PAMANTASAN NG LUNGSOD NG MAYNILA

(University of the City of Manila)

Intramuros, Manila

PLM COLLEGE OF LAW MOOT COURT AND DEBATE SOCIETY

CONSTITUTION

General Provisions

Section 1. This constitution shall be known as the constitution of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod
ng Maynila College Law – Moot Court and Debate Society (PLM MADS).

Section 2. This constitution shall subject to university rules and regulations which govern the
PLM MADS.

Section 3. For the purpose of the constitution:

a) University refers to the university of the city of manila or the Pamantasan ng Lungsod
ng Maynila (PLM);
b) PLM MADS refers to the official moot court and debate student organization of the
PLM College of Law comprised of law students who shall represent the University in
various debate and moot court competitions every year;
c) University authorities signify the duly constituted authorities of PLM;
d) Grand Chancellor, Vice Chancellor, Vice President for Trainings, Vice President for
External Affairs, Vice President for Public Affairs, Vice President for Finance,
Executive Secretary, and Executive Auditor refer respectively to the officers and
members of the PLM MADS so designated;
e) PLM MADS members refer to all bona fide law student-members of the PLM MADS
including its officers;

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 f) Temporary vacancy exists when the office of the council members or officer/s has
been vacated by reason of temporary physical or mental incapacity, detention or any
other reason that tenders him incapable of performing his duties during his term; and
g) Permanent vacancy exist when the office of the council member or officer/s has been
vacated by reason of death, resignation, impeachment, separation or expulsion from
the university or permanent illness rendering him incapable of performing the
functions of his officers.

Section 4. The office of the PLM MADS shall be located in an appropriate location within
the University campus.

Article 1
Powers and Functions of the Supreme Student Council

Section 1. The PLM MADS shall exercise the following powers and functions:

a) Adopt and promulgate its own lawful internal rules;

b) Be the official representative of the PLM College of Law in all debate and moot court
competitions and other activities relative and germane to the purposes of the
organization;
c) Organize and direct activities which for the improvement of the organization, its
officers, members, the PLM College of Law, the University and the general populace;
d) To coordinate their activities and serve as the link-communication among various to
attain an orderly exchange of ideas and foster collaboration;

e) Advise and make recommendation to the PLM College of Law and the University on
student activities, matters and affairs relative to debate and moot court; and
f) Have such additional powers and functions as the administration may from time grant
or delegate to it consistent with its powers principles and objectives.

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 Article 2
Organizational Structure of the PLM MADS

Section 1. The PLM MADS shall have the following officers: Grand Chancellor, Vice
Chancellor, Vice President for Membership and Trainings, Vice President for External
Affairs, Vice President for Public Affairs, Vice President for Finance, Executive Secretary,
and Executive Auditor.

Section 2. The PLM MADS officers shall be annually elected by its bona fide members.

Article3
Powers, Duties and Functions of the Officers

Section 1. The Grand Chancellor shall have the following powers, duties and functions:

a) Exercise general supervision and management of the programs, projects and activities
of the PLM MADS and the execution and implementation of the policies laid down
and resolution adopted of the organization;
b) To exercise general supervision over other officers and members of the PLM MADS.
c) To represent the organization in all instance where it manifested interest need such
representation in any forum, negotiation, conference or any other occasions;
d) To execute and deliver contracts for and in behalf of the PLM MADS.
e) To preside as all meetings of the PLM MADS;
f) To sign jointly with the Executive Secretary all documentary papers issued by the
PLM MADS;
g) To approve accounts and sign jointly with the Vice President for Finance all checks
withdrawal slip and vouchers and/or other evidences of payment of the PLM MADS;
and

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 h) To perform such other duties and functions and exercise such power as may from time
to time be assigned to him by the body, and to delegate any of his powers, duties and
functions to any officer in any proper manner and under his responsibility.

Section 2. The Vice Chancellor shall assist the president in the performance of his function.
He may exercise such powers and perform such duties and functions as the body and/or
president may assign or delegate from time to time.

Section 3. The Vice President for Membership and Trainings shall have the following
powers, duties and functions:

(a) Supervise, direct, and execute the recruitment and training of all members of the PLM
MADS;
(b) Shall prepare and update the directory and list of all members of the PLM MADS;
and
(c) Perform such other powers, duties, and functions as the Executive Committee shall
delegate or assign from time to time.

Section 4. The Vice President for External Affairs shall have the following powers, duties
and functions:

(a) Supervise and promote good relationship with various entities, associations, or
organizations inside and outside the University;
(b) Supervise and direct the external affairs of the PLM MADS, which includes, among
others, the duty to coordinate the programs, activities, and projects of the PLM
MADS to entities, associations, or organizations inside and outside the University;
and
(c) Perform such other powers, duties, and functions as the Executive Committee shall
delegate or assign from time to time.

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Section 5. The Vice President for Public Affairs shall have the following powers, duties and
functions:

a) Handle all matters related to information regarding activities of the PLM MADS;
b) Keep the members of the PLM MADS informed of the activities of the organization;
c) Be responsible for giving proper publicity to the activities of the PLM MADS; and
d) Perform such other duties and functions as the body and/or president may assign from
time to time.

