GMA Public Affairs

GMA Public Affairs is the public affairs division of the Philippine media conglomerate GMA Network, Inc. that currently produces and airs documentaries, magazine, anthology, infotainment and other public affairs genre programs and content for free-to-air TV channels (GMA Network and GTV) and online platforms. It later ventured into television series and movie production.

GMA Public Affairs

Logo of GMA Public Affairs
Division of	GMA Network, Inc.
Country	Philippines
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Nessa S. Valdellon (First Vice President) Arlene U. Carnay (Vice President) Nowell M. Cuanang (Assistant Vice President)
Headquarters	GMA Network Center, EDSA cor. Timog Ave., Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
Slogan	Tatak Public Affairs, Tatak World-Class (lit. 'The Public Affairs Brand, Certified World-Class')
Language	Filipino (main) English (secondary)
Website	www.gmanetwork.com/news/publicaffairs

History

GMA's Public Affairs division was established in 1987^[1] when Tina Monzon-Palma, then head of GMA News, recognized that a 30-minute newscast was not adequate and sufficient to inform the general Filipino public on what is happening to the recently established Aquino government after the historic People Power Revolution^[2] in February 1986.^[3]

The public affairs division started with five news personnel including Marissa La Torre-Flores (who would later lead GMA News and Public Affairs as its senior vice president until 2022), and held office inside the cameramen's locker room before moving into the state-of-the-art GMA Network Center with no experience, equipment, camera and an improvised set broadcasting at the old GMA building in EDSA with only a passion-to-work attitude.^[1] Today this division, with more than 500 news personnel—both locally based and with international assignments—and producing 16 of the most awarded programs on Philippine television today, is one of the more active.

Weekend with Velez was the first network-produced public affairs program on GMA, afterward renamed Velez This Week and was hosted by Jose Mari Velez.^[1]

From a makeshift and improvised set, the once GMA News and Public Affairs garnered several honors and recognitions from local and international award-giving bodies, including two gold medals in the New York Festivals and their first Peabody Award in 1999.^[4]

Coinciding with its 20th anniversary in broadcasting excellence, GMA News and Public Affairs aired a documentary entitled 20: Dalawampung Taon ng GMA Public Affairs (20: Twenty Years of GMA Public Affairs) on October 28, 2007.^[5]

On April 27, 2020, GMA News and Public Affairs Digital launched a podcast channel available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.^[6]

Effective October 2022, as Flores stepped down in retirement as SVP of News and Public Affairs, GMA News rebranded as "GMA Integrated News" with the appointment of Oliver Victor Amoroso as its head/SVP, splitting GMA News and Public Affairs into two distinct departments.^[7] GMA Public Affairs retained its name with Nessa Valdellon currently heading the department as it's First Vice President (FVP).

Accolades

In 1999, George Foster Peabody Award recognized the documentaries "Kidneys for Sale" and "Kamao" by Jessica Soho and the I-Witness team and Jay Taruc's child labor story on Brigada Siete.^[8] On December 9, 2003, the Philippine House of Representatives 12th Congress commended GMA News and Public Affairs through Resolution 787^[9] authored by Rep. Rodolfo Plaza for its efforts in uplifting the standards of the Philippine broadcast industry by receiving the first Peabody Award for television news awarded to an Asian country in 1999.^[10]

In 2010, Kara David's I-Witness documentary, "Ambulansiyang de Paa," won GMA News and Public Affairs second Peabody Award.^[8] GMA News TV's documentary program Reel Time's "Salat" episode received a Peabody Award in 2013.^[11] In 2014, Peabody awards recognized Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho and four GMA News programs State of the Nation with Jessica Soho, 24 Oras, Saksi, 24 Oras Weekend for its coverage of the Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan).^[12][13]

Programs

Currently aired TV programs

Main articles: List of programs broadcast by GMA Network, List of programs broadcast by GTV (Philippine TV network), and List of programs broadcast by DZBB

GMA Network Aha! Born to Be Wild I-Witness Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho Maka Pera Paraan Pinoy M.D. Reporter's Notebook Resibo: Walang Lusot ang May Atraso Tadhana The Atom Araullo Specials Unang Hirit (co-production with GMA Integrated News) Wish Ko Lang!

