Kim Atienza
All passion, persistence, and prayer
A popular TV personality, a devout Born Again Christian, and a responsible family man, Kim Atienza, also known as the “Kuya ng Bayan,” opens up about how the unfamiliar and unexpected led to something
exciting and fulfilling in his life.
Text by Dianne Mariano
Photos by GMA Network and Kim Atienza Instagram
Known for his undeniable wit and longevity in the media industry, Kuya Kim Atienza discovered a new environment full of exciting opportunities as he officially made the move to GMA Network, where he received the title “Kuya ng Bayan.”
On a beautiful Wednesday afternoon, the well-known television personality sat down with select GMA press and shared his inspiring life story, experiences, and decision to take the next step of his life and career in the Kapuso Network.
With more than a decade of experience in the broadcast media industry, he humbly described this new chapter as surreal.
“Surreal, that's what’s happening because I have not set foot in GMA for about 17 or 18 years already,” Kim said.
Before his career in ABS-CBN, Kuya Kim recalled that he would always be in the Kapuso Network as a guest in the 1998 Philippine television debate show titled Debate with Mare and Pare, then hosted by Oscar Orbos and Solita “Winnie” Monsod. At the time, he served as councilor of Manila City’s fifth district.
On September 28, the 54-year-old TV personality went to GMA Network Center for his opening and closing break bumpers shoot. At that moment, he noticed how the network’s establishment has changed over the years and said that “it looks different.”
“It’s not the GMA that I used to know. May bago ng building at iba na ang itsura. But more than that, [the] feeling of being a Kapuso and being called a Kapuso is... para akong nananaginip kasi hindi ako sanay,” he said with a laugh.
“But I’m excited because of the window of opportunity I had that you guys opened for me. At this point in our life when there’s COVID and the opportunities are really scarce, and then all of a sudden this door opens and you welcome me this way and I just feel thankful. I’m so full of gratitude.”
The beginnings of a TV man
Born on January 24, 1967, Alejandro Ilagan Atienza, better known as Kim Atienza, is the son of former Manila Mayor Jose “Lito” Livioko Atienza Jr. and Ma. Evelina “Beng” Ilagan-Atienza.
Even as a young boy, Kim had always set his sights on making a career in television or in movies.
In 1984, Kim studied Film and Audiovisual Communication at the University of the Philippines - Diliman. He did not aspire to be a director, a scriptwriter, or a producer. Instead, he wanted to be in front of the camera.
“Even in college, I wanted to be a TV star. I auditioned for all these go-sees to be in a commercial. Siguro about 20 go-sees that I went through, I was never accepted in one dahil si Kuya Kim hindi naman panget, hindi rin guwapo, sakto lang. And sakto lang in the ’80s walang lugar ’yan noon,” he said.
“Dapat noon kailangan Aga Muhlach ka or Richard Gomez.”
Despite being rejected, Kim did not lose hope. Soon, he was discovered as a voice talent, earning for him voice acting gigs in the ’80s and ’90s.
Kim took advantage of the opportunities that came his way. He began dubbing for the Filipino-language version of such popular Japanese shows as Mask Man, Ultraman, and Magma Man, among others. After his stint on television and film, Kim ventured into the realm of public service and governance.
He narrated, “I was in politics for 12 years. Three years as barangay chairman of Barangay 768 Zone 83 in San Andres Bukid and then I was City Councilor of three terms, which was nine years. I was always number one councilor when I ran for councilor.”
During those years, Kim recalled that he was in such a “powerful position,” yet, at a certain point during his second term as councilor, he found himself no longer happy and passionate about his career in politics.
“I lost my joy in doing it mainly because I realized that I was doing it for the wrong reason. I was doing it for my family. I was doing it because I love my dad so much that I did what he wanted me to be and that’s not the right reason,” he admitted.
“For you to be in politics, you have to be there for the right purpose and the right purpose is to serve the people. That should be your purpose and nothing else. I was serving my dad and my family because I love them, nothing wrong with that. I was in politics for the wrong reason and it was not my passion. My passion is television.”
