Meet The 2023 PCS Board Directors
Elena E. Pernia
President
DR. ELENA "NENY" E. PERNIA is a retired Professor of Communication of the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication (UP-CMC) where she served as Dean twice, from 2006 to 2009 and from August 2015 to January 2019. She was Vice-President for Public Affairs of the University of the Philippines System from January 2019 to February 2023. With over 35 years in communication/media education and research, Dr. Pernia was with the faculty of the UP-CMC’s Department of Communication Research, with the rank of Professor 12.. An ardent believer in communicating correct science, she has led various projects that seek to mainstream S&T into the public consciousness and the nation’s development policy. An evaluation specialist, she consults on projects related to media effects, strategic communication planning and evaluation, and development communication. Her recent research include health communication and technology-mediated teaching and learning. She has produced creative works to address health/COVID-19 literacy, disinformation and historical revisionism. She has authored several books, including Communication Research in the Philippines: Issues and Methods. In November 2017, Dr. Pernia was appointed to the UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines. She has served on the boards of local and international professional communication organizations. From 2012 to 2018, she headed the National Communication Research Conference. Prof. Pernia was the Press Ombudsman or Readers’ Advocate at the Philippine Daily Inquirer (2012-2016).
Leonor L. Hernando
Vice President
LEONOR "LENIE" C. LOPEZ-HERNANDO is currently a lecturer at the Department of Communication at Ateneo de Manila University and Trinity University of Asia. After a decade of working as the TV and Radio Commercial Unit Head for Associated Broadcasting Company Channel 5, now known as TV-5, she decided to switch careers to teaching. She is a graduate of Bachelor of Mass Communication from Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, Master of Arts in Communication Arts from Ateneo de Manila University, and Doctor of Philosophy in Communication from University of the Philippines, Diliman. Her areas of research interest are media, organizational communication, social development, risk and disaster management, family, and gender.
Christine R. Cox
Secretary
CHRISTINE ANNE "TIN" R. COX is a full-time instructor at the Department of Communication of Ateneo de Manila University, teaching courses in media studies, gender, social change and communication theory and research. She obtained a Liberal Arts degree with a specialization in communication from the University of Asia and the Pacific, a Master of Arts in Communication from the Ateneo de Manila University and a PhD in Communication from the University of Philippines Diliman. Her research interests include media and cultural studies, popular culture, development and social justice, and communication technology research.
Gina D. Lumauig
Asst. Secretary
GINA D. LUMAUIG is a writer and Communications professional with an extensive experience in public relations, media relations, & events management. She has worked with academe, non-government organizations, entrepreneurs, and corporations, helping build their brands through different communication strategies. She was the president of the UP College of Mass Communication Alumni Association from 2011-2013, and served as executive director of the UP CMC Foundation, Inc.
Jonalou S. Labor
Treasurer
Dr. JONALOU "JUNEL" S. LABOR is an associate professor at the Department of Communication Research at the UP College of Mass Communication (UP CMC). His research interests include communication and technology, mediated LGBTQ+ realities, health communication, and risk/ disaster communication. He co-leads the Filipino Communication Experience Laboratory at the UP CMC. He holds a PhD in Communication. He is also a research fellow at the UP Resiliency Institute. At UP Diliman, he serves as the Director of the Office of Research and Publications of the UP College of Mass Communication. Dr. Labor is the Managing Editor of the Plaridel Journal of Communication, Media, and Society. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of the Philippines Communication Society (PCS) Review. Dr. Labor has been awarded as one of the 2021 Distinguished Alumni of UP Los Baños and the 2023 Outstanding Senior Faculty Member of the UP College of Mass Communication.
Flordeliz L. Abanto
Asst. Treasurer
FLORDELIZ "LIZ" L. ABANTO teaches at the St. Scholastica’s College in Manila whose Communication Department she chaired from 2008 to 2010. She was the president of the Philippine Association of Communication Educators Foundation Inc. (PACE) from 2008-2010 and is a core member of the Philippine Academic Society for Climate and Disaster Resilience. She obtained her AB degree in Broadcasting from the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication (UPCMC) in Diliman, and her MA degree in Communication from Bangkok University, Thailand. She trained in Educational Broadcasting at the South Carolina Educational TV, USA. She is the executive producer and co-host of the multi-awarded Cultural Center of the Philippines and DZRH radio program, Sugpuin ang Korupsyon–Walang Kukurap (Fight Corruption–Be Vigilant).
Christian Samonte
Auditor
CHRISTIAN JAYCEE "CJ" SAMONTE is currently a Market Intelligence Specialist at Organic Intelligence Consulting, Inc. He is a market research professional with more than 7 years of experience in academia and marketing communications agency work. He graduated with a degree in communication from Letran Manila. He has handled academic and practical qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method research over the years. He also has several research publications in local and international journals. Currently, he is pursuing his MA degree in Speech Communication at the University of the Philippines, Diliman. He is also a part-time college instructor and teaches communication research and theory classes in a state university.
Felipe Salvosa II
Public Affairs Officer
FELIPE "IPE" F. SALVOSA II heads the Journalism Program of the University of Santo Tomas (UST) in Manila. At the same time, he is a researcher under the UST Research Center for Culture, Arts and the Humanities. Mr. Salvosa is formerly head of research and associate editor of BusinessWorld, managing editor of the Manila Times, a researcher for the Financial Times Group of London, and publications chief of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies. Mr. Salvosa is a director of the Philippines Communication Society and vice president of the Journalism Studies Association of the Philippines.
