By Randy Espares Jr. 

TEAM U Partylist President Karen Panela was re-elected as Far Eastern University’s (FEU) faculty labor Union President declared by FEUFA Commission on Elections (COMELEC) last Friday, December 1. 

Panela served as the 6th President of FEUFA from December 2018 to December this year. 

TEAM U won over a landslide victory with Panela garnering 169 out of 228 votes, surpassing her contender Gina Luna from PRO-ACTIVE partylist. 

Additionally, Cynthia Manuel was elected as Vice President, Ariel Valeza as Secretary, Cynthia San Diego as Treasurer, Bernadette Ramos as Auditor, and James Owen Saguinsin as Public Relations Officer.

Meanwhile, Reynold Agnes, Christian Afundar, Paulino Ayson, Wilfredo Quijencio, and Maria Fleu Reyes were voted to the Board of Directors. 

The candidates hail from different institutes within the University, with both of the standard bearers from Institute of Arts and Sciences.

In an interview with FEU Advocate, Panela shared her plans as re-elected leader of the organization. 

“Since the 2024 year is the next CBA year where the CBA will only focus on the economic benefits so we want to prepare for that, but at  the same time we also want to parang balance ‘yung trabaho namin (we also want to balance our work)…with also sustaining the fellowship we have started,” she said. 

Panela also swore to uphold transparency and uprightness that they had during their previous term. 

Moreover, FEUFA COMELEC Head Dec Bartolome also noted the FEU faculty's active participation in the union. 

“This exercise shows actually ‘yung commitment ng faculty to the union, right now we have a very good turnout so far more than 50% na, it shows  passion ng mga faculty sa union hindi sila indifferent sa nangyayari sa union (This exercise actually shows the commitment of the faculty to the union, right now we have a very good turnout so far more than 50%, it shows the passion of the faculty in the union they are not indifferent to what is happening in the union),” he said. 

Two hundred twenty eight of the University faculty voted for this year’s union election, garnering an 81.4% voter turnout. 

The labor group would be representing the faculty to the administration, which includes  airing out grievances and concerns as well protecting rights of university staff. 

FEUFA is the University’s official labor union organization of regular faculty members, responsible for ensuring industrial peace on campus.

(Photo by Euxim Valonzo-Garcia/FEU Advocate)