by Nics Manalastas
Who is Henson Turalde?
Henson Turalde, in the context of being a Lukan, is a person who thirsts for a better “school spirit” and “culture of excellence” and he wants these to start within himself. Ayoko na dadaan lang ako sa school na to nang wala akong magandang memories o hindi ko naramdaman ang pagiging Lukan ko. Ako yung tipo ng tao na gusto ko meron akong pake sa school ko.
Excellence would always be equated with academic achievements. For me, excellence is not just about the grades but how you are able to translate what you know into practice and school spirit is how good your character is as a person. I want to show that excellence means being well-rounded and holistic and if ever I become president, I want to express and share my perceptions about excellence and school spirit that would not only benefit me but the student body most especially. Hindi naman sa gusto kong mainspire sila sa akin pero gusto ko manggaling sa akin yung school spirit at culture of excellence.
My primary priority is God. He is my center which means that everything I do is for His glory. I am able to do all these things (enter medicine and run for presidency) because of Him. Hindi siya si God yung number 1 priority tapos yung studies yung number two. Para sa akin si God yung center tapos yung studies, yung SC, lahat yan babalik kay God. Para kay God lahat iyan.
I value studies over work. Hindi ka pwedeng maging magaling na student leader kung hindi ka magaling na studyante. Balance would come in the sense of early preparation. I want to maximize my efforts, time and abilities by making use of the 4-month break to prepare for the school activities and my 3rd year life. I would exert double effort to be able to balance these things. I believe that sacrifice should come from me, giving more time, effort and energy to achieve my goals.
People see me as competitive but I know that it is innate in all of us. We all have that competitive side. But I never really depended on it as my basis of success. I would always compare myself to my previous performance and not to anyone else’s grades.
Do you think the duties and responsibilities of the presdent would not differ much from that of the external vice president’s? What is your take on this considering that third year would be a lot harder than second year?
From what I have observed, in terms of the load of work, the external vice president has the heavier work than the president. The lower your rank is in the hierarchy, the more hands on you are in the tasks and in dealing with other people. Unlike, if you are on top, you would only have to oversee. The work of the external vice president is so vast that it includes supervision and hands-on duties. You need technical skills, decision making skills, interpersonal skills and disturbance-handling skills. For me, the role of the president is less on the hands-on but more on the supervision but basically I will still apply the things I’ve learned and did as external vice president during my term if ever I become president. I believe that since I have already experienced how it is to become external vice president, I can use these experiences to help my fellow officers in doing their duties and responsibilities; more so that I am able to fulfill my duty as a president. Alam ko na kung paano sila tulungan at pakalmahin kapag nagpapanic na sila kasi napagdaanan ko na ‘yun.
What compelled you to run for presidency?
It started during my first year when I decided to become one of the heads of Open House 2014. I want to show what our school can offer. After that, I’ve decided to run as external vice president. During those times I’ve already felt that I wanted to become president. I felt that this school needed more school spirit, more exposure outside its premises. I want the other medical schools and students to know more about St. Luke’s and I want St. Luke’s to be more involved in inter-medical school activities. I never really liked St. Luke’s initially because it wasn’t my first choice of medical school. But I remembered my Father asking me what I really want: Do you want to become a good medical student or do you want to become a good doctor? I can also juxtapose that to my service for St. Luke’s. I believe that as I stayed longer here I found more reasons to love and serve this school.
Who is Henson Turalde?
Henson Turalde, in the context of being a Lukan, is a person who thirsts for a better “school spirit” and “culture of excellence” and he wants these to start within himself. Ayoko na dadaan lang ako sa school na to nang wala akong magandang memories o hindi ko naramdaman ang pagiging Lukan ko. Ako yung tipo ng tao na gusto ko meron akong pake sa school ko.
Excellence would always be equated with academic achievements. For me, excellence is not just about the grades but how you are able to translate what you know into practice and school spirit is how good your character is as a person. I want to show that excellence means being well-rounded and holistic and if ever I become president, I want to express and share my perceptions about excellence and school spirit that would not only benefit me but the student body most especially. Hindi naman sa gusto kong mainspire sila sa akin pero gusto ko manggaling sa akin yung school spirit at culture of excellence.
