MANILA – After her appointment to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson said she is ready to work with people she formerly vented her ire upon on social and broadcast media, including Vice President Leni Robredo.

She is reaching out with an olive branch to critics of President Rodrigo Duterte, as well as members of the media who she called “presstitutes,” to help the nation’s growth, she said.

“Wala na po sa akin iyon (Past conflicts). Ang maganda po, magtulungan…Talagang malaki po ang role ng mainstream media kaya ang social media, andito para magtulungan,” she said.

(Past conflicts mean nothing to me now. It is good to help each other…Mainstream media has a large role to play, so social media is here to help.)

Uson is also willing to mend fences with Robredo, and expressed willingness to be a guest on Robredo’s radio show.

“Kung tayo ay ma-invite sa show ni VP Leni, it will be a very exciting moment for me…Ma'am Leni, invite niyo naman ako sa radio show nyo,” she said.

(If we are invited to VP Leni’s show, it will be a very exciting moment for me…Ma’am Leni, please invite me to your radio show.)

Uson also said that her days of debating with Duterte critics on social media are over, because she has to fulfill her role as a public servant.

“Ang iniisip po natin public service pangkalahatan. Iba't iba man ang ating opinyon, iyon naman ang demokrasya. Ang importante, we're here for nation building. Mag-focus tayo sa pagtulong sa tao…lahat ng kulay, walang pinipili,” she said.

(We are now thinking of public service, overall. While our opinions may differ, that’s democracy. What’s important is that we’re here for nation building. We should focus on helping people…all affiliations; we will not pick and choose.)

Uson will still use her blog and social media accounts, and will handle social media properties of government agencies in her work. It is her role, she said, to explain to the public the government’s programs, and to help agencies develop close relationships with the public.

However, she said that she will cut down on her gigs as a showgirl, because she will prioritize her work in government.

Addressing criticisms of her salary, the assistant secretary clarified that her P106,000 monthly pay is not a big deal, because she will handle a staff of five at the Palace. She also vowed not to waste taxpayers’ money. –From a report by Mario Dumaual, ABS-CBN News