THE CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF

THE PHILIPPINES MEDICS

PREAMBLE
We the members of the University of the Philippines Medics, imploring the aid of the
Divine Providence, in order to establish an organization that shall embody our
principles of integrity, excellence, and creativity, towards the fulfillment of our
social, intellectual, and spiritual capabilities, do ordain and promulgate this Charter.

ARTICLE I
Name of the Organization
Section 1. The name of the organization shall be the University of the Philippines
Medics. It shall likewise be known as UP Medics. It shall henceforth be referred to as
the Organization within this Charter.

ARTICLE II
Affiliation
Section 1. The Organization is based in the College of Medicine, University of the
Philippines Manila.
Section 2. The Organization is the official student publication of the College of
Medicine, University of the Philippines Manila.

ARTICLE III
Vision, Mission, and Values
Section 1. Vision
The Organization seeks to foster a community of medical students devoted to the
quality publication of responsible journalism, inspired art, creative literature, and
insightful photography.
Section 2. Mission
a) The Organization shall gather and disseminate timely and accurate
information for the benefit of the UP College of Medicine community and
the public-at-large.
b) The Organization shall provide a forum for the discussion and debate of
issues of interest and importance to the UP College of Medicine
community, towards being a catalyst for change.
c) The Organization shall empower members of the UP College of Medicine
community by enabling them to exercise their right to freedom of
expression.
d) The Organization shall provide a venue for its members to develop as
writers, photographers, editors, and artists in pursuit of the ideal of the
five-star physician.

Section 3. Values
a) The Organization upholds freedom of expression, respects diversity of
opinion, and promotes independent, truthful, and courageous journalism.
b) The Organization shall orient its endeavors towards public service
whenever possible.
c) The Organization celebrates creativity and artistic talent in all its forms.
d) The Organization encourages its members to develop to their full potential
as students, doctors, and human beings.
e) The Organization fosters solidarity and camaraderie among its members.
f) The Organization emphasizes commitment to the ideals and principles of
the Organization as stated by this Charter.

ARTICLE IV
Membership
Section 1. Any student of the UP College of Medicine is eligible for membership
upon fulfillment of the requirements set by Article V of this Charter.
Section 2. UP College of Medicine students shall comprise 100% of the
Organizations membership.
Section 3. Types of Membership
a) ACTIVE MEMBER. He/She is a member who is currently enrolled as a
student in the UP College of Medicine and has renewed his/her
membership in the Organization. He/She must not be under any
disciplinary action from the University or the College of Medicine, and
must be in good scholastic standing according to the rules of the
University. He/She must have fulfilled any other requirements for
membership set by the Managing Editor as approved by the Editorial
Board. Any subsequent reference in this Charter to members of the
Organization shall refer to Active Members unless otherwise stated. Active
Members are further subdivided into the following types of membership:
1. Resident Member. He/She has attended more than 50% of official
events, submitted two or more works (articles, literary pieces,
photos, etc.), and paid all his/her dues.
2. Level I Probationary Member. He/She has attended 25 to 50% of
official events, submitted one work, or failed to pay his/her dues.
He/She shall obtain one Probationary Point for this status.
3. Level II Probationary Member. He/She has attended less than 25%
of official events, submitted no work, or failed to pay his/her dues.
He/She shall obtain two Probationary Points for this status.
b) INACTIVE MEMBER. He/She is a member who has not chosen to renew
his/her membership in the Organization for one semester, but has an
expressed an interest to renew after the said semester. His/her
membership status shall be relegated to Former Member if he/she fails to
renew after one semester of being inactive.

c) FORMER MEMBER. He/She is a member who failed to renew his/her

membership after being an Inactive Member for one semester, or has
been relegated to such a status through any other process stated in this
Charter. He/She may reapply to the Organization but must again fulfill the
requirements for application set forth in Article V, unless stated otherwise
by this Charter. He/She may still apply for consideration as an Alumni
Member.

d) SUSPENDED MEMBER. He/She is a member who is under investigation or

disciplinary action by the University, or is under investigation for

impeachment or expulsion by the Organization. He/She shall be prohibited
from attending official events of the Organization for the duration of
his/her status as Suspended Member, with the lack of attendance for such
events considered as excused absences.

e) ALUMNI MEMBER. He/She is a member who has graduated from the UP

College of Medicine and has fulfilled the requirements set by the Editorial
Board in attaining this status, which may include but is not limited to the
application for recognition as an Alumni Member and the settlement of
any fees or dues owed to the Organization. He/She shall continue to be
invited to the events of the Organization and to utilize its resources,
among other rights and privileges set by the Editorial Board and as
approved by the General Staff.
Section 4. Renewals Process
Active Members shall renew their membership every academic year by fulfilling the
guidelines set by the Editorial Board. Those who fail to accomplish these
requirements without due reason may have their membership revoked and their
membership status relegated to Former Member.
Section 5. Rights of Active Members
a) They shall have the right to vote in all elections as well as policy decisions
brought before the General Staff.
b) They shall have the right to move for the impeachment of any officer as
well as for the expulsion of any member of the Organization.
c) They shall have the right to utilize the Organizations property and
resources.
d) They shall have the right to full access to all reports, budges, databases,
archives, etc. created or compiled by each Editorial Board member and as
submitted to the Associate Editor.
e) They shall have the right to be recognized as official press within the UP
College of Medicine.
f) No member shall be deprived of his/her rights without due process.
Section 6. Duties of Active Members
They shall to attend all official events of the Organization. Non-attendance is
acceptable only for hospital duties, medical reasons, and other events and
situations deemed meritorious by the Editorial Board.
a) They shall pay their dues as prescribed by this Charter or the Associate
Editor.

b) They shall uphold and pursue all the decisions and policies enacted by the
Editorial Board or General Staff.
c) They shall uphold all the provisions of this Charter.
d) They shall protect the name of the Organization and care for all its
property and resources.
e) They shall fulfill the duties of their respective Divisions, as well as any
additional responsibilities their Division Editor, the Editor-in-Chief,
Associated Editor, and/or Managing Editor may require of them.
Section 7. Membership Status
Each Active Member shall be classified as a Resident Member, Level I Probationary
Member, or Level II Probationary Member upon renewal of his/her membership to
the Organization every semester. The Managing Editor shall determine each
members status based on the following criteria (1) attendance, (2) number of
submissions, (3) settlement of dues.
In the previous semester, Resident Members must have attended more than 50% of
official events, submitted at least two works, and paid all dues in a timely manner.
In the last semester, Level I Probationary Members have attended 25 to 50% of
official events, submitted only one work, or failed to pay his/her dues. In the last
semester, Level II Probationary Members have attended less than 25% of official
events, submitted no work, or failed to pay his/her dues. Level I and Level II
Probationary Members should fulfill two out of three of the previous conditions to be
classified as such. The Managing Editor shall inform members of their membership
status each semester.
Section 8. An Active Member may have only three Probationary Points for the
entirety of his/her membership in the Organization. Upon reaching four or more
Probationary Points, an Active Member shall have his/her status relegated to Former
Member unless he/she appeals.
Section 9. Appeals Process for Membership
a) Active Members with four or more Probationary Points may appeal for their
membership by first writing a letter to the Editorial Board, stating their
reasons for doing so.
b) The letter shall be read at the first meeting of the General Staff for the
semester. The General Staff shall then deliberate upon and vote for the
approval or dismissal of the appeal.
c) An Active Member whose appeal is approved shall remain an Active
Member but must retain a Resident Member status for the rest of the
duration of his/her stay in the Organization. Otherwise, his/her status shall
be relegated to Former Member.
d) An Active Member whose appeal is dismissed shall have his/her status
immediately relegated to Former Member.
Section 10. Active Members may appeal for their membership only once for the
duration of their stay in the Organization.
An individual who becomes a Former Member by virtue of having his/her status
relegated through Probationary Points and successfully reapplies, once again

