Anne Curtis, Gary Valenciano renew commitments as UNICEF national ambassadors
MANILA, Philippines — Kapamilya celebrities Anne Curtis and Gary Valenciano renewed their commitments as national ambassadors for United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Philippines.
Last June 1, Anne and Gary signed contracts renewing their commitments as ambassadors, and expressed how much they were looking forward to continue working with UNICEF Philippines headed by the organization's Representative to the Philippines Oyunsaikhan Dendevnorov.
Prior to becoming an official ambassador in 1998 when UNICEF Philippines first coined the title, Gary had been contributing to the organization with his wife Angeli Pangilinan as early as 1993.
"We would have concerts, there was a time we had the UNICEF greetings cards, special moments where I didn't get to see the children yet but I knew we were doing something for them," Gary said.
This year does not only mark Gary's 25th year being a UNICEF ambassador but his 40th year being in local show business.
"I can only look forward to the many events — I usually go to a place that has been struck by some disaster, but I'm not talking about those — where I continue to meet people face-to-face, be able to reach out to them through what I feel is perhaps one of the strongest mediums of communication and that's music," Gary continued.
Gary took time to praise Anne as new mom for continuing to be a part of UNICEF with him before reflecting on some of the memories he has had over the years with UNICEF.
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These include reuniting a child with his family 28 days after 2011's Typhoon Sendong after they had floated to different islands; meeting a little girl in Camarines Norte who saved a baby from drowing in the sea; and dancing with Indigenous children in Maguindanao.
One particular story that stood out was when Gary visited Davao, "I danced with a kid who apparently was missing pala — at that time ABS-CBN caught it and they featured it in the news, and the mom was watching from some place in Davao."
"We still have so much work to do. You can say that Gary Valenciano and Anne Curtis are ambassadors, but we can only speak and move, but when we talk to others we hope they can also move," Gary ended, reiterating his focus to help children and their education post-pandemic.
Anne similarly praised Gary for setting a good example for her and she could do the same kind of work he's done over the year, joking she could do without the singing.
The "It's Showtime!" host has been working alongside UNICEF for nearly a decade, and recalled that she had not given birth to daughter Dahlia yet when she did her field visits and was educated about the first 1,000 days of a child which all mothers should learn about.
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"I will always have an open heart as an ambassador, to listen to stories, to educate myself further, and of course, use my platform to raise awareness and spread the word about that," Anne ended. "What a feeling it is to ignite that spirit of giving among my fellow Filipinos to make a difference in Filipino children's lives, and that's why I keep doing what I do."
Changes over the years
Anne and Gary have collectively worked with UNICEF for around 40 years, more than half of that as national ambassadors, so the two were asked what changes they've witnessed as a result of their roles.
"Mr. Pure Energy" said that rather than experiencing a stronger devotion, he has felt a deeper connection, "There's a difference when you sit with children and hear their stories, desires, ambitions. All the health challenges I've gone through is something I can share with them."
"When you're able to share how human you are with the children, they realize 'Wait if he's gotten through it, I can also get over it and succeed'," he continued. "It's not just about a matter of children surviving, it's really a matter of children thriving, maximimizing and becoming the best that they can be."
Gary adds the realization of children in the provinces not being able to see them as often so there is an opportunity to speak to parents and "let them know that the growth of a child in school is different from at home."
For her part, Anne said that educating herself further about the rights of a child, the importance of routine immunizations, and like Gary said, the "matter of children thriving" became a key factor in understanding motherhood
"Now that I'm a mother, there's nothing more that I want than for other children to be healthy and happy as well," Anne ended. "It's now relating to mothers and children, letting them know that they aren't alone in this journey."
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