Comelec asks Mocha Uson to stop using sexually suggestive campaign materials

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MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections has warned Manila councilor candidate Mocha Uson about her "sexually suggestive" campaign materials — one of which is a campaign jingle that has the lyrics "cookie ni Mocha."

In a letter to Uson sent Wednesday, April 9, Comelec's Task Force SAFE expressed concern that such content could distract from serious policy discussions needed during elections. 

The warning comes just a day after the poll body added "immoral doctrines" and "indecent shows" to its list of election offenses. 

"Puns and double meanings may be used as literary devices in campaigns, but we hope that these are used not to distract from your political platform or skirt the line between accepted speech and obscenity," wrote Task Force SAFE Director Sonia Wee-Lozada in the letter addressed to Uson. 

Lozada noted that while the commission understands political campaigns aim to capture attention, they believe candidates should approach voters with direct messaging. 

Sexually suggestive elements could detract from "serious discussions" about policy, governance, and community futures, the letter added.  

Despite the warning, the commission acknowledged Uson's right to campaign on "sexually positive themes" if that is her message to voters in Manila's third district. However, they urged her to conduct her campaign "in a more deliberate manner with proper regard for age appropriateness." 

Rep. Geraldine Roman (Bataan, 1st District) earlier expressed concerns about Uson's campaign approach and inadvertent objectification of women's bodies.

In an open letter to Uson, Roman described feeling sad when she saw the campaign jingle with the lyrics "Cookie ni Mocha, ang sarap-sarap." The lawmaker said that while she appreciated Uson's fundraising efforts for a breast cancer patient, she felt it was a missed opportunity to campaign more substantively on actual issues and "level up our discourse." 

— Cristina Chi