Manila, Feb. 13 -- Filipino youth should not be considered weak but should rather be seen as the country's hope, Malacanang said on Friday.

"Hindi po naman dapat nating sabihin na ang ating mga kabataan ay mahina, dahil ang kabataan ay siyang pag-asa ng bayan (We shouldn't say that our youth are weak, because the youth are the hope of the nation)," Palace Press Officer Claire Castro told reporters.

She issued the statement after Senator Robin Padilla recently called today's youth mentally "weak."

Padilla also downplayed depression, saying many young people today are easily carried away by emotions due to excessive social media exposure.

As Dr. Jose Rizal once said, "the youth is the hope of the nation," Castro said.

"Kung mayroon pon...