Remember #DutertePleaseAppointMe?
Twitter erupted with that hashtag last August, with people nominating Nanette Inventor for a Department of Science and Technology post and Dora The Explorer for the Department of Tourism. Budgeting skills warranted a position in the budget department; a kabit abroad qualified you for a Foreign Affairs post.
The anti-Duterte force rode a news organization’s mistake, when it falsely reported that Mocha Uson had become a consultant for Customs.
That was one of Mocha’s most memorable brushes with cyberbullying, she told Super. When asked if she was ever offered a government position, she replied, “Meron, barangay tanod.”
“Joke,” she then quipped.
Apparently, there was never an offer. She added: “I have no interest in entering politics, kasi napakabigat na responsibilidad ’yan… Ako, I love performing.”
“I can serve through volunteering, volunteerism,” she explained. “’Yun ’yung advocacy ko. Hindi mo naman kailangan ng government position to serve the country.”
She isn’t even that close to the President, Uson said. They’ve only met “two to three times” for photo-ops on the campaign trail.
Uson’s DDS (Die-hard Duterte Supporter, a play on Davao Death Squad, for which the President has been hit) stance has basis.
“Duterte has a proven track record,” she said. “When I did my research nakita ko ’yung isang bayan na walang bahid ng corruption and I thought baka pwedeng buong Pilipinas, ganito rin.”
You may call it unconditional love, how she continues to back the President despite several shocking, sweeping and, uh, revolutionary statements and how she remains fervent in her support for him despite getting criticized for it. “When you love someone like a father, you accept him for who he is. And, he’s 71 years old, he’s a grandpa, lolo na siya,” she said.
For her, the systems just need to adjust to a “very radical” President, and the critics just need to “give him a chance.”
Where the hate is just too loud, it’s all about shrugging it all off, she explained. That isn’t very hard if you have as many as 4.4 million likers on your Facebook page, most of whom are willing to defend you as much as they would the President.
She calls herself an “ordinary Filipino” on Facebook and we got the chance to get to know her during Super’s first fishbowl interview. After taping an episode of “Ireklamo Kay Greco,” Mocha sat inside a DZRH studio, dipping her hand in a bowl full of questions—about her, President Duterte, journalism, the controversies—and gamely answered them.
“Ilang questions tayo?” she asked at one point.
“It’s up to you,” we said.
You’ve become a controversial figure—how does your family feel about this?
Wala na ’yung father ko, eh. My father was a judge, he was killed in an ambush shooting because he was handling a sensitive case. Politically motivated ’yun. My mom, she’s scared for me. Sabi niya, “Don’t be a sacrificial lamb.” But I assured her na everything’s going to be OK and that I am doing everything for my pamangkins, one 5-year-old, one 10-year-old, na magkaroon sila ng mas magandang future. I told her, “Mother, ginagawa ko ’to para maging safe maglakad ’yung mga apo mo sa lansangan.” Para magkaroon ng law and order and maging peaceful ang ating streets.
Do you get death threats?
(Laughs) What do you think? My family is scared for me. Death threats? What do you think? (laughs)
If you can choose a spirit animal, what would it be and why?
Siguro, dove. A bird. Because I want to fly. I want to be free. Free naman ako pero gusto ko lang lumipad.
What’s your ultimate dream?
Ultimate dream ko na maging mapayapa na talaga ang Pilipinas. Ang ultimate dream ko eh ’yung oposisyon eh sana matanggap na kung sino ’yung pangulo ngayon. Bigyan naman siya ng pagkakataon na gawin ’yung trabaho niya. Six years. For now, ’yun ’yung ultimate dream ko na maging mapayapa, maayos ang Pilipinas. At sana magkaisa. At sana ’yung selfish na puro pangsarili lang ang iniisip nila eh maging ano naman, considerate sa pangangailangan ng mas nakakarami.
Do you regret the pagpapa-sexy?
Hindi, hindi naman. Hindi naman kasalanan ang pagiging sexy at ’yung pagiging sexy is more than what you see on the outside, nasa pag-iisip lang talaga ’yan eh. It’s all about self-confidence. Dapat magpa-sexy tayo ng ating pag-iisip dahil doon galing ’yung confidence tapos susunod na lang ’yung katawan natin dun. I don’t regret ’yung pagpapa-sexy. Teka, ano ba ’to, ’yung mga films ba ’to? (laughs) ’Yung mga sexy pictorials, ganun? Hmm. Well hindi ko pinagsisisihan ’yung pagpapa-sexy na mga pictorials. Siguro meron akong mga nagawang sexy indie films noon na dahil bored lang ako kaya ginawa ko siya, ’yun siguro ’yung pinagsisihan ko (laughs). Pero aside from that, wala naman.
