Veteran broadcast journalist Noli de Castro goes back to his roots through a new public service program that showcases stories of survival, inspiration, and hope.
KBYAN: Kaagapay ng Bayan, the new public service program on Kapamilya Channel, is both nostalgic and refreshing. The old Magandang Gabi Bayan theme—only modified with a modern sound, this time—reminds us of those good old days when Kabayan’s horror specials and magazine features both scared us and fueled our curiosity. But horror and controversies are not what KBYN is trying to sell. This time, it is after delivering inspiring survival tales and compelling stories of hope and determination. This format is entirely fresh and new, but it feels necessary and timely, for some reason.
For its pilot episode, Kabayan brimmed with moving tales from people who survived the pandemic and made success stories out of it. We were introduced to a girl who lived much of her life on the receiving end of insults and discrimination, because of her disfigured and burnt face. Joana, whose face was burnt when she was still five months old, found hope during the pandemic when a Tiktok video made her an instant social media star.
Another young woman in Laguna is similarly inspired for being her family’s breadwinner. Gizelle Obiado is a ‘no-read-no-write’ helper, who works as a nurse for puppies at a dog nursery. During her free time, she navigates her dream to go to school via an Alternative Learning System program in which she was enrolled by her kind employer. She remits more than half, if not all, of her salary to her family who solely depend on her for their daily needs.
In Cuenca, Batangas, Kabayan gave the spotlight to the local hog growers, who went through a series of unfortunate events since the pandemic. In January 2020, the eruption of Taal rendered much of their land infertile and job opportunities became scarce. Those problems even became worse when the pandemic struck in March of the same year. Before the end of the year, another misfortune further crushed their livelihood, when Cuenca was declared an ASF (African Swine Fever) red zone. Kabayan showcased the locals’ navigation of their tragic misfortune and their eventual transition to finding an alternative livelihood.
Recovery and determination take centerstage in Ma’am Nencie’s story. The 28-year old young educator serves an indigenous people’s community of Aetas in Zambales as one of its volunteer teachers. Part of Ma’am Nencie’s story showcased the ongoing recovery of the Aeta community she serves, and the determination of the youth to learn and ultimately become their tribe’s greatest hope.
It seems like the arrival of KBYN: Kaagapay ng Bayan is made possible by a genuine intention to inspire. It comes at a time when the country and all its people is still transitioning to a better future, with many still burdened by the challenges presented by the pandemic. KBYN is a reminder of the hopeful path we are taking, as it is also an exemplary demonstration of our resilience, determination, and unparalleled capacity to always move forward from tragedy.
KBYN: Kaagapay ng Bayan airs on Kapamilya Channel and Kapamilya Online Live everry Sunday, 5:00 PM.
