THE 2025 STUDENT Council (SC) First Year Representative Elections ended in a vacancy after Courtney Allaine Acuña, the lone independent candidate, failed to secure the majority vote needed for her election as per the official tally of the San Beda Electoral Board (ELBO) last October 10.
From 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., 410 out of 749 registered voters participated in the elections, constituting a 54.74% voter turnout and reaching the new Omnibus Election Code’s (OEC) “50 percent plus one” quorum requirement.
However, as the proclamation took place, the final polling results showed the candidate receiving 198 votes, falling short of the majority, and surpassed by 212 undervotes.
The election took place after the failure of major political parties to meet certification requirements for representation under the new OEC, thereby placing the sole candidate’s platform and motivations at the center of the subsequent Miting de Avance (MDA) held on October 9 at the Jonathan Sy Auditorium.
In an interview with The Bedan, freshmen expressed their expectations and concerns for the candidate.
Ira Mantes, freshman from the Department of Political Science, voiced her expectations for clear and realistic goals connected to the experiences of their batchmates.
“Para sa’kin talaga, ‘yung true leader is someone na nag-sho-show ng consistency, ng empathy, and readiness talaga to serve with purpose even before elections or kahit after elections,” said Mantes.
On the other hand, Lovely Delima, panelist from the Human Resource Development Management Society (HRDMS) expressed concerns over the candidate’s platform appearing to stem from personal observation rather than a collective consensus from the batch.
She admitted that parts of the platform felt vague and repetitive, stating her need for more “actionable goals” for the candidate to get her vote.
Following her loss in the election, Acuña stated that while she was disappointed with the outcome, she remained grateful for the opportunity, affirming that there are still a lot of opportunities in service.
“I would like to focus on my passions in life, which is my community outreach and my positions there, which are ‘yung mga rotary clubs. I will still continue to contribute to that and will still give the platform even if I’m not in the position sa San Beda,” she said
Speaking through its members, ELBO affirmed its commitment to the revised OEC.
Francine Erika Gumpal, Activity Chairperson and ELBO Commissioner, emphasized the success of the new rules, noting the board was glad to reach the required quorum to declare it as a successful election.
ELBO Chairperson Darlene Pamiloza commented that, considering the lone candidacy for the position, the final turnout was very difficult to foresee, considering that the candidate was fighting not just to gain votes, but also to establish herself as a lone candidate without a backer.
“Considering that this is very historical, the turnout of votes was actually not what we anticipated, but the candidate showed her dedication throughout,” said Darlene.
Erin Supan also attributed this challenge to the long-standing practice of politically backed candidates, with Pamiloza highlighting her struggle against this as dedication that justified her candidacy.
The details of the special elections following the vacancy are yet to be announced.
(with Uriel Andrada)