Poe wants inquiry into P90M federalism info drive
Senator Grace Poe has filed a resolution seeking an inquiry into the P90 million federalism information campaign of President Rodrigo Duterte’s Consultative Committee (Con-com) and the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) after Communications Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson’s controversial “Pepedederalismo” jingle video.
In filing Senate Resolution 821, Poe said Uson’s “Pepedederalismo” jingle video with a pro-Duterte blogger, “reeks of impropriety to the Con-com” and did not help elevate the public discourse on the government’s proposed Charter change to shift to a federal form of government.
“The video which showcased toilet humor on a rather serious issue does not help explain federalism to people, especially at a time when only 37 percent of Filipinos support the shift to a federal form of government and only one out of four Filipinos are aware of what federalism is, while another survey indicated that 62 percent of Filipinos reject a change to federalism for now,” the senator wrote in the resolution filed Monday.
The lawmaker stressed that “public office is a public trust” and “officials must at all times exercise professionalism in the performance of their functions.”
The resolution specifically directed the Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media, which Poe heads, to conduct the inquiry.
The lyrics of the jingle, performed by a certain Drew Olivar in the video blog, include the line: “I-pepe, i-pepe, i-dede, i-dede, pepe pepe pederalismo!” The jingle was part of a video blog posted on Uson’s Facebook page last Aug. 2.
Uson earlier defended her video with Olivar, saying it was meant to get Filipinos to talk about federalism.
READ: Mocha defends ‘Pepedederalismo’ jingle: We just want people to talk about federalism
Con-com spokesman Ding Generoso said the jingle was not part of their information drive for federalism. /muf
READ: Lewd jingle not part of federalism drive, says Con-com spokesman
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