A FUNNY thing happened on the way to the bar; it seems that the loudest and most shrill voices and complaints against Presidential Communications Operations Office or PCOO assistant secretary Margaux Justiniano Uson a.k.a. Mocha as one of those tapped to disseminate information on federalism are those who hate President Rodrigo Duterte or against federalism, most probably both.
It defies common sense and logic;, they should be happy because, according to them, Mocha Uson is an intellectual illiterate when it comes to profound topics or subjects i.e. federalism.
Again, according to them, Mocha Uson is just good in “shaking her booty” or posing nude for pictorial spreads in FHM magazine (of course moi completely agrees on both counts) and not conducting intelligent discourse on federalism.
Based on their judgment on Mocha Uson’s intellectual capabilities, then having her disseminating information about federalism is the best way to kill federalism. So why are they complaining and suddenly defending the integrity of federalism?
Why are they saying that Mocha Uson should not be the “face” of federalism?
If we go by their description of Mocha Uson, then having her as the “face” of federalism is akin to the French Football team during their World Cup 2018 finals against Croatia, fielding third choice goalkeeper Alphonse Areola instead of first choice “keeper” Hugo Lloris; although it’s not a guarantee they will lose but certainly gives the opponents a huge advantage.
According to Sen. Panfilo Lacson: “Without Mocha Uson, federalism is already dead and awaiting cremation at the Senate…With Mocha Uson, the ashes should be thrown far, far away from the Philippines’ 7,107 beautiful islands.”
So what’s the fuss all about? Why are they focusing and attacking Mocha Uson? Logic says the more you attack her as not intellectually qualified to discuss such profound topics as federalism, the more you are protecting the integrity of federalism.
And all the while you make us believe that you’re against federalism?
Just to make things interesting, here are excerpts from the Aug. 6 issue of Panay News:
Disgusted senators pound on Mocha Uson’s federalism video
Presidential Communications assistant secretary Margaux “Mocha” Uson got the ire of several senators after posting on Facebook a video that the latter criticized as a disgustingly comical approach on the information campaign on federalism.
In the video, Uson was seen with a blogger supportive of President Rodrigo Duterte, Drew Olivar, who salaciously danced and sang a jingle with slang terms referring to female private organs.
Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III advised Uson to take a leave and stay away from the federalism campaign.
“Ako ay nagkamali! Akala ko makakatulong si Mocha (Uson) sa pagpapaliwanag tungkol sa Pederalismo,” Pimentel said.
“Hindi ko lubos akalain na bababuyin pala nila ang kawsa ng Pederalismo,” said the president of the ruling party PDP-Laban.
Secretary Martin Andanar of the Presidential Communications Operations Office should explain Uson’s action, said Sen. Francis Pangilinan.
“Kababuyan at kalaswaan ang tawag sa ginagawa nila at hindi public service,” the opposition party leader said, claiming that Uson created something lascivious using government resources.
Sen. Nancy Binay, who earlier invited Uson to be a resource person on federalism in Senate hearings, said the information campaign is neither an “amusement piece” nor a “comedy material.”
“Even the most educated university professor finds federalism a complicated subject,” Binay said. “I can’t emphasize enough how important the messenger relays the message. With what we saw in the video, I think we can all agree that the message and the messenger matter.”
She urged Malacañang to ask anyone with no official business in speaking on behalf of the Consultative Committee to “disengage” from all federalism-related information campaign activities.
Sen. Francis Escudero called Uson’s federalism video a “desperate attempt to attract attention by intentionally offending our sense of propriety.”
“Downright vulgar,” the video has “no place in the public discourse” on the planned shift to a federal system of government, said Escudero.
Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito said the video was done “in bad taste” and he hopes “it doesn’t happen again.”
Sen. Paolo Benigno Aquino IV called for respect for the Constitution.
“Hindi lahat ng bagay nadadaan sa kabastusan – lalo na kapag kinabukasan ng bayan ang pinag-uusapan,” Aquino said. “Naging malaswang joke time lang ng administrasyon ang Cha-cha (Charter change) at kalagayan ng bansa.”
The “best promoter of President Rodrigo Duterte’s fake federalism” was how Sen. Risa Hontiveros described Uson.
“With her (Uson) as promoter, the Duterte government’s sham federalism now has zero credibility,” the senator added.
Again what’s all the fuss about these senators who were “scandalized “ by Mocha Uson’s foreplay on federalism? They are all against federalism in the first place so why now defend the integrity and morality of federalism?
Let’s put it this way: midterm elections are just around the corner and Mocha Uson has five million engaged followers, more than the followers of all three major networks combined (ABS-CBN, GMA and TV5) and that is social media power nobody in his right mind would ignore.
Hanging on the hem of Mocha Uson’s mini-skirt one way or the other makes any politician visible to these five million followers and that is probably the reason for this sudden interest on Mocha Uson. (brotherlouie16@gmail.com/PN)
