The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) congratulates the 20 best media works that won the 2019 Migration Advocacy and Media (MAM) Awards!
This year’s awardees were selected for having raised public awareness on issues on Filipino migration, advocated the cause of Filipinos overseas, promoted a positive image of Filipinos overseas, and espoused the concepts of migration and development. The winners will be recognized during the Awarding Ceremony on December 17, 2019 at the Diamond Hotel, Roxas Boulevard, Corner Dr. J. Quintos Street, Manila.
The following is the complete list of 2019 MAM Awards winners:
1. PRINT JOURNALISM AWARD–BEST BOOK ON MIGRATION-BENDING WITHOUT BREAKING: THIRTEEN WOMEN’S STORIES OF MIGRATION AND RESILIENCE (Switzerland)
Bending Without Breaking came to be when a group of women, Samahang Pilipina, an association of Filipinas living in Switzerland, gathered together to assess, celebrate, and look back on their past 30 years together. The question “How did you get to Switzerland?” was asked of the Filipina migrants gathered that Saturday afternoon. Stories of love and loss, and of success and failures spilled out of these women as they relive their experiences away from home.
2. PRINT JOURNALISM AWARD–BEST NEWSLETTER ON MIGRATION: THE MIGRANT (Germany)
The Migrant is the official bi-annual newsletter of the Philippine Community in Berlin, Germany. It aims to document the activities of Filipinos in Berlin and to inform the readers of issues relevant to living as migrants in Berlin.
3. PRINT JOURNALISM AWARD–BEST NEWSPAPER ON MIGRATION: AKO AY PILIPINO (Italy)
Ako ay Pilipino is a free monthly newspaper in Filipino language in Italy. With circulation of 30,000 free copies monthly, it has become the social, legal, and cultural point of reference of Filipinos in the country.
4. PRINT JOURNALISM AWARD–BEST MAGAZINE ON MIGRATION: VIA TIMES NEWSMAGAZINE (USA)
Via Times Newsmagazine is a monthy community newsmagazine distributed for free with a circulation of 25,000 printed copies in Chicago and the Midwest area. The publication is a “Chronicler of Vital News, Vibrant Views for Filipino/Asian/Hispanic Americans in Chicagoland.”
5. RADIO JOURNALISM AWARD–BEST REGULAR RADIO PROGRAM ON MIGRATION: BUHAY-BUHAY SA AMERIKA RADIO SHOW (USA) AND LUV2DMAX (Kuwait)
Buhay Buhay sa Amerika is a radio show hosted by Ms. Rhia Luz broadcasting from Entremujeres Radio, a Spanish radio station in Arizona, USA. Its main objective is to promote Philippine culture, traditions, and Filipino heritage by featuring inspiring Pinoy stories, talents, and events.
Luv2DMax airs in Kuwait aired every morning on Pinoy Arabia ME. on Facebook and on the Pinoy Arabia mobile application. Hosted by Ms. Maxxy Santiago, it tackles issues involving OFWs in Kuwait and the Middle East interspersed with OPM hits and showbiz news. The show has evolved into a main source of information and has become a lifeline for numerous distressed OFWs in Kuwait.
6. TELEVISION JOURNALISM AWARD-BEST REGULAR TV PROGRAM ON MIGRATION: KABAYANI TALKS (USA) AND PUSONG PINOY SA AMERIKA (USA)
Hosted by Ms. Jasmine Romero, Kabayani Talks is a talk show on ABS-CBN Global. The show aims to answer overseas Filipino issues and concerns ranging from reintegration, legal and employment queries, and Philippine government initiatives for Filipinos abroad, among others.
Pusong Pinoy sa Amerika is a talk show on GMA Pinoy TV that explores the labyrinths of immigration law. It is hosted by a full-time immigration attorney Lou Tancinco whose goal is to reach out and guide Filipinos on their rights and privileges under the ever-changing immigration system.
7. TELEVISION JOURNALISM AWARD–BEST TV EPISODIC TV PROGRAM ON MIGRATION: “LABAN.DH” FROM I-WITNESS (Philippines) AND “MGA NAGKUKUBLING ANGHEL” FROM REPORTERS’ NOTEBOOK (Philippines)
Hosted by Mr. Howie Severino, “Laban.DH” episode of I-Witness narrates the full-cycle journey of Filipino domestic workers in Kuwait. Propelled by their dreams to seek overseas employment, their vulnerabilities expose them to a life of constant violence on-site and are often faced with difficulties upon their return to the Philippines.
The “Mga Nagkukubling Anghel” episode of the Reporters’ Notebook hosted by Ms. Maki Pulido features the story of children from Filipino parents born in Sabah. These children are not registered with the Malaysian authorities nor have registration documents that officially declare them as Filipino citizens, making them stateless. The children welcome the opportunity to learn from a volunteer teacher despite the clandestine nature of their education.