becoming an Active Member, has his/her Probationary Points reset and may once
again get to the point wherein he/she shall have to appeal for his/her membership.
Section 11. Relinquishment of Membership
Any member shall have the right to relinquish his/her membership to the
Organization at any time, provided that he/she has settled all financial obligations to
the Organization. He/She should submit a letter addressed to the General Staff
stating his/her reasons for relinquishing membership, which shall be read at a
special meeting of the General Staff. His/her status shall then be relegated to
Former Member, with the exception that he/she may not reapply to the
Organization. Members who have relinquished their membership in this manner
may still, however, apply for consideration as an Alumni Member.

ARTICLE V
Application for Membership
Section 1. The application period shall be held for the duration of each semester
unless decided otherwise by the incoming Editorial Board for that year.
Section 2. Application Process
Applicants to the Organization must undergo a screening process, the exact
parameters of which shall be determined by the Managing Editor as approved by
the Editorial Board.
a) Applicants shall secure, fill up, and submit an application form by a
deadline set by the Managing Editor.
b) They shall pay the application fee set by the Associate Editor.
c) They shall be required to attend all General Staff meetings, official events,
and projects of the Organization.
d) They shall submit a number of articles, photographs, short stories, art,
and/or other journalistic or creative work as required by the Managing
Editor with the approval of the Editorial Board.
e) They shall be required to attend the applicants interview arranged by the
Managing Editor.
f) They shall sponsor one event or project under the supervision of the
Editorial Board. All plans pertaining to this project must be approved by
the Editorial Board.
g) They shall complete all other requirements set by the Managing Editor and
their respective Divisions. Failure to submit or meet any of the
requirements, regardless of the number of his/her submitted work, shall
disqualify him/her from acceptance.

Section 3. Applicants Orientation

The Editorial Board shall organize an Applicants Orientation to formally begin the
application process. Interested individuals may still apply to the Organization after
the Applicants Orientation.
Section 4. Applicant Buddies
Each applicant shall be randomly assigned a member who shall serve as his/her
buddy for the duration of the application process, no later than two weeks after the
start of the application process. The member shall be responsible for overseeing the
application process of his/her buddy, and shall be required to attend the interview of
his/her assigned applicant.
Only Resident Members shall be allowed to volunteer to have an applicant buddy,
subject to approval by the Managing Editor. Members, however, are not obligated to
have a buddy.
Section 5. Division Assignments
Each applicant shall be assigned to a Division no later than three weeks after the
start of the application process, where he/she shall remain for the duration of the
application process. He/She must fulfill any additional requirements set by his/her
respective Division Editor. Membership in a particular Division does not preclude the
applicant from contributing to other Divisions.

Section 6. Applicant Officers

Each batch of applicants shall elect their own set of officers composed of the Batch
Head and Assistant Batch Head. The elections, handled by the Editorial Board, shall
occur no later than three weeks after the start of the application process.
These officers shall have the duty of leading their batch of applicants throughout
the application process, and in particular in coordinating their applicants project,
but otherwise shall not be given additional consideration in determining their
acceptance into the Organization.
Section 7. Deferment
Applicants who wish to defer from the application process may do so at any time by
informing the Managing Editor.
Section 8. Criteria for Acceptance
Acceptance shall be determined by fulfillment of the requirements set forth in
Section 2, Article V of this Charter.
Section 9. Deliberations
Deliberations involving the Editorial Board and the applicants buddy, reviewing the
fulfillment of requirements by applicants, shall be held no later than two weeks after
the final deadline of submission of requirements.

Feedback generated through deliberations shall be taken into consideration by the

Editor-in-Chief, Associate Editor, and Managing Editor, who collectively shall render
the final decision on the acceptance or rejection of each applicant. Applicants will be
notified of the results of the application process no later than one week after the
decision of the three aforementioned officers have been made.
Section 10. Application Outcomes
Applicants may be accepted as Resident Members, Level I Probationary Members, or
Level II Probationary Members. Accepted applicants are automatically classified as
Resident Members unless the Editorial Board have reservations concerning the
applicants submitted work, commitment to the Organization, or relationship with
members or fellow applicants, among other reasons.
Applicants who are accepted as Level I Probationary Members or Level II
Probationary Members will not receive the corresponding Probationary Point for their
status. If they remain Level I or Level II Probationary Members until the next
semester according to the conditions stated above, however, they shall receive the
corresponding Probationary Point.
Section 11. Appeals Process
Applicants who are not accepted may appeal the decision by submitting a letter to
the Editorial Board stating their reasons for reconsideration. Deliberations may than
be held by the Editorial Board, which will be taken into consideration by the Editorin-Chief. The Editor-in-Chief shall render the final decision regarding the applicants
appeal. This decision shall be final and irrevocable.
Section 12. Applicants who are rejected, disqualified, or defer from the application
process are given the option of applying again in the next application period of the
Organization.
Section 13. Induction
Applicants who have passed the application process shall be made official members
of the Organization, with all corresponding rights and duties of Active Members,
during the Induction Ceremony. This shall be held no later than three weeks after
the release of the results of the application process.
Applicants who are unable to attend the Induction for valid reasons, as decided
upon by the Editorial Board, will still become official members of the Organization
after the Induction. Those whose reasons for absence are not accepted by the
Editorial Board will not be official members until the accepted applicants are able to
attend either a subsequent Induction Ceremony or a special Induction organized by
the Editorial Board for that purpose.

