Communications Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson. (File photo by JOAN BONDOC / Philippine Daily Inquirer)
While the award given to Presidential Communications Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson caused an uproar among the Thomasian community, two of Uson’s fellow awardees from the House of Representatives urged critics to respect the decision of the university’s alumni association to recognize Uson.
In a press briefing on Wednesday, Buhay Partylist Rep. Lito Atienza and ABS Partylist Rep. Eugene De Vera called for respect after University of Santo Tomas Alumni Association Inc. (USTAAI) came under fire for recognizing Uson’s service in government.
“That’s their (USTAAI) prerogative, that’s their point of view, that they recognized their students who once upon a time walked in the campus of UST and now a prominent figure,” Atienza said.
Atienza said belittling Uson’s recognition would be unfair for the entertainer-turned-Palace official, and at one point asked if her critics could achieve what Uson has achieved.
“Hindi naman masyadong fair na maliitin natin ‘yon. Kayo ba, kaya niyo ‘yung nagawa nung taong ‘yon?” he said.
(It’s not fair to belittle her. What about you, can you do what she has done?)
For De Vera’s part, he said he respects USTAAI’s decision to include Uson in the awardees.
“Syempre may criteria ‘yung association, at ‘yung association, paniwala nila dapat na mabigyan din ng recognition ‘yung mga kasama naming awardee kagaya ni Asec. Uson so I respect that,” De Vera said.
(Of course the association has criteria, and they believe that our fellow awardees — like Asec. Uson — deserve to be given recognition so I respect that.)
On Wednesday morning, Uson, through her staff, returned the award to the USTAAI office.
The controversy also prompted the organization’s president Henry Tenedero to resign.
Earlier, awardees Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin and Filipino-American novelist Bino Realuyo returned their awards to the USTAAI as a sign of protest. /je