Aiming to revive student participation and strengthen leadership spaces within the university,  the SAMAHAN Central Board (SCB) officers for Academic Year 2026-2027 officially assumed their posts.

At the helm of this new board is Pinag-isang Lakas ng mga Progresibong Atenista’s (PIGLASAPT) Mickyla Loriene Almadin, who was the previous academic year’s SCB Treasurer, along with Vice President Juelianna Muhalli, Secretary-General Rana Nicole Guerra, and Treasurer Alaisa Kella Abjilina.

This new board of core officers, like the previous administration, is dominated by PIGLASAPAT and ran unopposed in the elections.

In recognition of the uncontested elections, Almadin highlighted the need to “shape more spaces for the students,” noting the declining number of students stepping up to take on leadership roles. 

“As you have noticed in this year’s election, very few na lang ang naga-step up for positions. So… hopefully one of our legacies [is] to rekindle the fire in the people’s heart in terms of leadership… and volunteerism.”

Almadin revealed their future plans to strengthen the SCB’s link with student organizations and academic departments in implementing projects that address student concerns.

“We want to maximize the class presidents [through] the CCP (Council of Class Presidents), and at the same time, the officers of the different departments because it is from them that we can understand what are their needs.”

In light of ongoing tensions in West Asia, Almadin asserted that their plans will continue to move forward despite the possible hybrid setup.

“We have heard things naman din on the plans of the administration moving forward… We will push forward on balancing the things that we want to plan or to actualize… even if we have our hybrid setup, we want to make sure that these students are still well heard and at the same time atong projects, atong activities, ma-actualize gihapon.”

All but three seats for cluster representatives were also secured by members from PIGLASAPAT: Earl Vonroy Sumalnap for Accountancy (ACC), Craig Nathan Alonzo for Business and Management (B&M), Keena Marie Olayres for School of Nursing (SON), and Juan Carlos Jaravata for Humanities and Letters (HUMLET).

Rainzy Belle Cañada of the Computer Studies (CS) and Franklein Jay Pesucan of Social Sciences (SS) clusters, both of whom hail from BAHAGHARI, also secured the cluster representative seats, along with independent candidate Simon Justin Tomaroy for School of Engineering and Architecture (SEA).

Despite coming from different political parties, Pesucan emphasized that student governance is reinforced when diverse perspectives are approached with principled governance, hoping for mutual cooperation in the name of service to the studentry.

“Ultimately, I hope to show that differing perspectives can strengthen student governance when approached with openness, cooperation, respect, and accountability,” he said.

Following Article XVI, Section 4 of the 2023 Amended SAMAHAN Constitution, President-elect Mickylla Loriene Almadin appointed Jericka Niña Paculaba and Naomi Grace Lanzo as interim representatives of the School of Education (SOE) and National Sciences and Mathematics (NSM), respectively.  

The new board assumed office after an overall voter turnout of 60.7%, down from last year’s 66.03%.

The oath-taking ceremony held at the Bapa Benny Tudtud Auditorium was livestreamed via Facebook on May 11, 2026.