ARTICLE VI
Departments, Divisions, and Ad Hoc Committees
Section 1. The Organization shall be composed of nine Divisions grouped into three
Departments. Each Division shall be headed by a corresponding Division Editor. The

Division Editors along with the Editor-in-Chief, Associate Editor, and Managing Editor
shall comprise the Editorial Board.
Section 2. Assistant Editors
The Assistant Editor shall assist the Division Editor. He/She shall assume all the
powers and responsibilities of the Division Editor in his/her absence for whatever
reason, as provided for by this Charter. He/She shall be appointed by the Division
Editor from among the Divisions members as assigned by the Managing Editor, who
may choose not to appoint an Assistant Editor. Appointments to the position of
Assistant Editor may be overturned within one week by a majority vote of the
Editorial Board upon the petition of a member of the concerned Division.
Appointments that remain unchallenged after one week shall be final.
Assistant Editors shall remain in position for the duration of the academic year
unless they resign or are impeached. Vacancies in the position through resignation
or impeachment may be filled through the appointment of a new Assistant Editor by
the concerned Division Editor, who still retains the right not to appoint a
replacement if he/she so chooses.
Section 3. All Divisions and Ad Hoc Committees shall ultimately be under the
supervision of the Editorial Board.
Section 4. Departments
a) NEWS DEPARTMENT It shall be responsible for gathering and
disseminating information regarding UP College of Medicine activities and
events. It shall be composed of the Campus, Sports, and Organization
Divisions. The Editor-in-Chief shall oversee the News Department.
b) FEATURES DEPARTMENT It shall be responsible for providing a venue for
publishing human interest, opinion, and creative work made by and/or
concerning UP College of Medicine administration, faculty, students, and
staff. It shall be composed of the Lifestyle, Literary, and Art Divisions. The
Managing Editor shall oversee the Features Department.
c) PUBLICATIONS DEPARTMENT It shall be responsible for accomplishing the
logistic and technical requirements for publishing the newsletter. It shall
be composed of the Photography, Layout, and Web Divisions. The
Associate Editor shall oversee the Publications Department.
Section 5. Divisions
NEWS DEPARTMENT
a) CAMPUS DIVISION
1. It shall cover all events, conferences, seminars, etc. held within the UP
College of Medicine campus and/or hosted by the UP College of
Medicine administration or Medicine Student Council.
2. It shall cover the participation of UP College of Medicine administration,
faculty, students, and staff in all national and international
conferences, seminars, contests, etc.
3. It shall publish all news and information gathered from fulfilling the
above responsibilities.
b) SPORTS DIVISION

1. It shall cover all official sporting events held within and/or by the UP
College of Medicine or Medicine Student Council.
2. It shall cover the participation of the UP College of Medicine in the
Palarong Med.
3. It shall cover the participation of UP College of Medicine administration,
faculty, students, and staff in national and international sporting
events.
4. It shall publish all news and information gathered from fulfilling the
above responsibilities.
c) ORGANIZATION DIVISION
1. It shall cover all major events or activities held by UP College of
Medicine organizations or the Medicine Student Council, including but
not limited to TRP, Lady Med, and Mediscene.
2. It shall cover all other events or activities held by UP College of
Medicine organizations as requested.
4. It shall publish all news and information gathered from fulfilling the
above responsibilities, including any material provided by UP College of
Medicine organizations for publication.
FEATURES DEPARTMENT
d) LIFESTYLE DIVISION
1. It shall gather information and create articles about events, activities,
people, places, etc. of human interest in and around the UP College of
Medicine campus.
2. It shall solicit opinion articles made by both members and nonmembers.
3. It shall publish all material gathered from fulfilling the above
responsibilities.
e) LITERARY DIVISION
1. It shall provide a venue for UP College of Medicine administration,
faculty, students, and staff to showcase their short stories, poetry, and
other literary work.
2. It shall publish all works gathered from fulfilling the above
responsibilities.
3. Together with the Art Division, it shall publish the Organizations
Literary Folio.
f) ART DIVISION
1. It shall provide a venue for UP College of Medicine administration,
faculty, students, and staff to showcase their original art of whatever
media.
2. It shall publish all works gathered from fulfilling the above
responsibilities.
3. Together with the Literary Division, it shall publish the Organizations
Literary Folio.
PUBLICATIONS DEPARTMENT
g) PHOTOGRAPHY DIVISION

1. It shall provide photographers for all events and activities covered by

the News Department, as well as those covered by the Features
Department when needed.
2. It shall manage the photo library of the Organization, part of the
Organizations Archives.
3. In association with the Literary and Art Divisions, it shall vet all
photographs submitted for inclusion in the Literary Folio.
4. It shall publish all photographs taken in fulfillment of the above
responsibilities.
h) LAYOUT DIVISION
1. It shall create the design and layout of both the print and digital
editions of the newsletter.
2. In association with the Literary and Art Divisions, it shall create the
design and layout of the Literary Folio.
3. It shall create whatever publication materials or infographics that the
Organization may require for whatever purpose.
4. It shall oversee the publication of the final version of each print or
digital issue or edition of the newsletter.
i) WEB DIVISION
1. It shall oversee and manage the Organizations website and other
online pages.
2. It shall increase the Organizations online presence and promote the
dissemination of the newsletter.
Section 6. Division Assignment
At the beginning of each academic year, members shall apply to become part of the
Division of their choice. The Managing Editor, taking into consideration the input of
the Editor-in-Chief and Associate Editor, as well as the indicated preferences of the
staff, shall assign members to their respective Divisions.
Section 7. Any member who wishes to transfer to another Division in the middle of
the academic year must write a letter addressed to the Editorial Board stating
his/her reasons for doing so. The Editorial Board shall then deliberate and shall
inform the member concerned of their decision. If the request is approved, the
member shall be immediately transferred to another Division. Otherwise, the
member shall stay in his/her respective Division.
Division Editors and Assistant Editors cannot transfer to other Divisions without first
resigning from their position, according to provisions found elsewhere in this
Charter.
Section 8. Division members are obligated to fulfill the duties of their respective
Divisions. They are not, however, precluded from contributing to the work of other
Divisions, provided that this does not interfere significantly with their primary
responsibility to their Division.

10

Section 9. Ad Hoc Committees

Ad Hoc Committees shall be created upon the approval of a proposal stating its
purpose which has been submitted to the Editor-in-Chief. Other Ad Hoc Committees
may be created automatically, without the need for a proposal, in fulfillment of
provisions set forth in this Charter.
Ad Hoc Committees shall be considered on par with existing Divisions. As such,
these can organize and execute official activities and projects that bear the name of
the Organization. These committees shall work and coordinate with Divisions and
Editorial Board members that share their responsibilities.
The Managing Editor shall be the Head of all Ad Hoc Committees unless he/she
appoints someone in his/her stead or as otherwise stated by this Charter. The Head
of the Ad Hoc Committee shall have the power to determine his/her Deputy Head,
as well as his/her members.
Likewise appointed or delegated Ad Hoc Committee Heads shall be accountable to
the Managing Editor for his/her actions. He/She may be removed from his/her
position upon the recommendation of the Managing Editor, with the approval of the
Editorial Board.
Ad Hoc Committees shall last only until the end of the semester these are created
or until the purpose for which these are created is accomplished, whichever comes
first.