My primary priority is God. He is my center which means that everything I do is for His glory. I am able to do all these things (enter medicine and run for presidency) because of Him. Hindi siya si God yung number 1 priority tapos yung studies yung number two. Para sa akin si God yung center tapos yung studies, yung SC, lahat yan babalik kay God. Para kay God lahat iyan.
I value studies over work. Hindi ka pwedeng maging magaling na student leader kung hindi ka magaling na studyante. Balance would come in the sense of early preparation. I want to maximize my efforts, time and abilities by making use of the 4-month break to prepare for the school activities and my 3rd year life. I would exert double effort to be able to balance these things. I believe that sacrifice should come from me, giving more time, effort and energy to achieve my goals.
People see me as competitive but I know that it is innate in all of us. We all have that competitive side. But I never really depended on it as my basis of success. I would always compare myself to my previous performance and not to anyone else’s grades.
Do you think the duties and responsibilities of the presdent would not differ much from that of the external vice president’s? What is your take on this considering that third year would be a lot harder than second year?
From what I have observed, in terms of the load of work, the external vice president has the heavier work than the president. The lower your rank is in the hierarchy, the more hands on you are in the tasks and in dealing with other people. Unlike, if you are on top, you would only have to oversee. The work of the external vice president is so vast that it includes supervision and hands-on duties. You need technical skills, decision making skills, interpersonal skills and disturbance-handling skills. For me, the role of the president is less on the hands-on but more on the supervision but basically I will still apply the things I’ve learned and did as external vice president during my term if ever I become president. I believe that since I have already experienced how it is to become external vice president, I can use these experiences to help my fellow officers in doing their duties and responsibilities; more so that I am able to fulfill my duty as a president. Alam ko na kung paano sila tulungan at pakalmahin kapag nagpapanic na sila kasi napagdaanan ko na ‘yun.
What compelled you to run for presidency?
It started during my first year when I decided to become one of the heads of Open House 2014. I want to show what our school can offer. After that, I’ve decided to run as external vice president. During those times I’ve already felt that I wanted to become president. I felt that this school needed more school spirit, more exposure outside its premises. I want the other medical schools and students to know more about St. Luke’s and I want St. Luke’s to be more involved in inter-medical school activities. I never really liked St. Luke’s initially because it wasn’t my first choice of medical school. But I remembered my Father asking me what I really want: Do you want to become a good medical student or do you want to become a good doctor? I can also juxtapose that to my service for St. Luke’s. I believe that as I stayed longer here I found more reasons to love and serve this school.
So do you want to serve because you love this school or do you want to serve because you want to love this school?
Initially I wanted to serve because I wanted to love this school. Pero para sakin okay na ‘yun eh. Kasi at least natutunan ko syang mahalin. And that’s part of my growth. Right now I am at the stage na masasabi kong mahal ko na ang St. Luke’s.
What failures did you encounter during your term of office and how are you going to make up for these in the future?
We thought that we were already planning early for our projects but it would always turn out that we needed more time. I also hesitated to ask for support. I’ve always been hesitant to ask support from the Dean because I know he never really found APMC necessary. He believes that the APMC is too ambitious in its goals but cannot really achieve them. I felt that I would not get the support that I needed from him that’s why most of the projects I do and participate in lack support from the administration. It was only during the latter part of my term that I tried asking the administration for funds and moral support for the other projects of APMC, aside from MGMR which we all know that the administration highly supports. To my surprise, they even went with us to Davao and gave us all the funds we needed for the event! Moreover, I have also set very high expectations on myself in the beginning of the school year. I looked at my position as something that I can easily manage. I thought it was going to be a smooth sailing journey.
Nung umpisa nga ang yabang ko pa. I’ve learned a lot and this year has been a very humbling experience for me. Napapagalitan pa nga ako kina Dr. Atienza tuwing meeting dahil minsan hindi ko nakikita ang mga ginagawa ko. It’s nice to have someone else correct your mistakes because sometimes we are unaware of our actions.
