CFO to Honor 19 Outstanding Advocates and Media Works on Migration

The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) congratulates the 19 winners of the 2021 Migration Advocacy and Media (MAM) Awards!

Winners of the 2021 MAM Awards will be honored by the CFO in a blended ceremony in January 2022 with CFO Secretary Francisco P. Acosta presiding.

This year’s winners were selected for raising public awareness of issues on Filipino migration, advocating for Filipinos overseas, and/or promoting a positive image of overseas Filipinos despite the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. A new category— Media Advocate was also introduced this year to laud Filipino media migration personalities around the globe.

The 2021 MAM Awards winners are:

1. Print Journalism Award- Best Book (Non-Fiction/Guide) – Bridging the Gap: A Young People’s Guide to Living in Japan (Japan) by Kakehashi, in partnership with the Sasakawa Peace Foundation.

2. Print Journalism Award- Best Book (Non-Fiction/Anthology) – The Diaspora Journey: Stories of Migration in Hong Kong (Hong Kong), by Leila Rispens-Noel, Joy Tadios Arenas, Heda Bayron, Cindy Wong (Hong Kong), is an anthology of 32 stories of success in overcoming struggles of Filipino migrant workers in Hong Kong.

3. Print Journalism Award- Best Book (Non-Fiction/Reference) – Kain na Kabayan: The Kusina ni Kabayan Philippine Cookbook (China) by Kusina ni Kabayan, Perlita Pengson, Armando Peñafuente III is the first-ever culinary publication produced by KnK Filipino volunteers in Beijing.

4. Print Journalism Award- Best Book (Fiction) – Imelda’s Secret (USA) by Liza Gino is a historical fiction novel about the experiences of young girls and women who were abducted and forced into sexual slavery during World War II. They were known as “Comfort Women.”

5. Print Journalism Award- Best Magazine – Roots & Wings (Switzerland), with Elizabeth von Atzigen, as Editor in Chief, is the Filipino e-magazine in Europe.

6. Radio Journalism Award-Best Regular Radio Program – Pinoy Life (Hong Kong) hosted by Aileen Lozano and Ron Lacson and airs on Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) Radio 3 / AM 567, Sunday 04:00 PM to 06:00 PM (HK).

7. Television Journalism Award-Best Regular TV Program – So Jannelle TV (USA) hosted and produced by Jannelle So-Perkins for The Filipino Channel (TFC), KNET Channel 25.5 Southern California, ANC North America, YouTube.com/ SoJannelleTV.

8. Television Journalism Award-Best Episodic TV Program – Maalaala Mo Kaya: Saudi Survivor, “Tubig” (Philippines) by ABS-CBN and directed by Ruel Naval with Mae Rose Balanay-Batacan as the writer.

9. Television Journalism Award-Best TV Special – Entrepinoy Abroad (Philippines) by GMA Pinoy TV and produced by Gerald B. Vista, EntrePinoy Abroad is an original work by GMA Pinoy TV that highlights the stories of Filipinos abroad who, despite the challenges, boldly put up their businesses in a foreign land.

10. Television Journalism Award-Best Interstitial – Global Pinoy Unlimited (Philippines) by GMA Pinoy TV with Cheri Domingo as overall in-charge, the show has aired weekly since 2020. 11. Film Media Award- Best Full-Length Film – Lingua Franca (USA) directed by Isabel Sandoval, is the story of Olivia, an undocumented Filipino transwoman who works as a caregiver for Olga, an elderly Russian woman in Brooklyn’s Brighton Beach.

12. Film Media Award- Best Documentary – Kontra Corona Docuseries (United Kingdom) hosted by Rose Eclarinal, Gene Alcantara, and Crystal Dias. 13. Interactive Media Award-Best Website – Filipino-Japanese Journal (Japan) by Florenda Corpuz is a website that has been a source of information, particularly for Filipinos in Japan, for the past 10 years.

14. Interactive Media Award-Best Vlog – rrdancel (Canada) by Rachel Dancel.

15. Media Advocate Award – Karen Remo (UAE), Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of New Perspective Media (NPM), a group of media and marketing agencies based in Dubai with four offices in the Middle East and Asia Pacific.

16. Media Advocate Award – Buena Bernal (Philippines), a multi-platform enterprising journalist of Channel News Asia with a decade of field reporting experience.

17. Media Advocate Award – Nash Ang (South Korea) is a Filipino actor-director based in Seoul, South Korea, and California, USA.

18. Media Advocate Award – Annalisa Burgos (USA) is an international news anchor, Asia correspondent, and freelance content creator with 20 years of experience in news, business, and lifestyle reporting, producing and news anchoring across Asia and the United States, including Singapore, New York City, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles.

19. Media Advocate Award – Rhia Luz (USA) is the pioneering figure and host of Buhay Buhay sa Amerika, a Filipino radio show with an online presence based in Phoenix, Arizona, USA.

This year’s entries were selected by the MAM Awards Panel of Judges chaired by CFO Acting Executive Director Atty. Wendell Dimaculangan. Panel members were Philippine Migrants Rights Watch (PMRW) Vice-Chair Carmelita Nuqui, Philippine Migration Research Network (PMRN) Convener Prof. Stella Go, Presidential Communications and Operations Office (PCOO) Director Atty. Tristan De Guzman, Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences Awards (FAMAS) President Francia C. Conrado, and Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Director Karl Louie B. Fajardo.

The MAM Awards were conceived in 2011 by the CFO to recognize the significant role of the media in information dissemination and advocacy of migration and development. Since its launch, a total of 80 media reports, productions, and advocates from 18 countries, including the Philippines, have received the award.

For more information on the MAM Awards 2021 winners, please contact the MAM Awards Secretariat at telephone numbers +632 8-552-4766 to 767 and email mamawards.cfo@gmail.com