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| Photo by Jamila Alyssa Estanislao |
In line with the preparation for the upcoming academic year, 2023-2024, the UST-Communication Arts Students’ Association (UST-CASA) Halalan 2023 transpires as its candidates contend to attest their leadership prowess to CASAns.
The Electoral Board collaborated with UST-CASA Chronicle to hold sessions of interviews with the 6 Executive Board candidates as an alternative to the supposed Miting de Avance.
Determined to secure the position of UST-CASA’s Vice President-Internal, Kevin Christian S. Crisolo from Partido KaCASA affirms their capabilities and platforms set for the CASAn Community in an exclusive interview with Chronicle.
What drives you to run for the position that you are aiming to fill?
Being the Vice President Internal is a big responsibility because you are the second in hand of the President, and yung motivation ko to run is I want change. I’m not saying na it’s kulang pa but as a person na laging nasa org, as an org person gusto kong makita pa, gusto kong magkaroon pa ng pagbabago pa, ah ‘yun nga yung goal ko sa pagtakbo ko, which is ‘yun nga no one should be left behind. Gusto ko after my term whole CASA unites, and one of the reasons din was CASA gives me a lot of opportunities and I want to give back din, to all CASANs din, na I want them to a another opportunities through my platforms. So that’s why ‘yung first platform ko yung CASALI, I want a staff reform system para at least, at the end of the academic year all staff, CASA staffers is meron na silang parang knowledge or experience in joining different productions. Kasi yun din naman yung reason why we joined UST CASA, UST CASA core... Pangalawa yung, the second platform ko which is yung about Project MINE na I want to give identity to UST CASA kasi nga I want them to know, what CASA is all about. Hindi lang tayo um hindi lang ganito yung ginagawa natin during productions, hindi lang tayo ganon but CASA is a big thing in UST na like kilala tayo being the biggest, loudest and proudest and dapat mapatunayan natin ‘yon. I believe yun yung mga motivation ko why I run as the vice president internal.
Do you have any past experiences that will help you in fulfilling the responsibilities of the position you are running for and what can you offer to the CASAN community if you are to serve them?
My past experiences… I have past experiences, first ‘yung secretary ako ng student council namin wayback Senior High School, and also naging vice president internal din ako ng HUMSS lab namin nung senior high school. Sa HUMSS and siguro yung experience ko na madadala dito ah sa pag serve ko as vice president internal, by having good leadership skills and hindi lang kasi, hindi lang kasi parang hindi ka nag ru-run because you want to lead them. You are running because you want to inspire... By that I believe yung maibibigay ko talagang, ma-o-offer ko sa UST CASA community is the leadership skills, na like I am a type of leader na I’m a group follower, kasi yun yung parang gusto ko ibigay sa kanila na hindi dapat purkit leader ka, is ikaw lang naglelead. You should know how to follow too. And aside from that gusto ko rin ipakita sa UST CASA na hindi hadlang ang pagiging isang BS Org person to serve. Kasi being BS Org person na experience ko na lahat, and yung mga experience yung madadala ko dito how to handle everything, how to communicate with other people, how to do things like paper works, how to parang communicate with different persons or organizations, and I believe ‘yung asset ko talaga dito as the vice president internal is you know, I know how to communicate and to touch the lives of others, and as a leader kasi yun yung pinaka important for me. Na you know how to parang connect with other people.
Are you for or against the Mandatory ROTC bill and why?
I am against Mandatory ROTC because marami tayong pinaguusapang issue with that type of parang issue na like magpapa Mandatory ROTC, because I believe kasi everyone has the strength and weaknesses and yung strength and weaknesses na ‘yon feel ko magiging limitation siya if imamandate natin yung pagkakaroon ng ROTC, and in fact we have the freedom, we have the choice to choose kung ano yung gusto nating gawin sa college, because at first kasi pumapasok tayo sa college not just because of that type of thing. Personally pumasok ako ng college to pursue the degree that I want and to know kung ano ba talaga yung mangyayari sa akin in the future. I’m not saying na it’s a bad thing but rather it’s a thing na parang kailangan nating bigyan ng pansin.
