Television viewers and marginalized patients are familiar with the public service program Kapwa Ko Mahal Ko.
It was first aired on December 1, 1975 on a prime time slot (6-7 pm) by GMA, the television station acquired by Menardo Jimenez, Felipe Gozon, and Gilberto Duavit Sr. from its original owner. This was during the Martial Law years when broadcast media ran government propaganda programs. Eventually, networks were allowed to do their own program, focusing on public affairs and public service.
Kapwa Ko Mahal Ko founding host and Kapwa Ko Mahal Ko Foundation president Mr. Orlando “Orly” Mercado recalled, “GMA decided to do a public health program.” He added, “What happened was we had a clinic, people were lining up around GMA. Suddenly, we had the opportunity not only to raise the level of consciousness as regards diseases and how to prevent them, and therefore had an opportunity to raise money also for the particular patients who needed medicines.”
To date, Mercado continues to host Kapwa Ko Mahal Ko. He is also a journalist, broadcast executive, and television personality, notably one of the original hosts of the noontime show Lunch Date.
Beyond media, he served as an Assemblyman, Senator (1987-1998), and Secretary of National Defense (1998-2001). He was also the first Philippine ambassador (Permanent Representative) to the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Joining Mercado in the early years were Rosa Rosal, a noted movie and television actress, and Dr. Antonio Talusanas, the program’s first medical director.
Kapwa Ko Mahal Ko’s goal was to tap private donors to support the expensive medical and surgical procedures of indigent patients, who were given the opportunity to go public with their stories. It also functioned as a clinic-on-the-air and off-air, as its airtime slot could not accommodate the number of patients seeking help.
The need for an organization to address issues on operations – including records keeping and patient interviews – led to establishment of the KapwaKo Mahal Ko Foundation in 1976.
In its early years, the foundation provided services similar to those expected in health centers, including doctors, screening, guidance, and clinics both on the air and off air.
Limited resources prompted Kapwa Ko Mahal Ko to coordinate with like-minded organizations while promoting volunteerism.
One of the volunteers, Margo D. Mercado, is now Kapwa Ko Mahal Ko Foundation Executive Director. She is the daughter of Mr. OrlyMercado.
“I had worked part-time and volunteered at the foundation at various times before taking over as ED. I knew I wanted to help,” she said.
She told her father about her decision to join the foundation. Mr. Mercado told her that public service “is not done because you want to make money.” She officially became Executive Director before the pandemic.
Kapwa Ko Mahal Ko has since evolved, with Orly Mercado remaining as its only original host. Former hosts of the program include Nonoy Zuniga, Boots Anson Roa, Rosemarie Gil, Helen Vela, Juan Flavier, Cielito del Mundo, Tina Monzon-Palma, Susan Valdez, Mildred Ortega, Toni Rose Gayda, Rose Clores, and Gina de Venecia.
Currently, Mercado’s co-host is Connie Angeles, a movie and television actress who joined in 1983.
Angeles eventually joined the government and became Quezon City’s vice mayor. Today, she serves as the Executive Director for Health & Wellness Programs of SM Foundation, now a partner of Kapwa Ko Mahal Ko.
One of the foundation’s notable programs is Batang Kapwa or BK, launched in 1989. It provides holistic support to children diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. The program bridges the gap by providing financial and emotional support that empowers young patients and their families to endure the challenges of treatment.
According to Executive Director Mercado, the BK program not only offers medical assistance but also provides psychosocial support to children (as young as 2 years old) and their families. The intervention focuses on the development of 4Cs: Critical Thinking, Creativity, Collaboration Skills, and Character.
Now going into its 50th year, Kapwa Ko Mahal Ko is on its assessment year. “We’re not numbers based. We go all the way. We want them [patients] to get to a point wherein they become productive members of society. That’s the direction we’re going with Kapwa towards the future,” Mercado said.
