Good Morning Kuya, the morning show that doubles as a free clinic for indigents on weekdays, received the Best Morning Program laurel in the 13th Gawad Tanglaw awards.

Gawad Tanglaw or the Tagapuring mga Akademisyan ng Aninong Gumagalaw is an academe-based award-giving body that honors the best in Philippine media annually.

The program’s main host Kuya (Big Brother) Daniel earned his moniker for initiating and leading various humanitarian efforts through network UNTV.

Clinic ni Kuya opens its doors to the public as early as 4 a.m. to give free checkups and medicines. Each day, GMK provides different medical and dental services catering children, adults, men and women.

This year, Good Morning Kuya (GMK) tied with Aksyon sa Umaga under the best morning show category.

Breakthroughs and Milestones

Apart from media network public service milestones, the show also features UNTV’s broadcast breakthroughs that combine modern technology with everyday philanthropy.

UNTV’s Mobile Radio Booth rolls from dusk to give traffic updates right on the road. The booth also goes into barangays for the program’s free medical consultation.

The patient on-site and the doctor at the studio communicate live on air for the benefit also of the show’s viewers. In the event that patients need to be physically examined by the doctor, the mobile radio booth takes them to UNTV.

The network was also the pioneer in launching the news-and-rescue advocacy. The concept was virtually unheard of in Philippine broadcasting scene until Kuya Daniel Razon introduced Tulong Muna, Bago Balita (Rescue First, Report Later) in 2010.

All UNTV reporters underwent first aid and rescue training, learning what life-saving methods to do in vehicular accidents and even in water-related mishaps. Since its launch, UNTV News and Rescue staff have helped countless victims of road accidents.

Another first in the Philippines, and quite possibly in the whole of Asia, introduced by UNTV is Drone Journalism. Drones once used in wars and espionage now serve as news reporters 90-feet above ground. At the project’s onset in 2012, Kuya Daniel had expressed that he looks at the news-and-rescue angle of UNTV’s drones.

Kuya Daniel recently won the Makabata Award in the 2014 Anak TV Awards, and has been nominated as best morning show host in the PMPC Star Awards in 2010, in which GMK got the Best Morning Show title.

Written by: Rigor Arellano