 |
| GMA Public Affairs Senior Program Manager and Creative Producer of “Firefly” Kristian Julao and GMA Network Senior Vice President for Entertainment Group Lilybeth G. Reasonable accepting the awards won by GMA Network at the ContentAsia Awards 2024 (Image Source: GMA Network/ContentAsia) |
Broadcast media giant GMA Network and leading content provider ABS-CBN have earned top honors for the Philippines at the ContentAsia Awards 2024, each taking home three awards, which was held in an awarding ceremony last September 5, 2024 in Taipei, Taiwan during its annual Trendy Taiwan music, arts and innovation festival. The ContentAsia Awards honors outstanding content that provides entertainment and information. Now in its fifth year, it is more committed than ever to recognizing excellence in premium video and TV content. Entries to the ContentAsia Awards are all judged by industry peers with hands-on knowledge of the creative and production process.
Leading the awardees for GMA Network is "Secret Slaves: The Jessica Soho Special Report on Human Trafficking" which won the Gold Award in the Best Current Affairs Programme Made in Asia for Regional Asia and/or International Markets category. Produced by GMA Public Affairs and presented by the country's most awarded broadcast journalist Jessica Soho, the documentary examined the global issue of human trafficking through survivor testimonies and investigative reporting. The critically acclaimed film "Firefly" added another win to its growing list of accolades with a Silver Award in the Best Asian Feature Film/Telemovie category. Produced by GMA Pictures and GMA Public Affairs, the film is about a young boy who searches for the mythical island of fireflies described in his mother's bedtime stories. The 2024 Metro Manila Film Festival and Manila International Film Festival Best Picture starred Euwenn Mikaell and Alessandra de Rossi and was directed by Zig Dulay. Winning the Bronze Award in the Best Variety Programme category is "All-Out Sundays", the Sunday noontime musical variety show is known for its non-stop entertainment, giving Kapuso viewers dynamic musical performances and fun games led by various Kapuso talents. GMA Network Senior Vice President for Entertainment Group Lilybeth G. Reasonable and GMA Public Affairs Senior Program Manager and Creative Producer of “Firefly” Kristian Julao proudly accepted the awards on behalf of GMA Network.
 |
| (L-R) Kaila Estrada, ContentAsia Awards 2024 Best Male Lead in a TV Programme/Series Gold Awardee Arjo Atayde, "Zoomers" Creative Producer Theodore Boborol accepting the Best Asian Short-Form Drama/Series Gold award for ABS-CBN Studios' digital youth-oriented show, Kim Chiu (Image Source: ABS-CBN Corporation/ContentAsia) |
ABS-CBN’s Studios’ digital youth-oriented show “Zoomers" headlined by Criza Taa, Harvey Bautista, and other young Kapamilya stars won as the Best Asian Short-Form Drama/Series which was accepted by the show’s creative producer Theodore Boborol. "Zoomers" evolves around the lives of senior high students who have forged a special bond of friendship during the pandemic. As they find their footing in this post-pandemic reality, their friendship will be tested as they will be challenged by their own pains, struggles, and dreams. In its second season, they spend their last summer together before they head to college but more problems will arise and they will still have to hold on to each other while dealing with the mysterious man named Lone Wolf haunting them. Both seasons are now available on-demand worldwide for free on ABS-CBN Entertainment's YouTube channel. Meanwhile, actor and Quezon City 1st District Representative Arjo Atayde emerged as the Best Male Lead in a TV Programme/Series for his performance as Anton dela Rosa in “Cattleya Killer", a Filipino crime-thriller series from ABS-CBN and Nathan Studios which premiered globally on Prime Video last June 1, 2023. Directed by Dan Villegas and written by Dodo Dayao, it revolves around a murder investigation linked to an old case involving a notorious serial killer. The series blends suspense, mystery, and psychological drama, delving into the dark secrets of the characters and their connections to the murders. The series has gained worldwide acclaim for its gripping plot, high production value, and strong performances, especially Arjo’s, positioning it as one of the most significant Filipino crime dramas in recent years.
 |
| Arjo Atayde accepting the Best Male Lead in a TV Programme/Series Gold trophy during the ContentAsia Awards 2024 (Image Source: ABS-CBN Corporation/ContentAsia) |
Arjo expressed his heartfelt gratitude to everyone who helped make his victory possible in his acceptance speech, saying, “Thank you to everyone. I’m forever indebted to all the actors that I work with, to the people behind the camera, to everyone who’s helped me be here, gather all this power to actually pull through this good series.” Arjo continued by expressing appreciation for his family’s support, especially his wife Maine Mendoza. He gushed, “It’s my first time in Taipei, this is such a reward for a first time here. Last but not the least, my family. Thank you so much to my family for supporting so much, to my wife who understands so much of the hard work that we have to pull through to be able to do this.” He also acknowledged the support his ABS-CBN family gave him as he worked on the show, saying, "To ABS-CBN, Tita Cory Vidanes, Sir Carlo Katigbak, and of course, to Sir Ruel Bayani, thank you so much for this opportunity. To the Filipinos, to ABS-CBN, maraming, maraming salamat po." Arjo’s performance and portrayal in Cattleya Killer beat out captivated both audiences and critics with his nuanced take on Anton dela Rosa ultimately securing him the prestigious award. This win is just the latest in a string of international accolades for Arjo following his 2020 Best Actor win at the Asian Academy Creative Awards for his role in Bagman where he portrayed a barber entangled in the dangerous world of politics. That award made him the first Filipino to win at the region’s most prestigious platform for creative excellence.
Star Cinema’s “A Very Good Girl,” starring Kathryn Bernardo and Dolly de Leon, clinched the Bronze for Best Asian Feature Film/Telemovie. The dark comedy thriller film directed by Petersen Vargas garnered a total worldwide box-office gross of over Php100M and was premiered on the global streaming service Netflix last December 2023 following its theatrical release in the Philippines and the United States. Also bagging top honors for the Philippines is People's Television Network Inc. (PTV-4)'s sports documentary series "Masters Of The Games" which won Bronze for Best Sports Magazine Programme. On the other hand, “Linlang” stars Kim Chiu and Kaila Estrada, who were nominated for Best Female Lead in a TV Programme/Series and Best Supporting Actress in a TV Programme/Series, presented the awards for Best Asian Drama Series Made for a Regional/International Market and Best Drama Series for a Single Market in Asia, respectively.
