behalf of the three thousand-plus college powerhouse. Governance, certainly does not end at drafting a magna carta. It has to go through implementation. Only then can we say that governance at that respect achieved its full cycle. Furthermore, governance does not end at the fact that a student leader sits among the top executives in the College Core. What really do we know about his contribution to the decision-making process? Does he re-assert the welfare of the students? Does he insist on his convictions? Or does he just sit among the others, listening eagerly, agreeing blindly? What Ateneo has to understand is the potentials Consejo can serve. It must emanate an aura of fierceness, of arrogance against administrative impunities. Consejo must finally break free from being an events organizer to a real student government. Consejo must become a force to be reckoned by the administration, in a sense that its voice and its pro-student stand will really help shape policies and decisions carried out by the university. We do not want a student government who exists for formality’s sake, and worse, whose most visible achievement by far is their white-painted walls and fully airconditioned office.

Governance certainly does not end at informing the Ateneo students that there will be a public consultation on tuition fee increase for the next school year. As a student government, it is your duty to say no to it in

Project Director: Kelvin J. Culajara Desk Editors: Christianne Dawn Sicat, Aseya Khadija Calo Layout: Jessa Kristine del Mar & Farouk Susulan