 |
| Photo by Jamila Alyssa Estanislao |
As another academic year approaches, the much-anticipated UST-Communication Arts Students’ Association (UST-CASA) Halalan 2023 takes place, entailing a new roster of student leaders aspiring to be hailed in service of the CASAn community.
To give an in-depth look at this year’s 6 Executive Board candidates, the Electoral Board partnered with UST-CASA Chronicle to conduct a series of interviews as an alternative to the supposed Miting de Avance.
Eyeing for a slot in the UST-CASA Executive Board for another year, current UST-CASA External Vice President and Communications Junior Ranch Menguito Ramas takes it up a notch as he now seeks the Presidential post for A.Y. ‘23 - ‘24 under Partido KaCASA.
Through a one-on-one interview, Chronicle gets the full scope of his leadership plans and intentions for the CASAn community.
What drives you to run for the position you are aiming to fill?
What drive(s) me to run for the position I am trying to fill in? Alright. Ever since the start of my journey as a student leader, I’ve gone through the works of being a Public Relations Officer. I have gone (through) the works of being External Vice President of UST CASA and now, for the President. I believe that with my capabilities, my qualities as a student leader from the past three years in UST CASA, I can bring a lot more opportunities to the table and be of service to the CASAn body. You know, to be a little bit personal, I was a bit hesitant to run actually since the workload of third year students is not a joke. There are lots of academic works and jobs I have to fill in for other organizations, but it did not stop me from deciding rather, on running for UST CASA President.
So, since you have already established your past experiences, what can you offer to the CASAn community if you were to serve them.
Okay. I’ll be relaying my platform if that’s okay and I would be connecting it to our GPOA or General Plan of Action for the next Academic Year and for the Political Party itself. Our General Plan of Action is braving adversities, strengthening and securing trust, and advancing our capabilities for a more competent, committed, and compassionate CASA. Braving adversities. We still are in a hybrid set-up for classes. CASAns are a bit adamant on going to school, whether it’s onsite or online, and we do not know the… the yardstick on how to measure or determine how capable we are in attending class. Together with my slate, we have platforms that will be guiding them brave through these adversities and through the challenges we faced for the past academic years. One is the hybrid setup. Two is student-academic assistance, among others. Strengthening trust by being transparent and accountable to others.
We have lots of platforms that indicate transparency. For example, Enzo Guinto’s transparency reports in relation to my platforms which are the reorganization in three phases. We have advancing capabilities by doing events that would further strengthen the student body. One would be of course, my platform QUIKO. That’s quick communication and Philippine Quill. For the Philippine Quill, we would be orienting the students on how to submit our works, what’s the purpose of Quill, para, if it’s okay to code switch, para ma-strengthen natin ang guide natin and position as a center of development ng Commission on Higher Education. Another is the, is establishing the UST CASA Alumni Association. By having a network of opportunities with our beloved alumni, we would be creating a wider network with bigger opportunities, more connections, and deeper understanding between the then and now to advance for the future generations of CASAns.
With these platforms, we are curating a culture of care, a culture of progress in CASA and that would be leading us to our goal in achieving a more competent, compassionate, and committed CASA.
For or Against: Are you for or against the institution sticking to the hybrid learning set-up for the Academic Year 2023-2024?
So if I may repeat the question, if I am for or against the institutional set-up of having hybrid set-up for next academic year? Okay, there are lots of factors to consider when deciding and implementing this rule and regulation in the university. One major factor is asking its constituents, the studentry, the faculty, and even those staff members and personnel of the university- because deciding whether we stick to this certain set-up would entail a lot of factors. That would say financial factors, transportation, electricity, even those socio-cultural, if that makes sense. Dahil alam naman natin na hindi lang ang mga Tomasino ay nasa National Capital Region. We have students across the country na mahihirapan if hybrid set-up pa rin next year.
So to answer your question, I am against the hybrid set-up for next Academic year as that would be a bit difficult for the student body. One because we are unsure of the schedule and implementation. Right now, we are doing this kind of set-up and even my classmate, classmates, my higher-ups, and students from the lower years, are experiencing this difficulty because they have to go back and forth. Attend a class on-site, then a next class online so that would be really a handful of difficulties for the student to make in the next Academic year. In my opinion, in my personal opinion, I think UST should be able to decide whether we would go fully online or fully onsite to have a streamline of guidelines for the student body. At, hindi palipat-lipat, at hindi pabago-bago ang implementasyon.
What are your platforms and how do you plan to put them into action?
