Maria Montelibano: Herald of Good News

"Long before the word multi-tasking was the operative word for the youth today, the Filipina had already been one. She is mother, she is partner, she is martyr, she is provider, she's also the nurturer of every home they make."

"Long before the word multi-tasking was the operative word for the youth today, the Filipina had already been one. She is mother, she is partner, she is martyr, she is provider, she's also the nurturer of every home they make."

Maria Montelibano already knew she wanted to become a television director from the very start.

She entered the University of the Philippines’ Broadcast Communications course and became its very first graduate. It wasn’t long before Maria made a name for herself in the field, garnering numerous laurels and accolades, even landing her the most spectacular jobs such as becoming Chairman of the Opening and Closing ceremonies for the 23^rd Southeast Asian Games as well as Executive Director of the EDSA People Power Commission, to name a few.

However, time had come when she believed she had achieved what was achievable in her career, and had already served the person whom she saw was the most outstanding president at the time, President Corazon Aquino. Yet, something seemed to be missing. When Gawad Kalinga (GK) founder Tony Meloto asked her one day to help build their communications team, Maria knew she had found what she was looking for.

A decade later, after giving up the glamorous life of television and broadcasting, Maria as GK’s Corporate Communication and Media Head looks back with no regrets. Watching GK flourish since infancy and seeing it grow everyday serves as her undying motivation.

To everyone else around, her infectious, unquenchable passion for nation-building has been the inspiration for countless thousands of Filipinos volunteering for GK. To Maria, however, she simply sees herself as the storyteller of hope and of heroes. 

"I dream of a Philippines where poverty is rooted out, where corruption is finally dismantled, where dignity is returned and the Filipino stands proud before the world, where honesty is the dominant virtue, where justice is a constant reality, where dreams can come true because there is opportunity for all.

Long before the word multi-tasking was the operative word for the youth today, the Filipina had already been one. She is mother, she is partner, she is martyr, she is provider, she’s also the nurturer of every home they make.” 

Maria with former President Corazon Aquino , Yoly Ong, and Jev Ramos (Photo from www.philstar.com)

The Gawad Kalinga 1World Expo 2011, one of the many GK events that Maria organized which inspired many people to become nation-builders

Maria with former President Corazon Aquino and Gawad Kalinga founder Tony Meloto