In 2004, Kim returned to the path that he once embarked on: media. Soon after, he became part of four shows in his then home network, ABS-CBN.
“I was so in love with it. I was so passionate about it because it was something that I really wanted to do,” he said in one of his vlogs. “And I forgot about my health. Trabaho lang nang trabaho nakalimutan ko ang kalusugan ko.”
A test of faith
In August 2010, Kim’s physical health took an unexpected turn. He suffered a stroke, which affected the left frontal lobe of his brain and landed him in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Makati Medical Center, where he recuperated for 10 days.
“When I was in ICU, I prayed to my best friend, Jesus Christ. I said, ‘Jesus Christ, if you make me well, then I’ll be the best Kim that I can be,’” Kim said in his vlog. “‘I’ll be the most fit Kim that I can be. I just don’t want to suffer from another stroke.’”
Months later, he was able to regain his strength and engage in a 30-minute walking program, and before long, he was running a distance of 21 kilometers.
A year after his stroke, Kim was not only running, but he was also swimming and cycling, which led him to become a triathlete.
His steady and continued recovery was only interrupted when he suffered another health setback, during his training for the Ironman triathlon in 2013. Kim’s hands became paralyzed, which made him think that he was having another stroke.
“‘I went to my doctor. Being a stroke survivor, I asked, ‘Doc, am I suffering another stroke? I don’t want to suffer from another stroke. My hands are paralyzed,’” he narrated in his vlog. “She checked my hands and said, ‘Baka you were in this bike position for a long time that your ulnar nerve, naipit lang ‘yan. Give it a day or two and you’ll be okay.’”
The following day, he went on a 26-kilometer run and later realized that he couldn’t balance well.
When Kim removed his shoes, he discovered that his feet were also paralyzed. The known media personality then went back to the hospital, where he underwent a series of medical tests. He was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease called Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), which causes paralysis.
“My stroke made me physically born again. It made me more fit. That fitness became a lifestyle. I can swim, I can run now and I play a lot of golf also,” he told GMANetwork.com. “My second disease, Guillain-Barre syndrome, made me close to God.”
Asked about his inspiration to pursue his passion for storytelling despite his health setbacks, Kim gave a straightforward yet heartfelt explanation.
“Well I know that I glorify God. I know that this is my purpose. Life is about purpose and Kuya Kim’s purpose is to be on television,” he said happily. “My purpose is to be on television and I’ll do my purpose as long as by doing my purpose, I glorify my God. It’s my purpose, I just have to do it. I know I’m affecting a lot of people positively by being Kuya Kim of television. I just have to keep on doing it because it’s my purpose in life. I was designed by God to be this way and thanks be to God.”
A new chapter
The year 2020 was full of uneventful occurrences.
The highly contagious disease known as COVID-19 continued to ravage communities, and the uncertainty of the times just went on.
In July 2020, ABS-CBN lost its franchise, a shocking development that put many of its talents and employees’ jobs on the line.
Kim considered these two devastating events as the “darkest period of his life” and the thought of quitting his passion came to his mind.
“I still found purpose because on social media I had a little segment with Gretchen Fullido... That was the time when I said, ‘Maybe it’s time to just get into business or just do something else.’ But no. The sense of passion and the sense of purpose still got over that feeling of depression.”
With a lot of prayer and encouragement, Kim continued to pursue his passion for storytelling through social media.
“I realized that I was touching lives and I would get such positive feedback from people that I’ve touched, from people that I’ve inspired through social media. And that got me going on despite the lack of franchise and lack of an audience.”
In an enthusiastic tone, he continued, “And now, to be given an opportunity to be on free TV again, Millions are going to be able to watch me again. That sense of purpose and that sense of passion is even stronger now kaya lalo akong ginanahan ngayon.”
Now, Kuya Kim is ready to take on a new journey as an official Kapuso, where exciting opportunities await the “Kuya ng Bayan.”
