Elections (Combined).pdf

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Part of The Gold Ore

extracted text: Elections OFF AND on, elections come and go. With the beginning of this quar ter came the end of the term of office of the incumbent Student Council. Where a hole is, we need something to plug it with. A question—to answer. And an outgoing Student Council—to fill up. That’s all there is to it. POLITICAL PARTIES. It was surprising that 5 political parties of 20 aspirants each (1 for president; 1 for vice-president; 18 for ¡representative) entered the race out of a school popula tion of no more than 300 students. That just goes to show what a high-as piring, ambitious group of students we have. And simple mathematics will re veal how many of the 300 were voters and how many were to be voted upon. The parties, presidential and vicepresidential candidates: 1. Democratic Youth Party: Short, curly-haired orator, Pangasinan born Gualberto Q. Lambino, vice-president of the S.C., first term; Amando Ma sangcay, his province-mate. 2. Liberal Youth Party: The “Midland Courier’s” News Editor, twotermer S. C. Prexy Benjamin Rillera; also curly-haired Aurelio de Peralta. 3. Nationalista Party; Be-spectacled, God-fearing Alexander Brillantes, out-going vice-president and the Muni cipal Court’s Clerk Federico Cabato. 4. Student’s Party. Baguiotes and Baguio City High School alumni Jose S. Fiore ndo and tously-haired Bobby San Pedro. 5. An un-baptized party led by the College of Law’s lanky, silver-tongued Marcos Estacio, plus running-mate Car los Bareng, debater. CAMPAIGNS. Characteristic of every pre-election set-up, the race got under way with G. Q. Lambino start ing the fireworks one week after the quarter began. His sympa thizers launched a house-to-house per suasion tour that got results. No other opposing party followed suit. They were much too busy with other things than just making promises that, pessimistically, would not come into fulfil:ment anyway. Except for whisper ing campaigns and mud-slinging of some sort which followers of the less enthu siastic parties indulged in, that was no check against the very active DYP machine. But of course, as a vote-get ting measure, every aspirant metamorp hosed into a smiling, sociable, likeable chap overnight. A smile here and a handshake there would get votes. So each one thought. It was so easy to smile or pat somebody’s back. That was all there was to it. Until.... ELECTION DAY. Momentum gained, things looked :ike a national elec tion in miniature. Voting was by se cret ballot although it was not so secret. A student-voter had to run the gauntlet of the DYP’s scores of staunch follow ers through all the colleges’ three flights of stairs. To name a few, P. Tangalin, C. de la Rosa, V. Aquino, R. Mitra, Jr., O. Rimando, M. Zaragoza, E. Pi cart, etc. All the other party’s vote getting efforts combined into one, could not meet the DYP’s halfway. Without his personal attention, Rillera’s LYP looked quite dead beside the DYP’s. He had been absent from classes for a week. Only a handful of his LYP faithfuls worked: A. de Peralta, P. Cariño, R. Manuel, Jr., Ignacio Navarro. Bril lantes’ NP looked as dead. C. Fallarme, H. Cruz, B. Rosal, A. Estiilore were heart and soul for the NP; but to no avail. Florendo’s SP was deader. Three 11th hour supporters couldn’t pit their wares against the DYP onslaught. M. Picart’s smiles nor D. Pelacan and C. Tiglao’s could not get votes. And M. Estacio and C. Bareng left their fate to the four winds... These were all there were to it. August, 1947 Page 5 RESULTS. True, he who sows, reaps. For all his DYP’s efforts. Lam bino unsaddled two-termer Riilcra by a flimsy lead of two votes. A. de Peralta easily romped away with the job of “se cond fiddler” to the prexy as vice-pre sident. The new representatives of the S.C. arc: B. Rosal—Secretary V. Aquino—Treasurer C. de la Rosa- Sub-treasurer E . Picart__Business Manager L. Cabato—Auditor O. Rima ido—PRO A. Blancas—Sgt.-at-arms P. Carino—Sgt.-at-arms REPRESENTATIVES R. A. Paraan V. Paraan M. Arnot it R. S. Florendo A. A . Cosalan R. Mitra, Jr. V. Lagasca L. Mitra C. Fallarme A. Callao They are all that compose it. PROTEST. Goaded by his fo low ers and bothered by a technicality, out going prexy Rillera went near to filing a protest: re the invalidating of votes. Being a good loser, too, as he is a good winner,, he let the idea fizzle out. After all, the new prexy is fit for the job... may be... (It is expected that the new S. C. can sponsor something more than just a string of dances like last year). CONSOLATION. May be so. For, after the induction ceremonies of the student cabinet, Pres. Salvosa paid him (Lambino) a glowing tribute: Pres, to Lambino—“Although often times you come to the office em bittered against this world...you have the makings of a great man. Your victory is a victory over yourself. You are great. . .you arc greater in the sense.. .etc., etc.. .” And to the vanquished aspirants for student leadership, to add something sweet and sugary to the bitter pill they had to swallow, the President was not unthoughtful; he said to: Brillantes—“You look so serious and snobbish. Smile once in a while. It will get you votes.” Estacio—“I hope you will still bo the the assistant manager of the PRRA (Baguio Branch) next qua)ter...and include the teach ers, too, when you speak about PRRA help...” Rillera—“Despite your handicaps, you have helped the college and the students a lot during your two terms. As a token of gratitude, I hereby grant you a scholarship this quarter.” Florendo—“Look at the girls. IIow many sweethearts do you haveonly one? Next election time, if you do not have five, better stick to writing.” To all concerned, that’s all there was to it. Or is it? And now, tomorrow. . . Back Yard Cleaning Hardly had the smoke of the Student Council elections dissipated than the Women’s Club, Baguio Colleges Chapt er, decided to clean its own backyard. That was the natural thing to do: up root the weeds; replace the worn-out fences and put in better and newer ones. Result: election of officers for the next two quarters. ELECTION PRELIMINARIES. Leng thy delineation on many phases of things women should know, should and should not do by Mrs. Leonora P. San Agustin, the likeable Dean of Women. The primaries immediately followed suit. No campaign speeches, no mudslinging. It was utterly devoid of the fire and Page 6 THE GOLD ORE
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