Kasi there is a lot of thing na reason na kung bakit tayo nasa college, and yung pagmamandate non, hindi siya dapat pagfocusan natin in the college years. Ang daming problema, ang daming problems sa college, ang daming problem dapat na mas ina-address natin, and samin parang mas projects na dapat pinagtutuunan ng pansin when it comes to education. Like for example, yung mga uncapable to have college degree, ‘yun kailangan pagtuunan din natin sila ng pansin, kesa yung pagmamandate ng ROTC. Or pagbibigay ng scholarship, pwede rin natin siyang pagtuunan ng pansin or pwede rin nating gawan ng paraan paano ba tayo makakapag tapos ng college without enough fund. So siguro, I believe against ako doon, mayroon pa sigurong kailangan irevise yung type of thing na ‘yon.
What are your platforms and how do you plan to put them into action?
Okay so first yun nga nabanggit ko yung platform ko CASALI yung staffer reform system. So yung CASALI kasi it’s a hybrid setup for workshop and training sessions. So for the implementation every month siya definitely ah tapos alternate siya, workshop, training, workshop, training. So workshop… magkakaroon tayo ng face to face doon and training magkakaroon tayo ng online doon. So for the workshop parang gusto ko kasing maging familiar tayo kung paano ba nagwowork ang isang production face to face given na we are transitioning, and for the online naman, given na parang may mga type of tingin naman tayo with the production na hindi naman kailangan ah ituro onsite so doon siya papasok. So for example workshop um when it comes to technicalities, kailangan na kailangan natin yan i-workshop face to face, and when it comes to directings or parang production management, pwede naman na siyang i-online.
Given na ang kailangan lang naman natin here is to communicate, to give lessons, to teach them how to give directives ganyan, paano mo ihahandle yung isang team, and aside from it hindi ko din naman iba-bombard sila ng parang gagawin in a month. Magfofocus tayo ng parang one thing lang in a month, for example kapag sa workshop hindi naman like buong technicalities na yung ituturo natin, no. Pwede tayong mag step by step for example sa first month, ang turo lang natin for workshop, camera, camera operations. Sa second month ituturo naman natin how paano tayo magkakaroon ng magandang lights and so on and so forth. Ganoon din sa trainings natin online, hindi naman purkit sinabing directive, ituturo mo na pano lahat mag direct. So step by step process din siya, kaya- kaya ko siya ginawang monthly dahil ang haba ng academic year and ang haba ng panahon natin para turuan sila ng hindi sila like na-bo-bombard ng informations, and um kung iaask niyo kung sino ba yung magtuturo? Baka naman hindi alam.
So I’ll invite CASA alumni na well known when it comes to production teaming, so kaya nakita niyo rin siya na hindi lang siya IVP work but I would collaborate sa EVP para makapaghanap tayo ng alumni natin. Aside from alumnis I will tap din different students from UST CASA itself na meron talagang enough knowledge when it comes to production work. Kasi I believe the student conversation makakatulong siya para ma ease yung confidence ng student na like magkakaroon tayo ng partnerships sa mga production organizations and… prove that type of workshop and training sessions. So second naman kung saan magsasagot sila rather ng survey kung saan sila interested ng guild. So i-la-launch ko siya as a CASA grand launch… ano ba tong mga guilds na to? That interest check survey or kung alam niyo yung Hone CASA, ayun nga magkakaroon tayo…. Meron na silang parang alam na ah ok kasi ito yung tinuro nila. Parang meron na silang backgrounder, meron na silang backgrounder kung ano ba yung CASA Guilds
Okay sige so, sustainable and earth-friendly merchandise. So makikipag partnership ako sa mga brands na kung saan sustainable and earth-friendly yung materials nila. Kung magkaroon tayo ng CASA Bridge, gusto ko lang din maging earth-friendly siya at para sa climate change na natin ngayon. Magkakaroon muna tayo ng interest check survey para alam natin kung… para alam natin kung ano ba yung afford nila, ano ba yung mga items na gusto nilang bilhin. And from that after non makuha na, ano ba yung mga designs na gusto natin. Ano ba yung mga designs na nasa puso ng CASA natin. Para makuha natin yung interest nila, kung ano ba yung gusto nilang bilhin, and from that magkakaroon na tayo siyempre ng pre-order form. After that successful um first semester for the Project MINE, ioopen naman natin siya for alumnis and other societies, in case gusto din nilang to avail CASA merch um inisip bakit siya ioopen sa other societies eh CASA merch nga siya, so ayun gusto ko kasi ipromote yung CASA identity not just in the whole CASA community but in the all UST. CASAn parin sila grumaduate lang and gusto rin natin magkaroon ng parang stronger ties or stronger communicate sa ating mga alumnis. So that’s all lang naman, actually i-implement ‘yung CASALI and CASA ALL IN I will start it as early as August to September and then… ‘yun nga, katulad ng sinasabi ko for the ano for the dates ganyan as early as August to September i-work on ko na siya kasi it’s a long process lahat so para din maging handa tayo and para din ah maisakatuparan natin lahat ng platforms.
