Zarate resigns from CSSPSC, Rances new councilor

Elliz Rances took her oath of office September 9 as councilor in the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy Student Council (CSSPSC) after Alodyah Janine Zarate resigned from her post due to financial problems.

CSSPSC councilor and secretary general Ian Richard Cortez said Rances, who ranked ninth in the last CSSPSC elections, will be a member of the CSSPSC Finance and Special Projects Committee, formerly headed by Zarate, and the Publications Committee.

Cortez said this action was in pursuit of Article 14, Sec 1.C of the CSSPSC Constitution: If one of the councilors vacates his or her post, the candidate with the number of votes second to the councilor with the least votes in the last elections will take office.

In her resignation letter, Zarate turned over council records and funds in her possession to Marian Salanguit, her assistant in the Finance Committee, now its new head.

Zarate filed her resignation letter during a 15-day suspension from August 12 to 27 in response to her sudden disappearance from academic and council activities.

Cortez said they lost contact from Zarate after the first week of July.

After many failed attempts to contact her, the council went to the address Zarate wrote in her profile sheet, said Cortez, but the address led to a frat house.

When the council did a more thorough search, they found Zarate’s real address, where she explained in a personal meeting with the council that she accidentally wrote the wrong house number and that her phone was in repair, said Cortez.

In her resignation letter, Zarate said she was forced to file a Leave of Absence (LOA) for this semester because of financial problems.

She said she would be back next semester after working to help her family meet its needs.

“I have been going to my parents for the issues that our family has to solve,” wrote Zarate. “Due to reasons too personal and complex to be elucidated here, I then beseech the council for its understanding and discernment.”

In reaction to Zarate’s resignation, Cortez said Zarate should have informed the council of her problems during her disappearance.

Cortez said the council felt Zarate’s sudden disappearance was “an act of irresponsibility and a disservice to the student body.”

When Zarate disappeared, the council’s marketing activities were slightly impeded, but Salanguit took over, said Cortez. ▪

Article by Alexandra Francisco