THE UNION of Students for the Advancement of Democracy (USAD) Ateneo de Manila named political science junior Katrina Isabela “Billie” Blanco as the 7th Party Premier during the People’s Assembly on April 7.
Additionally, Earl De Los Santos (2 AB LIT-ENG), Joseph Elijah Sydney Gil (3 AB POS), Datu Amir Wagas (3 BS LM), and Mae Celriz Yano (3 AB POS) were elected into the 7th Party Council.
Outgoing Premier Lanz Espacio stood as the chairperson of the Assembly, while outgoing Solicitor General Mint Marquez headed the Committee for Council Elections (CCE).
Blanco (24), De Los Santos (12), Gil (25), Wagas (25), and Yano (19) garnered the most votes.
The council-elects voted among themselves to elect Blanco as the Premier, while other council positions will be decided on a later date with the approval of Espacio and the CCE.
In an interview with The GUIDON, Espacio said that he has “high hopes” for the newly elected USAD Council, especially with Blanco as the Premier.
“Premier Blanco enjoys my sincerest support and confidence as she takes the helm as the first Female Premier of the Party,” he said.
In line with her election, Blanco said that the “systemic and structural oppression” against women show the greater need for more female leaders in fighting for a just and equal society.
“It is with humble appreciation for the opportunity given to serve that I accept the post of Premier. I am aware that being the first female premier puts on my shoulders the responsibility of not only fighting for women, but more importantly, with the women and all those that are marginalized and oppressed in society every day,” she said.
Forward together
With the election of USAD running mates Ia Marañon and Benjamin Alvero III as Sanggunian President and Vice President, respectively, Blanco guaranteed that USAD will continue to engage with the student government.
“It has always been the position of the Party to engage campus politics in hopes of deepening the discourse and urging the Atenean to respond to the realities within and outside the University,” she said.
“Together with the President- and VP-elect and the rest of the Sanggunian, we hope to continue the work that the Party has done in the past years in advancing our socialist and democratic agenda…and committing to causes far greater than ourselves,” she added.
For Espacio, the challenge for the newly elected council is acting in an “advisory capacity” and encouraging the Sanggunian officers to welcome other political groups, while remaining grounded in the Party principles.
“I believe the success of the Sanggunian-elects is contingent on their ability to foster unity and sensible cooperation that foremost transcends traditional divides along political lines,” he said.
Beyond Ateneo
According to Blanco, USAD has been at the forefront of engaging realities both within and outside the University and USAD Council VII will thus remain steadfast in working against inequality by being in solidarity and fighting together with the workers, farmers, fisherfolk, indigenous people, LGBT community, women, and basic sectors.
“With the many problems that we face in today’s political landscape, it is my hope that USAD responds to these challenges by choosing to fight for and with the oppressed and the marginalized and choosing to study so as to deepen our understanding of democracy,” she said.
Meanwhile, Espacio believes that Council VII will continue evaluating and reimagining its role as a student-led political party.
“I hope that the elected Council continues the Party’s effort to better its understanding and development of political theory and strategies to make it more relevant within and outside the University, most especially in responding to and avoiding dogmatism and sectarianism so prevalent in the Philippine Left,” he said.
