Drakon Da Vinci
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The campus was alive with the buzz of the upcoming Student Council elections. Posters cluttered every wall, and campaign slogans bounced off the hallways. Even as a pre-med student laser-focused on my academics, the excitement was hard to ignore this time around.
Manuel was moving up to senior high soon, and this election wasn’t just about a title. If he won Supreme Student President, he could get another scholarship, freeing up his current one for his younger brother. It was more than just politics—it was family.
I sat in the cafeteria, coffee in hand, flipping through notes for my next exam. Just as I settled into my study zone, a small group of Student Council members approached. The determined look in their eyes was hard to miss.
“Drakon, we need to talk to you,” said a petite girl with a bright smile—Editor-in-Chief of PUP’s publication and the third-year rep on the Supreme Student Council. The weight of her position wasn’t lost on me.
I raised an eyebrow. “What’s up?”
“We need a leader, someone who can bring real change to the university,” she said earnestly. “And we think you're the perfect candidate.”
I blinked, taken aback. Me? Run for Supreme Student President? Ano bang alam ko sa student politics? Sure, I’d been class president before, but that was small-time compared to this.
But as they continued to talk, outlining the mess in the current Council—the lack of transparency, the scandals—I started to see why they wanted someone different. Binoto kasi yung mga famous kaysa sa may leadership skills. Ano gagawin nila? Magpa-TikTok? Di naman to beauty pageant.
Their passion was infectious. Slowly, I started imagining the changes I could make. Pabawal ko kaya ang TikTok? Pero baka kinabukasan, content na ako. Tarantado ka, Drakon.
Just when I was about to give my answer, my phone buzzed. A message from an unknown number popped up:
+63099999999999
You think you can take on Renz? Think again, Drakon. :))
My chest tightened. Renz. The name alone sent a mix of frustration and determination coursing through me. He was the notorious heartthrob of PUP—basketball team captain, campus influencer, and rumored Supreme Student President contender. Siya yung nakabungguan ko noon... ‘yung hambog na tarantado. And now, he wanted to run for President? May backload subject pa nga, gusto pang tumakbo.
But I wasn’t about to back down. Renz may have fame, but I had something else—a vision for actual change. Good leaders are good followers. I reminded myself. It was up to the students to decide: credentials or celebrity status.
“I’m in,” I said, standing a little taller as I looked at the eager faces around me. “I’ll run for Supreme Student President.”
The group erupted into cheers, and I knew this was just the beginning of a battle that would challenge everything I thought I knew.
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In the following days, the news spread like wildfire. Posters of me—Drakon Seirge Da Vinci, second-year pre-med student, top of my class with a GWA of 98—started appearing on bulletin boards. My involvement in student organizations, from PUP Student Journalism to the Red Cross, became selling points. My team pushed hard on social media, appealing to students who wanted a leader with real academic and social dedication.
Meanwhile, Renz’s campaign turned into a spectacle. His posters were flashy, his fans loyal. Flash mobs and fangirls roamed the campus, turning his candidacy into more of a popularity contest than anything substantial. Mga fan girls ni Renz. Paano sila naakit sa hambog na yun? Mukha naman tubol.
One day, as I walked past the Student Union building, there he was—Renz, surrounded by admirers, taking selfies like he was the next big thing. Tangina, yan ba talaga ang gusto nyong leader? Backloader na mukhang burgis?
Jealousy flickered for a moment, but I pushed it aside. I couldn’t compete with his social media fame, but I had something real to offer—genuine commitment to the students and their needs.
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When debate day arrived, the student union was packed. The tension between Renz and me was palpable as we took our positions at the podium, ready to face off.
The moderator began, throwing tough questions our way. I laid out my platform: transparency, accountability, real changes to benefit all students. Renz, as expected, relied on charm and theatrics, talking about parties, events, and unity. Sabi na nga ba, kala mo UAAP ang PUP.
The crowd was split—some cheered for me, others chanted Renz’s name. It was clear that the race was going to be tight.
As the debate wrapped up, I felt a surge of pride. I gave it everything I had. But the real question was still hanging in the air—was it enough?
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Later that evening, my dad's booming voice echoed in the house as he laughed. “Josephina, tingnan mo anak mo, si Pay-pay tumatakbo na bilang Presidente ng school. Huwag mo lang ipangako na pagbabawalan mo ang TikTok ha, baka ligwak ka agad.”
“Kaya nga anak, baka naman maging Karl Marx ka nyan sa higpit mo,” my mom teased with a grin. “Pag nanalo ka, ipapakain ko sa bumoto sayo yung puto ko!”
“Ako mahal? Kailan mo ako pagbibigyan?” my dad chimed in, faking a sulk.
I just shook my head, smiling. Magkasakit talaga kayong dalawa, bagay na bagay.
The campaign was exhausting. There were moments I wanted to quit, but I reminded myself who I was doing this for—me, my brother, and the future we were building.
The road ahead was long, but win or lose, I knew one thing for sure: this fight, credentials versus fame, would be remembered.
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