ARTICLE VII
The Editorial Board
Section 1. Powers and Functions
The Editorial Board shall be the highest decision-making body of the Organization. It
shall have the following powers and functions:
a) The Editorial Board, as a collegial body, shall formulate, issue, and enact
policies, guidelines, rules, and regulations pursuant and/or supplementary
to this Charter for the effective management of the Organization.
b) The Editorial Board, as a collegial body, shall formulate, execute,
implement, and coordinate the various programs, projects, and other
activities of the Organization in line with its Vision, Mission, and Values.
c) Each member of the Editorial Board shall have full access to all reports,
budgets, databases, archives, etc. created or compiled by each Editorial
Board member and as submitted to the Associate Editor.
d) The Editorial Board, as a collegial body, shall conduct investigations into
matters brought before it by any member of the General Staff and shall
impose appropriate disciplinary measures upon the errant member if
these complaints are found meritorious. Motions for impeachment and
expulsion, however, are governed by Article XI of this Charter. Sanctions
include but are not limited to the loss of certain rights or privileges, the
imposition of fines, or transfer from a committee. Sanctions, however,
may not violate this Charter. The legality and/or appropriateness of
sanctions may in turn be questioned and brought before the General Staff.
These sanctions may be overturned by a majority vote of the General Staff

11

present during such a meeting. The Editorial Board may not suspend
quorum in this instance.
e) The Editorial Board shall have powers and duties in addition to these as
stated elsewhere within this Charter.
Section 2. The Editorial Board shall be composed of twelve officers. These include
the Editor-in-Chief, Associate Editor, Managing Editor, and Division Editors.
a) Editor-in-Chief
1. He/She shall be the head of the Editorial Board and the leader of the
entire Organization.
2. He/She shall oversee the News Department.
3. He/She shall represent the Organization in all official functions of the
University of the Philippines Manila, UP College of Medicine, and the
Medicine Student Council. If for whatever reason he/she is unable to do
so, the Associate Editor then Managing Editor successively shall take
his/her place.
4. He/She shall be responsible for all outside communication and
representation involving the Organization unless specified otherwise by
this Charter.
5. He/She shall have the power to task members with duties and
responsibilities as he/she sees fit in accordance with, and when
necessary in addition to, this Charter.
6. He/She is empowered to convene the General Staff in fulfillment of
requirements set by this Charter or whenever he/she deems it
necessary. He/She shall be the presiding officer of all Editorial Board
and General Staff meetings, unless specified otherwise by this Charter
or as delegated by himself/herself.
7. He/She shall prepare the agenda for Editorial Board and General Staff
meetings.
8. He/She may vote during meetings of the Editorial Board. He/She,
however, may vote during General Staff meetings only in the case of a
tie.
9. He/She shall have the final decision regarding policies and projects as
agreed upon by the Editorial Board and General Staff. He/She,
however, may not enact decisions which violate this Charter nor
overturn decisions which are affirmed by a majority vote of the General
Staff or the Editorial Board.
10.He/She shall edit all articles prior to publication, along with the
Associate and Managing Editors unless otherwise stated by this
Charter. He/She shall have the final approval regarding the publication
of any article.
11.He/She shall handle all proposals pertaining to the creation of Ad Hoc
Committees.
12.He/She shall present a formal report to the General Staff of the all the
activities and achievements of the Organization at the end of his/her
term, a copy of which shall be furnished to the Associate Editor for
entry to the Organizations Archives.
13.He/She shall be in charge of all official correspondence of the
Organization, including the writing and receiving of letters.

12

14.He/She shall have other powers and responsibilities in addition to these

as stated elsewhere in this Charter.
15.He/She shall be an ex-officio member of all Divisions.
b) Associate Editor
1. He/She shall be co-deputy head of the Editorial Board with the
Managing Editor.
2. He/She shall oversee the Publications Department.
3. He/She shall assist the Editor-in-Chief in all matters and activities
pertaining to the Organization.
4. He/She shall serve as the temporary leader of the Organization in case
the position of Editor-in-Chief is vacated for whatever reason, assuming
all powers and responsibilities of the Editor-in-Chief as stated in this
Charter, until special elections are conducted.
5. He/She shall be the presiding officer of meetings in the absence of the
Editor-in-Chief unless specified otherwise by this Charter or as
delegated by himself/herself.
6. He/She shall edit all articles prior to publication, along with the Editorin-Chief and Managing Editor unless otherwise stated by this Charter.
7. He/She shall be the custodian and chief disbursing officer of all cash
and other assets received and handled by the Organization.
8. He/She shall authorize all purchases and financial transactions made
by and entered into the Organization after consultation with the Editorin-Chief and Managing Editor.
9. He/She shall oversee all fundraising activities of the Organization, even
if such activities or projects are not initiated by him/her. He/She must
be a member of Ad Hoc Committees formed for the purpose of raising
funds, even if only in a consulting capacity.
10.He/She shall prepare the budget of the Organization for each semester.
11.He/She shall keep complete records of all transactions made by the
Organization, including this into a report on the financial standing of
the Organization to be made by him/her every semester.
12.He/She shall be the official custodian of all documents and records of
the Organization, including the Organizations Archives. He/She shall
provide a copy of such documents, records, or articles as may be
requested by the Editorial Board or member of the Organization.
13.He/She shall be responsible for taking down the minutes of Editorial
Board and General Staff meetings.
14.He/She shall be responsible for creating and updating the
Organizations directory.
15.He.She shall disseminate in a timely manner all information regarding
events, Editorial Board decisions, and other matters pertaining to the
functioning of the Organization.
16.He/She shall have other powers and responsibilities in addition to these
as stated elsewhere in this Charter.
17.He/She shall be an ex-officio member of all Divisions.
c) Managing Editor
1. He/She shall be co-deputy head of the Editorial Board with the
Associate Editor.

