MANILA, Philippines – Filipino movie star and advocate Robin Padilla encouraged millennials, who think of themselves as rebels at heart like him, to fight the good cause and conquer their own demons. 

“Liberty is freedom to do right and never wrong,” Padilla quoted Filipino revolutionary hero Apolinario Mabini in his speech during Rappler’s Social Good Summit on Saturday, September 24.

“‘Yan po ang itanim natin sa puso natin, mga millennials (Let’s plant that message in our hearts, millennials),” Padilla said to a crowd of students, think tanks, and netizens tuned in to Rappler’s livestream of the event.

Padilla said he believes in the revolutionary power of social media in the Philippines because of the country’s young and Internet savvy population, citing active engagements on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat among other sites. 

But Padilla also cautioned against irresponsible use of the Internet in spreading ideas.

The action movie star captivated the audience with his own experience fighting for causes he believed in. 

He said he rebelled against his school when he was student. He rebelled against the stereotypes of a good actor when he joined the entertainment industry, pursuing the image of the “bad boy of showbiz.” 

Even when his life took a wrong turn, getting jailed for illegal possession of high-powered firearms, he said he rebelled against the country’s corrupt prison system by building a therapeutic center for the inmates. 

He said his years of rebelling taught him an important lesson. One must rebel first against his own demons.

“One has to quell his own rebellion and start this revolution within. Napaka raming rebolusyonaryo raw, pero sarili niyang demonyo hindi naman niya linalaban (Many are supposed revolutionaries, but they can’t even fight their own demons.),” he said.

“Doon ko nalaman na, ang pagiging rebelde pala, ‘yung magiging mapusok pala, dapat daanin sa tama (That’s when I realized, rebelliousness and passion have to be channelled towards the right things),” Padilla added.

Padilla said he eventually found his passion fighting for oppressed Filipinos, turning into an advocate for peace in Muslim Mindanao. He has actively lobbied for the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law. 

Padilla said he has great respect for other people who direct their passions to constructive endeavors. 

He said his “brother turned sister” BB Gandanghari, previously known as Rustom Padilla, is among those he looks up to. 

“My sister who became my brother, ‘yung passion niya na mabigay ng tamang pagkilala ‘yung transgender (her passion is to give recognition to transgenders),” he said. 

Rustom made headlines coming out as a transgender woman in 2009. – Rappler.com