Velez: Mocha's eruption

BE WARNED, no matter how much we bash Mocha Uson, this staunch presidential defender and media basher, she will survive her boo-boo of saying Mayon Volcano is in Naga City. After all, she is "Burn to Be Alive".

Be afraid now. Mocha is more powerful than the President. For the President can only "flatten the hills". This girl can move volcanoes.

I am warned not to poke fun of her knowledge. This Girl is on Fire. I am warned not to mock this "social media influencer" with five million followers who can defend her not being able to locate Mayon Volcano. But this goes in this age of social media, popularity does not mean in accuracy.

This makes you wonder how come this "influencer" and communications undersecretary not know where Mayon Volcano is. To the five million of her fans, help her by finding a dictionary. Wait, a dictionary is where you find geography, right?

We have to find it fast, because the UST community is adding one more reason to take back that alumni award for government service given to her. The community said she is the peddler of fake news, now she is also peddling fake geography. She can't locate a volcano, and one wonders how she located UST and graduate from there?

But why are we burning her for that mistake? Maybe this reflects how much hate she spews on her "blog" that claims to be the "Boses ng Ordinaryong Pilipino". The blog that blames Rappler, ABS-CBN and Inquirer for the country's ills. The blog that shames the Vice President and a Rappler journalist. The blog that repeats the mantra that Tatay Digong, the most powerful person in the country, should be worshipped and protected from ants.

And how she shames Rappler's Pia Ranada for braving a hostile President and Spokesperson. From what I see, there's no shame in asking questions. There's shame however when you give the wrong answers, and wrong information.

And that's the issue here. It's not poking fun or looking down at her intelligence or ignorance, whatever you call it. Politicians of all breeds and colors and locations all show the seeming lack of it anyway. (Which explains why geniuses like Joma or Nic Perlas would never become president) It's because as communications secretary, she has a responsibility to give correct information. For someone with such "influence", facts matter, and so does fact-based opinions, not the daily dose of blame and shame.

And to rephrase one senator who ask her, she have to make a choice of what role does she want to take for the good of the country: a blogger that bashes or a public servant that fits the word "serve".

That goes for all those who follow her blog. I may agree that she should not be the center of the firestorm. Yes, there's a volcano erupting for a week and thousands are displaced. Prices in the market and groceries are increasing due to TRAIN and who's helping the millions of poor cope with this? There's Martial Law extension and are we safe? There's a Cha-Cha, who understands that? You know what, we have to ask Mocha what has she done to help as "Boses ng Ordinaryong Filipino"?

I hope Mocha gets the point. To err is human. That's why erasers, the backspace, the delete button, the retake and the word "sorry" are invented. And also, truth shall set you free. Feel divine with those words. Ain't that wicked?

*****

tyvelez@gmail.com

Trending

No stories found.

Just in

No stories found.

Branded Content

No stories found.
SunStar Publishing Inc.
www.sunstar.com.ph