After being called out by netizens for belittling depression, Joey De Leon gave a heartfelt apology for calling the mental health condition “gawa-gawa lang” or “made up” live on air on today’s episode of the noon-time show Eat Bulaga.
“I made a mistake,” he said.
De Leon said that his wife and children taught him that depression is different from stress and that some people close to them actually experience depression as well.
This apology comes after De Leon downplayed the a case of depression of Eat Bulaga’s contestants shared on the show.
The contestant explained yesterday that their mother was diagnosed with depression, De Leon showed that he had a hard time believing it. He said, “Yung depression, gawa-gawa lang ng mga tao iyan. Gawa nila sa sarili nila.” (About depression, that’s just made by people. They make themselves [depressed].)
But young actress and co-host Maine Mendoza aka Yaya Dub shot back at De Leon.
“Depression is not a laughing matter. It’s not a joke. Because many people go through it, especially today’s youth. That if you’re going through it, give them the support,” she said in Filipino.
Twitter exploded with reactions criticizing the host for not understanding depression as a mental health illness.
READ: Maine Mendoza stands up to Joey de Leon for belittling depression, and the internet loves her for it
While he repeated his stance yesterday at least three times, the at least 100,000 tweets he received yesterday must have gotten the message through.
Before apologizing on the show, he told viewers that he called Maine Mendoza first to apologize for his comments.
“Kung may maidudulot mang mabuti iyong aking pagkakamali, sana’y mabubuksan nito ang maraming pinto sa pagtalakay sa issue na ito, yung tungkol sa depression,” De Leon said this afternoon. (If there’s something good that can come out of my mistake, it’s that hopefully, this will open the door to more conversations about this issue of depression.)
De Leon expressed regret over speaking about something he didn’t realize was a sensitive issue for many who suffer from depression or other mental health conditions. “Di ko alam na ganoon kalawak at kalalim ang issue na ito. Akala ko stress lang,” he said. (I didn’t know the issue of depression was that wide and deep. I thought it was just stress related)
One mental health advocacy group, Youth 4 Mental Health, is challenging De Leon to make good on his word and sent an invitation to De Leon for an “educational discussion” on mental health.
“A public acknowledgment of mistake is welcome, but a changed mindset on mental illness would be the best form of apology,” Y4MH national chair Raymond John Naguit said in a statement quoted in the Inquirer.
#ALDUBBigHearts
HATS OFF @AngPoetNyo ..my respect for the Humility@EatBulaga @aldenrichards02 @AlDubNationCebu pic.twitter.com/a2ueMEHktF— DoKMar (@marilyncampano) October 6, 2017
“So, muli, humihingi ako ng kapatawaran sa mga nasaktan, nagalit (So again, I ask for forgiveness from everyone who was hurt and got angry [from what I said]. I’m sorry),” De Leon reiterated.
He ended his apology with this note: “At may kasabihan naman tayo na mapait man ang ugat ng karunongan o edukasyon, eh karaniwan matamis ang binubunga nito.” (We have a saying that even if the root of wisdom or education is bitter, its fruits are sweet)
The World Health Organization (WHO) notes that over 300 million people all over the world of all ages suffer from depression. The WHO recognizes depression as an illness “and is a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease.”
According to WHO’s research, although there are effective treatments to depression, in many countries, fewer than 10 percent of those affected ever seek treatment.
Watch De Leon’s apology here:
If you or anyone you know suffers from depression or needs to speak to a mental health professional the Department of Health (DOH) with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Natasha Golbourn Foundation has a 24-hour suicide prevention hotline. The Hopeline may be reached at (02) 804-4637; 0917-5584673; and 2919 for Globe and TM subscribers.
