Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) courtside reporter Apple David drew criticism for allegedly dating an 18-year-old collegiate basketball player.
David, who is 33 years old, trended on X (formerly Twitter) after videos of her discussing her love life in response to online users’ comments were compiled.
“Yikes, what does a 34-year-old woman have in common with someone who just recently turned 18?” the X user wrote.
David will turn 34 on October 27 this year.
“Imagine dating an 18-year-old guy. He literally just became legal. At that age, he could already be your nephew. People acting unapologetic about it and even tolerating it is exactly why predatory behavior keeps getting normalized,” an online user said.
“Yikes, anong conversation niyo ‘pag ganyan kalaki ang age gap. Like, you rant about your work tapos siya… school? Hahaha,” another commented.
“Exactly! Pati ‘yung mga experiences sa buhay, for sure, ibang-iba. Magkaiba na nga sila ng kinalakihan na TV shows haha, ‘di naman pwede basketball lang lagi topic nila,” a Reddit user said.
“Imagine, you’re almost in your mid-30s ta’s jojowa ng fresh SHS [Senior High School] grad?” another Pinoy commented.
In one video, an X user asked why David does not want someone in her “age range.”
“Sa buhay ba natin, lagi tayong nakakapili? Paano ‘yung mga bagay na biglang dumating na lang na sitwasyon tapos sometimes, you just can’t explain it. Like, I cannot explain it,” David said.
In another clip, the courtside reporter replied to an online user who said she has a “choice not to date an 18-year-old.”
“But I also have a choice to. Masama bang bigyan ng chance ‘yung… nag-click eh, anong gagawin ko?” David responded.
“Nag-click eh! What am I supposed to do?” she added.
In another video, David responded to an online user who commented that an 18-year-old’s brain is not yet fully developed.
Science notes that the brain’s frontal lobes, which are responsible for planning and reasoning, are among the last to fully develop, typically maturing around the age of 25.
In the video, David argued that by the online user’s logic, young people would not be allowed to be in relationships.
“So dapat yung mga 18 and below, hindi nag-gi-girlfriend and boyfriend? Or nagkataon lang kasi mas matanda ako kaya biglang issue ‘yung ‘not fully developed?'” she asked.
“So ano ba point dito, hindi ba fully developed ang frontal lobe niya at 18. So dapat ang mga 18 years old, hindi ‘yan nagma-make ng decisions about relationships? O bini-bring up niyo lang ‘yan kasi nga I’m older,” the reporter added.
“So now, dapat 18 years old and below, dapat ano, ‘wag kayo mag-relationship kasi hindi pa kayo developed!” David said and then made a gesture. “Ano ba ‘yun?”
The collegiate basketball player David was allegedly dating is Chad Gammad, who was born in October 2007.
The Canada-born combo guard is a player of Letran Knights, the men’s basketball team of Colegio de San Juan Letran.
A look at his Instagram profile reveals a “Highlights” feature with an apple emoji. It features an IG Story of a woman with her face covered and the two of them holding hands while eating in a restaurant.
Some online users believe the particular “Highlights” feature was dedicated to David.