During the exclusive interview, he finally answered the question that everybody had been wanting to hear: Why did you make the big switch to the Kapuso Network?
“A time came in my life, wherein I wanted to grow, I want to explore. I felt like I was already semi-retired. I felt like if I stayed on, then I would retire as a weatherman,” he said openly.
Kim then cited the Bible about the parable of talents through the words, “It was said ‘When you are given one talent, you are supposed to work hard to make that talent, ten talents. And then if you’re given ten, you’ll give it even more. If that one talent, you put underground, be buried underground, even that one talent is taken away from you.”
He continued to narrate in a gleeful tone, “And then all of a sudden, I see this opportunity. I was given this opportunity to be able to make my one talent, ten talents in Kapuso Network. It would be a sin. It would be a disservice to my Lord not to take it.
“To be given that opportunity, to be able to do so many things at a time when people in my line of work are not doing anything. Hindi ba golden opportunity ‘yon na dapat kunin mo? And that is the real reason.”
The Kuya ng Bayan shared a wonderful story about the “signs” that led to the biggest decision of his life. One of these signs came in the form of renowned personality, Kapuso actor Alden Richards.
It happened when Kim and his two friends were talking about his next move over coffee.
“While we were discussing my move to GMA-7. Someone calls my name and then I looked. He was wearing a mask, he came from the gym upstairs. Paglapit niya, it was Alden Richards. Sabi nung dalawa kong kasama ko ‘Kim, hindi ba parang sign ’yon? Pinag-uusapan natin GMA and then bumaba si Alden?’ Sabi ko, ‘Oo nga ’noh?’”
After a few minutes, Kim’s friend, GMA Vice President for Corporate Affairs and Communications Angel Javier, called him for some counseling. Later that day, he received a text from a friend and decided to give this person a call.
Kim, however, heard a different voice on the phone saying, “Kuya Kim, Kumusta ka na?”
“I didn’t know who it was, binigay lang niya ’yung telepono e. I was calling my friend, not this person. It turned out to be Annette Gozon,” he said.
After receiving these signs in just one day, it became clear to Kim that this was all a part of God’s plan for him.
Two days after this providential event, the popular weatherman was able to properly bid farewell to his first home network for the past 17 years. He described it as a “ good and seamless transition.”
According to Kim, the first person he informed about his decision to transfer to GMA-7 was his wife, Felicia Atienza.
“My wife knows that I’m capable of much more. Kaya noong sinabi ko na I’m moving to GMA-7, she was very happy. She said, ‘It would be very sad [for your friends] but it would be so good for you Kim ’cause your passion would be back.’”
After telling his wife about his big plans, he reached out to his eldest son, Jose, through Facetime and told him about it. Kuya Kim's 19-year-old had a diplomatic response.
“Sabi ko, ‘Jose, I’m considering transferring to GMA-7. What do you feel?’ ‘Pops, that’s a very good decision. You’re looking at upward mobility.’ Ang galing Gen Z kasi. ‘You’re looking at upward mobility,’” he shared with such joy in his eyes after hearing his firstborn child’s response.
Jose’s answer went on, “‘In GMA-7 you have upward mobility. You can do so many things. You can show them that you’re good and then you can go this way, you can go that way. You’re capable of doing so many things.’ Galing sa anak ko ’yon na 19 years old. He said, ‘Please make the decision, Dad’ And that’s why. They’re one of the reasons why I decided also.”
The 54-year old media personality smiled as he recalled his family’s reaction at that time. “They said, ‘Go where there is upward mobility.’ Think about growth,” he said. “And again, GMA-7 gave me that window of opportunity to be able to grow at this late age... I’m 54. Very few people are given that opportunity to grow at this age.”
“I have a good 15 years. If I gave 17 years to ABS-CBN, I’m looking forward to the next 17 years as Kapuso.”
