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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Gabriela, Kabataan Party-list respond to Padilla's 'Youth is weak' comment

Gabriela, Kabataan Party-list respond to Padilla's 'Youth is weak' comment

Published Feb 12, 2026 10:21 am

At A Glance

  • Congresswomen from Gabriela Party-list and Kabataan Party-list blasted Senator Robin Padilla on Thursday morning, Feb. 12 for describing the youth of today as "weak" because it is affected by depression and mental health issues.
Senator Robin Padilla (Facebook)
Senator Robin Padilla (Facebook)


Congresswomen from Gabriela Party-list and Kabataan Party-list blasted Senator Robin Padilla on Thursday morning, Feb. 12 for describing the youth of today as "weak" because it is affected by depression and mental health issues.
"Mapanganib ang ganitong pananaw (This view is dangerous)," Gabriela Party-list Rep. Sarah Elago said in a statement.
"Ang depresyon at iba pang suliranin sa kalusugan ay hindi imbento ng bagong henerasyon. Matagal na itong umiiral, ngunit noon ay nababalot lamang ng katahimikan, stigma, at kakulangan ng kaalaman," she said.
(Depression and other health challenges are not inventions of the new generation. They have long existed, but were once shrouded in silence, stigma, and lack of knowledge.)
In a direct response to Padilla's remarks, the Makabayan bloc member said: "Hindi kahinaan ang pag-amin sa mental health problems. Sa katunayan, tanda ito ng tapang—ang tapang na kilalanin, unawain, at harapin ang sariling pinagdaraanan."
(Admitting to mental health problems is not weakness. In fact, it is a mark of courage—the courage to recognize, understand, and confront one’s struggles.)
"Bilang mga mambabatas, tungkulin nating pakinggan at unawain ang kabataan at hindi patahimikin. Ang isang lipunang may malasakit ay hindi nagtatanong kung bakit nagsasalita ang kabataan tungkol sa depresyon; tinatanong nito kung paano sila higit na masusuportahan,' Elago added.
(As lawmakers, it is our duty to listen to and understand the youth, not silence them. A compassionate society does not ask why the youth speak about depression; it asks how they can be better supported.)
'Gen Z is strong'
Kabataan Party-list Rep. Renee Co defended the youth that she represented in Congress from Padilla's comments.
"Hindi surprising na nade-depress ang kabataan, kung araw-araw ang krisis na danas nila mula sa edukasyon hanggang sa korapsyon. Bakit niya sisisihin ang kabataan sa problema na kagagawan ng gobyerno na di rin nila masolusyonan? At least lumalaban ang kabataan," Co, also a Makabayan solon, said in a separate statement.
(It’s no surprise that the youth feel depressed when every day they face crises, from education to corruption. Why blame the youth for problems created by the government, problems the government itself cannot solve? At the very least, the youth are fighting back.)
Like Elago, Co said that mental health issues were real. "Dapat tugunan to ng gobyerno kaysa maghugas kamay (The government should address it instead of washing its hands of responsibility)."
"Recognizing problems is not weakness. Gen Z is strong enough to see that and fight for change," Co further said.
Elago and Co are both assistant minority leaders in the House of Representatives.
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