The College Student Council of the School of Business and Accountancy (CSC-SBA) announced the appointment of new councilors to fill vacant positions in the council through a press release last June 30.

The Holy Angel University Commission on Election (HAU-COMELEC) formally acknowledged the appointments made between April and June.

Among the positions were Councilor for External Communications, Councilor for Human Resources, Councilor for Events Management, Councilor for Community Extension Services, and Councilor for Business Relations.

In an interview, CSC-SBA Governor Harvey Eroll Sanchez gave an explanation in response to questions about his basis for appointing the councilors. “… Ang naging basis talaga for that would be their skills and commitment to leadership,” he said.

However, he admitted that no formal interviews were conducted due to time constraints ahead of the SBA Days and a packed event calendar.

“… so ang nangyari is kung sino ‘yung parang feel namin na pasok sa position, cinocontact lang namin sila and if nag-agree sila doon lang mabubuo ‘yung appointment,” Sanchez said.

The appointees include Ernest Joshua Suing as Councilor for Public Communications, formerly known as the Councilor of External Communications, which was renamed under Article 1, Section 2 of the revised HAU Government Constitution.

Suing, who initially planned to join only as a junior leader, shared that he was pressured at first but has since embraced the role, aiming to uplift the quality of the council’s work during the SBA Days.

“…we want to show na yung mga SBA students hindi lang tayo hanggang sa calculator or sa papel, but we can also delve in creative works,” Suing expressed.

Erika Mae Decena, appointed as Councilor for Human Resources, shared that she is still adjusting to the council’s structure but finds the task of the Human Resources committee manageable, having no prior experience in student government.

“Throughout my high school and up to college, I have experience [in] leading or handling members or classmates,” she said, citing her roles as class vice president and president when asked what makes her a good fit for the position.

Decena revealed that she was invited to join the council by Sanchez following their collaboration during ‘Taxgisan,’ where both served as part of the organizing committee. Taxgisan is a semi-annual competition of ETD Accounting Firm for second- and third-year accountancy students consisting of academic and non-academic events related to taxation.

Following the withdrawal of Clarisse Ira Banaag as a Councilor of Events Management on May 26, Yssa Lorrine Timbol transitioned from her role as Councilor for Community Extension Services to Councilor for Events Management.

Timbol described the shift as chaotic at first due to back-to-back responsibilities but emphasized the importance of resilience.

“No matter how big the challenge, don’t let fear or pressure take over; just try your best and hope for the best,” Timbol expressed.

She further emphasized that trying new things and weighing one’s capabilities are key to growth and that a lack of experience should not stop someone from taking on challenges. 

As Timbol stepped into the vacant position, Alexxandra Danae Bautista assumed her former role as Councilor for Community Extension Services.

“Noong una, medyo kinakabahan ako kasi first time ko maging councilor, since junior leader lang ako dati; pero so far, nag-eenjoy naman ako sa pag-serve sa mga estudyante at excited akong gampanan ang aking mga tungkulin ngayong taon,” Bautista shared.

Bautista believes that Sanchez appointed her due to her past accomplishments when she was a former junior leader under the same committee.

Furthermore, Risha Denise Garcia, appointed as the Councilor for Business Relations, expressed confidence in taking on the role but acknowledged the pressure of meeting partner quotas in preparation for SBA Days.

“My goal is not to secure business partners lang, but to have a long-lasting and good relationship with them,” she expounded.

Following this, she mentioned that she will prove her worth by delivering impactful business outcomes.

The appointments were made in line with Article 1, Section 1 of the revised HAU Government Constitution, which outlines the council’s authority to fill vacant positions.