Club officers under CCO, class officers under GACP and SEC, SCB Officers under the different clusters of AdDU and publications’ representatives gathered in F213 for the orientation of the 2013 Samahan Constitution draft.

At 4:18pm, the program started with a prayer, followed by the Blue Knight Song. Avon Sinajon hosted the orientation.

Cel Lord Delabahan, Head Commissioner of the Samahan Constitutional Commission opened the orientation.

“We will show you a glimpse of what your constitution is,” he stated.

The head commissioner said that they will explain what will happen in the three readings based on what Student Affairs Committee (SAC) recommended.

Constitutional Commissioner Benjie Martinez expounded the background of the Samahan constitution.

He explained that during the first semester of last school year, “we managed three constitutional readings.”

During the second semester, they scheduled the ratification but the SAC “did not give a go signal.”

“So that the constitution would center on the past school year, the Samahan Central Board reviewed and made amendments,” he said.

The Head Commissioner supported Martinez’s explanation by thanking the 2012-2013 commissioners for their work. He explained that the constitution draft was based from the work of the past commissioners.

Delabahan explained that this orientation was to ask for help from the different clubs and organizations.

“We need your cooperation,” he stressed.

The first reading will happen this Friday. It would include a plenary session. They would move a motion to approve the constitution as a draft.

Then, they would move another motion to approve this draft for dissemination.

“The second reading is very important,” said the Head Commissioner. “It’s not a debate. Instead, we consider it as AdDU students cooperating with each other.”

He explained that they, the ConCom, will follow what the students will want.

“We will leave the judgment to you,” Delabahan added.

The 13 articles were then distributed for a per-committee discussion.

“We don’t need merely attendance but knowledge,” he finished.

Between the second and third reading, Delabahan explained that they would change the constitution based on the feedbacks of the students.

“We would only present the final constitution. No editing will be done in this part,” he said referring to the third reading.

The constitution will then be presented to SAC. It will then be approved. A plebiscite will follow.

“The students will vote yes or no,” Delabahan said.

To support the draft, the Head Commissioner explained that “there is no perfect constitution,” and that “this constitution will expand Samahan.”

To finish off the orientation, the ConCom divided everyone present in the room into four groups and discussed ways on motivating the students into participating and following the constitution and its making.