Section 6. The Vice President for Finance shall have the following powers, duties and
functions:

a) Have custody of be responsible for and sign jointly with the president for all the
funds, assets, valuable effects and properties of the PLM MADS and deposit the same
with the bank or banks as the PLM MADS may designate.
b) To receive receipt for all moneys, dues, contributions, donations and other paid or
given to the PLM MADS;
c) To render semestral reports showing the financial statements of the PLM MADS and
such other financial statements of the PLM MADS and such other financial
statements of the PLM MADS as the president may require from time to time;
d) To have custody and be responsible for the cashbook, general journal, ledger book
and other books of accounts and financial records of the PLM MADS.
e) To disburse the funds of the council in accordance with a duly approved
appropriation; and
f) To perform such other duties and functions as the body and/or president may assign
from time to time.

Section 7. The Executive Secretary shall have the following power, duties and functions:

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 a) To prepare and serve notice of all meetings of the members of the PLM MADS;
b) To prepare, certify and preserve the minutes of such meetings;
c) To have custody of the minutes of the meetings and other valuable records of PLM
MADS;
d) To perform such duties and functions as the body or president may delegate or
assigned from time to time; and
e) To sign jointly with the president all documents and papers issued by the PLM MADS
needing his signature.

Section 8. The Executive Auditor shall have the following powers, duties and functions:

a) Audit the financial report of the Vice President for Finance;

b) Maintain an independent review and examination of the financial report and records
of the PLM MADS; and
c) To perform such other duties and functions as the body and/or president may assign
from time to time.

Article 4
Election

Section 1. Election of the PLM MADS officers should be held on the last Friday of May of
every school year.

Article 5
Tenure and Vacancy

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Section 1. The officers and adviser of the PLM MAD shall serve a term of one (1) year and
shall continue in office until their successors shall have qualified, provided, however, that
they still possess the necessary qualifications for their respective positions.

Section 2. In case of vacancy in the PLM MADS by reason of death, resignation,

disqualification, permanent incapacity or separation from the university of any officer, an
acting officer elected by majority vote of the PLM MADS officers shall serve for the
unexpired term.

Section 3.  In case of death, permanent disability, removal from office, or resignation of the
Grand Chancellor, the Vice Chancellor shall become the President to serve the unexpired
term.

Article 6
Meetings and Conferences

Section 1. Regular meetings of the PLM MADS officers and college representatives shall be
held every fourth Saturday of the month.

Section 2. A meeting of the PLM MADS officers shall be held not later than five (5) days
after their election to plan programs/activities and strategies of the organization for the school
year.

Section 3. Special meetings of the PLM MADS may be held by the Grand Chancellor/

Article 7
Accountability of the Officers

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Section 1. All the officers and members of the PLM MADS shall serve with the highest sense
of responsibility, integrity, dignity and efficiency and shall be accountable to its members, the
PLM College of Law, and the University.

Section 2. Officers of the PLM MADS may be removed or suspended as determined by a

majority vote of the PLM MAD officers based on justified grounds such as:

a) Any deliberate or culpable violation of this constitution;

b) Gross inefficiency and/or serious neglect of duty;
c) Misuse or malversation of student funds;
d) Acts or conducts inimical to the interest of the PLM MADS;
e) Failure to attend 3 consecutive meetings without prior notice or justifiable cause shall
be reason for removal of the officer. However, he or she has the right to appeal for
reconsideration in which case 2/3 vote of the PLM MAD officers and members are
required.

Article 8
Funds

Section 1. The general fund of the PLM MADS shall be appropriated from the College of
Law Legal Development Fund, the amount to be recommended from time to time by the
PLM MADS. Said fund shall be deposited in any accredited bank in the joint accounts of the
PLM MADS president and treasurer. Such appropriation may not be reduced below the
amount appropriated for the previous year and, after approval, shall be automatically and
regularly released.

Section 2. Within 30 days after its organization, the PLM MADS shall formulate and adopt a
budget which shall embody a work plan with estimated expenditures for the entire school
year to be submitted to the body for its approval.

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Section 3. All the financial activities shall be recorded and kept.

Section 4. All collected amounts of the PLM MADS for special purposes shall be paid out
for such purposes only. If the purpose of the special fund created has been fulfilled or
abundant, the balance, if any, shall be transferred to the general funds of the PLM MADS.

Section 5. The balance of the general funds for one school year shall form part of the funds
for the next school year.

Section 6. All expenditures incurred are subject to approval by the council president and
must be audited by the auditor prior to and after the expenditures were incurred.

Section 7. The books of account of the PLM MADS shall be made available for review upon
formal written request to the PLM MADS president through the Vice President for Finance
by any interested student or university official concerned.

Section 8. PLM MADS shall prepare a semestral report to be published in The PLM Law
Gazette.

Section 9. Disbursement of funds not provided for the annual budget shall be authorized only
through a resolution approved by the PLM MADS.

Article 9
Hold over provision

Section 1. The officers of the PLM MADS shall continue in office until a new set of officers
or representatives shall have been elected and qualified, provided that they posses all
qualifications necessary for the position and provided specifically that they are still enrolled
as fulltime students in the same course as when they were elected.