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Photograph by Zaki R. Yap

SEC Presidential Bid, Joanna Del Rosario prompts to #GoForJo

By Kyla Torres | April 26, 2024

LAST April 25, the candidates for the upcoming Student Executive Council (SEC) Election participated in “BOTO BEDA 2024: Botanteng Bedista, Diskurong Tapatan,” organized by the  Bedan Electoral Committee (BELCOM) and brought to you by The Bedan Herald and Tatak Bedista TV.

        Former President and current Internal Vice President of Beda.Comm, Joanna Del Rosario (III-BACMS) kicked off the Presidential Portion of the Miting de Avance. In her speech, Del Rosario emphasized her desire for change, branding herself as the “simbolo ng pagbabago.” She shared that unlike her opponents she’ll be a new face that will tackle changing the system that is felt to be unsuccessful:

 

“What makes me different? Lahat ng kasabayan ko ay seated in power. Ako ang baguhan at susubok pa lang na pumasok at baguhin ang sistemang nakasanayan. Ilang taon na simula noong unang taon ko dito ay wala na akong ibang narinig kung hindi reklamo at pagnanais ng mas aktibo at mas ramdam na mga lider. Alam natin yan mapa-CSL officer ka man o ordinaryong studyante ng San Beda pero posible natin putulin ang sistema na hindi maunlad.” 

 

        Del Rosario incited that this may be the chance for those who suppressed their feelings to take action. She also brought to attention how those who are in power revolve around the same few people again and again. Del Rosario ended her speech by saying, “We cannot expect effective change if we do not change the people seated in power.  Nakapaglingkod na sila at nagpapasalamat tayo sa kanilang mga naiambag. Nakita natin ang kaya nilang gawin at nagkaroon na sila ng pagkakataon.” and prompting a new era of  change: “Ang panahon ni Joanna Del Rosario.”

        Following the Miting de Avance, the candidates participated in Boses ng Bedista:  a question and answer segment that allowed adjudicators from The Bedan Herald and the Council of Student Leaders (CSL) to address relevant questions; questions from the Google Forms disseminated by BELCOM to the student body were also asked. 

        Del Rosario started with a question from the press that asked about her performance in class as there have been sources saying she has a track record of being tardy and passing assignments late. She answered that she takes full accountability for the matter however, “there is always a bigger picture to it.” She says that as a student leader, you cannot avoid compromises in your personal time and personal endeavours, saying: “Dahil ang pagiging student leader, wala kang pinipiling pahinga, wala kang pinipiling oras para maglingkod sa community.” But she reassured that this will not be reflected in her term but will be a “ tool for improvement and growth.”

        As for her second question from the press, she was asked about her opinion on student publications criticizing the student council and demanding accountability and transparency and if it could be expected of her if she were to be the SEC President. She responded that taking accountability and being transparent is one quality that a leader should have, and she believes that it is evident and something she will be responsible for as taking accountability will allow one to grow and listen to what exactly are the concerns of the student body. 

        For the first question asked by the CSL, they asked if Del Rosario would say that her leadership experience is lacking or inefficient for her to step down in her position in Beda.Comm. To which she responded that it was not a sign of inefficiency but a sign of growth and confidence that she left the organization with someone who shares her values and visions for the organization. “I was able to guide that person into the right leader that he or she can be. I was able to become a role model for that person and that’s exactly what that leader can possess in the futures to come.” She said.

        Moreover, the CSL asked about how she can assure that she will not be biased as a former Beda.Comm officer given that the SEC organizes activities and competitions for the whole college. Del Rosario responded that her transfer “holds no bias,” and her time in Beda.Comm was used to train her to be the leader she would want to be and what others would want to look up to. She said, “ I believe that my time or my chapter has closed in Beda.Comm and that has opened me to a new door of service for a wider community.”

        By the end, one question was asked from the tertiary schools — a second-year student from the School of Arts, Sciences, & Education (SASE) — which asked how she expected the students to vote for her if she had not provided any platform or content besides her poster asking to #GoForJo. Del Rosario shared that they are following certain guidelines and protocols and anticipating the posting of her campaign and credentials on the day of BOTO BEDA. She took the opportunity to introduce her platform “Juan Bedista”, which she shares is “to enhance the activities of the students of San Beda College Alabang para malaman natin kung ano ba talagang ibig sabihin ng kulturang San Beda and magiging tulay ito para maensure natin na napapakinggan ang mga boses ng mga pangangailangan ng estudyante.” 

        She also brought up one of her empowerment moves, “Para kay Juana” which will “enhance the knowledge of rights, reproductive health and illnesses of women that are not known to women in San Beda.” She said that this will allow her to focus on small details such as the availability of sanitary napkins and tissues — “how can we expect na yung maliliit na problema ng kababaihan hindi nasosolusyonan what more yung malalaki pa.” She said. 

Volume 29 | Issue 4