By Raïssa Robles
Hours after the UST Alumni Association of Asia’s oldest Catholic university gave Mocha Uson an award for “exemplary public service”, the UST Student Council denounced it.
The award was not publicized beforehand and apparently caught the millennials in the UST Central Student Council off-guard.
BREAKING:
A source told the Varsitarian that alumni association vice president John Simon, who was appointed acting district collector at the Bureau of Customs last December of 2017, nominated Uson as one of the recipients of the award.
Office of Alumni Relations Director Cherry Tanodra has resigned. UST Alumni Association President Henry Tenedero and Vice President John Simon have been asked to resign following furor over government service award given to Mocha Uson – Varsitarian said, quoting sources
Now, according to GMA News, Mocha Uson is returning the award.
Despite it being a lazy Sunday afternoon, the Central Student Council swiftly issued a strongly worded statement saying that:
“The UST CSC strongly denounces the UST Alumni Association Inc.’s (UST AAI)action of honoring Mocha Uson the Thomasian Award for government service.
Mocha Uson, who is widely known as the main purveyor of politically-motivated propaganda against known members of the government’s opposition; an avid spreader and citer of fake news. Uson is also known to utilize her following to initiate blatant personal attacks against her critics and the government’s, including students and members of the press, all under the guise of fake nationalism and freedom of speech.
We express our dismay over this event as Mocha Uson does not, in any way, embody the ideals of a real Thomasian, and with all due respect, Ms. Esther Margaux “Mocha” Justininiano Uson does not deserve an award that was supposed to be meant solely for outstanding Thomasian Alumni.
The UST CSC urges all Thomasians to fight against the proliferation of false information and to continuously seek for fact-based evidences amidst the denial of truth. We encourage everyone to be critical on every information they receive even if it hails from supposedly credible sources.
We are also in solidarity with all the members of the media in the fight for our democratic right to free press. We condemn all forms of attacks done by the state, aimed towards silencing and censoring the media.”
You can view the Council’s statement here.
The Student Council also urged Thomasians to take part in an online survey “by using your eleap accounts”.
It would be interesting to find out out who in the Alumni Association had pushed for the award.
It is even more interesting to see that the Central Student Council is not taking what their elders just did sitting down.
By its statement, the UST Central Student Council – the highest governing body of all the students of UST – has given Mocha Uson the #FakeNewsBarbie Award.
sam says
on the varsitarian (ust official news publication) said that some of the recipient of this award, will be returning their award.
Akbayan Rep. and alumnus Tom Villarin said he was returning the government service award given to him during the grand alumni homecoming in protest of Uson’s award.
“I am returning the Thomasian in Government Service Award given to me last January 21 by the UST Alumni Association because I refuse to buy into their recent justification for awarding Mocha Uson that one only needed to be a graduate of our Alma Mater, and be part of government. If that were true, then all Thomasian civil servants should have also been given such an award,” the statement read.
Villarin said Uson’s actions went against Thomasian values such as “truth in charity” and public accountability and transparency in government.
“Uson is a purveyor of fake news, an unrepentant violator of ethical standards in journalism, and a free-flowing fountain of foul language and obscenity. Indeed, she has corrupted the values that Thomasians hold dear,”
Dr. Carmencita Reodica, former secretary of health and an awardee of The Outstanding Thomasian Alumni in 1997, said she would return the plaque given to her by the alumni association because it has already “lost its meaning and significance,” a report from Inquirer.net read.
Sen Joel Villanueva said he felt insulted with the criteria which the award was simply of loyalty
I’m sure Mocha will not make the same move
kalakala says
sam baka kilala nyo ang pamilyang ito. i got this info from:
/dikukurap.com/2018/01/23/nag-protesta-laban-award-mocha-uson/
A PROTEST STATEMENT FROM A THOMASIAN FAMILY
We were conferred the “Thomasian Family of the Year” award in 1975. We glow as gold as gold can glow.
Our father, Felix B. Bautista, graduated from UST, AB Political Science, in 1948, and in his senior year was editor of the Varsitarian. Our mother, Lourdes S. Bautista, also graduated from UST, summa cum laude, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English in 1946 and a Master’s degree in English in 1948
All the twelve children of Felix and Nena are Thomasian alumni, with many of us having studied at UST all our lives, from kinder to college. Among us are valedictorians, summas, magnas, cums, a board topnotcher, TOTAL awardees, Varsitarian editors-in-chief, campus leaders. We carried the name of our school with pride as we pursued our careers and made our mark as professionals.
