'Award meant to inspire, challenge recipients'

MANILA - Communications Assistant Secretary Margaux "Mocha" Uson on Sunday was given an award by the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Alumni Association for exemplary public service.

The Varsitarian, UST's official student publication, said on Twitter that Uson received the Thomasian Alumni Award for Government Service.

LOOK: Mocha Uson is awarded the Thomasian Alumni Award for Government Service by the UST Alumni Association. pic.twitter.com/TBx6ZuqJ5q

— The Varsitarian (@varsitarianust) January 21, 2018

The University of Santo Tomas Alumni Association Inc. said the award, which was also given to 18 other alumni in government service, was meant to "inspire and challenge" the recipients to lead the Thomasian core values.

"The sole criteria are for the recipient/s to be a graduate of the university of Santo Tomas and [to be] in government service. The recipients came from four levels of the government: House, Senate, Judiciary, and Executive," it said in a statement.

LOOK: Mocha Uson is awarded the Thomasian Alumni Award for Government Service by the UST Alumni Association. pic.twitter.com/TBx6ZuqJ5q

— The Varsitarian (@varsitarianust) January 21, 2018

Uson, in a Facebook post, said the recognition was an honor that she dedicates to her mother and the public.

Uson earned a degree in medical technology from UST. She also attended medical school in the 400-year-old university before dropping out to pursue a career in the music industry.

As the leader of Mocha Girls, an all-female dance group, Uson rallied support for President Rodrigo Duterte during the lead-up to the 2016 elections.

Duterte appointed Uson as assistant secretary of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) in May 2017. Prior to this, she served as board member of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board.

Uson, who has a massive following on social media, is considered a vital part of the administration’s communications and public relations arsenal.

The official, however, has been repeatedly called out for sharing erroneous stories to the nearly 5.5 million followers of her Facebook page, "Mocha Uson Blog."