Sen. Nancy Binay says light skin does not equal good looks amid Mariel Padilla's gluta drip issue
Sen. Nancy Binay said that having fair skin does not mean having good looks amid the viral IV drip issue involving Sen. Robin Padilla's wife Mariel.
In an interview on Teleradyo Serbisyo, Binay reacted to Padilla's response to those criticizing his wife's move to have the procedure at his Senate office and post about it on social media. He earlier said that Mariel just "loves to promote good looks and good health."
Binay said he's not comfortable with what Padilla said as she reiterated that the procedure is "not good for the health."
"It’s not good [for the] health kasi wala siyang FDA approval. Sa akin din, ang pagwa-whitening, hindi rin ‘yan batayan ng good looks, 'di ba?" she said.
"Ang sa akin kasi, we should always be comfortable doon sa skin na binigay sa atin, ‘di ba? Sabi ko, ang gulo nga eh, 'yung mga maputi, pumupunta dito para magpaitim, ang maiitim naman, nagpapaputi," she continued.
Binay stressed the importance of self-acceptance, which includes being comfortable with one's own skin. "Because doon lang talaga magkakaroon ka ng confidence, ‘di ba? ‘Yung acceptance of kung ano ka."
This comes after Mariel made the rounds online over her gluta drip session at the Senate. "Drip anywhere is our motto," she captioned her now-deleted post, explaining that its benefits include collagen production, whitening, energy, metabolism, immunity, and so much more, which is why she sees it as "so convenient and really effective."
In an earlier statement, Binay said she's been "bothered" by what happened and pointed out it's one that needs to be "closely looked into" as it "involves issues of conduct, integrity, and reputation of the Institution, and matters that concern health and safety."
Padilla, meanwhile, laughed off criticism and apologized to those who were offended by his wife's actions.
"Nakakatawa naman po ang political isyu na 'yan, my goodness," he said. "Kung may nakita po silang masasa larawan na 'yan, paumanhin po. No intention of disrespect."
An IV drip is a type of IV therapy where nutrients and hydration are delivered directly into the bloodstream for immediate absorption and use by the body through a plastic catheter inserted into the vein.
In January, the Department of Health (DOH) warned about the use of intravenous glutathione for skin whitening following the death of a 39-year-old woman after undergoing stem cell therapy. The cause of her demise, according to her death certificate, is anaphylactic shock but the antecedent cause is glutathione and stem cell intravenous infusion, according to a Philippine STAR report.