I will make sure that next year; we will plan for the activities earlier than usual. I would not hesitate to ask the administration for support for any activities that the student council is involved with, internal or external. I would also use all the things I’ve learned this term to make improvements next year.
What do you think of Dean Carandang? How do you find his administration? Are there some things that you want to change or improve?
He is great because he is able to achieve his visions. He did not let fear and judgments stop him from changing the school for the better. He would always say that the curriculum should be open to change. That is something that I really admire in him. If I would change some things about the administration it would be the equal amount of attention given to the communities. I value community organization and community medicine. I believe giving focus in this aspect, aside from gearing towards specialization, would also contribute to the holistic development of the Lukan doctor.
I believe we have the same perception and vision it’s just that I think if we have to produce more strategies to produce compassionate doctors because I think the Introduction to the Medical Profession module is still not enough.
Also, the equal support to all student organizations is of importance to me. I want all the student organizations to feel the support that the participants of MGMR receive yearly.
Initially I wanted to serve because I wanted to love this school. Pero para sakin okay na ‘yun eh. Kasi at least natutunan ko syang mahalin. And that’s part of my growth. Right now I am at the stage na masasabi kong mahal ko na ang St. Luke’s.
What failures did you encounter during your term of office and how are you going to make up for these in the future?
We thought that we were already planning early for our projects but it would always turn out that we needed more time. I also hesitated to ask for support. I’ve always been hesitant to ask support from the Dean because I know he never really found APMC necessary. He believes that the APMC is too ambitious in its goals but cannot really achieve them. I felt that I would not get the support that I needed from him that’s why most of the projects I do and participate in lack support from the administration. It was only during the latter part of my term that I tried asking the administration for funds and moral support for the other projects of APMC, aside from MGMR which we all know that the administration highly supports. To my surprise, they even went with us to Davao and gave us all the funds we needed for the event! Moreover, I have also set very high expectations on myself in the beginning of the school year. I looked at my position as something that I can easily manage. I thought it was going to be a smooth sailing journey.
Nung umpisa nga ang yabang ko pa. I’ve learned a lot and this year has been a very humbling experience for me. Napapagalitan pa nga ako kina Dr. Atienza tuwing meeting dahil minsan hindi ko nakikita ang mga ginagawa ko. It’s nice to have someone else correct your mistakes because sometimes we are unaware of our actions.
I will make sure that next year; we will plan for the activities earlier than usual. I would not hesitate to ask the administration for support for any activities that the student council is involved with, internal or external. I would also use all the things I’ve learned this term to make improvements next year.
What do you think of Dean Carandang? How do you find his administration? Are there some things that you want to change or improve?
He is great because he is able to achieve his visions. He did not let fear and judgments stop him from changing the school for the better. He would always say that the curriculum should be open to change. That is something that I really admire in him. If I would change some things about the administration it would be the equal amount of attention given to the communities. I value community organization and community medicine. I believe giving focus in this aspect, aside from gearing towards specialization, would also contribute to the holistic development of the Lukan doctor.
I believe we have the same perception and vision it’s just that I think if we have to produce more strategies to produce compassionate doctors because I think the Introduction to the Medical Profession module is still not enough.
Also, the equal support to all student organizations is of importance to me. I want all the student organizations to feel the support that the participants of MGMR receive yearly.
How do you handle stress, unforeseen circumstances and conflicts?
I always keep my cool and maintain my character because I represent St. Luke’s College of Medicine and I, as a person, would want to uphold that value; that respect and character is very important in dealing with other people.
I also ask for help. Sometimes I set standards for myself that I think should be assessed by others so that I can keep track of my character. Mas importante ang character na ipinapakita natin. Let’s give honor to our school not just through our grades but also through our character.
What is your vision as the next student council president?
There are two things I would like to improve in St. Luke’s College of Medicine: culture of excellence and a stronger school spirit. I also envision a school that is filled with volunteerism. The student council highly encourages the involvement of the student body especially those who are willing to help or contribute. Gusto ko nasa akin ang definition ng excellence hindi lang sa grades pero holistic.
