Polytechnic University of the Philippines Student Council

Polytechnic University of the Philippines Student Council Konseho ng Mag-aaral ng Politeknikong Unibersidad ng Pilipinas
Academic Year 2024-2025
Type
Type	Representative body of the students of Polytechnic University of the Philippines
Leadership
President	Tiffany Faith Brillante [1] ,SAMASA PUP since September 30, 2024
Vice President	Lance Casuyon,SAMASA PUP since September 30, 2024
Secretary-General	Reynalyn Layones,SAMASA PUP since September 30, 2024
Treasurer	Shaine Althea Ocampo,SAMASA PUP since September 30, 2024
Structure
Length of term	One academic year
Elections
Voting system	First-past-the-post
Next election	Fourth week of September 2025
Meeting place
Charlie del Rosario Building, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Santa Mesa, Manila
Constitution
2013 PUP Student Council Constitution

The Polytechnic University of the Philippines Student Council (PUP SC) (Filipino: Konseho ng Mag-aaral ng Politeknikong Unibersidad ng Pilipinas) is the official undergraduate student union and collective student representative body of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Manila campuses. ^[2] It represents the interests of the students on the university, national, and global issues.

As the collective student representation in the university, the central and college student councils are composed of members elected amongst the student body, mandated to organize and direct campaigns and activities to defend and promote students’ rights, and improve the students’ general welfare. Furthermore, it provides direct services to the student body.

The PUP Student Council is composed of the Central Student Council (Sentral na Konseho ng Mag-aaral; SKM), student councils in various colleges, Commission on Student Organization and Accreditation (COSOA), Commission on Audit (COA), Commission on Election (COMELEC), and the Student Tribunal (ST); wherein four high-ranking officers of the Central Student Council and the presidents of college student councils form the Student Council Assembly (SCA), the highest policy-making body of the student council. ^{[3] [4]}

History and advocacies

In 1969, then-Philippine College of Commerce (PCC) President Nemesio Prudente included the student council in the board of trustees of the college. ^[5]

In 1972, the student council was abolished due to the proclamation of martial law. Five years after the PCC was converted into a chartered state university and renamed Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), the student council was eventually revived in 1983 with its constitution and by-laws being drafted and ratified. ^[6]

In 1990, Prudente, who was reappointed as PUP president, assigned the student union hall (now called Charlie del Rosario Building) and certain rooms in the main academic building to the Central Student Council, accredited student organizations, cultural groups, and major student publications. ^[7]

PUP SPEAK (2016 - 2021)

From 2016 to 2021, the Students' Party for Equality and Advancement of Knowledge (SPEAK) had been the ruling political party of the PUP Student Council. ^[8]

In July 2019, ahead of the fourth State of the Nation Address of President Rodrigo Duterte, the College of Communication Student Council (COC SC) was among the youth groups invited to Rappler's MovePH Huddle to discuss on several issues. On the youth sector's efforts to campaign for a coal-free Negros, COC SC's Neilvin John Aventurado shared that "the government should be listening or they should be aiming for the protection of our environment and the people who benefit from it" after expressing sadness by the fact that the youth had to conduct protests just to be heard. ^[9]

In February 2020, the Central Student Council, together with various organization under the leadership of PUP Office of the Student Regent (OSR) held a benefit concert on the university oval grounds to support the mid-to-long-term rehabilitation of the communities affected by the Taal volcano eruption. The concert, which was attended by over 15,000 people, was headlined by Parokya ni Edgar, Itchyworms, Gloc-9, and Rocksteddy. ^[10]

In April 2020, the Central Student Council joined in decrying the detention of Rexon Aumentado, a mechanical engineering department and community volunteer, over alleged violations of the enhanced community quarantine. Joining the call to release the student were human rights lawyers Chel Diokno and Erin Tanada, who called the arrest a form of "harassment". ^{[11] [12]}

In April 2021, the College of Accountancy and Finance Student Council (CAF SC) urged the university to extend the "academic break" from April 5 to April 11 amidst rising COVID-19 cases. It insisted that the students and the professors are "not mentally and practically ready to start the new semester,” as it also pointed out that they were immobilized due to the extended community quarantine and its border restrictions. ^[13]

In January 2021, the Central Student Council was among the stakeholders of the university to condemn the proposal of Duterte Youth Rep. Ducielle Cardema to Department of National Defense to abrogate its 1990 accord with the university, a day after the abrogation of its 1989 accord with the University of the Philippines. The accord stated that the police and military forces must give prior notification to the university president before conducting any operation on any PUP branches and campuses. Central Student Council President Jonero Dacula and PUP Board of Regents student representative Ellenor Bartolome submitted a position paper to Cardema opposing the termination of the PUP-DND agreement. In their position paper, Dacula and Bartolome highlighted a key provision in the PUP-DND accord, which recognized the right of all students “to freely advocate their ideas on the campus with utmost tolerance, understanding and guarantee, without fear of interference and intervention or repression from the state, or any of its agencies and instrumentalities.” ^[14]

