Mocha to MTRCB; Berroya to LRTA
A blogger and staunch Duterte supporter known for sexy and daring performances has been named to the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB).
Margaux Justiniano Uson, popularly known as Mocha Uson, was designated MTRCB board member last Dec. 28, appointment papers released to the media yesterday showed. Her term will expire on Sept. 30.
As this developed, retired police director Reynaldo Berroya
been designated new administrator of the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA).
Asked why the President named Uson to the post, Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar replied: “Why not?”
“Mocha is an artist. She is one of the biggest artists we have in the country. She’s been in the show business world for more than a decade already,” he added.
Andanar also described Uson as “an educated person” and “one of the biggest bloggers in the Philippines.”
Uson, who writes a column for has been using her blog to attack critics and perceived political rivals of Duterte, including Vice President Leni Robredo and the media, whom she called “presstitutes.” She has also asked Duterte to boycott mainstream media outlets for their supposed bias against him.
Before campaigning for Duterte, Uson, the leader of the all-female sexy dance group Mocha Girls, appeared in sexy films and sex instructional videos.
Uson has decried what she described as sexist attacks against her and has urged critics to focus on her arguments instead of her past.
Asked whether Uson’s sexy image could affect the performance of her duties in MTRCB, presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said: “As far as I know, when you enter into public office, you’re supposed to delineate yourself between your past jobs and your present position.”
As board member, Uson is tasked to help the MTRCB perform its function, which includes censoring material that “in the judgment of the board applying contemporary Filipino cultural values as standard, are objectionable for being immoral, indecent, contrary to law or good customs, or injurious to the prestige” of the country.
Aside from Uson, a certain Jeremiah Jaro was also named board member of the MTRCB.
Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III welcomed the appointment of Uson, saying she would “do a lot better than some people I know.”
“She abounds with common sense and has a good pulse of the public,” Sotto said.
Sen. Grace Poe, who used to head the MTRCB, wished Uson well in her new job. “It’s the President’s prerogative. I wish her well,” Poe said.
“The MTRCB board should be a representation of a cross section of society. The board thrives on diversity but with a common goal of promoting intelligent media viewership and providing the right classification to enable parents to properly guide their children’s viewing habits,” she added.
Meanwhile, Duterte appointed Berroya as member of the LRTA Board of Directors last Dec. 5. Berroya was then unanimously elected as LRTA administrator by the board.
Berroya was convicted in 1996 and sentenced to life for the 1993 kidnapping of Taiwanese businessman Jack Chou. The Supreme Court
acquitted him and ordered him freed from the New Bilibid Prison in 1997.
Under the new rules set by the Governance Commission for Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations ( GCG), heads of state- run corporations are chosen from among and by the members of their respective boards.
The LRTA board is composed of seven Cabinet members, namely the heads of transportation, public works, finance, National Economic and Development Authority, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and two representatives from the private sector.
Berroya promised to institute reforms in LRTA to improve its service to the riding public.
“I’m committed to support ( Transportation) Secretary Arthur Tugade’s initiative to improve the conditions of our mass transit system in order to provide a safe, reliable, efficient and convenient travel to our commuters,” he said in a statement.
Prior to his appointment to the LTRA board, Berroya served as general manager of Metro Rail Transit-3, chief of the Land Transportation Office, transportation assistant secretary for special concerns and transportation undersecretary for communications.
He was involved in intelligence and anti- narcotics operations during his stint at the Philippine National Police.
LRTA manages the LRT2 system that runs from Santolan to Recto and oversees the performance of the Light Rail Manila Corp., the private operator and maintenance contractor of the LRT- 1 that runs from Baclaran to Roosevelt.
Meanwhile, National Artist for Literature Virgilio Almario has been named chairman of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).
A statement on the NCCA website said Almario was elected for the term 2017-2019.
He is the chairman of the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino and served as executive directof the NCCA from 1998 to 2001.