Kapuso stars as youth advocates

GMA Kapuso Foundation (GMAKF) welcomes Kapuso stars as advocates of public service to encourage more youth to take part in GMAKF’s disaster, relief, education and health programs.

GMAKF led by its founder and ambassador, Mel Tiangco, welcomes into the Kapuso Foundation fold the following Kapuso artists: Rocco Nacino for Health; Bea Binene for Disaster Relief; Patricia Tumulak for Kapuso School Development; and tween stars Sofia Pablo and Will Ashley for Unang Hakbang Sa Kinabukasan (Education Support).

Present during the contract signing were GMAKF founder and ambassador Mel Tiangco, GMAKF EVP and COO Rikki Escudero-Catibog, GMA senior AVP for Alternative Productions Gigi Santiago-Lara and GMA Artist Center AVP and head for Talent Imaging and Marketing Unit Simoun Ferrer.

Tiangco shared that it has always been her desire to involve more people in the foundation, “This is a big day for the GMAKF. For the longest time, I was hoping and praying na maisasakatuparan na ang kanaisan ko na sana everybody in the Network will join the foundation in its efforts to be of service to our people.”

The Kapuso artists/advocates committed their time and effort for GMAKF’s mission to uplift the lives of underprivileged Filipinos all over the country through the provision of quick-response disaster relief operations; the undertaking of health, nutritional and medical projects; and the carrying out of developmental programs designed to promote education.

Rocco feels enthusiastic to promote GMAKF’s health and nutrition projects such as Bisig Bayan and Give-A-Gift projects. Apart from his showbiz stint, Rocco is a registered nurse and has a master’s degree in nursing, which explains his affinity for GMAKF’s health projects. He also recently enlisted as a reserve in the Philippine Navy and is part of the powerhouse cast of the Pinoy adaptation of hit Korean series Descendants of the Sun as well as the second season of GMA News TV’s health talk show The Healthy Juan. Aside from these shows, he is also one of the lead stars of the romantic-comedy film Write About Love which is an official entry to the 45th Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).

 On the other hand, Beautiful Justice star and budding chef/entrepreneur Bea commits to help spread awareness on the need to support GMAKF’s Operation Bayanihan relief operations. Bea has noted that more natural calamities are happening in the country and more public donations are needed to sustain GMAKF’s relief efforts when disasters strike to ensure that immediate aid can be given to the needy.

Patricia, who is a graduate of Early Childhood Education, understands the need for sturdy classrooms all over the Philippines. Patricia is keen on drumming up support for GMAKF’s Kapuso School Development program which undertakes the building and rehabilitation of schools in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, as well as the Kapuso Tulay Para Sa Kaunlaran, wherein the Foundation spearheads the construction of concrete and steel bridges in remote areas of the country to connect communities to schools and markets, in a bid to encourage learning and trade. Currently, Patricia is also part of the Afternoon Prime series Magkaagaw.

Lastly, Prima Donnas stars Sofia and Will are likewise thrilled about joining GMAKF’s distribution of school supplies to tens of thousands of children in need all over the Philippines. A pillar project of GMAKF is the annual Unang Hakbang Sa Kinabukasan which distributes sturdy school bags with complete sets of school supplies to kinder and grade one students nationwide. Being students themselves, Sofia and Will have their sights set on standing up for the rights of all children to have access to quality education and empowering them to make their dreams come true.