#NEWS: S.Y. 2021–2022 Elections: The Elected Officials of Batch 2023
by Jaden Coen D.C. Reyes
Last October, students from each batch campaigned for different positions in their respective batch councils. For Batch 2023, there were two parties running: KALACHUCHI and Elevenate.
Appointment of Officers
The results of the election were a mix of the two parties, with Reign Peña (president), Aaron Gavino (vice-president), and Rysa Ang (secretary) coming from KALACHUCHI, and Anela Jardin (treasurer) and Margarita Calupaz (auditor) coming from Elevenate.
However, the differences in their parties did not faze the elected officials. “I’m totally okay with the current officers. I believe we have already formed some sort of dynamic through the short meetings we have had so far,” said Jardin.
The elected officials also acknowledged the similarity in both parties’ General Plan of Action (GPOA). Both had shared goals of improving the students’ academic and social lives. Ang noted, “We’ve reviewed both parties’ GPOAs already and there was a lot in common that we merged to improve [our plans].”
An Outlook for the School Year
As for now, the batch council will focus on implementing the Academic Committee. “For me, this is one of the things that the batch needs right now. It will be a great help for everyone who is having a hard time on their lessons, as well as in helping maintain [a] reasonable workload for the batch,” said Gavino. The Academic Committee will be composed of student volunteers who will provide reviewers, student-to-student consultations, and matrix monitoring to help alleviate the academic stress of the batch.
Aside from the Academic Committee, a Master Google Drive will also be created containing important resources regarding SCALE, Science Immersion Program (SIP), and college applications, making this information accessible to the students.
The current situation still poses many challenges for the elected batch council. The officers cited communication and execution as their primary concerns during the pandemic. “Though we have started streamlining and setting communication lines, I personally am just worried that it won’t be as beneficial for our batchmates as we hoped it would be,” Ang admitted.
Given that face-to-face classes may be on the horizon, there is also an uncertainty about how the council’s plans will be executed. “While I’m confident that most plans we have for the current time period (October to December 2021) are doable, I’m worried about what may come in January 2022 onwards,” said Peña.
He continued, “This is especially because of the recent news on shifting to face-to-face classes by next year. It made me think about how we’ll be able to serve our batchmates better if some of us will go on-campus while some will remain in the online learning set-up.”
Aside from this, 2023’s first year of the Specialization Years Program (SYP) also includes additional challenges, such as the college preparations and the required SCALE and SIP activities. Calupaz said, “We hope that our projects would help them reach their goals rather than distract them.”
Message to Batch 2023
Ang reminded her batchmates that they have started planning and executing their plans. She added, “We hope that through these projects, each of us can be a little bit more unified, heard, and informed with regards to whatever is happening in Pisay.”
The officers stressed the importance of communication and active participation from the batch. Jardin reminded the batch: “You are always valid, and should you have any concerns or suggestions you want to raise, feel free to reach out to us.”
“We are very much open to hearing out your concerns, suggestions, questions, and other insights,” said Ang, “You are always welcome to send us a message via Facebook, Twitter, Discord, or even e-mail.”