SAMASA PUP (2021 - present)

In September 2021, Miss Trans Global 2021's Duchess Global Albiean Revalde, an engineering student, was elected as the first trans woman president of the Central Student Council; and Sandigan ng Mag-aaral para sa Sambayanan (SAMASA) becomes the ruling political party of the PUP Student Council once again after five years. ^[15]

A day after the International Human Rights Day in 2021, the Central Student Council declared the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) and Hands Off Our Children Movement (HOOCM) persona non grata in the university after claiming the NTF-ELCAC's "records of baseless red-tagging and HOOCM being an enabler in silencing progressive youths through a facade of psycho-social services." ^[16]

In April 2022, the Central Student Council endorsed the presidential bid of Vice President Leni Robredo, vice presidential bid of senator Kiko Pangilinan, senatorial bids of Chel Diokno, Risa Hontiveros, Neri Colmenares, Leila de Lima, Luke Espiritu, Teddy Baguilat, Elmer Labog, Sonny Matula, Alex Lacson, and Carmen Reyes Zubiaga, and congressional bid of Kabataan Partylist. It believed that Robredo and Pangilinan are "the best option to prevent a possible resurgence of a Marcos and a Duterte", who they insisted to have been historically proven as "murderous, corrupt, and self-serving." Both Robredo and Pangilinan would eventually lose the national election to both Bongbong Marcos and Sara Duterte, respectively. ^[17]

In October, 2022 several student leaders across the universities in the Philippines including the PUP's Sentral na Konseho ng mga Mag-aaral called for the reconsideration of mandatory Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) in the schools. The incumbent vice president of the student council, Benhur Queqqegan said "ROTC would only be a financial burden to students and waste taxpayers' money." ^[18]

Composition

Sentral na Konseho ng Mag-aaral / Central Student Council

Name	College	Party	Position
Tiffany Faith Brillante	College of Political Science and Administration	SAMASA PUP	President
Lance Casuyon	College of Communication	SAMASA PUP	Vice President
Reynalyn Layones	College of Engineering	SAMASA PUP	Councilor & Secretary-General Head of the Volunteer Corps and Secretariat Committee
Shaine Althea Ocampo	Open University System	SAMASA PUP	Councilor & Treasurer Head of the Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
Maria Zoinah Lappay	College of Social Sciences and Development	SAMASA PUP	Councilor Head of the Academic Affairs and Student Services Committee
Noriko Wade Alsisto	College of Human Kinetics	SAMASA PUP	Councilor Head of the Athletes' Welfare and Sports Development Committee
Neriza Janelle Ignacio	Open University System	SAMASA PUP	Councilor Head of the Organization and Press Relations Committee
CJ Diaz	College of Arts and Letters	SAMASA PUP	Councilor Head of the People's Advocacy and Campaign Committee
Ma. Georgia Angelica Halabi	College of Tourism, Hospitality, and Transporation Management	SAMASA PUP	Councilor Head of the Students' Rights and Welfare Committee
Neilvin John Aventurado	College of Communication	N/A [a]	Councilor Head of the Legal, Parliamentary, and Ethics Committee
Bryan Alonzo	College of Accountancy and Finance	N/A [a]	Councilor Head of the Educational Affairs and Research Committee
Alfonso Bernard De Leon	College of Political Science and Public Administration	N/A [a]	Councilor Head of the External Affairs and Network Committee
Gean Matthew Rebulado	College of Political Science and Public Administration	N/A [a]	Councilor Head of the Gender Diversity, Inclusivity, and Safe Spaces Committee
Sharnonn Aaire Guinto	College of Social Sciences and Development	N/A [a]	Councilor Head of the Mass Media and Culture Committee

Student Council Assembly

The Student Council Assembly is the highest policy-making body of the PUP Student Council. It is composed of the president, vice-president, secretary-general, and treasurer of the Central Student Council and presidents of the student councils of various colleges in the university.

Name	Party	Position
Tiffany Faith Brillante	SAMASA PUP	SKM President
Lance Casuyon	SAMASA PUP	SKM Vice President
Reynalyn Layones	SAMASA PUP	SKM Secretary-General
Shaine Althea Ocampo	SAMASA PUP	SKM Treasurer
Pearl Micah Arceo	SAMASA PUP	CADBE Student Council President
Maria Margareth L. Felix	SAMASA PUP	CAF Student Council President
Christian Ancheta	SAMASA PUP	CAL Student Council President
Andre John Dumayag	SAMASA PUP	CBA Student Council President
JP Azusano	SAMASA PUP	CCIS Student Council
Chancy Valerio	SAMASA PUP	CE Student Council President
Elmer Christian Dela Merced	Independent	CHK Student Council President
Tracy Althea Ramos	SAMASA PUP	COC Student Council President
Marissa Santiago	SAMASA PUP	COED Student Council President
Troy Cabangon	SAMASA PUP	CPSPA Student Council President
Vince Bingayan	SAMASA PUP	CS Student Council President
Barbara Duran	SAMASA PUP	CSSD Student Council President
Krystel Joy Forjes	SAMASA PUP	CTHTM Student Council President
Alliyah Samantha Ablan	SAMASA PUP	ITech Student Council President
Michael Dave Bolima	SAMASA PUP	OUS Student Council President

List of presidents

The president of the Central Student Council is the chief executive officer and overseer of the PUP Student Council and the presiding officer of the Student Council Assembly.