What are the things you’ve learned these past two years?
I’ve realized through my term that things will never be as easy as we perceive them initially. I really thought that life would be smooth sailing for me at the start of the school year. But I was wrong. I came to the point that I felt tired of being a medical student in general. I lost my interest along the way. I didn’t achieve my academic goals. I didn’t feel like I was able to give my best performance this year. But I am determined to make up for it next school year. Hindi siya ganon kadali pala.
Leadership and service is not just about work. There were times that I felt like we weren’t achieving anything. There were times that our meetings would only be full of jokes and chit chat. I would always urge them to start working and planning for the upcoming activities but I’ve realized that sometimes the time we “waste” for having fun is not really a waste of time. It is actually an essential part of being an efficient student leader. These bonding moments are what us a team and what strengthened us.
Hindi mo pwedeng ituring ang mga tao na work force lang. Kailangan maipadama mo sa kanila na part sila ng team at na marami silang nagagawa at naitutulong. I’ve learned these things from Arjo because he really took care of our team dynamics which really helped us in accomplishing our duties and enjoying what we do.
What makes you happy?
Hmm… That is a good question. Anything new and unique makes me happy. I’m not really hard to please. Challenges, being a medical student and being student leader also make me happy.
Platforms
How exactly do you plan to reach out? How do you break the barriers that are present between the student council and the student body?
I plan to put a suggestion box per room which would be updated weekly. Online feedback forms would also be available. I would also engage in casual talks with my fellow students whenever I can and make sure that every opinion they have would not be judged. These things should start from me, as their leader. Ano bang naiisip niyo? Ano bang opinyon niyo tungkol dito?
Your platforms regarding transparency, national issues and participation would always require the student body’s participation and concern. The ultimate question now is, how do you make the student body care about these things?
We cannot really impose on the students. I think the best way for them to care is to impart in them that attitude and for you to be able to do that is it has to start within yourself. I have to build rapport with my fellow students.
How will you go about accomplishing your platform about disaster management?
I would tap our fellow students who have previous experiences in Red Cross. We have a lot of students who are members of Red Cross. We can also adapt the system that APMC is formulating regarding disaster management. I believe it is time that St. Luke’s College of Medicine became a little bit more autonomous and would not always depend on the decisions of the Medical Center.
I always keep my cool and maintain my character because I represent St. Luke’s College of Medicine and I, as a person, would want to uphold that value; that respect and character is very important in dealing with other people.
I also ask for help. Sometimes I set standards for myself that I think should be assessed by others so that I can keep track of my character. Mas importante ang character na ipinapakita natin. Let’s give honor to our school not just through our grades but also through our character.
What is your vision as the next student council president?
There are two things I would like to improve in St. Luke’s College of Medicine: culture of excellence and a stronger school spirit. I also envision a school that is filled with volunteerism. The student council highly encourages the involvement of the student body especially those who are willing to help or contribute. Gusto ko nasa akin ang definition ng excellence hindi lang sa grades pero holistic.
What are the things you’ve learned these past two years?
I’ve realized through my term that things will never be as easy as we perceive them initially. I really thought that life would be smooth sailing for me at the start of the school year. But I was wrong. I came to the point that I felt tired of being a medical student in general. I lost my interest along the way. I didn’t achieve my academic goals. I didn’t feel like I was able to give my best performance this year. But I am determined to make up for it next school year. Hindi siya ganon kadali pala.
Leadership and service is not just about work. There were times that I felt like we weren’t achieving anything. There were times that our meetings would only be full of jokes and chit chat. I would always urge them to start working and planning for the upcoming activities but I’ve realized that sometimes the time we “waste” for having fun is not really a waste of time. It is actually an essential part of being an efficient student leader. These bonding moments are what us a team and what strengthened us.
Hindi mo pwedeng ituring ang mga tao na work force lang. Kailangan maipadama mo sa kanila na part sila ng team at na marami silang nagagawa at naitutulong. I’ve learned these things from Arjo because he really took care of our team dynamics which really helped us in accomplishing our duties and enjoying what we do.
