In 1999, Jessica Soho and other pathfinders at GMA-7, led by Marissa Flores, began a thought experiment, wondering if Filipino audiences were ready for a long-form documentary show that featured more in-depth discussions of issues they were used to seeing in the news.

This gave birth to I-Witness, a pioneer in TV documentaries that became the most-awarded documentary program in the Philippines. As it marks its 25th year in 2024, I-Witness has also become the longest-running Public Affairs program in the country – a remarkable feat in a highly competitive industry.

I-Witness has flourished for so long because it refuses to see itself simply as a “legacy show,” with some of the most illustrious names in Philippine broadcasting associated with it through the years. Jessica Soho, Mike Enriquez, Mel Tiangco, Jay Taruc, Sandra Aguinaldo, Cheche Lazaro, Luchi Cruz-Valdes, Vicky Morales, and other icons all cut their teeth in I-Witness productions before or while hosting their own shows.

Leading producers and directors have received cutting-edge training on the show during their career journeys. I-Witness longevity, fame, and many awards prove the risk has paid off beyond their dreams. It is the only Philippine TV program to receive two George Foster Peabody awards, multiple New York Festivals World Medals, Asian TV Awards, Asia-Pacific Child Rights Awards, and an Emmy nomination.

More importantly, I-Witness continues to produce groundbreaking, compelling, and life-changing stories. It has thrived by being a forward-looking legacy show, blazing trails while staying true to journalism’s bedrock values.

In its milestone year, I-Witness aired a special documentary series featuring powerful and uncommon stories of community heroism and selfless people on a mission. With their respective teams, program hosts Kara David, Howie Severino, Atom Araullo, John Consulta, and Mav Gonzales venture far and wide — from Mindoro to Sulu — to bring home genuine sagas of gallantry.

These include stories of upland people who have protected eagles for decades (Atom Araullo’s “Kabilin sa Panapatan” or “Eternal Gift to People”), a Mangyan youth who trudges long trails to help village children get their birth certificates (Howie Severino’s “Sa Ngalan ng Pangalan” or “In Honor of Thy Name”), coaches who train competitive swimmers on a remote island aspiring to bring glory to their neglected place (Mav Gonzales’ “Swim for Gold”), a doctor to the barrio who travels by boat to attend to the medical needs of a remote town (John Consulta’s “Doctor on Boat”), and Indigenous Peoples in Mindanao who help victims of their fellow tribe members to speak up and file charges against their perpetrators (Kara David’s “Kapalit ng Katahimikan” or “The Price of Silence”).

These special anniversary episodes will air all Saturday, beginning Sept. 14 until Oct. 12 on GMA.

Further, I-Witness is shown in classrooms and movie theaters, assigned as supplementary education content, and remains timely and relevant online long after the stories air on television.

25 years and going strong, I-Witness is a legacy that keeps giving. Catch I-Witness every Saturday at 10:15 p.m. on GMA. Global Pinoys can watch it via the international channel GMA Pinoy TV.