Okay, so I have a total of five platforms. Let me start with the reorganization of UST CASA. My platforms are condensed into two major names, that is STREAMLINED CASA and STRONGER CASA. For Streamlined CASA, we would be implementing a three-phase organization, three organization implementation for the rules and regulations of UST CASA. We would be implementing new and proper systems for the student body. That includes what I have implemented this year which is the Core Internal Linkages Unit for the EVP, IVP, and Chief-of-Staff that answers to all the partnership stipulations since that is part of the External Vice President(‘s) job and making it easier for the partners to communicate with us and letting us be transparent to them on how we work as CASAns. We would also be having transparency reports in collaboration with the Auditor wherein our student body, specifically and particularly the UST CASA Core members, to evaluate us Executive Board members if we are doing the right job and we are putting CASA at the right direction. With that, we would be able to exert more effort and uhm ofcourse, the three Cs of the university into our jobs and implementation with mobilizing these platforms and plans for the next academic year.
My other platform, the second one, is the establishment of UST CASA Alumni Association. By establishing this, as I have said earlier, would be, would broaden our opportunities, our networks. And ofcourse, reconnecting with our alumni to provide them the sustainability plans for UST CASA. So in turn, we would soliciting them with their support and guidance on how we would direct CASA to a better path in the future. My third platform would be QUIKO. QUIKO stands for Quick Communication and Quill Ko. I have said this earlier but allow me to reiterate this again. This would be two events. Quick communication would as be an on-boarding seminar with the UST Senior High School students, particularly those in the Humanities and Social Sciences strand, to introduce to them and let Communication as a program degree and opportunity after college. Kasi, to be personal with you guys, Communication wasn’t my first, it wasn’t my priority course when I applied in UST. But now that I am here in this program, I am seeing all the different colors of what this degree would entail in the future. Alam naman natin na we CASAns are creative, versatile, and redefined in so much ways and this will transpire and transcend into our jobs in the near future.
So ipapakilala pa namin as early as Senior High School sa mga estudyante para alam nila na maganda ang Communication as a college program. Moving on to Philippine Quill, this is an annual competition, academic competition, wherein all schools compete by submitting entries that would be at a national level. For the past years, marami na tayong napapanalo. Katulad ng pagkamit ng mga Benavides Outstanding Achievement Awards of the university, and ofcourse, acquiring the tradition of excellence, last year, which is actually very unique dahil through UST’s history, dalawang organization lang ang nakakuha no’n and UST CASA is the second one to get that award. By using that as a motivation for the Philippine Quill, we would be strengthening and implementing this to the current student body in motivating them, inspiring them, and mobilizing them to submit our outside the box entries for the Philippine Quill. Talagang lahat ng mga gawa ng CASAns, kaya nating ipakita ang kakayahan at lakas natin bilang mga estudyante ng Komunikasyon sa unibersidad natin.
Moving on to my fourth platform, if I’m correct, or fifth, would be the OUT-OF-UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIPS & MEMBERSHIPS. I would be, of course, connecting UST-CASA to different professional organizations for them to solicit, for us to solicit support and guidance from them in making CASA, our student body, a better environment to thrive in. For example, if I can disclose some of my ideal connections, we would be partnering with Rappler with their program, #FactsFirstPH with of course UST-CASA Chronicle, our official publication, for the student body. With having this partnership, CASA Chronicle staff members would be able to exert their work in the professional level in partnership with Rappler. And that’s just one of the partnerships and memberships I am aiming for across the CASA guilds and across the student body. So I think those are my platforms. If I have missed one, I think that would be, again, in relation to our General Plan of Action which is braving adversities, strengthening trust, and advancing capabilities. Thank you.
How can your subsequent platforms bring about change department-wide, and if applicable university-wide?
Okay. From my platforms, there are actually two outstanding ones that can be implemented department-wide, that means kasama natin dito ang Journalism, and university-wide, that is Quick Communication and Philippine Quill or Quill Ko. Ofcourse, Quill Ko is encouraged university-wide. I believe that other organizations, such as TOMCAT - UST, Tiger Media Network even if they’re not an organization, ano pa ba, other academic organizations have won several awards already in the Philippine Quill and that is with the help of their student councils, their student body leaders. And ofcourse, we would want to bring this to UST CASA as well. The opportunity of having an honorable and, ofcourse, dignified awards in your roster of accomplishments would be a great addition of course.
Kasunod nito ang Quick Communication, which is actually ayun nga, department-wide. We could also relay this to Journalism and let it be known that in the department of Communication and Media Studies ng UST, marami tayong pwedeng magawa, marami tayong pwedeng matupad sa future natin. We have a roster of alumni that are really really notable. I, myself, have encountered them during the Grand AB Alumni Homecoming last month, if I’m correct, if I recall correctly last month siya. And I’ve met notable alumni galing sa CASA and sa Journalism. If I can name drop, nandoon si Susan Ople or Toots Ople. Nandoon din si Jeffrey Tarayao, the Vice President for One Meralco foundation and was also a Vice President of UST CASA, if I recall correctly. Nandun din si Doland Castro which is actually an alumni of UST Journalism. And even yung mga profs natin right now, [are] were there sa ating alumni homecoming and seeing them achieve these, uhm, these level already, parang nakaka-inspire gawin to sa student body na we too can do this in the future.