13

2. He/She shall oversee the Features Department.

3. He/She shall assist the Editor-in-Chief in all matters and activities
pertaining to the Organization.
4. He/She shall edit all articles prior to publication, along with the Editorin-Chief and Associate Editor unless otherwise stated by this Charter.
5. He/She shall advise the Editor-in-Chief on all internal concerns of the
Organization.
6. He/She shall monitor the membership status of members, oversee the
application process, and take charge of other matters concerning
membership as specified in this Charter.
7. He/She shall head all Ad Hoc Committees unless delegated otherwise
by himself/herself or as stated in this Charter.
8. He/She shall plan, schedule, initiate, and coordinate all the social and
recreational activities of the Organization.
9. He/She shall have other powers and responsibilities in addition to these
as stated elsewhere in this Charter.
10.He/She shall be an ex-officio member of all Divisions.
d) Division Editor
1. He/She shall serve as the leader of his/her Division.
2. He/She shall have the right to appoint his/her Assistant Editor.
3. He/She shall assign his/her Division members tasks as he/she sees fit
in fulfillment of his/her Divisions mandate as stated in this Charter.
He/She shall oversee their work.
4. He/She shall receive his/her Divisions members work and conduct the
initial editing of it. He/She shall then forward the edited work to the
Editor-in-Chief, Associate Editor, or Managing Editor for further editing
and subsequent publication.
5. He/She shall be responsible for taking down the minutes of all Division
meetings unless delegated by himself/herself.
Section 3. Editorial Board members may resign from their position by sending a
letter addressed to the Editor-in-Chief stating his/her reasons for doing so. This
letter shall be read in a special meeting of the General Staff for that purpose. In
case the Editor-in-Chief resigns, the letter shall be addressed to the General Staff.
Duties and responsibilities shall be delegated according to provisions set forth in
this Charter. The vacancy shall be filled according to provisions set forth in this
Charter.

ARTICLE VIII
Meetings and the General Staf
Section 1. The General Staff shall be composed of all Active Members.
Section 2. Meetings of the General Staf
The General Staff shall meet at least twice every semester, including an assembly
no later than two weeks after the first day of classes as determined by the
University calendar. Additional meetings shall be held at the discretion of the Editorin-Chief. The General Staff shall also convene to render judgment on matters
brought before it as set forth in provisions contained in this Charter.

14

Section 3. Meetings of Divisions and Ad Hoc Committees may be called for by

their respective Editors and Chairpersons. Notice and agenda of meetings shall be
given prior to the scheduled date of every meeting. Division Editors shall preside
over meetings unless delegated by themselves or as otherwise stated in this
Charter.
Section 4. Quorum
The presence of 50% + 1, rounded up to the nearest whole number, of the General
Staff, Division members, or Ad Hoc Committee members shall constitute a quorum
in any meeting. A quorum must be established for decisions reached by a simple
majority of those present to be passed and made binding, unless otherwise stated
in this Charter. In situations wherein quorum cannot be met, the Editorial Board,
Division Editor, or Ad Hoc Committee Head, in General Staff, Division, and Ad Hoc
Committee meetings respectively may choose to suspend quorum, unless stated
otherwise in this Charter.
Section 5. Minutes
It shall be the duty of the Associate Editor to take minutes and keep records of all
meetings of the Editorial Board and General Staff. The Division Editor or Ad Hoc
Committee Head shall have the duty of taking minutes for Division and Ad Hoc
Committee meetings respectively, unless he/she delegates this responsibility to
his/her Assistant Editor or deputy.
Minutes will be read or distributed at the beginning of the meeting that follows the
meeting from which these were taken. Additions and other corrections may be
suggested and made at this time. A final approval of the minutes must then be
made.
Section 6. Minutes of any Editorial Board or General Staff meeting must be made
available to all Organization members through any means, print or electronic media,
no later than one week after the meeting. Any additions or corrections made to the
minutes, done as stipulated in the previous section, must be disseminated no later
than three days from the date of correction.

ARTICLE IX
Financial Records, Publication Process, and Organizational
Archives
Section 1. Members shall pay either semestral or yearly membership dues to the
Associate Editor. The exact amount shall be approved by the Editorial Board prior to
the charging of such fees. These dues shall finance all activities and events of the
Organization, including but not limited to the publication of the newsletter, creation
of press shirts or other merchandise, fundraising activities, and bonding activities.
Section 2. Other fees or dues may be charged members as approved by the
Editorial Board.

15

Section 3. Members must pay all dues and fees by the deadline set by the
Associate Editor and disseminated to the General Staff no later than one week
before the stated deadline. An extension of one week may be granted at the
discretion of the Associate Editor if a non-paying member provides a valid reason.
Members who fail to comply with these deadlines may be charged late fees.
Section 4. Arrangements for staggered payment of fees or dues may be made at
the discretion of the Associate Editor. Fees or dues owed by a member may be
waived in special circumstances at the discretion of the Associate Editor with the
approval of the Editorial Board.
Section 5. The Associate Editor shall be in charge of all financial matters of the
Organization. He/She shall be the signatory, along with the Editor-in-Chief, if and
when needed in all financial documents and transactions of the Organization.
Section 6. The Associate Editor, in consultation with the Editor-in-Chief and
Managing Editor, shall authorize all expenditures and disbursements of the
Organization. Such authorization may be overturned on a per-case basis by a twothirds majority vote of the General Staff.
Section 7. Financial records shall be kept by the Associate Editor. Any member may
request for access to these records at any time.
Section 8. In case of the dissolution of the Organization, all funds given by the UP
College of Medicine administration or any organization solely for the publication of
the newsletter shall be returned to the donor. All other funds shall be disbursed
equally among all Active Members at the time of dissolution.
Section 9. Publication Process
All articles, creative work, or photographs made or taken by Division members shall
first be submitted to their respective Division Editor or the corresponding Division
Editor in cases of material that concerns a different Division (ex. a photographer
writing a short story shall submit his/her work to the Literary Editor instead of the
Photography Editor). The Division Editor, in turn, shall conduct initial editing. He/She
may request revisions from the author, artist, or photographer. Once approved,
submitted work is then forwarded to either the Editor-in-Chief, Associate Editor, or
Managing Editor for further editing. Articles that are approved are forwarded to the
Web Editor and Layout Editor for online and print publishing respectively.
Work created by non-members shall be forwarded to the corresponding Division
Editor and shall be subject to the same process for publication.
Work created by Division Editors shall be submitted directly to the Editor-in-Chief,
Associate Editor, or Managing Editor for editing and approval. Work created by the
Editor-in-Chief, Associate Editor, or Managing Editor shall be edited and approved by
the other two.
Section 10. Work or information that needs to be published as soon as possible
may be submitted directly to the Editor-in-Chief, who must revise, approve, or reject

