‘Kapwa Ko Mahal Ko:’ Going strong at 42

CONNIE ANGELES has long been associated with “Kapwa Ko Mahal Ko”having joined the longest-running television program in the Philippines in 1983.

Kapwa Ko Mahal Ko, which first went on air in 1975 with hosts Orly Mercado, Rosa Rosal and Antonio Talusan, is a public affairs program whose mission is geared towards the well-being of indigent people in the Philippines. Through education and health care it also raises awareness in the hopes of improving the quality of life of Filipinos.

“Being in the business for 42 years now—the longest existing show in the business—Kapwa Ko Mahal Ko has taken a coordinating role,” former Senator Mercado, who joined this one-onone interview with Angeles, told

“What that means is that we coordinate existing organization and other similarlyplaced foundations with our patients who have specific needs,” Mercado detailed.

Some of the organizations they have long partnered with are Department of Health, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Offices, Red Cross and Bands of Mercy—which specializes in cases of cleft lip and palate—among many others.

SM Foundation Inc., is one of the newer partner organizations of the program, which enables Kapwa Ko Mahal Ko to provide full assistance to patients who are in need of long term medication.

“We’ve reached a point in our age where we know that the best way to get things done in public service is to disregard the credit and allow other people to claim it. Also, we are no longer obsessed by the numbers or get insecure with what we can and cannot do. That way, I believe we are helping more people because we no longer assume lead roles but coordinating roles,” Mercado further enthused.

Asked for tips to achieve longevity in an industry where shows come and go, Mercado said it’s all about developing genuine empathy for the patients they have been helping.

“When I train new staff, I always tell them that when they meet our patients, they have to have a different mindset, they need to put themselves in their shoes.

“When we interview them, when they go to our show, they’ll wake up early, pick the most decent clothes and shoes that they own, and sometimes even borrow money from their neighbors just to get to us.

“In that sense, if you hear them complain or air frustrations that we couldn’t give them in full what they need, we have to understand where they are coming from. We really have to reverse our thinking in order to understand their plight. Connie Angeles with ‘Kapwa Ko Mahal Ko’ co-host, former Senator Orly Mercado