For raising awareness on Filipino migration issues and championing the cause of Filipinos overseas, leading broadcast company GMA Network was recognized with multiple awards in the television category of the 2019 Migration Advocacy and Media (MAM) Awards by the Commission on Filipino Overseas held last Dec. 17.
Winning the Best TV Series on Migration was GMA Public Affairs’ award-winning weekly drama anthology Tadhana. Hosted by Marian Rivera, Tadhana features the stories of struggle, failure, hope, and triumphs of OFWs.
Meanwhile, pioneering and longest-running documentary program I-Witness and investigative news magazine program Reporter’s Notebook were both awarded Best TV Episodic Program on Migration.
I-Witness’ “Laban.DH”, a documentary by GMA News’ Howie Severino, narrated the full-cycle journey of Filipino domestic workers in Kuwait. Anchored to their dreams of seeking employment abroad, their vulnerabilities had exposed them to a life of constant violence on-site and were often faced with difficulties upon their return to the Philippines.
The winning episode of Reporter’s Notebook “Mga Nagkukubling Anghel”, on the other hand, featured the story of children born in Sabah of Filipino parents. The story by Maki Pulido showed how these children were not registered with the Malaysian authorities nor had registration documents that officially declare them as Filipino citizens, thus making them stateless.
GMA Pinoy TV, GMA Network’s flagship international channel, also earned honors for the Network as well through its two original shows.
Becoming Pinoy, a short-form documentary that features Filipinos who were born of mixed ancestry and raised in different cultures, was named as the winner of the Best TV Interstitial on Migration under the Television Journalism Award category.
Becoming Pinoy was recognized for featuring Filipinos born and raised abroad, showing how they survived discrimination, found and appreciated their Filipino roots/heritage, and thrived in their chosen career. GMA International, through its Programming team, has already produced 26 episodes to date.
Under the same category, the informative program Pusong Pinoy sa Amerika hosted by immigration attorney Lou Tancinco with Eric Quizon was named as the Best Regular TV Program on Migration. Featuring immigration law concerns and Fil-Am stories, the show is now on its 15th season on GMA Pinoy TV. It explores the labyrinths of immigration law to guide the Kapuso abroad on their rights and privileges under the ever-changing immigration system.