16

the work within one hour of receiving it. The Editor-in-Chief shall then forward
approved work to the Web Editor for immediate publication and dissemination.
Section 11. Special Powers of the Editor-in-Chief
a) The Editor-in-Chief, in his capacity as leader of the Organization, has the
privilege to write and publish an editorial that need not be edited nor
approved by either the Associate or Managing Editor.
b) The Editor-in-Chief has the final decision regarding all submitted work, and
thus may veto revisions and approval made by either the Associate or
Managing Editor. This veto may be overturned by a majority vote of the
Editorial Board in a meeting convened for that purpose.
Section 12. All submitted and published material, including but not limited to
articles, photographs, literary and artistic work, shall be entered into and preserved
in the Organizations Archives.
Section 13. The Associate Editor shall maintain the Organizations Archives.
He/She shall be provided a copy of all submitted and published material
electronically or in print for preservation in the Archives.
Section 14. All members of the Organization shall have the right to request for a
copy of any work in the Archives. Requests made by non-members shall be
approved by a majority decision of the Editor-in-Chief, Associate Editor, and
Managing Editor.
Section 15. Copyright
All material submitted to and/or published by the Organization becomes the
property of the Organization. Writers, photographers, artists and other content
creators retain the right to request for copies of their work from the Organization,
through the Associate Editor, for non-profit personal or educational use. Material
thus submitted and/or published cannot be reprinted or republished in whatever
form, print or electronic, without the express written consent of the Organization.
Likewise if work is to be reprinted or republished by the Organization, for example in
the Literary Folio, the Organization shall exercise due diligence in procuring the
permission of the works creator. If contact with the creator cannot be made, the
Organization still reserves the right to nevertheless publish his/her work provided
that the authors name is acknowledged or cited in all dissemination and utilization
of the work.
This provision shall apply retroactively to all material printed or published prior to
the ratification of this Charter.
Section 16. Each applicant and Active Member shall sign a document that
acknowledges the above provisions. Non-members who submit work for publication
shall be informed of these policies. They may be required to sign a similar document
acknowledging these provisions.

ARTICLE X
Elections and Appointments
17

Section 1. Selection Process for the Editorial Board

Elections shall be held for the positions of Editor-in-Chief, Associate Editor, and
Managing Editor. All mention made of candidacy and electoral processes shall
pertain to these three positions. A selection process shall be implemented for the
position of Division Head. All mention made of applicants and application processes
shall pertain to these nine positions.
Section 2. Criteria for Candidacy/Application
a) A candidate/applicant must have been a Resident Member for at least one
semester by the time of his/her candidacy/applicancy excluding his/her
application period.
b) He/She must be in good standing with the Organization. He/She must not
be under suspension and/or any other sanctions by the Organization.
c) He/She must be in good scholastic standing for at least a year prior to
his/her possible term. Thus, he/she must not obtain grades of either 4.0 or
5.0 in any subject.
d) He/She should not be under disciplinary action from the University.
e) He/She may run/apply for only one position at a time.
f) He/She must not take on other responsibilities that may interfere with
his/her ability to fulfill his/her duties.
g) He/She must not have previously resigned from office or been successfully
impeached.
Any candidate/applicant who fails to meet or violates any of these criteria shall be
automatically disqualified.
Section 3. Special Criteria for Candidacy
a) Candidates must have been members of the Organization for at least one
year at the time of his/her candidacy, excluding his/her application period.
b) Candidates must have been Resident Members for at least one year at the
time of his/her candidacy.
c) Candidates for Editor-in-Chief must have held another Editorial Board
position prior to their candidacy.
Section 4. Committee on Elections
The electoral process, including special elections, shall be handled by the
Committee on Elections. This is an Ad Hoc Committee chaired by the incumbent
Managing Editor and composed of the Editorial Board as well as Active Members
who are incoming LU VI students at the end of the semester when elections are
held. Editorial Board members who are themselves candidates shall be excluded
from being part of the Committee on Elections. In case the incumbent Managing
Editor is running, the incumbent Editor-in-Chief shall chair the Committee on
Elections.
The Committee on Elections shall have the duty to:
a) Monitor the electoral process;
b) Prepare the election materials, including official ballots and poster of
results;
c) Tally the votes and announce the winners;

18

d) Handle all electoral protests; and

e) Verify the identity of the voter behind each individual vote if the situation
warrants it.
All decisions made by the Committee on Elections shall be valid only if a quorum of
50% + 1, rounded up to the nearest whole number, is present during a meeting
when such a decision is made.
Section 5. Nominations and Miting de Avance
All Active Members have the right to nominate any Active Member, including
themselves, for Editor-in-Chief, Associate Editor, or Managing Editor. Nominations
shall occur no later than one week before elections are held. Members who are not
nominated may still run for any position they are interested in.
The posting and/or public promulgation of a candidates General Plan of Action shall
constitute his/her formal statement of intent to run for a particular position. This
must be done no later than three days prior to the Miting de Avance. Failure to fulfill
this requirement shall result in the automatic disqualification of the candidate.
The Miting de Avance shall be held no later than two days prior to the elections.
During the Miting de Avance, each candidate shall present and elaborate upon their
General Plan of Action before the General Staff. Other guidelines and procedures for
the Miting de Avance may be set by the Editorial Board or Committee on Elections.
Section 6. Campaigning
Candidates may campaign from the time they post their General Plan of Action up
to 11:59 pm of the day prior to the election proper. Campaigning may be done
through print or digital media. Candidates shall shoulder all costs of their
campaigning. Incumbent Editorial Board members may highlight their
accomplishments as officers of the org during the campaign period. Black
propaganda is strictly prohibited and is punishable by automatic disqualification
from the current and all future elections.
Section 7. Election Proper
Elections for Editor-in-Chief, Associate Editor, and Managing Editor shall be held at
least three weeks prior to the last day of classes of the second semester as
determined by the University calendar.
a) Elections shall be held either online or during a General Staff meeting held
for that purpose.
b) Members shall make use of official ballots or election forms and shall
strictly follow guidelines set by the Committee on Elections. Any violation
of these guidelines or tampering with the official ballot or election form
shall render that vote null and void.
c) An election is considered valid if 2/3 of the General Staff have cast their
votes by the end of the election day or period. Otherwise, the Committee
on Elections may decide to either extend the election for a period of no
more than two days, or hold another election, but without the nomination,
confirmation of candidacy and posting of GPOAs, and Miting de Avance.
d) The Committee on Elections may close the voting and begin tallying as
soon as the requisite 2/3 of the General Staff have cast their vote.

19

Section 8. Criteria for Winning

a) For the positions of Associate Editor and Managing Editor, opposed
candidates must win a simple majority of the total votes cast. Unopposed
candidates must win at least 50% + 1, rounded up to the nearest whole
number, of total votes cast to be officially declared the winner.
b) For the position of Editor-in-Chief, opposed candidates must win at least
50% + 1, rounded up to the nearest whole number of total votes cast, and
unopposed candidates at least 70% of total votes cast, to be officially
declared the winner.
c) If no candidate is able to fulfill the criteria for winning as stated above,
special elections shall be held for that position.
Section 9. Special Elections
a) If there are two candidates for a position that was not filled in during the
regular elections for whatever reason, another round of voting shall ensue.
b) If there are three or more candidates for a position that was not filled in
during the regular elections for whatever reason, another round of voting
shall ensue which involves only the top two candidates from the first
round of voting.
Section 10. Failure of Elections
The Committee on Elections may declare a failure of elections for a position if no
candidate can meet the criteria for winning after two rounds of voting, or if the
Committee on Elections detects widespread irregularities or violations of the
electoral process.
Once a failure of elections is declared for a particular position, an entirely new round
of the electoral process shall be held for that position, beginning from the posting
and promulgation of a General Plan of Action, holding of a Miting de Avance, and
election proper. Nominations need not be held.
Any member who meets the criteria for candidacy stated above may run in this
election, including those who did not run during the first one or two rounds of
elections, but excluding those who have already been elected for another position.
The candidates involved in the failure of elections may themselves participate again
in this election unless otherwise stated in this Charter.
Restrictions on the schedule of electoral activities may be waived in order to fulfill
these provisions.
Section 11. Electoral Protests
Any member may lodge a complaint to the Committee on Elections on the grounds
of violation of proper electoral procedure, as stated in the provisions of this Article,
up to one day after the election proper. If the Committee on Elections finds the
complaint meritorious, a full investigation shall be launched. The Committee on
Elections is empowered to summon any member or obtain any document in
fulfillment of this duty. If the complaint is found valid, another full round of elections,
from posting and promulgation of a General Plan of Action to the election proper
without nominations, either for a specific position or all three positions may be

