Rep. Roman sad over Mocha’s ‘cookie’ campaign jingle: Platform wasted

Rep. Geraldine Roman. (From Rep. Roman’s Facebook page)

MANILA, Philippines — Gender equality advocate, and Bataan 1st District Rep. Geraldine Roman has lamented Manila city council candidate Mocha Uson’s choice for a campaign jingle, saying that the former assistant secretary wasted her platform and dented the fight against women objectification.

Roman, in an open letter to Uson, posted on her Facebook page on Sunday, said that she is writing to the Manila local candidate not as a critic but as a sister who is sad about her “Cookie ni Mocha” jingle — which translates to Mocha’s cookie.

Uson, a key figure during former president Rodrigo Duterte’s tenure, is now running under the ticket of Manila mayoral candidate Isko Moreno.  Even before the official start of the local campaign period, Uson had used her campaign jingle by giving out cookies and asking people how Mocha’s cookie tasted.

`Cookie of Mocha’

“But, Mocha, as someone who has also dedicated her life to public service and as the Chairperson of the House committee on women and gender equality, I feel compelled to speak to you now—not as a critic, but as a sister.  When I recently saw the video of your campaign jingle — “Cookie ni Mocha, ang sarap-sarap” — I felt a deep pang of sadness,”  Roman said.

“Not because I think you meant harm.  In fact, I heard it was also used to help raise funds for a breast cancer patient, and I honor that act of generosity.  But still, I couldn’t help but think: sayang. Not because I believe you intended harm, but because I know you’re capable of so much more. I know that you, like me, have fought to be taken seriously, to be seen not for our gender or bodies, but for the substance of our convictions,” she added.

According to Roman, Uson has a platform that can be used to uplift women’s dignity, but instead, it went against the principles that women’s rights advocates have stood for.

“The objectification of our bodies, kahit pa ito’y sinasadyang patawa o (even if it is done to make people laugh or as a) satire, chips away at the respect we’ve fought for.  It reinforces the same narratives we’ve both worked so hard to change—that a woman’s worth is tied to her physicality, not her mind or mission,” Roman noted.

`People are hungry’

“Mocha, our people are hungry—not for cookies or catchy tunes—but for solutions, jobs, decent healthcare, and a future for their children.  Ibigay natin ito sa kanila (Let us give this to them).  Let us level up our discourse and offer platforms that resonate with the hopes and dreams of the Filipino people,” she added.

Uson, who owns the Mocha Uson blog on Facebook, has not replied directly to the issue.  However, her page shared a post from another Facebook page asking Roman to keep her hands off Uson, claiming that the open letter was only meant to lecture the Manila council aspirant.

According to Gigi Bird, whose post Uson shared, what Uson did was not objectification but “ownership,” as she was not a subject of a male gaze but “the creator, the message, and the movement.”

LINK TO POST: https://www.facebook.com/Mochablogger/posts/1208129930677003

But Roman maintained that messaging to the public, while relatable, should not use gender-demeaning instruments as a gimmick.

Cost of message

“While creativity is essential to connect with people in ways that are relatable and engaging, our creativity must never come at the cost of our message.  We have said time and again that gender should not be used as a gimmick.  This is not a show.  This is not a comedy),” Roman said in a mix of Filipino and English.

“I hope this serves as a reminder that there is a certain weight to all of the things that we say publicly.  That our platforms are a privilege, and we owe it to the public — especially to the young girls who look up to us — to use this with care and respect,” Roman added.

This is not the first time that Uson — founder of the sexy-all female group Mocha Girls — found herself in hot waters over actions that demean the fight for women’s rights.

Raunchy dance

In August 2018, Uson and her friend, Drew Olivar, drew flak for using an obscene manner to promote federalism.  In a clip, Olivar was seen doing a raunchy dance, rubbing his crotch and touching his chest while singing, “I-pepe, i-pepe. I-dede, i-dede. I-pede, pede, pede, pederalismo.”

“Pepe” and “dede” are vernacular terms for “vagina” and “breasts.”  Uson, meanwhile, was seen in the video laughing.

READ: ‘I-pepe-dede-ralismo’ video sparks outrage

Despite this, Roman still believes Uson can raise the level of political discourse.

“Mocha, I believe you have the heart, the reach, and the strength to inspire real change. Let’s raise the level of political discourse and show our country what true leadership looks like—one grounded in integrity, respect, and purpose,” Roman noted.