GMA Integrated News bags two national wins at the Asian Academy Creative Awards 2024!

GMA Integrated News has won two national awards at the Asian Academy Creative Awards 2024.

Flagship newscast "24 Oras" was hailed the National Winner in the Best News/Current Affairs Programme category of the Asian Academy Creative Awards, while Darlene Cay's documentary series, "Unang Balita: Pinsala ng El Niño" was named the National Winner for the Best Documentary Series category, 

In "Unang Balita: Pinsala ng El Niñom" Darlene talked about the dangerous effects of extreme heat in the Philippines, by telling the story of the people Oriental Mindoro. 

"We did not mean for the special report to win awards or to get recognition. We made it to shed light into the ravaging effects of El Niño to our country. We wanted to tell the story of farmers who were greatly affected by drought. All we aimed to do was to tell the story in the most effective way," the GMA Integrated News reporter told GMA News Online, adding "to be hailed as national winner for the documentary series category is a welcome bonus."

She thanked her bosses at GMA Integrated News for allowing her tell the story, her teammates in "Unang Balita" and "Unang Hirit" for the trust, guidance, hard work and creative freedom, as well as her cameraman Anthony Herrera and assistant cameraman JR Gonzales "for the hard work, grit, kindness, and, most of all, excellence."

"This award is an inspiration to continue telling stories that will give voice to Filipinos for our mas malaking misyon at mas malawak na paglilingkod sa bayan," she said.

Seventeen National Winners will compete against other regional champions in the international round, and will end with the Grand Final Awards in December, to be held in Singapore.

According to its website, the Asian Academy Creative Awards celebrate works from Australia & New Zealand, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

Last year, 36 awards were handed out at the international round.