As part of its milestone 25th anniversary celebration, GMA Network's flagship and acclaimed documentary program, "I-Witness," gathered students from various schools for an insightful and inspiring talk session dubbed "i-25: The I-Witness Talks" on August 20 at the Blessed Frassati Auditorium of the University of Santo Tomas.

I-Witness' esteemed hosts, Kara David, Howie Severino, Atom Araullo, Mav Gonzales, and John Consulta, inspired the audience by sharing their remarkable experiences as documentarists, giving the attendees helpful advice to help them as they move forward in their chosen path.

David shared the fulfillment she feels writing her own scripts and reminded all the aspiring documentarists that they have the power in their hands because the stories they create are powerful. I-Witness hosts (from left) John Consulta, Atom Araullo, Howie Severino, Kara David and Mav Gonzales PHOTO FROM FACEBOOK/I-WITNESS

She likewise imparted one of the lessons that has made a significant impact on her as a journalist, "Noong pumasok ako sa GMA, ang aking ama na nasa midya rin dati, may bilin sa'kin. Ang bilin niya sa'kin, 'pag gagawa ka ng storya, 'wag mong kalilimutan ito: You are not the story. You are the storyteller. 'Wag mong gagawing ikaw ang bida. It's never about you, it's about the people you interview."

(When I joined GMA, my father, who was also in the media before, gave me some advice. His advice to me was, 'When you're creating a story, never forget this: You are not the story. You are the storyteller. Don't make yourself the main character. It's never about you; it's about the people you interview.') As a veteran journalist, Severino humbly narrated his early beginnings in the industry and inspired the students that they could all become documentarists in their own ways.

"Documenting is important. Documenting things is very fulfilling. I never stopped documenting, not just for television, but for family – taking pictures, taking videos, etc. So even if you don't end up in GMA or I-Witness, you can still be the documentarist of your family, and you can be a good one if you put your minds to it," he reiterated.

Araullo, meanwhile, showcased a few of the remarkable stories he made for I-Witness and highlighted the importance and impact of the duty of bearing witness to people's lives.

"This privilege of telling stories makes all of the risks worth it. No one documentary will change the world. Pero naniniwala ako na kapag tama ang ating pagkukuwento, malaki ang kapangyarihan nito para imulat ang mga tao at unti-unting itulak ang kasaysayan sa tamang direksyon (But I believe that when we tell our stories correctly, it has the power to open people's eyes and gradually steer history in the right direction)," he shared.

As one of the newest hosts of I-Witness, Gonzales shared that it has always been her dream to be part of I-Witness. She also took the opportunity to advise aspiring journalists who want to tell meaningful stories by producing or hosting documentaries.

"Hangga't maaari, kung gagawa ka ng dokumentaryo, 'yung mayroong konkretong impact sa lipunan. Minsan kasi iniisip natin inspirational lang 'yung mga documentaries (As much as possible, when you create a documentary, it should have a concrete impact on society. Sometimes we think that documentaries are just meant to be inspirational), but sometimes the inspirational translates into something that is tangible. And that's what we always aim to do if we are doing a story," she stressed.

Like Gonzales, Consulta joined I-Witness last year. During his talk, Consulta shared his experiences on controversial coverages and advised aspiring journalists to always use their voices while upholding justice and fairness. Kara David Howie Severino Mav Gonzales Atom Araullo John Consulta

"Naniniwala ako, ang docu, tulay para magkaboses ang mga mamamayan, mas maging mulat ang mga manonood sa mga napapanahong isyu, at ito ay daan sa mga makabuluhang pagbabago. Ang docu o storya ay may kapangyarihang magbago, very powerful 'yan, kung gagamitin lamang po ng tama," he said.

(I believe that documentaries serve as a bridge for giving people a voice, making viewers more aware of current issues, and paving the way for meaningful change. A documentary or story has the power to create change; it's very powerful if used correctly).

After the talk session, students were given the opportunity to ask their questions through an open forum. They were also given the chance to meet the I-Witness hosts during the meet-and-greet session.

"i-25: The I-Witness Talks" was hosted by Sparkle artist Rain Matienzo.

First aired on Philippine television in 1999, I-Witness was hosted by a roster of the finest journalists in Philippine media, including Jessica Soho, Vicky Morales, Cheche Lazaro, Luchi-Cruz Valdes, and the late Mike Enriquez.

For more than two decades, the GMA Public Affairs show continues to reap awards here and abroad, which include two George Foster Peabody Awards, multiple New York Festivals world medals, Asian TV Awards, Asia-Pacific Child Rights Awards, and finalist status at the Emmy Awards, among others.

Catch "I-Witness" every Saturday at 10:15 p.m. on GMA. Global Pinoys can watch it via the international channel GMA Pinoy TV.

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