20

conducted. Any candidate found in this way to have violated proper electoral
procedure shall be disqualified and shall be barred from running in any and all
future elections. Additional sanctions may be pursued.
Section 12. Recount
Candidates who have lost by three votes or less may request for a manual recount
of the votes cast up to one day after elections are held. The recount shall be held
publicly during a special meeting of the General Staff. The Committee on Elections
shall verify the identity of the person behind each vote cast and individually tally all
votes cast for that particular position. In case the original result is overturned, the
finding of the recount shall be upheld over the original result. In case the recount
finds a tie, another round of voting shall ensue, without the need for nominations,
reposting of General Plans of Action, or a Miting de Avance. In case the original
result is upheld but the margin of victory changes, the original result shall still be
upheld. In all cases the result of a recount shall be final and a further recount
cannot be called for.
Section 13. Members who are duly elected as Editor-in-Chief, Associate Editor, and
Managing Editor shall begin the selection process for the remaining positions of the
Editorial Board no later than one week prior to the last day of classes for that
academic year according to the University calendar. All three positions must be
filled, otherwise the selection process cannot begin.
Section 14. Committee on Appointments
The process of selecting the new Editorial Board shall be handled by the Committee
on Appointments. This is an Ad Hoc Committee chaired by the newly elected Editorin-Chief and is composed of the newly elected Associate Editor and Managing
Editor, as well as Active Members who are incoming LU VI students at the end of the
semester when selections are held.
The Committee on Appointments shall have the duty to:
a) Open applications for Editorial Board positions;
b) Deliberate and select the Division Editor; and
c) Promulgate their decision.
Decisions made by the Committee on Appointments pertaining to matters other
than the final selection of an applicant for an Editorial Board position shall be valid
only if a quorum of 50% + 1, rounded up to the nearest whole number, is present
during a meeting when such a decision is made.
Section 15. Selection Process
The Committee on Appointments shall open applications for the remaining positions
of the next Editorial Board no later than one week prior to the last day of classes for
that academic year according to the University calendar. The Editorial Board
application period shall last from three days to one week. Members may only apply
for positions themselves; no one may apply on their behalf. Required information for
the application includes, but is not limited to, the applicants name, position being
applied for, and qualifications. Only the application of members eligible according to
provisions stated in this Charter shall be considered.

21

The Committee on Appointments shall convene no later than one day after the end
of the Editorial Board application period in order to deliberate all eligible
applications. The feedback generated from these deliberations shall be duly noted
by the newly elected Editor-in-Chief, Associate Editor, and Managing Editor. These
three, via a majority decision, shall choose the applicant who shall assume office.
They have the prerogative not to appoint anyone to the position if no applicant has
been found worthy.
Section 16. Special Considerations
Applicants who are not selected for the position they applied for may be considered
for another position, provided that priority is given to members who originally
applied for that position. In case no suitable applicants for a particular position can
be found among all applicants, the Committee on Appointments may open another
period of application for that particular position. In case suitable applicants still
cannot be found, the Committee on Appointments may personally approach an
eligible member and offer him/her the position.
Section 17. Vacancies in the Editorial Board
Elections shall be held to fill any vacancies during the academic year for whatever
reason in the positions of Editor-in-Chief, Associate Editor, or Managing Editor. This
process includes the posting and promulgation of a General Plan of Action, the
holding of a Miting de Avance, and the election proper. Nominations need not be
held. Other members of the Editorial Board may run in these elections. These
elections must be held no later than a week after a position has been vacated.
Restrictions on the schedule of electoral activities may be waived in order to fulfill
these provisions.
Vacancies in the positions of Division Heads during the academic year for whatever
reason shall be filled through the selection process outlined above. Other members
of the Editorial Board, excluding the Editor-in-Chief, Associate Editor, and Managing
Editor, may apply for consideration for the vacant position. Restrictions on the
schedule of appointment activities may be waived in order to fulfill these provisions.
Section 18. Ad Hoc Committee Heads and Deputy Heads
These electoral and selection processes shall not apply to Ad Hoc Committee Heads
and Deputy Heads. Likewise these shall not apply to Assistant Editors. They shall be
governed by the provisions that pertain to them as stated in this Charter.
Section 19. Term of Office
Winning candidates and selected applicants shall formally assume their office, with
corresponding powers and responsibilities, from the date of the Turnover onwards.
Incumbent Editorial Board members in turn shall formally relinquish their position
after the Turnover. In case a Turnover cannot be held within two weeks after the last
day of classes according to the University calendar, winning candidates shall
assume office, and incumbent Editorial Board members shall relinquish their office,
one month before the first day of classes of the new academic year according to the
University calendar.
Section 20. Reelection/Reappointment

22

The Associate Editor and Managing Editor may run for reelection as long as he/she
meets the criteria for candidacy. Any Division Editor may apply for reappointment to
his/her former position as long as he/she meets the criteria for application. The
Editor-in-Chief cannot run for reelection.

