MANILA, Philippines - GMA 7 News and Public Affairs bagged five medals, with Kapuso director Louie Ignacio winning the sixth medal, at the New York Festivals, held on Feb. 1.

?Reporter?s Notebook? (RN) hosts Maki Pulido and Jiggy Manicad shared a Gold World medal for the episode ?Batang Kalakal.?

?I-Witness? (IW) host Sandra Aguinaldo won a Silver World Medal for ?Iskul Ko, No. 1?; cohost Howie Severino also won a Silver for ?Huling Hala Bira.?

?Emergency? host Arnold Clavio received the UNDPI Bronze medal for ?Mga Batang Nagsusunog.? Clavio?s award was given by the United Nations Department of Public Information.

Reporter Jun Veneracion won a Bronze Medal for ?Engkuwentro,? aired on RN.

Lastly, ?SOP,? ?Pinoy Idol? and ?Sis? director Louie Ignacio won a Gold World Medal for the ?Power to Unite? music video, which was produced by Elvira Go for the National Bible Quiz Inc.

?Although it wasn?t produced by the network, I am very grateful to GMA 7 News and Public Affairs for providing the footage we used,? Ignacio told Inquirer Entertainment in a phone interview before his flight to New York on Wednesday. ?It?s the first time for a Filipino to win in the Entertainment category.?

Ignacio, Manicad, Pulido, Aguinaldo, Clavio, Veneracion, along with executive producers Johnson Tam of RN and Ella Evangelista of IW, traveled to Manhattan to personally accept the awards at the gala held at the Tribeca Rooftop on Friday.

GMA 7 and QTV merited an unprecedented 14 nominations in this year?s festival.

Other finalists include QTV?s ?At Your Service, Star Power,? ?Sana?y Muling Makapiling? and ?Sapulso,? and GMA 7?s ?Art Angel,? ?Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho? and ?Tok! Tok! Tok! Isang Milyon Pasok!?

?GMA has never had [14] nominations before at the NY fest,? said Nessa Valdellon, vice president for Public Affairs. ?No local network has brought home five medals. It?s an unexpected blessing.?

Bong Osorio, ABS-CBN Corporate Communications head, told the Inquirer that the Kapamilya network won a Silver for Broadcast Promotion for ?Boto Mo, Ipatrol Mo.?