MOCHA USON was at it again, doing something that grabbed attention and stoked ire of the public.
In a previous online video, the sex guru-turned-public official showed Drew Olivar, her blogger-friend, dancing as he touched his crotch and chest while singing the now notorious “Ipepe-idede, pepe, dede, pederalismo” pitch for federalism. This time, in another video published on Facebook, Drew mimicked the sign language, imitating the deaf, while Uson laughed in the background.
Uson infuriated federalism advocates with the “vagina, breasts” prop in her kind of propaganda for change of government structure. She now angers the deaf and other disabled persons.
Her clout
Uson got away with the first infraction, on top of others involving mostly allegations of falsehoods in her blog. Would she get away with her latest caper?
She must pack heavy clout because despite the outcry for taming her, if not kicking her out of government, she hasn’t shown any sign of pulling back and behaving according to the code of conduct for government officials and employees.
She carries the title of asst. secretary for social media under the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), which handles President Duterte’s messages to his public. Apparently she oversees the army of people who support and defend Duterte online. But her own blog, which reportedly has a vast following, is one hugely valuable cog in the Duterte propaganda machine.
Reward. asset
Duterte hired Uson-- at MTRCB, the movie-TV review board, before PCOO-- as reward for her help during the 2016 election campaign. But he’s keeping her as a propagandist with an audience bigger than that of some national newspapers combined.
That’s apparently why, despite the outcry of prominent people, including officials in PCOO and political allies and critics, Duterte has latched on to Uson.
Beyond Andanar
Her boss, PCOO chief Martin Andanar, once admitted that Uson is beyond his disciplinary sphere; she answers to Malacaang, Duterte himself.
Which must privately annoy Andanar as Uson contributes to the flak from the public, making Andanar’s job a lot tougher. Which must inflate further her sense of self-importance to the Duterte team.
Her favorite explanation or defense is that she has freedom to express her opinion. That freedom though is limited by her joining the government, which amply pays her with basic salary, allowances and bonuses, for her to obey its rules.
As public official
Uson the dancer and blogger is now Uson the public official.
Before she could choose to dance publicly, wiggling and gyrating with abandon and as much exposed skin she’d like. She could do that now only in private. Before she could publish with as many deviations from truth as she’d want, Not now, when as part of the government’s information unit, she has to keep her facts straight and opinions rooted in verifiable data.
If Uson were not also a celebrity, she might have drawn less media scrutiny and publicity. But she is and she knows that. One might wonder if, like most celebrities, her controversies are willed, even planned, for her prominence or notoriety to grow. The celebrity feeding on aberrant behavior to make itself bigger and more famous.
Public be damned
The public has the right to demand good conduct from government personnel, thus the Code of Conduct for Officials and Employees, violation of which is punishable by reprimand, suspension or dismissal.
Uson may just be testing the power of government to discipline her or, more specifically, the patience of his boss. What may nettle those who want her sanctioned is that neither Duterte nor Uson cares what the critics think, the public be damned.