Lawyer-educator backs Mocha Uson’s appointment to PCOO

 

A lawyer and former dean of Ateneo de Manila University's School of Government on Thursday defended the appointment of blogger Mocha Uson as assistant secretary of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), noting that she is excellent in social media work that can benefit President Rodrigo Duterte.

"Kay Mocha Uson, sang ayon ako doon kasi... Sa totoo lang magaling siya sa social media and talagang magagamit niya yung social media sa agenda ng Presidente," Atty. Antonio "Tony" La Viña said in an in interview on GMA News' "Hirit ni Mareng Winnie."

"Yung position na yan, maraming nagsasabi na ayaw kong magbayad ng sweldo niya. Sa totoo lang yung position na yan is specifically for the President kasi talagang spokesperson siya ng President sa social media. Talagang hindi siya magse-serve sa atin na ordinary citizen. The Communications Office serves at the pleasure of the President, para sa agenda ng President," La Viña added.

Duterte appointed Uson to the position on May 8, prompting her to quit as a board member of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB).

Her appointment, however, drew criticisms from Netizens.

Mocha Uson's appointment is a disservice to everyone who actually had to study and work hard to learn the whole discipline of communication.

— Nat de Izquierdo (@NatflixAndChill) May 9, 2017

Communicators did not study countless comm theories and took all kinds of writing classes only for a Mocha Uson to land a job in the PCOO

— Lord Nicolas ü (@lordnicolas_) May 9, 2017

WE DON'T WORK OUR ASSES OFF AND PAY TAXES JUST SO MOCHA USON CAN HAVE HER HAIR REBONDED USING OUR MONEY

— Millennial of Manila (@MillennialOfMNL) May 10, 2017

Her task, Uson said, is to bridge the communication gap between ordinary Filipinos and the government and combat fake news through social media. 

"Ang ating pong tututukan ay ang mailapit ang mga ordinaryong Pilipino sa pamahalaan sa pamamagitan ng social media, at ma-idiretso ang TAMANG BALITA sa ating kababayan...," Uson said in a post on her Facebook page, Mocha Uson Blog.

La Viña noted that while Uson had "done a lot of bad speech" in her social media posts, Filipinos can now "officially contest" what she says.

"Mas maganda na official na siya, kasi you can contest her officially and make her accountable," he said.

Amid criticisms, Duterte on Wednesday said "there's nothing wrong" with his appointment of Uson.

"She's bright. She's articulate ... And you can listen to her. You can debate with her. Tingnan mo ‘yung Facebook and she can have a very structured mind. So what’s the problem?" the President said.

Duterte also defended Uson's past job: "And if it is just a matter of dancing, she was not dancing naked. She was with me during the campaign. A little bit sexier than the others. But that does not prevent anybody to deprive her of the honors that she deserves. It’s a matter of intellect.”

“Eh ‘yung pagsasayaw niya eh hanapbuhay ‘yan eh. That's hanapbuhay. There's no law which says that if you expose half of your body with a shorts and a bra, you are disqualified from being the President of the Philippines.” —Marlly Rome Bondoc/LBG, GMA News