So a particular question directed to you is, what urged you to include the STREAMLINED & STRUCTURED Platform in your list of platforms. Would you mind giving us a glimpse of how this project will work and the benefits that would reap once it is put into action?
Okay that is actually a lovely question, since this STREAMLINED & STRUCTURED CASA is one for the books. Talagang pinaghirapan ko siya, pinag-isipan, at pinag-nilayan. Actually because, I, myself, is a systematic leader. I implement systems that would greatly benefit not just myself, but also those, student leaders beside me, ang aking mga ka-partido. If going on a personal level, my friends, mga barkada ko, mga kaklase ko, kahit kapamilya ko alam na I am the “Monica Geller” of FRIENDS and I am the “Amy Santiago” of Brooklyn 99, those two individuals really motivated me into being a systematic kind of person. Talagang strict with schedules, strict with implementations, with proper guidelines, rules and regulations to achieve this certain outcome na maganda and beneficial for all. Having STREAMLINED & STRUCTURED CASA for the student body, talagang mapapadali ang trabaho ng UST-CASA Core, ng CASA Guilds, at ng student body. For the past academic years, we could say that CASA is really approachable especially with the help of the previous executive board members, but with the help of more implementations of a proper, streamline of guidelines and insights from the executive board and student body magagawa natin to nang maayos. And to be particular, we would be creating a system sa UST-CASA na one. Makikilala ang mga executive board members through streamline emails, ngayon kasi we’re using our personal emails and nahihirapan even the external organizations on reaching out to us kasi nga personal ung gamit namin right now. And to have that kind of discrepancy kailangan natin yun tanggalin, kailangan natin gumawa ng system para makilala tayo.
So with that, I am trying to implement this system na streamline ng emails ng CASA executive board members, and talagang alam kung sino ang lalapitan, for example “president.casa”, “externals.casa”, “internals.casa” and that would be a small detail in the plan but would really have a huge impact to the work and the mobilization of the whole process ng aking mga plataporma. With that kasi kahit ako yung email na yun and pwede siya gamitin ng mga members ko, soon sa team president, ganyan para in turn I can see that they’re working and they can see that I’m working, para hindi, walang tinatagong, parang dumi, dumi? I don’t think that’s the right term. For the lack of better term, sorry, yung dumi or parang discrepancy sa trabaho. So talagang transparent and nakikita ung accountability kung sino talaga gumagawa. Aside doon, meron talaga kaming mga set of rules and implementations for STRUCTURED & STREAMLINED CASA na very very small details that could have been done dati, pero since na-ooverlook nga siya dahil it’s just a small detail. I believe that this plan could impact and ripple change in the CASAn body.
Moving on to the questions centered on your running position, according to your CV, you currently have multiple duties with various projects and organizations. How can you ensure that your obligations as CASA’s president will not go unfulfilled if you become the organization’s next president?
Okay, that is a very relevant question. Lilly, thank you for that. You know often times, more often than not people ask me na “Ranch, ang dami mo ginagawa, hindi ka ba napapagod? Paano mo hinahati time mo?” and “Natutulog ka pa ba?” Those questions really give a humorous feeling to me. Natatawa talaga ako, but like I explain to them on my work ethics. Nagugulat sila na 10 PM tulog na ko, nagugulat sila yung calendar ko, punong puno pero maayos. Nakikita nila yung to-do list ko maayos at lahat naka-label. Yan ang gusto ko i-implement sa UST CASA alongside with the other uhm, political party members, mga kapwa kong ka-Partido KaCASA. Yung implementation nung system na yun, it would, you know, be a small change and talagang, sorry paulit-ulit ako dun sa small change with bigger impact because maganda talagang effect ang kinakalabasan, and ganito yung parang, uhm, nangyayari saatin right now. And with all those obligations, responsibilities, and duties sa other organizations, I actually don’t think that would be a problem and I think it more as an opportunity. Having those connections, those relationships with other organizations, napapalawak natin ang UST CASA pagdating sa brand identity natin, sa presence natin inside and outside the university and napapalakas natin ang ating kakayahan at mga knowledge na nakukuha sa iba’t ibang organizations by implementing it to the student body.
