SAMAHAN President Regel Asuero gives his privilege speech during the first reading of the SAMAHAN Constitution. Photo by Christine Joice Cudis.

The 2014 SAMAHAN Constitution Draft passed its first reading held at F305 today, September 15, during the activity period.

The first reading of the draft was delayed by a few minutes due to the lack of members from the constitutional commission. The commission needs to meet the required number to meet a quorum, the minimum numbers of an assembly necessary to form a decision, in order to approve or disapprove changes in the pending motions from their last session.

Before the start of the deliberation, SAMAHAN Central Board (SCB) President Regel Kent Asuero gave a speech in which he stressed the need for a new constitution.

“We really need to systematize our student government knowing the fact there currently a lot of demands coming from different sectors of students inside the university,” he said.

The proposed constitution will replace the current version, which is now 32 years old. The constitutional draft will proceed to its second and third reading which is scheduled on the 17th and 18th of this month, respectively.

The current draft of the constitution, which is largely based on the output of the previous constitutional commissions, was applied. During the first reading, motions for these changes were approved through a 7-0 vote.

Among the major changes discussed in the first reading include:

The amendment of Article VIII, Section 3, Paragraph 3, to read as:

“Any vacant position in the Students Supreme Court shall be filled in through an appointment by the President from a list of at least three nominees from the SAMAHAN Judicial and Bar Council on the affected Cluster.”

Article VIII, Section 3, Paragraph 3 has also been amended further:

“The 2014-2015 SAMAHAN Constitutional Commission shall be a de facto Students Supreme Court for one semester commencing after three days from the ratification of this Constitution. It shall then be dissolved when the semester ends.

The SAMAHAN Judicial and Bar council shall submit a list of candidates for being Members of the Students Supreme court to the SAMAHAN President under the 1982 SAMAHAN Constitution.

The incumbent President under the 1982 SAMAHAN Constitution shall appoint the first Members of the Regular Members of the Students Supreme Court.”

A new Section 6 in Article XIII was also created in the caucus, moving the former Section 6 to Section 7:

“Amendments may only be introduced three years after the ratification of this Constitution.”

The amendments above, as well as various changes in some of the terms and words used in the current constitution, were discussed in the first reading and were subsequently approved. Paragraphs 2, 3, and 4 of Section 2 of Article XIII have also been struck out.

To view the full minutes of the meeting, click here.