We call on the USTAAI Board to rescind the award, and if they do not do that, to resign. NOW. As any worthy Thomasian would.
sam says
@kalakala college of commerce ako, arts and letters sila and batch 86 ako :)
Juan de la vega says
mocha uson for senator 2019…… political ambition exposed
Menchu Sarmiento says
Remember she had her breasts publicly examined as a PSA for breast cancer https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fPPQ6XASHFs
andrewlim8 says
A possible reaction from St Thomas Aquinas, whom UST was named after:
“I was not there when they decided to give that award, in the same manner I was not there when they whacked poor Atio Castillo. So stop using my name. ”
Perhaps call the award as ” Parangal ng ka-DDS sa isang kapwa ka-DDS”? or ” Remember us when there are vacancies”?
arc says
he was not there when the award was given kuno, but he knew b4hand who the awardees were going to be, right? he was given list and was well informed, right? besides, isang text away lang siya. but you know, he kind of look happily the other way. mana from heaven coming up! de bale na kung tainted and ill gotten, mana is mana.
wbar says
When we were covering 2016 election (Philippine embassy here in ME) there were people among the group of D30 supporters wearing t-shirts printed with “Thomasian” or “Tomasito” (not sure but maybe they are proud UST alumni).
andrewlim8 says
NEWS FLASH
HITLER’s SCHOOLS’ ALUMNI ASSOCIATIONS TO GIVE HIM AWARD
Cites example of UST in the Philippines
1:33PM January 22, 2018
BERLIN, Germany – It was announced today by the Alumni Associations of the Volksschule in Fischlham and the Realschule in Steyr, both schools in Germany attended by Adolf P. Hitler that they have decided to award a plaque of recognition to their notorious alumnus .
“We were inspired by the acts of the UST Alumni Association in the Philippines, ” said Volksschule Alumni President Wanker Fuchs. “Their logic was impeccable: being an alumnus and having served in government is enough basis for an award.” “We have set aside history and truth and morals.”
“Since Adolf is a German and he is an alumnus and served in government as well, we decided to give him an award.” he explained.
Rudolf Von Krap, the Alumni President of Realschule, added: “ The fact that our associations are in dire need of funding and our officers need jobs has nothing to do with this award.”
PS Okay, satire news yan… baka may pumatol na hunghang dyan…yung hindi maka-intindi kung ano ang satire…
andrewlim8 says
I have checked on a couple of personalities involved in this and there is plenty of evidence that they were DDS supporters during the campaign.
It’s no different from has-been actors/actresses “signalling” to the powers that be: “Give me a job!” or “Consider me for a higher post!” .
People will do cartwheels and somersaults with their principles when economics is concerned.
arc says
so true. all that glitters is gold, christian values and principles are prime commodities.
and another thing po, what if mocha has ‘self discriminating’ photos of herself and the powers that be at ust? give me that award or I’ll release those pics in the internet! mocha in compromising position, maybe sitting on their laps, or pole dancing and having good time, their hands all over her, their tongues as well! he, he, he.
things they do when the sun goes down would not only cause a stir, but great scandal!
kalakala says
kaya naman pala binigyan sya ng award ng UST AAI dahil sa: …” FOR HER SERVICE UNDER PRESIDENT RODRIGO DUTERTES GOVERNMENT” source: PAB
anong SERVICE na binigay nya habang nasa UNDER sya ni PRESIDENT DUTERTE? nagtatanong lang po
arc says
she was counting his grey hairs and then, curling them, he,he, he.
andrewlim8 says
The response of the UST alumni association that “Uson is an alumna and she is in govt service, so she deserves the award” is just like saying Adolf Hitler or Goebbels or Heydrich are Germans and they served in government so they deserve an award/recognition.
ha ha ha ha is this the new Dominican? ha ha ha ha
andrewlim8 says
I intended the above post as humor but it turns out that indeed, elements of the Catholic church aided Nazis to escape justice after Germany lost WWII – gave them travel documents and helped them get to South America. To be fair it was not an official position of the Church, but it demonstrated that they are capable of going against morals for whatever reason they can think of.
andrewlim8 says
Which brings us to the point: UST can choose whether it celebrates fake news as a worthy thing to reward, consistent with Dominican ideals (btw, they chose Franco as an honorary rector) or not.
sam says
My friend was also an alumni like me, and he has serve the govt too. But he was not given any recognition. Palusot lang nila yan.
