GMA Network has issued a statement urging netizens to not take part in “The Boyet Challenge”.
“The Boyet Challenge” is a current online trend wherein netizens would post videos of themselves imitating Ken Chan’s character, Boyet, in the show “My Special Tatay”. Boyet is the lead character of the said show who is portrayed as a man with autism.
As part of the challenge, netizens would recreate scenes and lines of the character in a comic manner.
The said challenge did not please the Autism Society of the Philippines (ASP) and called out netizens who posted such videos which they consider demeaning and insulting to people with autism.
The non-profit organization said that it is not right to make fun of people with autism since they are protected from vilification through Republic Act 9442.
ASP said: “The Autism Society Philippines condemns the latest social media experiment called “The Boyet Challenge” (where participants mimic the title character from the soap opera #myspecialtatay) as a thinly-veiled instrument of ridicule of those who live with #autism and intellectual disabilities. All this as we commemorate the National Autism Consciousness Week!
“Republic Act 9442 protects PWDs from ridicule and vilification; and imposes fines and imprisonment as penalties to violators.
“Pero kahit walang batas, makatao ba na pagtawanan ang mga kapatid nating may kapansanan? Huwag gawing kutya o katatawan ang pagkakaroon ng autismo.”
After ASP issued the statement, GMA Network agreed with their sentiment and told netizens to put an end to the mentioned trend.
GMA Network also clarified that they did not initiate the challenge.
GMA’s statement reads:
“GMA Network aims to spread awareness and appreciation for mentally, physically, and differently-abled people through its Afternoon Prime series, My Special Tatay. From the start, the advocacy of the show is to help viewers understand better the plight of people with intellectual disabilities.
“As such, we are one with the Autism Society Philippines in calling on netizens to treat people with autism with dignity and respect. The viral videos that have been circulating on social media tagged as “The Boyet Challenge” was not initiated by the program and we join the ASP’s appeal to stop sharing and creating videos ridiculing people with autism.
“We are immensely grateful for the support the show has been receiving and we hope that it continues to inspire and impart valuable lessons to our Kapuso viewers.”
