Gov’t to finalize federalism jingle this week

“Any media tactic, strategy, content that will go through federalism campaign will have to go through the inter-agency,” PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar said. (PNA file photo)

MANILA — A new jingle prepared by the government to promote federalism may be finalized this week, Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar said Tuesday.

“We’re finalizing our inputs sa jingle. Kailangan may hook yung kanta (in our jingle. The song needs a hook),” Andanar told reporters in an interview before the start of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing into the PHP60 million ad placement deal between the Department of Tourism (DOT) and state-run PTV-4.

“We should be able to finalize it this coming Wednesday,” he added.

According to Andanar, the new jingle will be prepared by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) with inputs from the PCOO.

He also assured that the new jingle will have to receive approval from the inter-agency task force on federalism before it is released.

“Any media tactic, strategy, content that will go through federalism campaign will have to go through the inter-agency,” Andanar said.

Asked if the new jingle will also have dance moves, he said: “It’s possible.”

Andanar, meanwhile, said PCOO Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson is still welcome to help promote federalism awareness as long as it is within the inter-agency’s “official line.”

“Nobody’s excluded from this. It’s everyone’s right to join the campaign on federalism. Volunteers are welcome as long as we follow the official line of the inter-agency,” Andanar said.

“No one is being asked to stay away.

Federalism is for every Filipino. Basta kung ano ‘yung mapag-usapan sa inter-agency, yun lang ang masusunod (But we’ll be sticking to what is agreed in the inter-agency),” he added.

Malacañang, for its part, said it is taking the controversial federalism jingle as a challenge to “transform” new interest on federalism into explaining how this proposed system of government will benefit Filipinos.

“That’s the challenge now — How to transform this new interest on federalism spurned by this controversy in explaining why we want this change to the Constitution towards federalism,” Roque said.

“Try to make the most out of the controversy and explain the positive side of federalism – e naririyan na iyan eh.

Hindi mo naman mababalik ang panahon ‘no para burahin iyan (It’s already there. We can’t turn back time and erase what happened),” he added.