Kim Atienza slams Sen. Robin Padilla's 'weak' remark vs youth: 'A little kindness goes a long way'

Kim Atienza criticized Sen. Robin Padilla's "weak" remark against the youth.

On his social media, Atienza reposted a publication's video detailing Padilla's pronouncement in a Senate hearing for the proposed Children's Safety in Social Media Act.

"A little kindness (and understanding) goes a long way," the TV host captioned his post. 

"While views may differ on how depression is understood across generations, one thing is clear: Support should always be available," he added.

Atienza also pointed out that while the word "depression" was not a buzzword in the 80's and 90's, as Padilla mentioned, the struggle is not make-believe. 

"That’s why we’ve put together a list of 24/7 crisis hotlines, because whether or not the word was used before, the need for help is real for many today."

The Psychological Association of the Philippines has likewise condemned and debunked Padilla's remarks

"Equating mental illness with weakness of character is scientifically wrong and socially dangerous. Depression and other common mental-health conditions are not signs of fragility, laziness, or moral failure; rather, they are evidence-based, diagnosable health conditions shaped by biological, psychological, and social factors," the organization said in a statement. 

"Using 'weakness' to describe mental illness promotes shame, discourages help-seeking, and undermines prevention and treatment efforts," they added, saying they are open to working with the government to properly respond to the public's mental health needs. 

Sen. Robin Padilla made the remark against the youth during the Feb. 11 hearing of the Senate committee on public information and mass media while tackling issues of kids getting cyberbullied and committing suicide due to depression.

"Ang mga bata po ngayon, sad to say, huwag kayong magagalit sa akin—nako maraming batang magagalit siguro pero pasensya na kayo—you are weak. Hindi kayo katulad noong panahon namin na hindi kami iyakin. Natuto kami sa kalsada. Natuto kami na huwag umupo, umiyak," he said.

"Noong panahon namin, hindi uso ang salitang 'depression.' Hindi ko nga alam yan kung ano ang depression. Ngayon, batang maliit sasabihin, 'I'm depressed,'" he added. 

Atienza has advocated for mental health and kindness since his daughter Emman Atienza's passing in October 2025.

Emman passed away at her Los Angeles, California home at the age of 19. She previously opened up about her mental health challenges in 2022, sharing that she was misdiagnosed with depression in 2019 and later diagnosed with Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder with paranoid and borderline features, as well as ADHD.

In November 2025, JV Ejercito filed the "Emman Atienza Bill," named after Atienza's late daughter, seeking to combat hate and harassment online.