[2] Outside of music, Valenciano's philanthropy is focused on hope, faith, and positive change; having been appointed as the first UNICEF National Ambassador for 25 years.

He is the sixth of the seven children of Vicente Calacas Valenciano, a Bicolano from Camalig, Albay, and Grimilda Santiago y Olmo (1934–2019) from Arecibo, Puerto Rico.

In 1978, at 14 years old, Valenciano made his first television appearance in an advertisement for Fress Gusto, a now-discontinued soft drink sold by San Miguel Corporation.

[citation needed] As an inspirational artist, he recorded a number of Christian albums and was chosen to do a music video for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) for a song he co-wrote, "Could You Be Messiah," in 1994.

Valenciano returned to acting in 2008 by appearing in the drama anthology Maalaala Mo Kaya, where he portrayed a prisoner who finds religion and becomes a born again Christian.

[16] In 2010, Valenciano was in a Holy Week drama special, Gulong ("Wheel"), a CBN Asia production shown on GMA.

[citation needed] For his 25th anniversary in 2008, STAR RECORDS, the music arm of ABS-CBN, released GV 25, a compilation of songs he composed and recorded sung by music stars of the Philippines like Sharon Cuneta, Rachel Ann Go, Martin Nievera, Piolo Pascual, Jed Madela, Erik Santos, and Christian Bautista.

[18] Valenciano formed the Shining Light Foundation in 1989, focusing on supporting diabetics and a scholarship program that has produced many multi-awarded scholars and students.

[20] In May 2018, Valenciano started feeling ill after a performance with his son Gabriel for the celebration of his 35th anniversary in showbiz on ABS-CBN's Sunday afternoon show ASAP, and had to undergo open heart surgery due to blockage of his left anterior descending artery caused by his diabetes.

[22] On April 17, 2019, Valenciano's mother died in Orlando, Florida, after battling pneumonia, congestive heart failure, and H1N1 flu.