Now that he’s a certified Kapuso, viewers can expect an upgraded version of Kuya Kim. “This will be a much better, much improved, and more passionate Kuya Kim that you should meet because I’m excited again. It’s an excitement that I haven’t felt in a long time.”
After his formal revelation on 24 Oras on October 4, it was revealed that Kim already has three programs lined up in the Kapuso Network, namely, Mars Pa More, 24 Oras, and GTV’s latest newsmagazine show titled Dapat Alam Mo!
A balanced life
After being in the media for more than a decade, Kim has had his own insightful realizations about his career.
“Number one, it made me more aware of my power. Although I’m not in politics, I realized that the media has power. You can actually change lives or you could destroy lives depending on what you put out there because of your power of influence. It made me more careful and more deliberate in how I move, how I talk, how I live my life, and what I post on social media,” he said.
The media industry also taught him to balance his time well with his loved ones. “It taught me balance also because there was a time when I had four shows in my other station, I hardly had time with my family. So, I had to really balance the time and give my kids the most time I can give. Looking back, parang kulang.”
When Kim was still doing his Kapamilya morning show, spending quality time with his children, who were still very young at the time, was a challenge for him. He recalled a one-weekend encounter he had with his eldest child, Jose.
“My kid, Jose, was only three years old then and he told me, ‘Papa, how come whenever I see you, you’re always tired? You’re always sleeping?’ Then I realized that I cannot get tired when I have kids. So, the effort had to be really deliberate. It was very difficult then. Looking back, as I said nga, dapat nga siguro nabawasan ang show ko noon pero it is what it is. My kids turned out to be the way they are. My kids turned out to be beautiful children.”
Kim also learned the value of gratitude as very few people are given the opportunity to be on television. “It made close to God as well. I suffered from a stroke and got sick. Within my stint--my 17 years on television--it made me lean totally towards my God and my Savior.”
Asked about the greatest lesson he has learned throughout his long career in the media industry, Kim responded with a powerful and moving answer, “Fame, just like power, corrupts. Every single day, you have to remind yourself that you are not what they make you be, you have to go back to your roots and put your feet back in the ground, every single day.”
With his eyes closed, he continued, “You have to be very prayerful and deliberate in saying, ‘Lord, this is all you and it’s not me. May I be less and may you be more.’ Every day I tell myself that.”
For those who aspire to take the same path as he did, the “Kuya ng Bayan” cited the three P’s to always bear in mind: passion, persistence, and prayer.
“You have to have passion and number two is persistence. When you have the passion, you have to be persistent, you have to pursue it. Sa una lang akala mo madali pero hindi madali ‘yan. Like for us in the news, if you want to be an anchor, magtitimpla ka muna ng kape. Magse-xerox ka muna bilang PA, kung mabibigyan ka ng break bilang anchor.
I’m looking forward to the next 17 years as Kapuso.”
“So you have to be persistent. And the most important of all is prayer. Kapag mayroon ka nung passion [at] mayroon kang persistence, dagdagan mo ng prayer and you’ll find your fourth P, which is purpose.”
In the future, Kim said that he would like to retire as a media personality and to have one last show after his 17 years in the Kapuso Network.
“One show na madaling gawin. Tipong once a week taping lang tapos the whole week puwede na akong to just hangout with my wife and play golf,” he answered with a hearty laugh.
What Kim wants is to leave a legacy of lessons that would help a lot of people navigate this world. “‘Si Kuya Kim, marami akong natutunan. Napakarami kong natutunan kay Kuya Kim,’ Tapos ang nagsasalita may asawa at may anak na. Sarap ’no? I hear that now. I hear it already. It’s been 17 years. The 10 year olds are now 27 years olds, so may anak na. And then I hear them ‘Alam mo, noong edad mo ako... noong bata pa ako... ’yung kaunting kaalaman niya talagang ang dami kong natutunan.’ Gusto kong marinig ’yon.”
Welcome to the Kapuso Network, “Kuya ng Bayan,” Kim Atienza!
