By Mark Vincent A. Durano

Far Eastern University (FEU) student-legislators won multiple awards for various bills read in the inaugural University Model Congress (UMC) 2024 held at the A. Venue Hotel in Makati last December 16 to 18.

FEU fielded 29 representatives out of approximately 200 delegates and 27 participating universities at the congress’ launch.

The separate bills of Tamaraws Leandro Mauricio Gumapos, Rovic Mendoza, and Steven Javier were among the Overall Best Bill: First Honorable Mention recipients, the formal award given to the “most well-researched, innovative, and impactful bills presented in the congress.”

Mendoza and Javier both sponsored the Sustainable National Waterway Transportation Act which also won Best Committee Bill.

Meanwhile, Gumapos sponsored the Frontliners Disaster Risk Reduction Bill and also co-authored the Metropolitan Bus Rapid Transit Act which bagged Best Committee Bill. 

Fellow FEU students Hans Gabriel Empleo and Zelline Jayne Ingalla also worked as author and co-author, respectively, for the aforementioned transportation bill.

The Best Committee Bill was also awarded to Andrea Louise Buenaventura who authored the Community-based Financial Organization for Youth Development Act. 

Sponsors Juan Miguel Lacandola and Jan Carlo Fajardo for Digital Empowerment for the Informal Sector Act of 2024, Irish Francine Alarilla for Community-Based Education and Development Act, and Alfredo Tupaz II for Kabataan sa Katarungan Act also won the mentioned award.

Six Tamaraw participants were honored as Committee Best Delegate: First Honorable Mention, including Buenaventura, Lacandola, Mendoza, Alarilla, Javier, and Minority Floor Leader and Best Elected Officer: First Honorable Mention Renan Gonzales.

Out of the 29 Tamaraw participants, two were elected as Chairpersons for their committees, namely Goeffrey Lababo for Active Citizenship and Empleo for Informal Sector.

Additionally, Franz Johann Cristobal led the Committee on Frontliners and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management as Vice Chairperson while Glenn Joseph Santos for the Committee on Education.

For the informal awards, Fajardo along with Krystal Hatayama claimed the Best Dressed awards for the Androgynous and Feminine Categories, respectively.

In an online interview with FEU Advocate, fourth-year Political Science (PolSci) student Empleo stressed on the importance of model congresses such as UMC to hone more students on legislative processes which he observed have dwindled. 

“This is very important in the context of the FEU Community because I personally observed that the number of those engaged in parliament procedure [parlpro] is decreasing. These experiences in UMC not only rejuvenate the number of FEU students who are aware of parlpro but it also revitalize the number of those that appreciates the profession and all the skills to be desired in it,” he said.

Empleo also took pride in the progress of the University in joining model congresses, citing the ability of FEU students to excel in lawmaking and its processes.

International Studies senior Gumapos also emphasized the need to lead by example and show set standards for future Tamaraw legislators and parliamentarians.

“That shows significance to all the delegates this last UMC who represented not only themselves but the whole FEU community... This has shown that even in highly competitive situations, respect and kindness is important, even towards those who has different set of values and ideologies,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Gumapos who helped in training younger student legislators emphasized maintaining a good value with their craft.

“More than the exemplary skills and knowledge that each Tamaraw parliamentarian has, they never forget the values and the reason for every action they take. Like I always tell the kids, their skills and knowledge are only as important as their values as a parliamentarian,” he said.

As a rookie in model congresses, first-year PolSci student Lacandola saw UMC as an avenue to kickstart his journey in policymaking.

“I discovered that stepping into unfamiliar spaces is the first step to growth. This experience turned my apprehension into ambition, sparking my passion for policymaking,” he shared.

Additionally, the freshman also deemed model congresses such as UMC purpose-driven, providing a platform for comprehending and challenging to reform nationwide systematic issues.

“Bringing this initiative into the FEU community is particularly significant as it encourages us as an institution to adopt a more progressive stance, to question existing systems, and to advocate for meaningful change that benefits all students, regardless of their backgrounds,” Lacandola added.

The participants also highlighted the importance of UMC in creating change through involvement and taking up space to find solutions, especially through legislation.

UMC was organized by FPJ Youth to provide an opportunity for student-legislators to promote sustainable solutions through proposed bills that they had to discuss with other representatives. 

(Photo courtesy of Jan Carlo Fajardo)