from Rita That is Joey de Leon, an all around celebrity in the Philippines. He’s been in our televisions for AGES now. My parents still reminisce about his films, still listen to his CDs (ranging from 1960s disco to tongue-and-cheek novelty – we’ll talk about the blatant sexism in that some other time). He’s best known for being one of the many (and I do mean many) hosts of the noon-time variety/game show Eat Bulaga! and though I am not a fan of his work (or his dubious history about how he treats women), I can say he makes loads of Filipinos laugh. His work is escapism from poverty (in the case of many in my country) and loneliness (in the case of many Filipino overseas workers). They look up to him, idolise him, almost think of him as part of the family due to his omnipresence in our lives. So this morning, when I read his remarks on depression and mental illness, I didn’t just think they were disappointing or insensitive. I thought they were dangerous. You can read a transcript here, complete with English translations, but here's the highlight: Depression is just something made up by people. They do it to themselves. Joey de Leon said this to an old woman and her daughter, the former having been diagnosed by her doctor with depression and the latter being her main source of support. He said to this woman that her condition was made up. That she’d essentially done/brought it upon herself. One of his co-hosts, Maine Mendoza (fairly new to fame but infinitely more responsible with it) was quick to the defense, saying “Depression is not a laughing matter. It’s no joke. Because many people go through it, especially today’s youth. If someone’s going through it, we have to give them support.” Still, Joey de Leon said “No, don’t support them. They’re just making it up.” My first impulse was of course to say that this is the mere ignorance of one man. But the more I thought about it, the more I saw the connections it has with Filipino culture as a whole. Filipinos are known for being a happy people. In fact, it’s a point of pride – we even have the statistics to back it up. We pride ourselves in our optimism, our ability to keep a cheerful, upbeat, if not absolutely giddy through trials of Biblical proportions. I’m talking Old Testament, here. You could even say that we had to develop this as a measure of self-preservation through years of oppression (both colonial and domestic) and natural disasters. So to be sad in Filipino culture is… for lack of a better term… frowned upon. What more to be diagnosed with depression? It’s not just a weakness. It’s a betrayal of who we are. But a lot of effort has gone into changing that mindset. As the issues of mental health come more and more into the mainstream discussion, communities in the Philippines have managed to push forward a new understanding of mental illness. In a very celebrity-driven culture, it was a big step for us when celebrities came to advocate for the issue, some even attended Senate proceedings for the passing of the Philippine Mental Health Bill just this February 2017. But none of those celebrities were as well-known or as well-loved as Joey de Leon. When he tells a joke, millions laugh. And when he says that depression is made up and that those who go through it should not be supported, when he dismisses other opinions and refuses to be educated in an issue he obviously knows nothing about… those same millions hear it. But we have to keep moving forward. And that means being patient with the other side as well. It's easy to get angry, and you have every right to be. Anger is a catalyst. It gets people up in arms and caring about something. But don't let it be the fuel. No change every came from just telling people that they're wrong. Be as open-minded and patient as you would want to be treated if you were at the other side of the argument. Just as we wouldn't want to trivialise the complexities of an issue like mental health, we shouldn't trivialise the people who misunderstand it. They are a product of a time, a place, or a culture... their environment... their circumstance. If you clap back, then clap back with a dose of woke knowledge! And if people like Joey don't listen, then just amp up the volume and hope that other people around will hear. UpdateThis morning, Joey de Leon issued a statement apologising for his earlier comments. He said that after the incident and the flack that it drew, his wife and children sat him down and explained to him the difference between depression and stress and the severity of the former.
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