More than 3,000 UST student leaders have endorsed the candidacies of Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo and Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan for president and vice president in the 2022 national elections.
In a statement released by the UST Central Student Council (CSC) on April 23, a total of 3,243 student leaders from UST Manila, UST Legazpi, UST Angelicum College in Quezon City, and Angelicum Iloilo signed the endorsement letter for Robredo and Pangilinan.
The breakdown of the student leaders is as follows:
- UST CSC – 5
- Local (college-level) Student Council presidents – 19
- Faculty of Arts and Letters – 332
- Faculty of Civil Law – 16
- Faculty of Engineering – 297
- Faculty of Pharmacy – 106 (including three anonymous individuals)
- Senior High School – 740 (including 32 anonymous individuals)
- Education High School – 54 (including two anonymous individuals)
- Junior High School – 5
- UST-Alfredo M. Velayo College of Accountancy – 269 (including five anonymous individuals)
- College of Architecture – 153 (including two anonymous individuals)
- College of Commerce and Business Administration – 109 (including five anonymous individuals)
- College of Education – 31 (including one anonymous individual)
- College of Fine Arts and Design – 157 (including five anonymous individuals)
- College of Information and Computing Sciences – 4
- College of Nursing – 18
- College of Rehabilitation Sciences – 57 (including two anonymous individuals)
- College of Science – 507
- College of Tourism and Hospitality Management – 140 (including two anonymous individuals)
- Conservatory of Music – 25 (including one anonymous individual)
- UST Legazpi – 80 (including six anonymous individuals)
- UST Angelicum – 10 (including one anonymous individual)
- Angelicum Iloilo – 5 (including one anonymous individual)
Among the signatories were outgoing CSC officers Krizia Bricio, Gerald de la Cruz, Arnet Paguirigan, and Gabriele de Lara and CSC President-elect Nathan Agustin.
The student leaders endorsed the Leni-Kiko tandem because the two embodied the University’s “3Cs” (compassion, competence and commitment), they said in their statement.
“Robredo’s term as vice president is marked by [an] unqualified [external audit] opinion, highest COA (Commission on Audit) rating, swift pandemic responses, and pro-poor advocacies. [Robredo’s] stances on issues have either been consistent or have shown her willingness to listen,” the letter read.
“Pangilinan’s term, experience, and exemplary record as a senator will greatly benefit the Filipino people, especially in issues concerning food security,” it continued.
The student leaders added that these characteristics and the platforms of Robredo and Pangilinan made them the “best tandem” for the country.
“While we acknowledge that electing exemplary leaders is not the primary solution to address the needs of the country, we still recognize its pivotal role in our society and government. And with exercising our right to suffrage and choosing leaders with the best track records, character and platforms, our future will [indeed be] full of roses,” the letter read.
Robredo and Pangilinan were Thomasians’ preferred candidates for president and vice president, a Varsitarian survey earlier found. Joanne Christine P. Ramos
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