How can your subsequent platforms bring about change department-wide and if applicable university-wide as well?
Okay, timeliness kasi because yung platforms ko, lagi kong sinasabi as the running for IVP, no one should be left behind. Lahat ng CASAns, kasama natin sila, kasami nila yung executive board, and hindi lang din siya sa departmental kasi gusto ko ring makita nila na how CASA, um, parang, tinitignan nila yung buong community as a whole, na like, for the people, by the people. Kasi, doon pa lang, mags-spark na tayo ng changes na being a student leader is not just for clout. It’s something na ginagawa mo because you want to have change. And iyong change na iyon, hindi mo lamang siya magagawa sa sarili mo, magagawa mo siya kapag kasama mo iyong community na kinabibilangan mo. Iyon kasi iyong napapansin ko right now sa mga student councils na, after ng election, nasaan na iyong mga plans? Nasaan na iyong mga gusto nilang mangyari?
And feeling ko yun yung kailangang ibahin ng CASA Student Platforms na hindi lang dapat siya platapormang sinasabi bago mag eleksyon, or mga plano na isinasagawa natin, na isinasakatuparan natin, para sa mga pangarap natin and para sa… and as a student leader, lagi kong sinasabi na hindi lang tayo dapat yung leader, kailangan alam din natin kung paano maging follower. You need to work for your position kasi binoto ka nila because pinagkakatiwalaan ka nila and para hindi masira yung trust nila sa’yo. ‘Yung sa last part naman, ang sinabi ko lang doon na as a student leader, lagi kong sinasabi na hindi lang tayo dapat marunong maging leader. Kailangan marunong din tayong maging follower kasi doon nagsstart talaga yung connection mo with the community, connection mo na magbibigay ka ng … na mafe-feel nila na genuinely, you are serving them and genuinely, you are, parang, doing your job as the, kung ano mang posisyon meron ka, and for me as an incoming IVP.
In your PROJECT MINE platform, the designs of the merchandise that will be sold will be coming from participating CASAns. Hence, their participation is vital to the success of this platform. Now, how will you ensure that CASAns will be motivated to partake in this initiative? Moreover, what benefits will be in store for them, specifically for the participants with the winning design?
So first, doon sa platform ko na iyon, nakalagay doon sa parang naiisip ko na, ‘yung benefit talaga nilang makukuha doon, syempre ikaw ‘yung nagdesign, and ‘yung motivation nila is like after that kind of contest, kung sino ‘yung mananalo, makakakuha sila ng free merch, ng vouchers from … ‘pag bibili sila nung merch na iyon, and syempre, mabibigyan din sila ng certificate of recognition. Kasi syempre, yung effort nila na binigay doon sa CASAn community, is hindi matatawaran. And ‘yun lang naman ‘yung kasama talaga doon sa platform na ‘yun… na meron silang free merch, vouchers na discount kapag bibili sila ng certain product, and certificate of recognition.
How do you intend to expand and develop the initiatives and goals of each CASA Guild as the designated person to manage guild activities?
