By ARGYLL GEDUCOS
Malacañang wants a serious discussion on federalism, in a language that will be easily understood by the people, after Communications Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson’s viral “Pepedederalismo” live video with a pro-Duterte social media personality on Facebook.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said that if Uson’s intention was to raise awareness about the federal form of government, then she succeeded.
“I think Mocha Uson had the best of intentions kasi gusto niya talaga na mapag-usapan ang pederalismo ng mga tao na pang-araw-araw, ‘yung mga mamamayan natin,” he said.
“Pero siguro ‘pag usaping pederalismo ang pag-uusapan, dapat siguro mas seryoso dahil ito po ay saligang batas, ang pinakamataas na batas sa ating bayan,” he added.
The Palace official said that if it was up to him, he would have talked to the public about how federalism would help improving their lives.
“Alam ko po na kinakailangan maintindihan nila sa isang lenggwahe na maiintindihan, pero kanya-kanya po tayong istilo. Siguro po, bagamat dapat maging mas seryoso, eh gawin din natin ito sa pamamaraan na maiintindihan. So ‘yan po ang paghahamon,” Roque said.
“Sana po gawin nating mas malalim ang usapin ng pederalismo, commensurate with the importance of the Constitution,” he added.
Uson justified the Pepedederalismo dance, saying that she only wanted for people watching her blog to discuss Charter change. “Ang aming layunin ay hikayatin ang aming manonood na pag-usapan pa lalo ang pederalismo,” she said.
Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar said Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea was annoyed about the video and called him to say that experts should be discussing federalism to the public.
“Executive Secretary Medialdea called me to say kailangan ng spokesperson na eksperto sa federalism. We should ask the assistance of experts in the field of law and federalism,” Andanar said. “Medyo badtrip si Executive Secretary Medialdea kasi wala namang official announcement na may spokesperson ang federalism campaign,” he added.
Andanar also said that there is a better way to present federalism and that he wants to know why Uson thought of showing such dance in her Facebook page. “I want to know what was running through the minds of Mocha Uson and the blogger,” he said.
