Image: Screengrab from Facebook/Mocha Uson Blog
Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson and social media personality Andrew “Drew” Olivar are currently in hot water after their “Pepedederalismo” jingle was aired live in one episode of “Good News Game Show” in Uson’s blog.
Joining the massive online backlash the two received from netizens, celebrities also made use of their respective platforms to react to the controversial jingle.
“Dito po napupunta ang buwis natin (This is where our taxes go). Kill. Me. Now,” wrote radio personality Tin Gamboa, aka DJ Suzy of Magic 89.9.
PEPE. DEDE. RALISMO.
Dito po napupunta ang buwis natin.
Kill. Me. Now. https://t.co/pobhmElIzK
— Tin Gamboa 🌻 (@suzy899) August 5, 2018
In a separate tweet, she inquired about the talent fee Olivar supposedly received from the budget allotted to the federalism information drive. “Dun sa 40 million na budget para sa ‘informative campaign’ magkano yung napunta dun sa tf nung pepe dede ralismo dancer beshie na hirap na hirap magbasa.”
(In the 40 million budget for the “informative campaign” how much was allocated for the talent fee of the “Pepedederalismo” dancer who was having a hard time reading?)
Dun sa 40 million na budget para sa “informative campaign” MAGKANO YUNG NAPUNTA DUN SA TF NUNG PEPE DEDE RALISMO DANCER BESHIE na hirap na hirap magbasa
— Tin Gamboa 🌻 (@suzy899) August 6, 2018
The government said it is allotting up to P90 million for an information drive on federalism. Of the budget, P10 million is set aside for PCOO to produce materials.
Comedian Ethel Booba also made use of Twitter to react to the video. “Pa-refund po noong 90M budget (Please refund the 90M budget). Charot!” she said.
Pa-refund po noong 90M budget. Charot! #Pepederalismo https://t.co/3bV6gw4xgI
— Charot! (@IamCharotism) August 5, 2018
When Booba was asked if she would take an offer to lecture about federalism, Booba said she would not. She explained that the team dedicated to the information drive should have appointed an expert to explain federalism well to the government.
One netizen told her to do her part by reading the draft once it is made available. “Actually I read a lot of articles on Google about Con-con [constitutional convention] and Con-Ass [constituent assembly],” Booba replied. “There are some [parts] na di ko maintindihan talaga (that I really don’t understand) what more yung mga kababayan nating walang (what more our fellow Filipinos who don’t have) internet access. And it’s not bad if we ask our gov’t to explain that because that is part of their job.”
Actually I read a lot of articles on Google about Con-con and Con-Ass. There are some part na di ko maintindihan talaga what more yung mga kababayan nating walang internet access. And it's not bad if we ask our gov't to explain that because that is part of their job. Charot! https://t.co/9s3rAhzzGn
— Charot! (@IamCharotism) August 6, 2018
Actress Agot Isidro commented on the video as well. “Ikaka-proud mo talaga ito, Asec?” asked Isidro. “Matanong ko lang. Wala namang babuyan. Isaayos ang trabaho para may kaunting credibilidad.”
(Is this something you are proud of Asec? Let me ask. Don’t do things haphazardly. Fix [your] work to have some credibility.)
Ikaka-proud mo talaga ito, Asec? Matanong ko lang.
Wala namang babuyan. Isaayos ang trabaho para may kaunting credibilidad. https://t.co/Pe3NWh27wi
— Agot Isidro (@agot_isidro) August 5, 2018
Musician Jim Paredes put his two cents in the matter as well: “We pay people like them for this? Grabe na to (This is too much).”
https://twitter.com/Jimparedes/status/1026025423774265344
Meanwhile, former solicitor general Florin Hilbay pondered on the implication of the controversial video.
“The seriousness of the administration to shift to a federal form of government is reflected entirely in the use of Mocha Uson as chief propagandist,” wrote Hilbay. “Ms. Uson works for the President. Her work is the President’s work. Yun lang yun (That’s it).”
The seriousness of the administration to shift to a federal form of government is reflected entirely in the use of Mocha Uson as chief propagandist.
Ms. Uson works for the President. Her work is the President's work.
Yun lang yun.
— Florin Hilbay (@fthilbay) August 6, 2018
Award-winning actress Chai Fonacier, on the other hand, contemplated about Uson’s purpose for becoming PCOO Asec.
“Mocha Uson knows that we know that she knows that she knows nothing and that she’s there for money. Wag na tayong maglokohan (Let’s stop fooling each other),” the actress said.
https://twitter.com/rrrabidcat/status/1026076255102296064
Comedian Ogie Diaz also expressed his opinion on the “Pepedederalismo” jingle on his Facebook page.
Sharing the controversial video he stated: “Ganito pala kababaw ang Federalismo. Nakakalungkot pala.” (So this is how shallow federalism is. How depressing.)
In a separate post, the comedian wrote: “Ipahinga na yang Federalism na naging PepeDedeRalismo. Ang cheap-cheap na ng politics ngayon, kalokah.”
(Let federalism which became “Pepedederalism” take a rest. Politics is so cheap nowadays.)
Staunch supporters of federalism which include actor Robin Padilla and blogger Sass Rogando Sasot have yet to comment or react to the controversial jingle. Meanwhile, another pro-Duterte blogger, Rey Joseph Nieto, aka Thinking Pinoy, shared the video when it aired last Thursday, Aug. 2.
Uson said that the game show was intended to encourage people to talk about federalism. Moreover, she clarified that the controversial video is not part of the federalism information drive. NVG
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