Term of office	Name	Party	College	Remarks
2012 to 2014	Charley Urquiza	SAMASA PUP	CSSD	Officer-in-charge from February 2012 to September 2013. Kilos PUP and Bangon PUP were disqualified by the COMELEC in the 2013 election.
2014 to 2015	Jessica Ferrera	SAMASA PUP	CBS	Ferrera and SAMASA PUP slate ran unopposed. Elected as student regent in September 2014.
2015 to 2016	Alyssa Manalo	SAMASA PUP	CoEd	Kilos PUP merged with PUP SPEAK, with the latter fielding its first slate.
2016 to 2017	Jonald Bagasina	PUP SPEAK	CPSPA	First elected president from PUP SPEAK.
2017 to 2018	Elijah San Fernando	PUP SPEAK	CSSD	Elected as vice president in 2016, assumed the presidency after Bagasina's graduation. Elected as student regent in September 2017.
2018 to 2019	Ralyn Rodriguez	PUP SPEAK	CAL
2019 to 2021	Jonero Dacula	PUP SPEAK	CE	SAMASA PUP was disqualified by the Student Council Assembly. One-year hold-over term was proclaimed in 2020 by the Student Council Assembly due to COVID-19 restrictions.
2021	Aubrey Garganera	PUP SPEAK	CPSPA	Officer-in-charge from June to September 2021, after Dacula's resignation.
2021 to 2022	Albiean Revalde	SAMASA PUP	CE	First trans woman president. First online elections were held.
2022 to 2023	Kirchhoff Thomas Angala	SAMASA PUP	CAF	First unopposed president. First face-to-face election debate was held after pandemic. Second online elections held from September 30 to October 4, 2022.
2023 to 2024	Miss Kim Modelo	SAMASA PUP	CAL	Elected as 24th Student Regent in December 2023; the first transgender woman Student Regent of the university.
2024 to present	Tiffany Faith Brillante	SAMASA PUP	CPSPA	The president with the highest number of votes in the recent PUP Student Council history with 10,040 votes.

References

1. "RESOLUTION NO. 048 SERIES OF 2022". Polytechnic University of the Philippines - SC COMELEC. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
2. Dejito, Jesusana. "ThePUPStudentHandbook2014" (PDF). ThePUPStudentHandbook2014. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
3. "Polytechnic University of the Philippines Student Council". Polytechnic University of the Philippines . Retrieved August 25, 2022.
4. The Constitution of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Student Council. Manila, Philippines: 5th Student Council Assembly of 2013. January 19, 2013.
5. "History: 1952-1971". Polytechnic University of the Philippines . Retrieved August 25, 2022.
6. "History: 1972-1985". Polytechnic University of the Philippines . Retrieved August 25, 2022.
7. "History: 1986-1990". Polytechnic University of the Philippines . Retrieved August 25, 2022.
8. Aventurado, Neilvin (May 9, 2018). "Rodriguez takes oath as central SC President of main campus". PUP Communication Management Office . Retrieved August 25, 2022.
9. Berdos, Enrico (July 21, 2019). "Youth, advocates share ideal Philippines ahead of SONA 2019". Rappler . Retrieved August 25, 2022.
10. "PUP OSR, Rotary Club FBGC to hold benefit concert for the victims of Taal Volcano eruption". Philippine Daily Inquirer. February 26, 2020. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
11. "PUP student held for alleged violation of quarantine measures cleared of charges". Manila Bulletin. April 29, 2020. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
12. "PUP orgs call for release of student detained over 'lockdown violation'". Rappler. April 26, 2020. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
13. Nolasco, Eala Julienne (April 6, 2021). "Students urge schools to extend academic break amid rising COVID-19 cases". Rappler . Retrieved August 25, 2022.
14. Andrade, Jeannette; Adonis, Meg (January 21, 2021). "PUP accord with DND also faces termination". Philippine Daily Inquirer . Retrieved August 25, 2022.
15. Montenegro, Juan Carlos (April 9, 2022). "Trans Global Philippines' Albiean Revalde on Breaking Barriers and Going Beyond". Metroscene Mag. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
16. Gutoman, Dominic (December 24, 2021). "PUP students say NTF-ELCAC persona non grata". Bulatlat. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
17. Baron, Gabriela (April 4, 2022). "PUP student leaders endorse Leni-Kiko tandem". Manila Bulletin . Retrieved August 25, 2022.
18. Perez, Arra (October 26, 2022). "ROTC a financial burden, waste of taxpayers' money —student leaders".

Footnotes

1. Appointed on November 6, 2024.