Chasing Seats: Rethinking the SSC’s Proposed Term Extension

Illustration by RJ O. Baria

In any democratic institution, the concept of term limits serves as a vital pillar for maintaining a healthy balance of power and fostering accountability. However, recent developments surrounding our Supreme Student Council (SSC) have raised serious concerns about their commitment to fulfilling their obligations.

The SSC's audacious proposal to extend their term for an additional year not only undermines the principles of democratic governance but also exposes a glaring lack of concrete achievements during their current tenure. It is imperative that we critically examine their track record and hold them accountable for their unfulfilled promises.

The General Plan of Action, a cornerstone of the SSC's electoral campaign, painted a promising picture of a student council dedicated to empowering the student body through seminars and training programs. Regrettably, the reality has been far from the vision they outlined. Despite the rhetoric, the SSC has failed to execute any meaningful training initiatives, leaving the Office of Student Affairs and Services to shoulder the responsibility entirely.

In addition to the lack of progress on their General Plan of Action—if the SSC was granted additional terms—the student body might face an additional hurdle in maintaining their undivided attention to the student affairs.

On the recent post of KAISA KA Facebook page last May 13, they foreshadow the intention of the current QCU-SSC President to run for a post in Sangguniang Kabataan of Barangay Sauyo—a local youth council—raises concern about divided priorities. While it is commendable for student leaders to pursue opportunities for public service, it is essential to ensure that such aspirations do not compromise their responsibilities within the student body.

We asked some students from renowned universities in the metro, including UP, PUP, NU, AdU, and LPU, to inquire about the duration of their student government term. They confirmed that these universities adhere to a one-year, one-term policy. Furthermore, there is no provision for term extension unless the student council members decide to run for a post in the next election. A student from FEU also confirmed that FEU Central Student Organization (FEUCSO) follows the same policy but they are not allowed to extend their term.

Realizing this, these universities recognized the importance of providing opportunities for new leaders to emerge and contribute their unique ideas and perspective.

𝗔 𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘂𝗻𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗹𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲.

If the proposal passes, what will happen if the next student council is incompetent as much as they do now and to the former student councils.

As students, we must hold our representatives to the highest standards of transparency, accountability, and action. It is our responsibility to question their track record, assess their performance, and demand that they fulfill their obligations. Doing so, we safeguard the democratic values that underpin our student council system and ensure that the voices and interests of the student body are genuinely represented and championed.