MANILA, Philippines — Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Assistant Secretary Esther Margaux “Mocha” Uson received on Sunday an award given by the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Alumni Association recognizing her public service.
The Varsitarian, UST’s official student publication, tweeted that Uson received the Thomasian Alumni Award for Government Service during the university’s Grand Alumni Homecoming.
The University of Santo Tomas Alumni Association Inc. said the award was given “to serve as an inspiration to other government workers” and to “inspire” and challenge” the recipients to lead the Thomasian core values of compassion, competence, and commitment.
“The UST Alumni Association recognizes that these individuals carry the name of the university in all their endeavors, and the ceremony was initiated as a call for the recipients to lead a life of servant leadership and anchored in the Thomasian values,” it said in a statement.
The award was also conferred to other 18 alumni in government service.
Other government service awardees include Sen. Joel Villanueva, Buhay party-list Rep. Jose “Lito” Atienza, Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon, ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio, Akbayan party-list Rep. Tom Villarin, Health Secretary Francisco Duque and Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez.
In a Facebook post, Uson thanked the UST alumni community, saying that she dedicates the recognition to her mother and to the Filipino people.
“I thank UST Alumni Association for giving me the “Gawad Thomasian Alumni in Government Service”. It is my pleasure. I dedicate this award to my mother and to the ordinary Filipinos,” Uson said in Filipino.
Uson graduated from UST with a Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology degree in 1998. She also took medicine at the same university for two years but eventually dropped out to pursue a career in the entertainment industry.
As the leader of the all-female dance group Mocha girls and as a staunch supporter of President Rodrigo Duterte, Uson was appointed as assistant secretary for social media of the PCOO in May 2017.
Prior to this, Uson also served as board member of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB).