Kabataan party-list criticized Sen. Robin Padilla on his statement that physical bullying and torture “help” children grow.
“Regardless of severity, bullying and torture — both in physical or mental forms — are all forms of abuse of power and are not acceptable in our society,” said Kabataan party-list executive vice president Renee Louise Co.
“Mga taong walang konsepto o pagkilala sa dignidad at karapatang pantao ang may kaya lang magsabi na ‘okay lang’ ang mga ito.”
Ironically, Robin Padilla uttered the following words during the hearing of the Senate Committee on Basic Education yesterday while discussing the government’s anti-bullying programs:
“Yun po sigurong physical bullying, para po sa akin ano, kayang i-handle yun. Ang hindi po kayang i-handle ay yung mental [bullying] kasi yun po ang mabigat para sa akin ngayon, yun po ang nararanasan ng mga kabataan, yung mental torture… Yung mental na bullying siguro po yun po ang dapat nating harapin at kung ano man po siguro, yung physical bullying kapag umabot siguro na gusto ka nang patayin… Yung physical torture—sorry po ah pero para sa akin, nakatulong pa sa akin para maging—hindi naman po sa usapin lamang na humarap sa buhay palagay ko mga 20%, 30% nakatulong pa ‘yun.”
Group lambasts Robin Padilla for defending physical bullying of children
Recently, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian that the Philippines is “number one” compared to 70 other countries when it comes to the problem of bullying.
“This is worrisome for those who experience some form of bullying. We got to that (2018) report of the PISA (Program for International Student Assessment): in the case of reading, math and science, we are second to the last… but in bullying, we are number one across 70-plus countries,” he said.
He said, seven out of 10 students in public schools in the Philippines have experienced this despite the existence of Republic Act 10627 or the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013.
Robin Padilla, a former action star, first said that it is better to focus now on the issue of “mental torture” among young people than on physical teasing and taunting.
Netizens did not miss it and criticized the senator’s controversial statement.
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