What are five things you are passionate about?
Number one, family. Family first. I put them first. Number two, fitness. I try to work out at least twice a week. Number three, Facebook. Number four, healthy eating. Number five, hmm. Actually number five ko ’yun yung pinaka-number one. God. ’Yun talaga ’yung purpose ko ngayon, to fulfill my calling here sa mundong ito. At nakita ko na ’yung purpose ko ay magbigay ng boses sa mga ordinary na tao na hindi nabibigyan ng boses sa lipunan. Sabi nga sa Bible, naging focus ng buhay ko ngayon ay ’yung Proverbs na “Give voice to the poor and needy, give voice to the oppressed.” ’Yun ’yung five things.
Serious question: Saan ka nagpapa-rebond?
(Laughs) Actually itong hair ko, mga six times nang na-rebond ’to pero healthy pa naman ’di ba? Ang pangalan ng nagre-rebond sa akin Jeffrey Pan. Meron siyang salon, JD Salon sa Pasay, malapit sa Cartimar. Tapos meron siyang product, ’yung JD Hair Treatment.
What’s the best thing about being Mocha Uson? The worst?
Best thing, wala akong pakialam sa sasabihin ng tao… Being me, ’yun ’yung the best thing. Dapat lahat din ganun. Don’t think too much about what other people think. Kasi whether you like it or not, merong mga tao talaga na ayaw sa’yo kahit anong gawin mo. Napatunayan ko ’yan ngayon eh, I tried my best na magbago, from sexy to medyo sexy na lang, nagco-cover up na ako, pero they still hate me. Wala akong pakialam sa sasabihin ng ibang tao. Siguro the worst (thing) about being Mocha Uson is people have this perception that my boobs are bigger than my brain. Mukha lang. Mukha lang po ’yan. Pero ang sabi talaga ang biggest organ is our brain so don’t judge a book by its cover.
What’s the worst thing someone has said about you and how did you react?
Sa sobrang dami hindi ko na maalala. Sobrang dami. All you have to do is Google. Simulan niyo sa #DutertePleaseAppointMe, makikita niyo dun ’yung worst things na sinabi about me. How did I react? NR. No reaction. Wala. Para maiwasan ang negativity, huwag basahin ang mga negative. Don’t let these negative people affect you. Only listen to the people who know you and who love you. Pero ’yung mga hindi ka naman kilala, huwag mo nang pinapansin ’yung comments nila.
How do you feel about the petition to shut down your Facebook page?
Shocked kasi sino ka para pa-shut down ’yung Facebook ko? Galit kayo sa dictatorship pero ’yung nag-petition and ’yung mga nag-sign ng petition na ’yun, you’re acting like dictators. Sabi nga, hypocrisy at its finest. But also I would like to thank them for making the Mocha Uson Blog more popular. Since the petition, mas dumami po ’yung likes kaya thank you for this. (laughs)
Do you ever Google yourself?
Ngayon hindi na. Hindi na ngayon kasi alam ko na kung anong lalabas. Kahit na anong ginagawa kong change, pagbabago eh lumalabas pa rin ’yung past. But I really don’t care kasi I know myself and I know what I can do so I just look forward.
You have a tape over your mouth in your Facebook profile pic. What does it stand for?
Ano ’yun, symbolism sa pagpigil sa karapatan kong ipahayag ang sarili ko. Ang nakakainis kasi ang daming nagsasabi na misinformation ’yung nilalagay ko sa Facebook page ko, sinasabi hindi ako credible, pangatlo, mga walang kwenta daw ’yung opinyon ko, tanga, bobo. Una, kung sa tingin niyo misinformation ’yun or fake news, pabulaanan niyo. Give me ’yung sinasabi niyong totoong news. Pangalawa, hindi daw ako credible. Check my sources. Pangatlo, ’yung opinyon ko daw kabobohan or katangahan. It doesn’t mean na ’pag tama ’yung opinyon niyo eh mali ’yung akin or kung tama ako, mali ’yung sa inyo. We have different opinions. And ’yun ’yung freedom of speech. Walang tao dapat ang pipigil sa karapatan ng iba na ipahayag ang kanilang sarili, kaya let’s just respect each other’s opinions. If you don’t like what I say, then unfollow.
Who do you want to see come face to face with Super Fishbowl next? Send us your ideas at [email protected] or tweet @inquirersuper.