To be personal sa aking presidency position, I have been [through] the public relations officer with a lot of responsibilities — lalo na that was nung first year ako going to second year. Ngayong EVP, mas dumami ang aking responsibilities. Dumami rin ang aking organizations, events, and responsibilities sa iba’t ibang entities, institutions, and even NGOs. And ngayong president na ako, dumami pa rin ang aking mga responsibilities alongside other things that I have to worry about, but I don’t think that would be a problem because with the help of the Executive Board, and of course, my will and drive to run as president and win as president, talagang it fuels me to serve CASA better. It helps me to motivate my kapwa ka-partido na “Guys, kaya natin ‘to. Marami tayong ginagawa, hindi natin ‘yan maipagkakait, hindi natin ‘yan mapagsisinungalingan o maitatago, marami talaga tayong ginagawa. Pero kakayanin natin ‘to.” I have proved myself through the years, subok na, naranasan na ng UST-CASA. Kaya natin ‘to ulit this academic year, for the next academic year, rather.
For instance, you may be working on a project that addresses a pressing issue faced by CASAns. However, the higher-ups would not authorize this. How will you approach or address the disapproval from the said higher-ups?
Okay. As the president of UST CASA in the near future, I would be, of course, having a discourse, a conversation between the constituents on how they feel about this certain issue on this certain implementation. We would be, of course, discussing this with the Executive Board. We would be weighing in the pros, the cons, the insights, the details of every problem, every opportunity we see, and every strength and weakness that we can be able to derive from that issue. From there, we would be, of course, analyzing this, researching more about it, and critiquing about each other’s contribution to the table — kung ano ang pwede naming maayos sa level pa lang namin. With that, we can communicate this with the student body. Ngayon, if we need to back it up more, kailangan na namin kausapin ang higher ups, ang mga admin, that includes the department-wide for Department of Communication Media Studies. Nandiyan din ang faculty-wide for the Faculty of Arts and Letters, that includes the dean, and of course, yung mga respective offices ng UST, that includes the Office for Student Affairs and even the Rectors’ offices.
Having a discourse with them would enable us to explain the side of the student body. ‘Yan din ang gusto ko sana ipa-implement dito sa UST CASA that we are here to listen and to be on your shoes. We aim to be empathic on what the student body feels, kasi kahit ikaw Lilly, iba ang nararamdaman mo about this certain issue. ‘Yung mga kasama dito sa Zoom, iba ang pananaw nila on this certain issue, and kahit ako. And we would consolidate and condense that into one thought, at saka natin kakausapin ang admin on how we feel about it. The majority, the plurality of the voices, we would be amplifying it to the admin and kakausapin namin sila. Sisikapin namin sila kausapin nang mataimtiman at madetalye para naiintindihan nila kung saan nanggagaling ang mga estudyante. Of course, hindi mawawala at hindi maiiwasan yung pag-deny ng mga thoughts coming from the higher ups because, of course, they are also following this certain structure of rules and regulations and, of course, we have to respect it. What we have to do, of course, is connect these dialogues between the student body and the admins para nagkakaintindihan at nagkakaisa tayo in thought. I believe that having this as a process, as a motivation to thrive in, to connect these two entities, talagang…you know, CASA would be a more competent, compassionate, and committed organization—academic society in the Faculty of Arts and Letters. Papakinggan namin ang student body, papakinggan namin kayo.
To close out our interview, the last question aligned for you that was forwarded from a 1COM student: why should you not win and be elected in your desired position.
Okay. I think, out of all the questions, that is the hardest one, considering na I am the sole candidate for president of UST CASA, and you know, it comes off as a question that is quite inevitable to answer kasi, ang lagi kong binabanggit sa mga kaibigan ko, sa mga kapwa ko estudyante, sa mga groupworks or minsan kapag nag-rerecite sa classroom—sa online class, walang nag-s’step up. Walang one foot forward, halos lahat ng mga tao, two steps back. Oh ‘di ba, pabiro ko pang sinasagot ‘to. But you know, I would like to answer this question by promising myself as the next CASA President. Sisikapin namin ang aming trabaho para lahat tayo ay aasenso at aangat next academic year. I should not win as president—I don’t see any reason why. Lahat ng mga plataporma namin ay para sa UST CASA. Sisikapin namin next year to be more compassionate, more committed, and more competent for the student body. Walang naiiwan, walang nahuhuli, and with that, I would like to end my answer on my promise as a president na I am giving myself wholeheartedly to the CASAn body. Serbisyo, oras, at pagod ang inaalay ko—pagod for the lack of better term—effort, ‘yan effort ang inaalay ko for the student body. Si Ranch M. Ramas, handang magserbisyo, handang manilbihan para sa UST CASA. Thank you.
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.