Rommel Lopez
Asst. Public Affairs Officer
ROMERO "ROMMEL" F. LOPEZ is the Associate Editor, and a fact-checker/data journalist of PressOne.PH, one of 5 organizations in the country accredited by the International Fact Checking Network. He has been a freelance journalist covering the religion and politics beat since 2009 prior to joining PressOne.ph. He is also a contributing reporter for Philstar.com, CBCP News and CBCP Monitor. He has spoken in various seminars and workshops in journalism and Media and Information Literacy such as a resource speaker for the 2017 and 2018 Jefferson Fellowship of the East-West Center of Honolulu, Hawaii. He was one of the first fellows of the Philippine Fact Checker Incubator program of Internews held in September 2021. He is also one of the first fellows to the Philippines Environmental Data Journalism Academy by Thibi and Internews Earth Journalism Academy for 2023. Prior to his full time return to journalism, he worked in the Public Relations, Digital Marketing and Development Communication fields in various government and private companies like the Land Bank of the Philippines, Allied Botanical Corporation, the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Knowledge Channel Foundation. He is an adjunct faculty at the undergraduate programs of the De La Salle University - Dasmariñas and the University of Nueva Caceres - Bataan and in the graduate programs of the University of Santo Tomas and the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication. He finished his Master of Communication Management at the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication.
Lourdes M. Portus
Board Director
DR. LOURDES "ODETTE" M. PORTUS is the Executive Director of the Philippine Social Science Council. She served as PSSC Chair and Vice Chair prior to becoming PSSC’s ED. She was a Professor of the College of Mass Communication (CMC), University of the Philippines, specializing on communication research. She also served as the Special Assistant to the President of UP, as a College Secretary and as Chair of the Communication Research Department. Dr Portus has had two decades of managing development projects with NGOs (Philippine Business for Social Progress and Catholic Relief Services) prior to joining the academe. Outside of the academe, she served President of the Philippines Communication Society, and was Secretary of the CMC Foundation, Inc., the Philippine Association of Communication Educators and the CMC Alumni Association. She has edited and published books and chapters in refereed journals locally and internationally and has delivered academic papers in more than 20 countries. Her latest publication with co-authors from the Philippine Social Science Council is, “Doing Social Science Research: A Guidebook” is the highest -selling book of PSSC.
Jervis T. Manahan
Board Director
JERVIS MANAHAN is a broadcast journalist in ABSCBN News. He's been covering disasters, agriculture, and social welfare. Jervis has worked in the television industry for the past 10 years. He also teaches broadcast media subjects at the Trinity University of Asia and is an active advocate of media literacy.
Arminda Santiago
Board Director
DR. ARMINDA "ARMI" VALLEJO SANTIAGO is a tenured faculty member and the immediate past Dean (2019-2022) of the College of Mass Communication University of the Philippines in Diliman (UP-CMC). She is an affiliate faculty member of the Faculty of Information and Communication Studies serving in the Doctor of Communication Program of the University of the Philippines Open University. She served as Visiting Professor at the Universiti Utara Malaysia's School of Multimedia Technology and Communication from 2014-2016. Dr. Santiago is the immediate past Editor-In-Chief of the Plaridel Journal, A Philippine Journal of Communication, Media, and Society. She is the immediate past President of the U.P. College of Mass Communication Foundation, Incorporated (UPCMCFI). She is the Director for Education and Research of TVUP, the Internet Television Station of the University of the Philippines System. Outside the academe and at present, Dr. Santiago is a member of the Fulbright-Hayes Scholars’ Alumni Association. She is a member of the Board of the following organizations: the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication Foundation, Inc. (UPCMCFI), the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication Alumni Association (UPCMCAA), and the Philippines Communication Society (PCS).
Nef T. Luczon
Board Director
NEF T. LUCZON is a reporter at the State-run Philippine News Agency, who also oversees Cagayan de Oro City, covering Northern Mindanao Region, as the Bureau Chief. He started his career as a journalist starting as a correspondent in one of Davao City’s oldest newspapers, the Mindanao Times, and other radio stations, then later worked for Manila Bulletin, and GMA Network Cagayan de Oro. He also once served as social media specialist and officer-in-charge editor at the defunct Sun Star Cagayan de Oro. He is a graduate of Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication at the University of Mindanao. He finished both Master of Development Communication and Doctor of Communication at the University of the Philippines-Open University. He also made some films, mostly documentaries. In other organizations, he serves as member of the Board of Director both in the Cagayan de Oro Press Club (COPC), Philippines' oldest press club founded in 1951, including its continuing educational arm, the COPC Journalism Institute. He was once part of the Board of Trustee in the Philippine Association of Communication Educators.
Hemmady S. Mora
Board Director
DR. HEMMADY S. MORA is currently the Dean of the College of Communication of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. She is also served as PUP chairperson of the Department of Journalism (2017-2021) and a course specialist at the Open University Broadcast Communication program of PUP. She is an international lecturer and trainer for MIL and Journalism Studies and a special correspondent and online writer/consultant. Dr. Mora has lectured on Media and Information Literacy and Citizen Journalism in the University of Vienna, Austria (2017), at Amikom University, Indonesia (2018) and Chandigarh University, India (2018). She was also a recipient of the accelerated Haggai Leadership Experience (HLE) last 2019 in Maui, Hawaii, USA. She also serves as online columnist at The Manila Express and writer-contributor for The Daily Tribune. She also served as judge in the 2019 Golden Dove Awards and currently chairs the public image committee of the Rotary Club of Central Diliman.