HAU Student Government (HAUSG) has officially ratified seven constitutional amendments and proposed a revision to the 2024 Constitution during an emergency session held on June 21.
Changes in 2024 Constitution
Outlined in Senate Resolution No. 3, Series of 2025–2026, the amendments cover revisions to Articles I through VII of the constitution.
Article I establishes clearer internal procedures for the Senate, including a quorum requirement of at least 50 percent attendance, mandatory three readings for all bills, and defined voting thresholds for overriding a vetoed bill.
It also permits senators-elect to convene prior to their official term to organize and elect officers. Online voting is now permitted, provided that the results are acknowledged during a plenary session.
Article II changes the title “Associate Solicitor General” to “Solicitor” and clarifies that college student councils (CSCs) are the primary responders to student grievances. The Office of the Solicitor General may only intervene once all internal remedies have been exhausted.
Revisions to Article III adjust the composition of the High Court, requiring that the number of justices be either five, seven, or nine. If a vacancy remains unfilled after 20 days, the Senate may nominate at least two candidates for the HAU-USC president’s consideration.
Meanwhile, under Article IV, only students enrolled in a specific college may run for or hold office within that college’s student government.
Article V redefines the policy on dual office-holding by introducing exceptions for the senate president and the chairpersons of the constitutional commissions, allowing them to hold their positions concurrently.
However, it also bars individuals from occupying the top-most positions in both the student government and any student organization at the same time. The amendment additionally repeals the second paragraph of Section 6, Article XVI, which previously prohibited student government officers from being the “head” of any student institution.
Standardizing terminology, Article VI replaces all mentions of “student institution” with “student group.”
Meanwhile, Article VII grants the Commission on Financial Audit the authority to designate a sole receipts supplier responsible for issuing official financial documents such as receipts and vouchers. The use of unofficial financial slips is now prohibited unless explicitly authorized by the commission.
The changes took effect immediately upon receiving collective approval from the HAU-University Student Council (HAU-USC) president, governors, senators, justices, and the chairpersons of the constitutional commissions, in accordance with Article XVII of the original constitution.
Proposed major revision
In addition to the ratified amendments, the Senate also introduced a proposed constitutional revision — classified as a major change under Section 2, Article XVII.
This revision establishes the Department of Business Relations, a new executive department under the HAU-USC responsible for managing partnerships, sponsorships, merchandise, and the drafting of business-related documents.
It also renames the Department of External Communications to the Department of Public Communications. Under this updated structure, public announcements and press releases will remain under the latter’s jurisdiction, while business correspondence will be handled by the newly formed department.
In accordance with constitutional protocol, the proposed revision must undergo ratification through a student plebiscite scheduled for Saturday, June 28, to be conducted via Microsoft Forms. If passed by a majority vote, the revision will be formally integrated into the constitution.
The amendments and proposed revision were authored by Senators Malthine Valiente and John Peterwin Roque, reviewed by Senator Franco Luiz Torno as Chairperson of the Committee on Rules, and formally approved by the HAUSG Senate.
