10 Questions with the President

He’s been handed the keys to the kingdom, as the metaphor goes. I’m sure a lot of us is interested in what’s going on in his head right now, so in ten questions, he gives us a peek at his principles, goals, and action plans. Here’s our interview with none other than the new AUSSG President, Mr. William Villegas.

What made you run for office?

I was eyeing that position since my first year in college. Although I can say that I am a bit discouraged since I transferred to UST for my second year, and the rules on residency and eligibility are not very clear to me.

How will you describe the AUSSG Election experience? What points do you think can be improved on?

It was not. Mainit. Medyo na-rush po eh. Siguro, earlier it announcement and better information dissemination to give time to the candidates and voters as well.

What will be your advocacy as the new AUSSG President?

More projects inside the campus. Little things. You know, serve as the voice of the students to the administration.

What projects are you going to implement to achieve this?

One project is the suggestion boxes. We will be updating weekly, and see where we will go from there.

Who do you look up to in terms of leadership?

It has to be Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar. To those who don’t know, she’s the daughter of independence hero Aung San. I think she’s a one of a kind woman. She stood up for her country, helped found the National League for Democracy (NLD) in 1988 amidst the country’s extreme political instability, chaos, and violence. She was put arrest several times and was even offered to leave the country in exchange for freedom, but she refused. I think that’s brave, and a kind of leadership to be followed. To quote her, "It is not power that corrupts, but fear.”

What is your leadership principle?

When I am in a group, the first thing I do is consult the body. Consensus-building. No one can act alone.

What do you think are the things that must be developed in Araullians?

Involvement. kasi po, we have a lot activities na nasasayang dahil kaunti ang sumasali. Also, discipline. Saying po ang programs like ZERO BASURA and CLAYGO kapag hindi tinatangkilik ng mga Araullian.

How will you bridge the gap between the student body and the administration?

I will serve as the voice of Araullians. I will represent them to the administration.

As a student- leader, how are you going to promote AU ? 

My personal experiences. I have a lot of good experiences here. Also, whenever somebody would ask, “why did you study in AU?” I’ll just answer, Why not?

What would you like to say to your constituents?

First of all. I want to thank everybody for their support and involvement. Like we said in our proclamation, we won’t promise anything. After all, we’re just ordinary Araullian. Sama-sama  nating aabutin yun.

So there. He has a year to stand up for us. But he can’t do it by himself. We must stand beside him as well. Dan Kevin Roque