kalakala says
dati kung officemate sa gov’t office. maraming awards na natanggap sa kanyang mga research works. parating pinapadala sa abroad for gov’t scholarships hanggang PhD dahil talagang magaling sya pero hanggang nag resign sya wala kaming narinig na binigyan sya ng parangal ng UST. ang alam po namin ay active sya sa UST AAI
arc says
I say, blessed are those that twerk and tell lies and dupe the public for they shall be dignified with award.
canadadry says
This is how UST has become–
An Utot Sabay Tae institution (by honoring what is rubbish and garbage in publiv information service)??
duquemarino says
Usually may search committee na binubuo sa paghanap ng outstanding alumnus, kahit saang association. Unanimous kaya ang board sa recommendation ng search committee?
Outstanding service in government na pala ang magkalat ng fake news, wow hanep.
arc says
the gods of ust probly know what else mocha did in service of govt and maybe, fake news is just side dish, he, he, he. si jover kasi of pinoy ako blog is filipino of the year 2017, kaya, palagay ko, may bwelta si mocha at outstanding alumnus siya ngayon. aba for exemplary service to govt, dinaig ni mocha si sandra cam.
all those free rides sa planes ng phil air force, maybe burning holes on the seats, paid off for mocha, he, he, he. exemplary service to the govt as in defending debutante isabelle duterte for extravagant photo shots sa makalanyang when nearby to dabaw, marawi, badly needs rebuilding, the victims of vinta need food and shelter, etc.
ramon jose says
i am an alumni and i realized na mababa na standard ng UST ngayon
andrewlim8 says
My suspicion is that the current members of the UST alumni association may be close to the admin by way of appointments to positions, govt contracts, or trying to get close to the regime.
May we ask you or other UST alumni readers here to verify this?
A person’s sense of right and wrong is heavily affected by economic dis/advantages that he faces. Even if Dominican-bred.
sam says
Henry Tenedero, president of the alumni group, said the award did not follow any specific criteria.
Awardees were handpicked by presidents of alumni associations of the different colleges and faculties in UST, he said
———————————————————————————————————————–
This is the only award that has no specific criteria. Maybe the purpose of the award is based only on Severely Insecure Persons Seeking Instant Power ?
arc says
awardees handpicked as in hands on? many hands on her ba iyan as in tactile, probing, poking, squeezing?
may loophole pala sa ust, biro mo, the presidents of various groups and associations cannot find a better person – it has got to be mocha. outstandingly, below the belt na baga sila, he, he he. libido!
sam says
I’m sure not all Alumni agrees on this. I am an alumni and I also denounce this.
Ano ba yan fellow Thomasian! Please lang naman. This news makes me feel so ashamed of my Alma matter (I used to be a active member of the student council)
Emilie Francisco says
Was the award bought or USTAAI succumb to pressure?
raissa says
we don’t know.
arc says
the award in exchange for jobs in mocha’s sector? who knows? maybe after this, there will be more jobs open for thomasians. mocha need researchers, more fake news makers, more trolls and intercessionists, all targeting those yet to be corrupted. more thomasians needed as paid respondents for surveys and polls, all pro-govt and pro federalism. for splicing, inserting and twisting info, make the govt appear on top of things and in control. ideal.
kalakala says
arc, ibig mo bang sabihin, the usec needs more troll to copy paste fake news? iyong kailangan na nila ang maraming trolls para maglinis ng kanilang mga kalat. papaano ila itong lilinisin ng pabilisan.
arc says
new breed of trolls to replace the oldish trolls! sometimes, oldish trolls need to go on leave and recharge their batteries. trolling can be draining, a cat can only be skinned in so many ways. and in comes newer batch of trolls, showing oldish and burned out trolls how things are to be done, better liars and better able to see the correct dole logo, he, he, he.
these trolls had better be prepared for there are now not only younger, but also resurrected and invigorated older citizens taking up the fight of cleaner and leaner govt. cheers!
Rod Santos says
Everything that’s wrong in the Catholic Church UST embodies. I am a Thomasian and I lament the new lows this institution achieved in the present time.
arc says
aba, rod santos, sir, despite the new lows, methink po, your fellow thomasians specially those in higher echelons have much to gain. they and their families will soon be flying high! and joining mocha in having free planes rides anywhere in pinas, courtesy of phil air force. the bills sagot ng taumbayan already burden with higher cost of living.