8. TELEVISION JOURNALISM AWARD–BEST TV SERIES ON MIGRATION: TADHANA (Philippines)
Hosted by Ms. Marian Rivera, Tadhana is a drama anthology show broadcast by GMA Network. It features the colorful, romantic, heroic, challenging, and inspiring stories of overseas Filipino workers from around the world.
9. TELEVISION JOURNALISM AWARD–BEST TV INTERSTITIAL ON MIGRATION: BECOMING PINOY (Philippines) AND LINES AND LETTERS (Philippines)
Becoming Pinoy is a series of interstitials by GMA Pinoy TV that highlights Filipinos who were born of mixed ancestry and raised in different cultures.
Lines and Letters is a digital series by ABS-CBN TFC that evokes inspiring real-life stories of overseas Filipinos. The stories featured are narrated through spoken poetry and visually translated through various hand-art mediums.
10. FILM JOURNALISM AWARD–BEST FULL LENGTH FILM ON MIGRATION: STILL HUMAN (Hong Kong) AND HELLO LOVE, GOODBYE (Philippines)
Still Human chronicles the heart-warming story of Evelyn Santos, a Filipina nursing graduate who went to Hong Kong to provide care for Leung Chong Wing, a former construction worker paralyzed from the chest down as a result of an accident. The two live under the same roof, learn about each other, and develop a bond that would inspire both of them.
Hello Love, Goodbye centers on the love story of Filipino workers in Hong Kong, Joy Fabregas, a domestic worker who is wholly dedicated to support her family in the Philippines, and Ethan Del Rosario, a bartender who is building his permanent life in Hong Kong.
11. FILM JOURNALISM AWARD–BEST DOCUMENTARY ON MIGRATION: IMPRISONED: RAISING MY BABY BEHIND BARS (Philippines)
Imprisoned: Raising My Baby Behind Bars is a true-to-life animated story of a Filipina migrant who was imprisoned for the crime of zina, which is sometimes ironically referred to as “love case” in the Middle East. It exposed the reality of zina laws while shedding light on the unexpected solidarity she found among other mothers who were in prison with her.
12. INTERACTIVE MEDIA AWARD–BEST WEBSITE ON MIGRATION: OBRERO (New Zealand) AND PINOY SEOUL (South Korea)
Obrero (www.obrerofilm.com) is an interactive documentary (i-doc) that tells the story of Filipino rebuild workers migrating to Christchurch, New Zealand after an earthquake in 2011. As a web-formatted documentary project, it offers the audience an innovative and immersive platform that explains, humanizes, and reports the issues and context of Filipino workers’ movement to New Zealand.
Pinoy Seoul (www.pinoyseoul.com) is a media portal dedicated to provide relevant news, updates and other useful information about living in South Korea. With English and Filipino content ranging from local and overseas news to information on migrants’ rights and benefits, it aims to deliver assistance and support to all Filipinos living, working, studying, and visiting South Korea. 
13. INTERACTIVE MEDIA AWARD–BEST BLOG ON MIGRATION: THE GLOBAL CARINDERIA (USA)
The Global Carinderia (www.globalcarinderia.com) explores the farthest-flung reaches of the Filipino diaspora through its restaurants. The author travels in some of the remotest regions of the world, and seeks out the most interesting and inspiring Filipino restaurants in these locales to highlight the diversity of the diaspora.
14. SPECIAL CITATION AWARD–VOICE: POETRY BY YOUTH OF KALIHI (USA)
Voice: Poetry by Youth of Kalihi is a collection of poems written by high school students of Farrington High School, most of whom are recently arrived Filipino immigrants in Hawaii, USA. Written in two parts, the book provides a snapshot of the thoughts and feelings of youth at the edges–children of immigrant families in one of Honolulu’s tough neighborhoods.
This year’s entries were screened and evaluated by the 2019 MAM Awards Committee chaired by CFO Secretary Francisco P. Acosta and CFO Executive Director Astravel Pimentel-Naik, with Ms. Carmelita Nuqui of the Philippine Migrants Rights Watch (PMRW), Dr. Celia Reyes of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), Dr. Edna Co of CIFAL Philippines, Prof. Stella Go of the Philippine Migration Research Network (PMRN), Atty. Tristan De Guzman of the Presidential Communications and Operations Office (PCOO), and Ms. Melinda T. Quiñones of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA).
For more information regarding this press release, please contact the 2019 MAM Awards Secretariat at telephone numbers +632 8-552-4766 to 767 and email mamawards.cfo@gmail.com.