GMA Network gave honors to Philippines anew as GMA News TV’s flagship documentary program Reel Time won the Grand Prize at this year’s Asia-Pacific Child Rights Awards for its documentary “Isinulat sa Tubig” while also earning a nomination from the Asia Rainbow TV Awards for Naku, Boss Ko!
“Isinulat sa Tubig” is an eye-opening documentary about a group of children who needs to cross a part of an ocean and trek up a mountain just to reach their schools. It was written and directed by Executive Producer Jayson Bernard Santos.
“We are very much overwhelmed by Reel Time’s third recognition from the Asia-Pacific Child Rights Award. The documentary “Isinulat sa Tubig” resulted in a collaboration among educators from Matnog in the Province of Sorsogon and viewers who sent donations after watching the documentary. The audience’s active participation in starting small but meaningful reforms in the education of the students is the best reward we received for this story,” said Santos, who received the award from Andrew Brown of UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office in a ceremony held in Bali, Indonesia last October 24.
The Asia-Pacific Child Rights Award for Television by Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA), and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is the most prominent distinction in Asia and the Pacific that recognizes the efforts of broadcasters and producers in pursuing high quality children’s programming and better coverage of issues affecting children.
For five years in a row, documentary programs from GMA Public Affairs have won the Asia-Pacific Child Rights Award. Reel Time took home three of these, while I-Witness and Front Row won in 2012 and 2014, respectively.
The team behind “Isinulat sa Tubig” is composed of Program Manager Nowell Cuanang, Executive Producer-Director-Writer Jayson Santos, Researcher John Mychal Feraren, Production Administrator Jhoalyn Nieva, Videographers Enrico Gaa and Gibson Gordola, Assistant Videographers Daniel Peralta and Jeff Elazegui, Production Assistants Annalyn San Pedro and Diana Delgado, and Master Editor Emmanuel Payumo.
The same episode is also vying for the Best Documentary award at this year’s Asia Rainbow TV Awards after being included in the top three nominees along with another GMA Public Affairs original, the eight-part political romcom, Naku, Boss Ko!
Naku, Boss Ko!, nominated for Best Comedy Program, mixed the sarcastic wit of a political satire and the feel-good vibes of a romantic comedy to expose the absurdity and hypocrisy of some of the campaign strategies employed by some, if not most politicians today. The groundbreaking mini-series aired two weeks before the Philippine national elections, and was top-billed by GabRu or Gabbi Garcia and Ruru Madrid together with veteran actors Ms. Tessie Tomas and Mr. Leo Martinez.
The third Asia Rainbow TV Awards is organized by the Hong Kong Television Association and the China Television Production Committee and is considered the Emmy Awards of Asia. Winners will be announced during the awarding ceremonies on November 27 in Macao.