I believe, CASA Guilds ngayon, super nagththrive na sila and I love that for them na like, knowing, being part din ng ibang, ng isang CASA Guild before, parang nakita ko talaga ‘yung bigger picture na paano nagkaroon ng parang boom effect yung buong CASA Guilds, like from CASA Chronicle, CASA Footworks, MusiCASA, CASA Multimedia, and CASA Retorika. And feeling ko, ang kailangan ko lang gawin ngayon is to support them financially. Kasi given na we are in the transitional face to face, ang dami nating, parang, nagiging partnerships with different organizations outside CASA. For example, CASA Chronicle, nagakakaroon kayo ng partnerships, right, sa ibang student leaders’ campaign. Like for example, sa CSC, parang nagkaroon kayo ng partnership with their program or pwede rin namang sa ibang org, na parang gusto nilang i-cover nila kayo. Sa CASA Footworks, kinukuha rin sila as performers, for MusiCASA ganoon din, ang dami nilang projects, ang dami nilang shoots. For CASA Retorika, ganoon din, ang dami nating hosts from CASA Retorika na nakukuha para mag host ng different events from CASA.
And ‘yun nga, tulad ng nasabi ko sa Project MINE ko, ‘yung makukuha natin sales doon, ibibigay natin ’yung iba sa mga dagdag budget para doon sa mga CASA Guilds. And supporting them financially, will parang, mas mabibigay ko ‘yung work ko as IVP na nandito lang ako lagi to support them. Kasi feeling ko, ‘andun na sila eh. ‘Yun na, peak na. Nasa peak na ng career ang mga CASA Guilds natin and pa’no mo pa sila matutulungan? Like, siguro, ‘yung motivation ko na lang din talaga dito is to support them through the financials na if ever, for Chronicle, bibigyan natin sila ng budget pag magcocover, kasi syempre mahirap mag cover. For CASA Footworks, bibigyan natin sila ng budget kapag need nila mag rehearse from a certain place and ganoon din for MusiCASA if ever may need silang place na pag shooting-an, bibigyan din natin sila ng budget. And I know, may budget talaga na nakalaan for different guilds but I believe it’s not enough na, para ipakita ‘yung support na like siguro kaya gusto ko talagang i-add ‘yung budget sa mga guilds coming from the Project MINE. Kaya I am hoping na maging successful ‘yung Project MINE kasi ayun nga, hindi lang din siya para sa CASA, but also, gusto ko rin talagang suportahan ‘yung guilds as your head, as your incoming IVP.
A question from a 1st-year communication student: Why should you not win and be elected in your respective positions?
I believe there is no reason kung bakit hindi dapat ako manalo because I believe, as a candidate, kailangang maniwala ka sa sarili mo lalo na kapag may goal ka, may gusto kang mangyari at may pagbabago kang gustong magawa. And ‘yun lang ‘yun na like bakit, hindi mo dapat isipin sa sarili mo na, oo nga, bakit hindi ko kailangang manalo, no. Kapag alam mo ‘yung ginagawa mo, kapag alam mo na may gusto kang mangyari, you will… you should believe in yourself, you should focus on your goal kasi hindi mo dapat isipin na, you don’t need to question yourself, you don’t need to question your capabilities lalo na kapag certain ka sa pagtakbo mo. And ‘yun, ‘yun talaga, I don’t think walang rason for me kung bakit di ako dapat manalo. Kasi I’m certain kung bakit ako tumakbo. Gusto kong change, gusto ko i-pursue lahat ng platforms ko and gusto kong at the end of the academic year, gusto kong ‘yung CASA Community mag-unite and gusto kong walang maiiwan talaga.
Further Details of CASA Halalan ‘23
In line with the ongoing Electoral activities, here are the remaining important dates to remember:
April 12-18, 29, 2023 - Campaign Period
May 3 and 4, 2023 (10 A.M. to 6 P.M.) - CASA Elections ‘23 Proper
May 6, 2023 - Announcement of Duly Elected Executive Board for A.Y. 2023-2024
To be in the loop for further updates and announcements regarding the CASA Halalan ‘23, kindly visit the official Facebook and Twitter Pages of the UST-CASA Electoral Board.
