Christine Anne R. Cox, PhD
Ateneo de Manila University
Abstract
In this conversation, Dr Elena “Neny” Pernia reflects on a lifetime in communication scholarship and institutional building: her entry into the field, mentorship under Dr Gloria Feliciano, early World Bank and UNDP projects, the growth of the College of Mass Communication in Diliman, and her leadership in the Philippines Communication Society (PCS). Neny has more than three decades of leadership in communication and media education, research, planning, and evaluation. Throughout her career, she has worked to strengthen the capacities of students, local governments, health professionals, and civil society groups to design, implement, and assess their own communication initiatives. A strong advocate of communicating accurate science, she has spearheaded numerous projects aimed at mainstreaming science and technology into public consciousness and national development policy. Having served as Vice President for Public Affairs of the University of the Philippines System and Dean and Professor at the UP College of Mass Communication (UPCMC), her professional experience also extends beyond academe: she was a Readers’ Advocate or News Ombudsman at the Philippine Daily Inquirer, led promotions and marketing for iUPTV beginning in 2016, and was appointed in 2018 as Commissioner for Communication and Information at the UNESCO National Commission, representing the non-government sector. Behind these many titles and accomplishments is a story that began with an unexpected turn from medicine to mass communication during the turbulent Martial Law years...a journey that shaped her passion for journalism, research, and institution-building. Neny looks back on where it all started and shares her insights on the evolution of communication in the Philippines.
APA Reference Entry:
Cox, C.A.R. (2025, December 12). Building institutions, building people: Dr. Elena Pernia on communication and leadership in the Philippines Communication Society. PCS Review, 17(1), 310-319.