“Let’s go and let’s do public service!”

Kuya Daniel Razon boomed this to signal the deployment of UNTV‘s News and Rescue Team and public service volunteers during its year-end coverage dubbed Repaso 2012: A UNTV Special Yearend Report.

Instead of doing the usual countdown and mere reportage of the event like what all other media stations do in their end-of-the-year specials, UNTV geared up to help victims of New Year’s unrestrained merrymaking.

As the veteran broadcast journalist reiterated, “We are not here to celebrate, neither we are welcoming year 2013.” Kuya Daniel explained that the purpose is to once again continue the station’s campaign to deliver public service, anytime and anywhere. “It is more on continuing our promise and our obligation to the public.”

Hours before 2012 parted, UNTV News and Rescue mobile units were already deployed to Metro Manila and key cities of Southern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao including Albay, Iloilo, Bohol, Bacolod, and Zamboanga. All thirteen Clinic ni Kuya branches were also opened to provide immediate medical care.

From the night of December 31 until the first light of the following day, the news and rescue team has provided aid to a number of vehicular accident victims in Quezon City and Pampanga and those injured of indiscriminate firing and physical assault. UNTV fire trucks were also seen providing assistance to fire-inflicted areas including one in Commonwealth, Quezon City caused by a sky lantern.

A night of public service not only to victims of New Year’s revelry, Kuya Daniel, with Bro. Eli Soriano of Members Church of God International, handed out food and monetary gifts to homeless and needy families roaming in the streets of Metro Manila.

Also a part of its annual year-end community outreaches, UNTV provided free overseas call services through its Global Kamustahan. Filipinos based locally can call their relatives and friends abroad, or otherwise.

With UNTV opting to do extensive rescue missions and social care services than all-out news reporting, Kuya Daniel restated that helping fellowmen weighs more than any piece of news.

“Mas higit ang pagtulong sa ating kapwa, kaysa sa pagkalap ng mga balita at paglalahad ng mga nakalap nating balita (Helping our fellowmen is more important than gathering and delivering our news).”

In 2010 at UNTV’s 6th anniversary, Kuya Daniel was first heard saying similar statement when he launched Tulong Muna Bago Balita (Rescue First, Report Later), his news advocacy that merged life-saving efforts into mass media practice.

(Written by Lyza Rendon)

(Photography by: Mark Oliver Santillan and Kenji Hasegawa, Photoville International)