By Alexia Hernandez
Following changes in the academic calendar, the 2025 Silliman University Student Government (SUSG) elections will be held earlier this school year, compressing preparations and raising concerns over student engagement.
The SUSG Commission on Elections (COMELEC) is implementing measures to ensure a smooth process while “promoting wider participation and diversity in the electoral race.”
On collaboration and efforts
SUSG President Sabrina Ysabelle Ledesma emphasized the importance of collaboration in ensuring the success of the elections, particularly with the challenges posed by an earlier schedule.
“The shift in the academic calendar is expected to impact student participation in the coming elections,” Ledesma shared. “With more compressed schedules, many may feel they do not have the time or energy to actively engage in the electoral process.”
She also noted that students are likely to prioritize academic workload over extracurricular activities, which could affect voter turnout. To address this, the SUSG is working on increasing accessibility to information through information drives.
Moreover, preparations for this year’s elections are now compressed into the months of February and March.
According to SUSG COMELEC Chairperson Ma. Dominique Gerochi, the calendar change “tightened the timeline” compared to the previous year when preparations began in April.
To adapt, the committee plans on implementing several measures, including a detailed review of previous elections to identify and address past challenges.
“The most important step we took was planning out the calendar of events in detail and with as much consideration as possible. It was imperative to look back on the previous years and identify what the previous COMELEC struggled and found conflict with,” Gerochi explained.
On improving political participation
Gerochi emphasized the addition of an orientation for independent candidates as a step toward “fostering diversity in the electoral race.”
“In consideration of the lack of two opposing running parties last school year, we have added an orientation for independent candidates who wish to run, as we see it imperative to encourage independent parties or candidates to oppose a long-time running party,” she said.
“We understand that it takes time and effort for the elections to happen, and we truly had this in mind while planning the necessary steps for a smooth election,” Gerochi added.
In the previous SUSG election, only the Concerted Actions for the Upliftment of Student Endeavors party registered for the executive and legislative race, with an opposition of three independent candidates for seats in the student assembly.
