Senators slam Mocha over lewd federalism jingle.

Senators have expressed disgust and disappointment over the risqué online video of Communications Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson pushing for federalism in a manner that they said debased the issue “to the lowest of forms.”

The controversy over Uson’s one-minute, 39-second video shared on Thursday with her 5.6 million Facebook followers also triggered moves in the Senate to cut the budget of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) to which she belongs.

The video, apparently shot in her office at Malacañang as part of her “Good News Game Show,” showed her co-host Drew Olivar dancing in a lewd manner while chanting: “Ipepe, ipepe! Idede, idede. Ipede, pede, pede, pederalismo,” apparently referring to the Filipino colloquial terms for the female genital and breast.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III said for something as serious and unfamiliar as federalism, the PCOO should have been more circumspect in choosing the face of the campaign for change in the system of government.

“The PCOO should do away with it. One thing is certain – theatrical techniques could not work for such an issue of federalism,” Sotto told reporters.

Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, an advocate of federalism, said he made a mistake supporting the move of the consultative committee (Concom) to tap Uson as its lead campaigner.

“I never expected that they will debase the cause of federalism. Move Mocha away from federalism. She should take a leave and study first,” Pimentel told reporters.

When asked whether he was angry with Uson, he said: “Not angry but disappointed that the best and the brightest in this government can come up with only that kind of bulls**t.”

He said Uson and Olivar even got the substance of federalism wrong with a statement they read on the video.

In an interview over dzBB, Pimentel said he doesn’t care who wants to campaign for federalism, as “what is important is that whoever spreads information on federalism knows what he is talking about.”

“Besides we are in a democracy,” he said.

Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito said the video was in “bad taste.”

Sen. Risa Hontiveros described Uson as the “best promoter of President Duterte’s fake federalism.”

“Infamous for its vulgarity and cheap antics to railroad it through an undemocratic and Senate-less charter change, postponement of the 2019 elections and term extension,” she said of the federalism being pushed by the administration.

“With her as promoter, the Duterte government’s sham federalism now has zero credibility,” Hontiveros said, referring to Uson.

Sen. Paolo Benigno Aquino IV said the video showed lack of respect for the Constitution as it reduced the issue of Charter change to “joke time.”

“Without Mocha Uson, federalism is already dead and awaiting cremation at the Senate. With Mocha Uson, the ashes should be thrown far, far away from the Philippines’ 7,107 beautiful islands,” Sen. Panfilo Lacson said in his Twitter account.

Sen. Nancy Binay said “federalism is not an amusement piece, nor is it a comedy material and even the most educated university professor finds federalism as a complicated subject.”

“It’s saddening that the seriousness of the discourse has been downgraded to the lowest of forms,” Binay said.

She said the P90-million information campaign fund of the Concom could be put to better use like purchasing medicine and extending assistance to fire and flood victims.

Sen. Grace Poe, chair of the Senate committee on public information and mass media, said the PCOO is getting an additional P100 million in its 2019 budget while other frontline agencies like the departments of agriculture, social welfare, health and education are making do with deep cuts in their allocations.