Only 41 candidates are eyeing various positions to the University Student Council (USC) this year, according to the final official list of qualified candidates released by the University Student Electoral Board (USEB) on May 19.

This is the lowest number of candidates who have run for USC positions at least for the past 10 election cycles since 2010.

No incumbent USC officer has filed their candidacy for this year’s USC elections. Running for the position of chairperson is Dana Mica Torregosa from UP Alyansa ng mga Mag-aaral para sa Panlipunang Katwiran at Kaunlaran (UP Alyansa), who will face Jonas Angelo Abadilla of Student Alliance for the Advancement of Democratic Rights in UP (STAND UP).

STAND UP’s Izabelle Dolores, a former College of Science (CS) representative to the USC, meanwhile, is eyeing the council’s second highest post. She will compete with UP Alyansa’s Patricia Quarte to determine who will be the vice chairperson and convenor of the League of College Councils.

Eighteen students, meanwhile, are vying for the 12 councilor posts. UP Alyansa fielded six candidates, while STAND UP was able to send candidates for all the 12 seats. A total of 11 college representative candidates complete STAND UP’s slate, as UP Alyansa sent seven candidates. One independent candidate is also running for the position of CS representative to the USC.

UP Alyansa had a candidate for the position of the School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) representative to the USC when USEB released the initial list of candidates on May 19. The candidate, however, no longer appeared when the list of candidates was finalized.

The political party KAISA–Nagkakaisang Iskolar para sa Pamantasan at Sambayanan (KAISA UP), however, will apparently not participate in this year’s elections, as no one from the party is in the final USEB list.

The official campaign period will run from May 20 until June 8, while the polls will open from June 9 to 14. ●