Celebrity blogger appointed to OWWA

PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte has appointed celebrity blogger Esther Margaux “Mocha” J. Uson as deputy executive director of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).

Mr. Duterte signed Ms. Uson’s appointment paper on Sept. 23 and the presidential palace release copies only yesterday.

Ms. Uson, a staunch supporter of Mr. Duterte and his former Communications assistant secretary, ran for a seat at the House of Representatives in May and lost.

Ms. Uson is not covered by the one-year ban on the appointment of losing candidates, presidential spokesman Salvador S. Panelo said in a statement.

Meanwhile, some labor leaders criticized her appointment. “Our migrant workers definitely deserve better treatment than having people appointed to an OWWA post simply because of political patronage,” Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa Secretary-General Josua T. Mata said in a mobile-phone message.

Recruitment and migration consultant Emmanuel Geslani said he was not in favor of Ms. Uson’s appointment since “she might just clutter the organization.” — Arjay L. Balinbin and Gillian M. Cortez