GMA's Public Affairs division was established in 1987[1] when Tina Monzon-Palma, then head of GMA News, recognized that a 30-minute newscast was not adequate and sufficient to inform the general Filipino public on what is happening to the recently established Aquino government after the historic People Power Revolution[2] in February 1986.

[1] From a makeshift and improvised set, the once GMA News and Public Affairs garnered several honors and recognitions from local and international award-giving bodies, including two gold medals in the New York Festivals and their first Peabody Award in 1999.

In 1999, George Foster Peabody Award recognized the documentaries "Kidneys for Sale" and "Kamao" by Jessica Soho and the I-Witness team and Jay Taruc's child labor story on Brigada Siete.

[10] In 2010, Kara David's I-Witness documentary, "Ambulansiyang de Paa," won GMA News and Public Affairs second Peabody Award.

[8] GMA News TV's documentary program Reel Time's "Salat" episode received a Peabody Award in 2013.