SOME senators slammed Presidential Communication Assistant Secretary Esther Margaux "Mocha" Uson for the "lewd" federalism video that went viral on social media.
The video shows Uson's co-host, social media blogger Drew Olivar, performing what they call as the "Pepe-dederalism" dance supposedly to create awareness about federalism. He cheered while dancing: "Ipepe, ipepe. Idede, idede. Ipede, pede, pede, pederalismo!"
The video, posted on the Mocha Uson blog, has garnered thousands of views, with some netizens criticizing it for being lewd.
Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros said such kind of gimmick is "very foul" considering that the topic is about changing the Constitution, "which is the body and soul of every country."
"Ano ang kinalaman ng mga maseselang bahagi ng katawan ng babae sa usapin ng pederalismo. Dapat ipaliwanag sa tao ang pederalismo at hindi i-sexualize ang katawan ng kababaihan," Hontiveros said.
"Pepe" is a colloquial word that refers to the female reproductive organ, while "dede" is a Filipino term for breast.
Hontiveros said Uson is the "best promoter of President Rodrigo Duterte's fake federalism, infamous for its vulgarity and cheap antics to railroad it through an undemocratic and Senate-less charter change, postponement of the 2019 elections and term extension."
"With her as promoter, the Duterte government's sham federalism now has zero credibility," she said.
Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino IV also considered the video out of context.
"Hindi lahat ng bagay nadadaan sa kabastusan. Lalo na kapag kinabukasan ng bayan ang pinag-uusapan. Sana nabigyan ng respeto ang ating Konstitusyon at mga Pilipinong nagsakripisyo para rito," he said in a statement.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III said it could be a joke but not a good one.
“How can a few minutes of entertaining video explain it. Bahala sila to what they want to do but I assure you, theatrical techniques will not work to explain a very serious and highfalutin issue,” Sotto said.
Senator Nancy Binay also condemned the move, saying the issue is not for amusement or a comedy material.
She said it is very disappointing to note that Uson, as the messenger of the government in explaining federalism, cannot emphasize enough how important the message of federalism to the Filipino people is.
Binay said Malacañang should focus the P90-million budget of federalism to important things like medicine, assistance to flood and fire victims, and healthcare that will help many people.
Senator Francis Kiko Pangilinan, for his part, said such kind of gesture should not be tolerated by Andanar, as he urged the PCOO chief to explain if it was approved prior to its release.
“Kababuyan at kalaswaan ang tawag sa ginagawa nila at hindi public service. Dapat magpaliwanag si Sec. Andanar sa mga kalaswaan at kababuyan na nangyayari sa kanyang tanggapan ng ginagawa ng mga tauhan niya gamit ang pondo, oras at kagamitan ng gobyerno,” Pangilinan said.
Senator Grace Poe also challenged Andanar to justify its proposed budget increase considering Uson's video.
Poe said so many Filipinos are suffering from hunger and many government agencies need help but have to live with their limited budget in the proposed appropriation for 2019.
Senator Francis Chiz Escudero also described the move of Uson as a desperate attempt to attract attention.
"It is downright vulgar and has no place in the public discourse on such an important issue as their proposed shift to federalism and Charter Change," he said.
For Senator Panfilo Lacson, who earlier expressed opposition to federalism, said “without 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.”
Earlier, Senator Aquilino Pimentel II, president of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) and a staunch federalism supporter, urged Uson to go on leave following the public outrage that the video stirred.
He said he cannot imagine that Uson will use such vulgar words to promote federalism. He admitted that he thought Uson could help in the government's information campaign on federalism, but he was wrong.
"Ako ay nagkamali... Kasi naman ang pagkakaintindi ko hindi na siya ang in-charge kundi isang tao na mas meron otoridad at kaalaman sa pederalismo tulad ng mga miyembero ng consultative commission. Di ko lubos akalain na bababuyin pala nila ang kawsa ng pederalismo," Pimentel said.
"Even without the dance and the song... listen to the statement they read. Mali-mali pa ang substance," Pimentel said, as he urged Uson to study more.
"Ilayo na si Mocha sa federalism. Mag-aral muna siya ng mabuti," he added.
Uson was earlier tapped by the Consultative Committee (ConCom), which drafted the proposed federal constitution, to help in the information drive considering her strong presence on social media.
Uson also expressed willingness to help in the campaign.
READ: Mocha Uson to 'simplify' federalism to public
On Monday, August 6, Uson explained that the video was taken even before she was contacted by the ConCom.
"Bago pa po ako kausapin ng representante ng ConCom and communications group ng DILG patungkol sa federalism ay nashoot na namin itong video na ito at mataggal na naming ginagawa ang online game show," she said in a video posted on her Facebook and Twitter accounts.
She added that the video was shown during their online game show aired on her Mocha Uson Blog Facebook page.
She also denied reports that the government spent money for that video or the game show.
"Wala pong inilabas na pera dito sa online game show. Walang budget. Hindi po binayaran si Drew (Olivar)," she added.
She also clarified that she is not the spokesperson and ambassadress on federalism.
"Isa lamang po ako sa mga tumulong para isulong ang kampanya ng federalism sa social media," she said.
"Trabahante po ako ng gobyerno. Trabaho ko na po ang tumulong sa dissemination ng information patunggol sa federalism," she added in another video.
Andanar confirmed this, saying Uson is not the spokesperson of the government’s information campaign on federalism.
He said her role is to bridge the communication gap between the ConCom and the ordinary Filipino.
“I think, if Mocha will study this power to the people Bayanihan federalism, she can explain it very well. We cannot underestimate the capacity of Mocha Uson,” he said.
Andanar said Uson, a blogger, has five million followers on social media.
“Asec. Mocha is not afraid. I’m sure that she is responsible to her more than five million followers,” he said.
He noted that the federal form of government will help push economic development in the provinces.
Under federalism, Andanar said the local government will be given more power to develop and improve the lives of Filipinos in their respective jurisdictions. (PS Jun Sarmiento/LMY/SunStar Philippines)