People are generally a reactionary lot.
Every time a furor – mild or huge – arises, many are wont to become righteous, holier and judgmental.
Such was the case – as you might have already discovered – when Mocha, the PCOO ASEC for Social Media, recently posted a video on her understanding on how to strategize the issue of federalism.
Far as I am concerned, your deadline beater is inclined to comment that it may have not met the required high standards of a communication strategy on such a highly sensitive national concern, but the Mocha video teaser attracted more than the attention it deserved.
Federalism, despite decent efforts and intelligent approaches by those behind it, has not caught fire among the target publics as it should ideally have. Millions of our countrymen have heard about the term itself, but as to what kind of an animal is it begs extra efforts and long mileage of explanation.
If our people don’t know what substantially “federalism” has in store for them, then federalism advocates have a big problem.
Explaining its merits and beneficial effects are not easy to carry out before a nation and people that have been far long enmeshed in decades-old practice of the plague-ridden unitary system of government.
Why it should be even be the subject of discourse here and in other places makes federalism a stranger commodity to peddle because it really sounds strange, isn’t it?
But Mocha, in her own unique though pedestrian way of communicating her idea of federalism, caught the fancy of those who thought the issue did not matter in their ordinary, simple lives.
The proletariat – tricycle drivers, ambulant and small-time enterprising vendors in the street corners and sidewalks, the grassroots, even high school students – are taking notice. Why?
Because it was Mocha who starred in the video and her millions of avid Facebook followers are glowingly talking about it.
And this is what the “contravidas” in Mocha’s life are envious about.
They are the so-called members of the ‘intelligentsia,’ who, in keeping with their self-styled academic standards, felt Mocha desecrated and debased the higher principles of established principles in communication.
Some of her colleagues called for her ouster and a few, though shying from directly putting her down, did not praise her work.
I believe that many of Mocha’s colleagues in the PCOO, including the chief of the Philippine Information Agency, are deathly envious of Mocha’s rise to fame and her drawing closer and closer to the President’s coterie of trusted men and women.
The PIA should be in the forefront of the federalism advocacy, but it is not.
Most of its regional directors and provincial officials don’t even engage the local media in public discussions because they are ill-equipped.
In Region 12, for example, local media practitioners think lowly of PIA.
So, my take is this: Instead of harnessing her popularity for the benefit of effectively spreading PRRD’s achievements in the media, PCOO people are trampling Mocha for doing what they themselves cannot and are incompetent to do.
Sen. Migz Zubiri has been quoted several times, pleading for the PCOO to effectively cover the President’s activities. Sorry but it seems they have people who can’t hear you, Senator.
Don’t you notice, Pres. Digong has not even lifted a finger to discourage ASec. Mocha for her video teaser that went viral?
Because communication is a simple “from-me-to-you” messaging that Mocha was able to accomplish even with a “foolish, inane sounding, crudely produced” video!
Naisahan ni Mocha ang mga nagmamarunong sa PCOO, including her rabid Yellow bashers.
Maybe, just maybe, Mocha should be promoted and have her own office as the Presidential Assistant (or Adviser) for Social Media just so those who feel they are more intelligent and capable than Mocha cannot anymore intervene, interfere nor impede with her own ideas of promoting Digong before the Filipino people.
Taking out the “A” in ASec, how does it sound to call her Sec. Mocha? (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.) Deut. 33:27: “The eternal God is your refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms.” GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!
