The Autism Society Philippines (ASP) has urged the public to put an end to the "The Boyet Challenge."
This trend became viral when people started imitating Boyet, the character played by Ken Chan in My Special Tatay.
In this GMA-7 teleserye, Ken plays a young dad who has mild intellectual disability and mild Autism Spectrum Disorder.
The non-profit organization used its Facebook page to post its official statement that goes:
"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 thinly-veiled instruments 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 villification; 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 katatawanan ang pagkakaroon ng autismo."
The Autism Society Philippines is aware that the controversial "Boyet Challenge" did not originate from the Kapuso show.
According to its description in its Facebook page, The Autism Society Philippines aims to create a "society where persons with autism become the best of their potentials, self-reliant, independent, productive, socially-accepted citizens."
The ASP, which is celebrating its 30th year this 2019, wants people to stop using the word “autistic” as a joke or insult.
