Broadcast journalist Atom Araullo secured another international honor for the Philippines after The Atom Araullo Specials (TAAS) won a Gold Medal at the 2025 New York Festivals TV & Film Awards.
The award-winning episode, Pogoland, aired in 2024 and explored the complex and controversial world of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs). It won in the Documentary: National Affairs category, marking the third straight year that The Atom Araullo Specials earned a Gold Medal. Previous wins include Batas Bata (Child’s Game) in 2024 and Mata sa Dilim (Eye in the Dark) in 2023 under the Documentary: Social Issues category.
GMA Network brought home a total of three medals and two Finalist certificates from this year’s competition.
Firefly, a film produced by GMA Pictures and GMA Public Affairs, won Silver in the Films: Feature Films category. The 2024 release earlier dominated the inaugural Manila International Film Festival (MIFF) in Hollywood, California, where it won Best Picture, and also performed strongly at the 49th Metro Manila Film Festival.
The long-running news magazine program Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (KMJS) received a Bronze Medal for its environmental documentary Minahan sa Homonhon Island (Nickel and Dime: The Cost of Mining in Homonhon Island), which tackled the effects of large-scale mining in Guiuan, Eastern Samar. Jessica Soho personally went on location for the story, which drew significant public attention online.
Meanwhile, GMA Integrated News’ 24 Oras earned a Finalist certificate for its special coverage Super Typhoon Carina (Typhoon Gaemi) and Habagat (Southwest Monsoon). The network’s multiplatform efforts provided critical real-time updates, data, and reports during one of 2024’s most destructive weather events.
Also earning a Finalist certificate was Lost Sabungeros, GMA Public Affairs’ first investigative documentary, directed by Bryan Brazil. The film examined the unresolved disappearances of more than 30 cockfighters since 2022.
The New York Festivals TV & Film Awards, established in 1957, recognizes excellence in news, documentaries, entertainment, and streaming media from around the world. GMA Network has consistently led Philippine entries, winning the most nominations and awards for the country year after year.