GTV Biyahe ni Drew Business Matters Good News Kasama si Vicky Morales i Heart PH iJuander Lutong Bahay Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho Negosyo Goals Pinas Sarap

Defunct TV programs

Main articles: List of programs previously broadcast by GMA Network; List of programs previously broadcast by QTV, Q, GMA News TV and GTV; and List of programs broadcast by DZBB § Previously aired programs

List of films

• The Cheating Game (2023; co-produced with GMA Pictures)
• Firefly (2023; co-produced with GMA Pictures)
• Lost Sabungeros (2024; co-produced with GMA Pictures)
• Green Bones (2024; co-produced with GMA Pictures)

List of drama series

• One of the Baes (2019-2020)
• The Lost Recipe (2021)
• Owe My Love (2021)
• Love You Stranger (2022)
• Lolong (2022)
• Zero Kilometers Away (2023)
• In My Dreams (2023)
• Black Rider (2023-2024)
• Makiling (2024)
• Recipes for Love (2024)
• Maka (2024)

Presenters

Program presenters

Presenter	Program/s	Notes
Jessica Soho	Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho
Vicky Morales	Wish Ko Lang!, Good News Kasama si Vicky Morales	Also part of GMA Integrated News as co-anchor of 24 Oras
Arnold Clavio	Unang Hirit	Also part of GMA Integrated News as co-anchor of Unang Balita sa Unang Hirit
Howie Severino	I-Witness	Also part of GMA Integrated News as consultant, podcast host and GMA News Online as editor-at-large
Kara David	I-Witness, Pinas Sarap
Sandra Aguinaldo	I-Witness	Also part of GMA Integrated News as news correspondent
Atom Araullo	I-Witness, The Atom Araullo Specials	Also part of GMA Integrated News as anchor of State of the Nation
Drew Arellano	Biyahe ni Drew, Aha!
Connie Sison	Pinoy M.D.	Also part of GMA Integrated News as co-anchor of Balitanghali
Susan Enriquez	IJuander, Pera Paraan, Unang Hirit	Also part of GMA Integrated News as news correspondent and co-anchor of Unang Balita sa Unang Hirit
Empoy Marquez	IJuander
Suzi Entrata-Abrera	Unang Hirit
Lyn Ching-Pascual
Ivan Mayrina		Also part of GMA Integrated News as news correspondent and co-anchor of Unang Balita sa Unang Hirit and 24 Oras Weekend
Mariz Umali		Also part of GMA Integrated News as news correspondent and co-anchor of Unang Balita sa Unang Hirit
Matteo Guidicelli
Mav Gonzales	I-Witness	Also part of GMA Integrated News as news correspondent
John Consulta
Ferds Recio	Born to Be Wild
Nielsen Donato
Maki Pulido	Reporter's Notebook	Also part of GMA Integrated News as news correspondent
Jun Veneracion		Also part of GMA Integrated News as news correspondent
Marian Rivera	Tadhana
Emil Sumangil	Resibo: Walang Lusot ang May Atraso	Also part of GMA Integrated News as news correspondent and co-anchor of 24 Oras
Mikee Quintos	Lutong Bahay

References

1. Dimaculangan, Jocelyn (October 23, 2007). "GMA Public Affairs celebrates 20 years of public service on October 28". PEP.ph. Archived from the original on December 27, 2021. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
2. Abueva, Jose (February 22, 1999). "People's Perception of People Power". Center for Southeast Asian Studies. Archived from the original on October 6, 2008. Retrieved June 21, 2008.
3. Montalvan, Antonio II (March 10, 2008). "Kris-Crossing Mindanao: People Power Parodies". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on March 10, 2008. Retrieved March 10, 2008.
4. "2008 George Foster Peabody Awards Honors Broadcasting Excellence". Archived from the original on August 22, 2009. Retrieved June 21, 2008.
5. "20 years of GMA Public Affairs: The humble beginnings". GMA News Online. October 4, 2007. Archived from the original on August 30, 2018. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
6. "Listen! The GMA News and Public Affairs podcast channel". GMA News Online. May 4, 2020. Archived from the original on May 26, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
7. "MULTIMEDIA NEWS LEADER IN THE PHILIPPINES: GMA News is now GMA Integrated News". GMA News Online. Archived from the original on December 15, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
8. "I-Witness wins Peabody award". philstar.com. The Philippine Star. April 8, 2010. Archived from the original on November 13, 2017. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
9. "House Resolution 787, Philippine House of Representative 12th Congress". December 9, 2003. Retrieved December 9, 2003. ^{[dead link‍]}
10. "Peabody Awards". Archived from the original on August 22, 2009. Retrieved June 21, 2008.
11. "GMA News TV's 'Reel Time' accepts George Foster Peabody Award in New York". GMA News Online. GMA Network, Inc. GMA News. July 27, 2013. Archived from the original on October 22, 2016. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
12. "GMA Network earns fourth Peabody award for 'solid reporting' on supertyphoon Yolanda". Philippine Entertainment Portal. May 22, 2014. Archived from the original on May 23, 2014. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
13. Andreeva, Nellie (April 2, 2014). "House Of Cards, Scandal, Breaking Bad, The Bridge, Key & Peele, Orphan Black, Orange Is The New Black Win Peabodys". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 14, 2014. Retrieved February 27, 2023.

External links

• Official website