CELEBRITY WORLD PH
By Crispina M. Belen
Jessica Soho Earns Global Nominations for Hard-Hitting Investigative Documentaries
Following her recent win at the ContentAsia Awards for the documentary "Secret Slaves," celebrated GMA Public Affairs host Jessica Soho is once again set to represent the Philippines on the global stage. She has been nominated for the prestigious 2024 Association for International Broadcasting (AIBs) Awards in London for the "Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (KMJS)" episode titled "Minahan sa Homonhon Island" (Nickel and Dime: The Cost of Mining in Homonhon Island)
The episode, which aired earlier this year, is nominated in the AIBs' Sustainability category. It investigates the damaging effects of large-scale mining on Homonhon Island in Guiuan, Eastern Samar, and sparked conversations online after Soho personally traveled to the island to explore the issue.
Expressing her gratitude for the nomination, Soho dedicated the recognition to the people of Homonhon Island, acknowledging their role in bringing attention to their ongoing struggle. "We would like to give back the honor to the people of Homonhon Island in Eastern Samar. They were the ones who called our attention to their plight—how their beautiful and historic island is being devastated by several large-scale mining operations for ore and nickel," Soho shared.
"These minerals primarily serve the foreign market, and yet, the residents continue to question why, despite claims that mining brings wealth and development, most of them remain poor while their island is slowly being destroyed. A story can only do so much, but we believe that by recognizing our work, AIB is helping us amplify the voices that need to be heard. Thank you," she added.
Soho's program is up against entries from global media giants such as Al Jazeera English, CBC/Radio Canada, and a report by Anderson Cooper from CNN Worldwide.
The AIBs honor excellence in journalism and factual programming across television, radio, and digital platforms. Just being shortlisted is already an achievement, especially given the fierce competition this year, with over 400 hours of content submitted by 80 companies from 16 countries.
The winners will be announced on November 22, 2024, at IET London: Savoy Place.
Earlier this month, another of Soho's works received international acclaim.
At the 2024 ContentAsia Awards, the documentary "Secret Slaves," co-presented by Soho alongside Emil Sumangil and John Consulta, won the award for Best Current Affairs Programme Made in Asia for Regional Asia and/or International Markets.
The documentary uncovered various forms of human trafficking, including victims of cyber scams and online gaming operations both within and outside the country.
"We are very proud of 'Secret Slaves,' a product of our team's dedication to exposing the illegal operations of Scam Cities or Cybercrime Hubs," Soho remarked.
"It is groundbreaking because, long before Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGOs) were scrutinized by lawmakers for illegal activities like human trafficking, our team had already uncovered how these operations worked abroad. The operators lured foreign workers, including Filipinos, with promises of high-paying jobs, only to coerce and torture them into participating in global scam operations. Thank you, ContentAsia, for recognizing our work and the importance of good journalism," she added.
These accolades solidify Soho's status as one of Asia's leading investigative journalists, with her team's work continuing to amplify marginalized voices.
Soho's impactful reports coincide with the 20th anniversary of "Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho" this November.
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