BINI’s Gwen Apuli has broken her silence on the backlash she received after her viral comment about preferring turon without sugar sparked mixed reactions online.
In an interview on Ogie Diaz’s vlog, Gwen clarified her remark made during BINI’s July appearance on the YouTube channel People Vs Food. When given the Filipino snack, she shared, “I only eat turon without sugar.”
She explained that her taste was shaped by her upbringing in Bicol. “Oo, sanay talaga po ako sa turon na walang sugar… mostly talaga sa Bicol, lumaki akong walang sugar ‘yung turon,” Gwen said, adding that ripe bananas provided enough sweetness.
The singer also laughed off criticisms about her pronunciation of the snack’s name. “Pasensya na po, hindi ko alam ‘yung English ng turon so napa-slang na lang tayo,” she said.
Still, Gwen admitted that the bashing took a toll on her. “Well ako po, actually tina-try ko po talaga ‘yung best ko na ‘wag magbasa [ng bad comments]… nakaka-affect po talaga siya,” she confessed. She added that what hurt most was seeing her family dragged into the issue. “Feeling ko mas nasaktan ako nung naa-affect na rin ‘yung family ko… ‘yung mama ko po muntik na mag-reply sa bashers.”
The controversy stemmed from BINI’s reactions to Filipino street food, where some viewers felt the members were dismissive of local snacks. While many criticized the group, others defended them, stressing that they were simply being honest about their preferences.
Her co-member Jhoanna has since acknowledged the learning experience, saying they should have been more mindful of how their reactions might be perceived.
Meanwhile, BINI’s camp confirmed they have taken legal action against an individual who spliced the People Vs Food video to highlight only the negative remarks, accusing the person of unjust vexation.
