Television host “Kuya Kim” Atienza responded to the recent controversial remark of Sen. Robin Padilla regarding depression and the supposed weakness of today’s generation of children.
“You don’t get it, senator. It’s not that simple,” Atienza wrote in Filipino in the comments section of a news organization’s post covering the issue.
The senator has since released social media posts clarifying his position following the backlash, citing supposed data from the World Health Organization, Australia, France, Italy, Scandinavian countries, and progressive nations.
“My generation did not become weak, and the term ‘depression’ did not become popularized because social media did not exist yet,” Padilla posted.
He also mentioned several cases of youth who lost their lives allegedly in part due to online harassment, including Kuya Kim’s daughter Emmanuelle “Emman” Atienza.
Those who criticized Padilla following his initial remark include Kabataan party-list Rep. Renee Co and Gabriela party-list Rep. Sarah Elago.
Meanwhile, 2022 presidential candidate and labor leader “Ka Leody” de Guzman poked fun at the senator, sharing an earlier photograph of Padilla in tears: “Children today are crybabies, according to Robin Padilla.”
De Guzman’s post is only one among many memes spawned by fan pages and social media personalities after Padilla’s controversial statement made in a Wednesday hearing of the Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media.
