Serbisyong Kapuso, serbisyong totoo

The year 2013 saw the nation devastated by a series of natural disasters, having experienced a succession of weather disturbances, an earthquake in Bohol and the most recent Supertyphoon Yolanda which struck the Eastern Visayas region.

Throughout all these, GMA Kapuso Foundation (GMAKF) remained steadfast in its commitment to provide serbisyong totoo through various relief and rehabilitation efforts in the hard-hit areas, under the direction of its executive vice president and chief operating officer Mel Tiangco.

“It was very challenging but at the same time, very fulfilling,” relates Tiangco. “That’s the kind of job this is — it is very difficult but it also lifts your heart.”

By the end of 2013, GMAKF’s disaster-relief program, Operation Bayanihan, has helped over one million individuals in Metro Manila and the provinces, particularly in Bohol, Samar and Leyte.

In a show of solidarity with GMAKF’s mission of uplifting the lives of underprivileged Filipinos, Kapuso stars have given tremendous support to the foundation’s various projects. Immediately after Yolanda hit the Visayas region, many of them, along with GMA Network employees, took time off from their busy schedules and manned the GMA telethon hotlines to answer calls for assistance and updates, as well as donation pledges for the victims affected by the calamities.

Moreover, Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes led GMAKF’s Celebrity Ukay-Ukay, a bazaar for pre-owned celebrity items whose proceeds went to funding GMAKF’s long-running projects. Aside from Marian and Dingdong, other Kapuso artists as well as News & Public Affairs personalities donated items for the bazaar.

Going beyond disaster-relief operations, the foundation also realizes the importance of implementing more sustainable projects for the rehabilitation and development of a community.

This objective is embodied in the Unang Hakbang sa Kinabukasan project, which strives to make a difference in the lives of public school children by helping them take their first step towards education by providing backpacks, containing a complete set of school supplies at the start of every school year.

Furthermore, GMAKF continues to promote education and foster learning through the Kapuso School Development project which entails the construction or repair of classrooms in underserved public schools across the country.

In 2013, construction commenced for 28 new classrooms and the rehabilitation of nine more for selected schools in Davao Oriental affected by Typhoon Pablo.

Another notable project is the Kapuso ng Kalikasan, which is tied closely with the Kapuso School Development and aims to instill in the minds of students all over the country that caring for the environment is part and parcel of early education.

“In every school we build, it has become a tradition to plant trees in the surrounding area as part of preventive measures against flooding,” Tiangco shares. “Moreover, it furthers GMAKF’s goal of restoring the environment as well as leaving a legacy for future generations.”

Giving importance to health, GMAKF regularly conducts medical missions and special health projects under its Kalusugan Karavan and Bisig Bayan projects.

Similarly, the Kapuso Foundation brought back the smiles of 86 individuals with its Ngiting Kapuso Oral Health month project in February, which gives each of its beneficiaries a new set of complete dentures. With just a small cost, a significant effect is seen in the renewed self-esteem and confidence gained by the recipients.

“In special projects like Ngiting Kapuso, it is heartwarming for me to see the big impact of the little things that we do in the lives of these people,” reflects Tiangco. “It just emphasizes the truth that if someone can just lift a finger, life will be easier for someone else.”

This is evident in the Give a Gift: Alay sa Batang Pinoy Christmas project where GMAKF spreads joy to marginalized sectors of children by giving them customized Christmas packages. In addition to noche buena packages, toys and school supplies, each sector’s immediate need is also addressed.

Furthermore, the foundation mounts the annual Kapuso Bloodletting Day in February, wherein Kapuso personalities and employees can donate blood to help save the lives of Philippine Red Cross beneficiaries.

When asked what the heart of the Kapuso Foundation is, she replies, “It’s really serbisyong totoo. That’s what we want to do, and that’s what we deliver.”

Despite the challenges brought about by 2013, GMAKF hopes to “effectively bridge the distance that comes between those who need help and those who extend a helping hand.”

For 2014, the foundation’s priority will be the rehabilitation projects in Yolanda-hit areas. However, they will also continue their long-standing health, education and values formation projects throughout the year.

“We are planning to build a Kapuso Village with 400 houses and 20 classrooms  in Tacloban City, and another one with 200 houses and 10 classrooms in Palo, Leyte,” reveals Tiangco.

“It is our mission here in the foundation to help our fellow Filipinos rebuild what they have lost,” she adds.

Indeed, the individuals that form the Kapuso Foundation are committed to doing just that as they continue to realize its vision of serving and uplifting the lives of the underprivileged members of society.

“The people who work in the foundation are very special people — people who have a mission,” expresses Tiangco. “They have a calling.”

“Those who are called to serve must put meaning and a mission in their work. They need to say, ‘I am doing this because I am called. I am doing this because I am needed by my people,’” she ended.