By Mark Vincent A. Durano

Far Eastern University (FEU) Student Development Office (SDev) appointed nine defeated 2024 FEU Election candidates to occupy vacant posts in the Institute Student Councils (SC) announced yesterday, May 24.

SDev opened the applications for the unoccupied seats in SCs and Academic Organizations until May 10 and hailed the students who qualified for interview last May 20.

FEU Commission on Elections cited noncandidacy and electoral failures as reasons for this year’s vacant positions.

From P.R.O. to president

FEUCSO Kadiwa Student Coalition 2024 President and outgoing Institute of Health Sciences and Nursing (IHSN) SC Press Relations Officer (P.R.O.) Lawrence Aidan Cunanan was appointed as IHSN SC President.

In an online interview with FEU Advocate, Cunanan shared how the status quo of his home institute drove him to still apply despite losing the FEUCSO presidency.

“I could not let real leadership die, for it would be the greatest loss of my life. Hence, I braved applying for the initial position [president] I would have desired, despite the circumstances I am facing in my life at the current time,” he said.

The presidentiable claimed that the Omnibus Election Code prevented student leaders he trusted to run for the council prompting his return.

“I am seeing this as an avenue to revamp the leadership in our Institute and continue in seeking for transparency and accountability as I bid for the highest position in the biggest Institute Student Council in FEU. This is no longer about the results of the University Elections and the reasons that may have influenced them, but about bringing the vision I have for my beloved alma mater of a genuinely student-centered FEU a reality,” Cunanan added.

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Meanwhile, unelected FEUCSO Kadiwa Vice President candidate Adrian Louis Diumano will serve as the FEU Makati (FEU-M) SC President from being its vice president.

Chloe Yvanna Gagan who lost as IHSN SC Kadiwa Secretary was appointed as IHSN Auditor, while Ulyssis Alburo who lost as Nursing Society Kadiwa P.R.O. was declared as IHSN Vice President.

Moreover, after the failure of elections for the Institute of Architecture and Fine Arts (IARFA) SC, Kadiwa presidentiable and incumbent Auditor Phoebe Rubio Sarmiento assumed presidency.

Co-party Treasurer Julien Missie Timog Lucero and P.R.O. Frances Masel Araw will join Sarmiento as IARFA Treasurer and P.R.O., respectively. 

With the same low voter turnout, Isanliyab Servant Leaders’ Union (ISLU) candidate outgoing Institute of Education (IE) SC Vice President Christiana Mari Miranda also assumed presidency as she had originally vied for.

Further, defeated ISLU IE SC Secretary Justine Garzota will succeed Miranda as the institute’s vice president. 

The IHSN Vice President and Secretary, IARFA SC Vice President, IE SC Secretary, and Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management SC Vice President were also occupied.

SDev also appointed the new FEU-M SC Secretary, Treasurer, and P.R.O., and the International Studies Society President, Treasurer, and P.R.O.

The Induction and Oath-taking Ceremony for the newly elected and appointed student leaders for A.Y. 2024-2025 will take place at the FEU Main Auditorium on May 27.

- With reports from Karch Rafael

(Photo by Gwyneth Mendoza/FEU Advocate)