Mocha: I'm not the ambassadress of federalism
MANILA, Philippines (Updated 11:08 a.m.) — Following backlash for her co-host's suggestive federalism dance, Presidential Communications Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson stressed that she is not the spokesperson for charter change.
Uson drew flak after Drew Olivar, her co-host in the "Good News Game Show," danced lwedly, supposedly to create public awareness on the proposed shift to federalism.
"I am not the ambassadress of federalism. I am only one of those who are helping on the campaign to promote federalism on social media," Uson said in a video posted on her Facebook page on Sunday night.
She also stressed: "Pangalawa, hindi ako ang sumayaw diyan (Second, I wasn't the one dancing in the video). It was Andrew Olivar."
The Consultative Committee (Concom), which drafted the proposed federal constitution, has tapped the PCOO assistant secretary to help in the information drive on charter change.
Uson claimed that the viral video, where Olivar was chanting "i-pepe" and "i-dede" while gesturing to crotch and chest, was shot before the Concom talked to her about the federalism information drive.
"Before the representative of the Concom and the communications group of the DILG talked to me about federalism, we already shot this video and we have been doing this for a long time now," she said.
The video was psoted through Facbook live on Uson's page on August 2. She supposedly met with Concom officials on August 3.
Further defending herself and Olivar, Uson insisted that they were not paid to do the video.
"There was no money released on this video or this online game show. No money, no budget, Drew was not paid," Uson said.
Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III expressed his disappointment over Uson's video, saying that he did not expect that "the best and the brightest" government appointees could come up with "that kind of bullshit."
"I never thought that they would insult the cause of federalism. Take Mocha away from federalism. Let her study first. She should go on leave first," Pimentel said.
Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III, meanwhile said "theatrical techniques" will not work in explaining serious issues such as the proposed shift to federalism.
Andanar: I was not informed
PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar, on the other hand, said that his office was merely the "bridge" for the federalism information drive and not the messenger.
In an interview with radio dzBB, Andanar said that he had not been informed that Uson had been tapped for the federalism campaign.
He added that Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea was not pleased when news came out about Uson's involvement even before the viral video came out last week.
Asked if Uson would no longer be involved in the information drive, Andanar said, "To begin with, there was no agreement in the commitee that Medialdea formed about [Assistant Secretary] Mocha's involvement. It was only Concom spokesperson Ding Generoso who announced that."
Andanar said he already asked Generoso to "disengage" from Uson due to the controversy surrounding the supposed dance to promote awareness.
"I told Ding to already talk to Mocha. (Executive Secretary Medialdea) is already angry... they did not ask for my permission that they will get Mocha," Andanar said.
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