ARTICLE XI
Impeachment, Expulsion, and Resignation
Section 1. Impeachment
a) Any Active Member shall have the right to initiate the impeachment of an
Editorial Board member, Assistant Editor, or Ad Hoc Committee Head or
Deputy Head. He/She shall write a letter to the Editorial Board, citing the
grounds for impeachment.
b) After the letter is received, the Impeachment Committee shall be formed.
The Impeachment Committee is an Ad Hoc Committee chaired by the
Managing Editor and composed of one randomly chosen member from
each Division. In case the Managing Editor is being impeached, the Editorin-Chief shall chair the Impeachment Committee.
c) The Impeachment Committee shall then investigate to determine if the
complaint is meritorious. It shall be empowered to summon any member
of the Organization and to obtain any document necessary in carrying out
its duties.
d) If the complaint is found meritorious, via a majority vote, the
Impeachment Committee shall collate all relevant facts and prepare the
case for impeachment to be brought before the General Staff. Should the
Impeachment Committee fail to find the complaint meritorious, the
impeachment process is automatically terminated.
e) In case the complaint is found meritorious, the Impeachment Committee
shall convene the General Staff. The Impeachment Committee Head, or a
person he/she delegates for this purpose, shall present the facts of the
case to the General Staff. The impeached official shall also be called to the
meeting and shall have the right to address the General Staff before the
decision is voted upon. He/She may waive this right at his/her discretion.
f) An Editorial Board member is considered impeached by a 75% affirmative
vote for impeachment of the members of the General Staff present during
the meeting. The Editorial Board may not suspend quorum in this
instance.
g) The same procedure for the impeachment of an Assistant Editor or Ad Hoc
Deputy Head shall be applied, except that the impeachment complaint
found to be meritorious by the Impeachment Committee shall be brought
before a meeting of the Division or Ad Hoc Committee concerned. An
Assistant Editor or Ad Hoc Deputy Head is considered impeached by a
75% affirmative vote for impeachment of the members of the Division or
Ad Hoc Committee present during the meeting. The Division Editor or Ad
Hoc Committee Head may not suspend quorum in this instance.
h) An officer may be impeached for only one position at a time. If he/she is
concurrently Managing Editor and an Ad Hoc Committee Head, for
example, impeachment proceedings shall correspond only to one of these
positions. A successful impeachment means that he/she shall be removed

23

from the office in question but shall remain in his/her other capacity as
officer of the Organization until a new and successful set of impeachment
proceedings are carried out for that position.
i) Any officer who is successfully impeached is immediately removed from
office.
Section 2. Grounds for Impeachment
Editorial Board members, Ad Hoc Committee Heads, Assistant Editors, and Ad Hoc
Deputy Heads may be impeached on the following grounds:
a) Gross neglect of duties;
b) Abuse of power;
c) Dishonesty and misconduct to the members of the Organization while in
office;
d) Misrepresentation of the name of the Organization
e) Acting in such a way as to destroy the Organizations integrity;
f) Disloyalty to this Charter; and
g) Dismissal from the UP College of Medicine anytime within the duration of
his/her term.
Section 3. Expulsion
a) Any Active Member shall have the right to move for the expulsion of
another member from the Organization.
b) The same procedure for impeachment as stated above shall be followed,
this time citing the grounds for expulsion.
c) The Impeachment Committee shall also serve as the Expulsion
Committee.
d) A member is considered expelled by a 75% affirmative vote for expulsion
of the members of the General Staff present during the meeting. The
Editorial Board may not suspend quorum in this instance.
e) Members who are expelled shall have their membership status relegated
to Former Member. They shall not have the right to reapply to the
Organization nor apply for consideration as an Alumni Member.
Section 4. Grounds for Expulsion
Members may be expelled on the following grounds:
a) Gross neglect of duties as member;
b) Misrepresentation of the name of the Organization
c) Acting in such a way as to destroy the Organizations integrity; and
d) Disloyalty to this Charter.
Section 5. Appeals
No appeals regarding decisions pertaining to impeachment or expulsion shall be
entertained.
Section 6. Resignation
a) An Editorial Board member, Ad Hoc Committee Head, Assistant Editor, or
Ad Hoc Deputy Head shall have the right to resign from office at any time,
provided that he/she has settled all his/her accountabilities to the
Organization in his/her capacity as an officer.

24

b) He/She shall write a letter to the Editor-in-Chief declaring his/her formal

resignation and stating his/her reasons for doing so. This letter shall be
read in a special meeting of the General Staff held for this purpose.
He/she shall then leave office and return to being an Active Member.
c) In case the Editor-in-Chief wishes to resign, he/she shall write a letter
addressed to the General Staff declaring his/her formal resignation and
stating his/her reasons for doing so. The letter shall be read during a
meeting of the General Staff, at which point the resignation shall become
final.
d) Procedures for filling vacancies left by resignation shall be initiated in
accordance to provisions specified in this Charter.
e) Ad Hoc Committee Heads who resign shall be replaced by an Active
Member appointed by the Managing Editor. Ad Hoc Committee Deputy
Heads who resign shall be replaced by an Active Member appointed by the
respective Ad Hoc Committee Head.

ARTICLE XII
Charter
Section 1. Ratification
This Charter shall take effect immediately upon its ratification by a two-thirds
affirmative vote in a meeting where a quorum of the General Staff is present.
Section 2. Amendment
This Charter may be amended at any time through the initiative of a majority
affirmative vote of the General Staff.
a) A motion to amend the Charter shall be made during a General Staff
meeting.
b) Upon affirmation of this initiative, the Charter Committee shall be formed.
It is an Ad Hoc Committee chaired by the Managing Editor and composed
of the Executive Committee and other interested members.
c) The Charter Committee shall then canvass suggested amendments and
shall draft the proposed changes to the Charter.
d) The draft of the amended Charter shall be disseminated no later than one
week prior to the meeting of the General Staff when it shall be voted
upon. The draft may be modified no later than two days before the
aforementioned meeting.
e) The amended Charter shall take effect immediately upon its ratification by
a two-thirds affirmative vote in a meeting where a quorum of the General
Staff is present.
f) In case the amended Charter fails to be ratified, the Charter Committee
shall have no longer than one week to produce another draft which shall
then be presented once again to the General Staff.
g) If this new draft still fails to be ratified, all proposed amendments shall be
scrapped and the Charter shall remain as it was prior to the initiative to
amend it.
Section 3. Efect of the Amended Charter
Any conflicts in provisions between the former and amended Charters shall be
settled in the favor of the latter. A grace period of at least one month and no more

25

than one semester is granted prior to the enforcement of the new Charter as the
need arises.

ARTICLE XIII
Newsroom Rules
Section 1. All members and applicants shall have the right to utilize the newsroom
and its facilities, provided that proper care of these resources is observed, unless
otherwise stated in this Charter.
Section 2. All members and applicants have the responsibility to maintain the
cleanliness of the newsroom.
Section 3. Smoking, drinking, gambling, and other activities prohibited by the
University shall be disallowed in the newsroom and its vicinity.
Section 4. Non-applicants and non-members are strictly prohibited from entering
the newsroom.

ARTICLE XIV
Miscellaneous Provisions
Section 1. The UP Medics logo and letter head shall be used only on official
documents and merchandise.
Section 2. The presence and participation of non-members during official
Organization activities shall be strictly limited and shall be allowed only with the
approval of the Editorial Board. Members who do not comply may be subjected to
sanctions.
Section 3. Turnover
The Turnover Ceremony shall be held prior to the entry of the Organizations LU V
members to LU VI. This ceremony shall be organized by the newly elected/appointed
Editorial Board by that time.
In witness whereof, the parties involved have hereto set their hands this __th day of
_______, 2015, during the General Staff meeting at __________, College of Medicine,
University of the Philippines, Manila.

26