GMA Network dominated the Gandingan 2016: The 10th UPLB Isko’t Iska’s Multi-media Choice Awards with a total of 22 recognitions including the Best Development-Oriented TV Station (Gandingan ng Kaunlaran Award) for GMA 7. The ceremony was held last March 19 at the University of the Philippines in Los Baños, Laguna.
Leading the list of Kapuso winners were GMA News and Public Affairs programs and personalities.
Jessica Soho won Best Magazine Program Host for Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho, also named Best Magazine Program, the eighth Best Magazine Program Host citation for Soho. She was inducted ito the Gandingan Awards Hall of Fame in 2012 after winning the said award for five consecutive years.
Meanwhile, GMA’s coverage of Bagyong Luis in September 2014 won for Unang Hirit the Best Morning Show award. Hosts Arnold Clavio, Susan Enriquez, Rhea Santos, Connie Escuderro, Ivan Mayrina, Suzi Abrera, Lyn Ching-Pascual, Love Añoever, and Tonipet Gaba were named Best Morning Show Hosts.
Reporter’s Notebook won Best Investigative Program again for its “Kalbaryo sa Isla” episode, which looked into the state of education in Libucan Island in Tarangan, Western Samar. Jiggy Manicad and Maki Pulido were named Best Investigative Program Hosts.
I-Witness was this year’s Best Youth-Oriented Program for “Remember Me,” a documentary by Sandra Aguinaldo featuring the heart-breaking reunion of a daughter with her now wheelchair-bound Korean father. Aguinaldo was also conferred the Gandingan ng Kabataan distinction.
Kara David, meanwhile, received the Gandingan ng Kababaihan award for her I-Witness documentaries and was also named Best Development-Oriented Talk Show Host for Powerhouse.
Travel and wildlife show Born to be Wild took home the Best Environment-Oriented Program award with this year’s Gandingan ng Kalikasan award to veterinarian Ferds Recio and Nielsen Donato.
Leading local news channel GMA News TV also won big that night.
State of the Nation with Jessica Soho, GMA News TV’s flagship evening newscast, won Best News Program for its “National Day of Mourning: Justice for Fallen 44” special report with Soho bagging the Best News Anchor award.
She was also recognized as Best Documentarist for Brigada. Joining her for this award was GMA News reporter Victoria Tulad. Brigada also won Best Documentary Program for “Ang Mga Ginto ng Smokey Mountain”—a special report on how children scour the former landfill for gold.
Meanwhile, Investigative Documentaries took home the Best Women-Oriented Program award for its “Para kay Nanay” episode on the sacrifices made by mothers for children with hereditary conditions.
Bawal ang Pasaway kay Mareng Winnie was also named this year’s Best Public Service Program for the “Girian sa Makati” episode that tackled the stand-off at Makati City Hall.
The Gandingan Awards also launched an online category this year. GMA News Online’s “Special Report: Rape in the Philippines, Number Revealing Disturbing Trend” won Best Online News Article; while its “Tindog: Leyte Matapos ang Yolanda” article was named Best Online Feature Article.
GMA News Online was also awarded the Best Development-oriented Online Video for its “Special Multimedia Feature: Living with HIV in the Philippines”.
The Gandingan: UPLB Isko’t Iska’s Multi-media Choice Awards is an annual activity of the UP Community Broadcasters’ Society Inc. that recognizes personalities, programs and materials from the broadcast industry that contribute to social development.