What makes you happy?
Hmm… That is a good question. Anything new and unique makes me happy. I’m not really hard to please. Challenges, being a medical student and being student leader also make me happy.
Platforms
How exactly do you plan to reach out? How do you break the barriers that are present between the student council and the student body?
I plan to put a suggestion box per room which would be updated weekly. Online feedback forms would also be available. I would also engage in casual talks with my fellow students whenever I can and make sure that every opinion they have would not be judged. These things should start from me, as their leader. Ano bang naiisip niyo? Ano bang opinyon niyo tungkol dito?
Your platforms regarding transparency, national issues and participation would always require the student body’s participation and concern. The ultimate question now is, how do you make the student body care about these things?
We cannot really impose on the students. I think the best way for them to care is to impart in them that attitude and for you to be able to do that is it has to start within yourself. I have to build rapport with my fellow students.
How will you go about accomplishing your platform about disaster management?
I would tap our fellow students who have previous experiences in Red Cross. We have a lot of students who are members of Red Cross. We can also adapt the system that APMC is formulating regarding disaster management. I believe it is time that St. Luke’s College of Medicine became a little bit more autonomous and would not always depend on the decisions of the Medical Center.
Why is there a need for committees?
It started this year when we gave the other candidates who did not win in the elections a role in the student council. We saw how willing they are to serve the student body, so we created the committees. These committees do not serve as the staff of the officers. These committees actually gave way to new projects that we would not be able to accomplish if it weren’t for our committee heads. The primary duties of the officers of the student council remained within them and the new projects were given to the committee heads. This actually made everything more efficient and we were able to make new projects that benefited the student body i.e. quiz bee, tree planting, fund-raising activities, etc. The committees also served as training grounds for the committee heads so that they would be more equipped to serve next school year.
Don’t you think you have so many projects to the point that you weren’t able to accomplish all of them?
I believe that we can really accomplish all our projects. We just have to give some more effort, more willingness and more time. Para sa akin hindi siya marami. Kung tutuusin, kaya naman talaga naming maaccomplish ang mga projects ng Student Council. Kailangan lang talaga ng more willingness.
The school activities in general should be distributed equally on all blocks so that the hype does not die and we are able to maintain the participation of the student body.
Where do student organizations come in the whole picture? Why is there a need for committee strengthening if we can opt for organization strengthening?
The organizations are independent because they have their own vision and objectives that may not be in line with what the student council wants to do. But we are always open to collaborations with organizations.
Which among your platforms are you certain to fulfill if ever you get elected for presidency?
I am certain to fulfill everything except the research part because this would require the support and approval of the faculty.
If you would describe your platforms in one phrase, what would it be?
“ONE LUKAN”
Other Concerns
What is the most pressing problem that the student council needs to address this year?
I believe the student council should address the lack of school spirit and the need to improve in our culture of excellence. Nagtataka lang ako bakit kailangan pang pilitin ang mga tao na magserve.
How would you address the lack of professionalism and the rudeness of some students in the academic feedback? What concrete actions are you going to take?
I would first like to hear or read about these comments that were considered rude because what may be rude for the administration may not be rude for some of the students. Moreover, we would collect the feedback forms first and filter them before submitting them to the administration. And we would inform the students if ever parts of their comments/feedback were changed or removed.
What happens when you don’t win?
I am not very fearful of losing. I have other plans like the AMSA, Asian Medical Student’s Organization. I can strengthen SAGIP to become a local unit of AMSA. I believe we need more exposure because this organization can provide exchange programs and research symposiums that could be very helpful for the students. I can still be part of the committees of the student council. I can help in my batch and also in the organizations that I belong i.e. chorale, musician circle. I will not stop serving.
What is your edge over Cheska?
I’ve seen all the projects, both external and internal from planning stage to evaluation. I believe that I am equipped to be president and that I am the best man for the position. I have learned a lot from my previous term and I can use these learning for the improvement of the school. I believe that I am the best man for the position.