MANILA, Philippines—The Filipino youth is not weak and stressing and associating depression with weakness promotes shame and discourages them from seeking help, a group of psychologists said on Friday. “We are concerned by recent public remarks from Senator Robin Padilla describing today’s young people as 'weak,’ as reported by different news outlets. This framing is stigmatizing and misleading, and it risks harming children, adolescents, and families who are navigating real mental health challenges,” the Psychological Association of the Philippines (PAP) said in a statement. Padilla has since defended his remarks, saying they were backed by data that showed that nearly 20 percent of Filipino youth aged 15 to 24 have thoughts about ending their lives. On Wednesday, an unidentified college student jumped from an LRT-1 station. The circumstances leading up to the incident remain unclear. Police investigation is ongoing.