OFWs pick GMA News Online again as their favorite news website

For the second consecutive year, GMA News Online was chosen by overseas Filipino workers as their most preferred news website.

GMA News Online received the most number of online and text votes from OFWs in different parts of the world and their families in the Philippines, according to Ma. Fe Nicodemus, chairperson of Kapisanan ng mga Kamag-anak at Migranteng Manggagawang Pilipino, Inc. (KAKAMMPI).

“OFW choice ito, sila ang nag-choose, nagbotohan. Tinanong namin yung mga affiliate group at ka-link namin sa ibang bansa at lumabas na gusto nila at nire-recommend yung content ng GMA News Online dahil balanse, reader-friendly, updated at fresh na fresh,” she said in a phone interview Thursday

“Pro-OFW rin yung mga storya nyo kasi yung iba sinisisi pa yung mga OFWs e. Hindi rin pangit ang istoryang nababasa at kalmado, hindi yung nananakot. Madali ring intindihin ng mga ordinaryong tao,” she added.

Nicodemus said among the articles OFWs are looking forward in the "Pinoy Abroad" section of GMA News Online are the tips and OFW guide.

Aside from news about OFW issues, Pinoy Abroad also posts content related to Filipino achievers overseas as well as self-help articles that Pinoys far from home can use. It also publishes articles by overseas content partners.

Nicodemus added that KAKAMMPI is also linking the stories posted on GMA News Online to their blog site.

“Ginagamit naming materials ang news sa GMA News Online sa mga write up,” she said.

The news website first received the OFW Gawad Parangal in 2012.

KAKAMMPI said OFW Gawad Parangal is their way of thanking individuals, groups and organizations, who unselfishly share their time, skills and resources for OFWs in need. Through this, it hopes to contribute its efforts in creating and nurturing a culture of care and concern for the Philippines' modern-day heroes whose remittances have, for the longest time, kept our economy afloat.

It gave the award “in grateful recognition of their meritorious leadership in advancing the welfare and human dignity of overseas Filipino workers” to GMA News Online Wednesday night, during the celebration of the International Migrants Day.

The award was received by Pinoy Abroad section editor Karl Kaufmann, who took the helm from Veronica Pulumbarit in 2013.

Vernie, as she is called by friends, spent three years as editor of the website's popular Pinoy Abroad section, developing many of its present components. She left the section on August 31 of this year in good hands, as Kaufman has been a veteran editor at the site since 2008.

“Thank you to KAKAMMPI for the honor they have given to the Pinoy Abroad section of GMA News Online. We are very grateful for the recognition they have given us and we hope we can continue doing good service,” Pulumbarit said in an interview on Thursday.

For his part, Howie Severino, GMA News Online editor-in-chief, said: "We take quiet pride in our commitment to covering the overseas Pinoy community. Half of our online audience is abroad, and many of those are hard-working, homesick OFWs who crave relevant information about the Philippines.Our staff put in many hours and much effort to produce it."

Other awardees were: