Cartoon by: Alexa Robil
Published by: Jielian Lobete
Date Published: March 12, 2026
Time Published: 5:53 PM
During a Senate hearing about children’s safety on social media, Senator Robin Padilla stated that today’s youth are “weak.” According to him, his generation in the 80s and 90s didn’t talk about depression and learned life lessons from the streets.
Labeling an entire generation as fragile and comparing it to past generations is very ignorant and invalidating; it ignores the struggles young people face with their mental health, and disrupts what is actually necessary to do in addressing the problem.
The hearing focused on proposals to regulate how minors use social media. Padilla pointed out that young people now talk openly about feeling depressed, while back in the days, he never had such words to describe those kinds of struggles. He also raised concerns about how too much screen time keeps kids from playing outside and building friendships.
In response, Berni Moestafa—Meta’s Public Policy head for Indonesia and Philippines—stated banning minors from platforms isn’t really necessary right now. Instead, she emphasized finding balance between letting kids engage online and keeping them safe.
Calling today’s youth ‘weak’ gets everything wrong when it comes to mental health. Being able to recognize and talk about emotional distress isn’t a sign of weakness. It means we’re finally taking mental health seriously. The term ‘weakness’ was used to cover incomprehension of mental health. Think about what it was like for the past generations; people carried heavy burdens but had no way to explain why they hurt, no way to ask for help.
Senator Robin Padilla not experiencing sadness or depression in his childhood doesn’t justify his inappropriate choice of words. Mental battles aren’t the same for everyone—some are strong with hiding their pain, and some are not.
But being able to hide it does not mean strength—it’s a coping mechanism people made to hide the burdens they carry. Today’s youth are breaking isolation and are finally able to step out of their comfort zone and express what they’re going through, which is something we should be proud of, not ashamed of.
Senator Padilla argued that children are not safe on social media and it robs them of their childhood. However, prohibitions are not merely the answer. Denying access without guidance is like telling a child to never touch a car rather than teaching him how to drive safely. His concern for the youth’s safety and future is undoubtedly genuine and well-intentioned, however, it’s time to move past judging and start building the support and empowerment they need to prove just how strong they are.
No one must be labeled as “weak” or “fragile” for having to carry heavy burdens and struggles in life. Mental health should never be judged nor made fun of. Depression is not a joke—it should never be invalidated.
It is undeniable that social media possess risks that can be harmful to young people: it can cause cyber bullying, contribute to mental problems, lead to addiction, spread misinformation, and even enable serious harms like grooming and exploitation. However, this might only happen when there’s a lack of literacy, and banning youth from social media platforms and calling them ‘weak’ is neither necessary nor the best solution at all.
Social media is a valuable tool that young people can utilize for learning, connection, and self-expression. The best approach possible to address its dangers is through providing comprehensive education in media and information literacy, as well as spreading mental health awareness to help them develop skills in utilizing online spaces safely and wisely—because after all, it is them who will build the foundation for the next generations.
REFERENCES:
[1] Ager, M. (2026, February 11). Robin Padilla to kids today: Sorry, you are weak. Philippine Daily Inquirer. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2180833/robin-padilla-to-kids-today-sorry-you-are-weak
[2] Ombay, G. (2026, February 11). Robinhood Padilla on today’s children: ‘You’re weak’. GMA News Online. https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/976199/robinhood-padilla-on-today-s-children-you-re-weak/story/
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