Mocha returns UST alumni award
Presidential Communications Office Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson yesterday returned the recognition given to her by the University of Santo Tomas Alumni Association Inc. (USTAAI) as she decried the insults thrown at her on social media.
Uson, a columnist of The STAR, said she decided to return the Thomasian award for government service in protest against what she described as the bullying that USTAAI president Henry Tenedero has received over the issue.
She asked Thomasians to stop bullying Tenedero.
Tenedero resigned from his post on Tuesday night amid criticism following the conferment of the award on Uson on Jan. 21.
Uson’s staff sent back the award to the alumni group.
She joined President Duterte’s delegation that left for New Delhi yesterday to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit with India. Tenedero said the award was received by USTAAI chairman emeritus Robert Sy and board adviser Jack Castañeda from Uson’s staff.
“This is an act of humility on the part of Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson,” Tenedero said.
Uson lambasted UST students who slammed the conferment of the award on her, saying they too were “curtailing” the alumni association’s freedom to decide who should be recognized. “Do they embody the
Thomasian core values sa pangaalipusta sa isang taong katulad
ko?” she said. In a statement issued after an emergency meeting on Tuesday night, the USTAAI’s board said Tenedero took full responsibility for the controversy.
The board also apologized to the university’s rector, officials, alumni, students and the public for the uproar caused by Uson’s award.
The association said the recognition conferred on the recipients of the Thomasian Alumni in Government Service award was upon its initiative and had nothing to do with the university and its alumni relations director, Cherry Tanodra, who has reportedly resigned.
Unlike his colleague Rep. Tom Villarin of Akbayan, Rep. Lito Atienza of Buhay partylist is not returning the government service award given to him by the USTAAI.
“It was conferred on me in good faith, for which I am thankful, and I am not returning it,” Atienza told reporters.
He said he respects the decision of fellow awardees to return the award.
Atienza refused to comment on the controversy over the recognition given by the UST to Uson.
Villarin returned his Thomasian award in protest over the choice of Uson as an awardee.
Former health chief Carmencita Reodica also returned the award she received from the university in 1997.