2025 PCS Board of Directors
Leonor L. Hernando
President
Lenie is a faculty member of the Department of Communication at Ateneo de Manila University, teaching courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. She spent ten years as TV and Radio Commercial Unit Head at Associated Broadcasting Company Channel 5 (now TV5) and twelve years as a college administrator, giving her a firm grounding in media and educational management.
She earned her BA in Mass Communication (cum laude) from Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, MA in Communication from Ateneo de Manila University, and PhD in Communication from the University of the Philippines Diliman. Her research interests include journalism, political communication, social development, science communication, and disaster studies.
Rommel Lopez
Vice President
Rommel is a faculty member and the Head of Research and Development at Holy Cross of Davao College. He is a correspondent for the Catholic News Agency of EWTN. He was the Associate Editor, fact-checker/data journalist of PressOne.PH, He is also one of the first fellows to the Philippines Environmental Data Journalism Academy in 2023.
He completed his Master of Communication Management at the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication and is a candidate for a Doctor of Communication degree at the University of the Philippines - Open University. His research interests are risk/crisis communication, environmental data journalism, disinformation research, and development communication.
George Vincent F. Gamayo
Secretary
George serves as an assistant professor at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, with research interests focused on risk and health communication and media studies. Before his academic career, he worked as a media practitioner, producing reports on climate change and communication materials for the government’s flagship programs on disaster risk reduction and voter registration.
He has received fellowships from the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung and the Asian Broadcasting Union and is currently completing the Bridging Leadership Program at the Asian Institute of Management. Beyond his professional work, he volunteers in animal welfare initiatives and HIV/AIDS advocacy.
Orville B.Tatcho
Asst. Secretary
Orville is a professor in the Department of Communication at the University of the Philippines Baguio. He earned his PhD in Communication from the University of Alabama, USA, on a Fulbright-CHED scholarship. His research interests and publications focus on political communication and rhetoric, and on the representation of gender and indigeneity in the media.
Randy Jay C. Solis
Treasurer
Randy is a professor in the Department of Communication Research and Chair of the Graduate Studies Department at the University of the Philippines Diliman. He earned his PhD in Communication from the School of Journalism and Communication at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
His more recent works on mediatization, sexuality, children, migration, and political communication have appeared in the Chinese Journal of Communication, the International Journal of Communication, the Asian Journal of Communication, the Journal of Children and Media, Media Asia, and Plaridel.
Jomar D. Redubla
Asst. Treasurer
Jomar Duma Redubla is Director of the Basic Education Department at FEU Cavite, where he leads strategic planning, curriculum development, and faculty supervision. He teaches in the PhD in Communication program at the PUP Graduate School and the Master’s in Communication program at the PUP Open University, shaping future scholars and professionals.
Jomar earned his Doctor of Communication from UP Open University (Dean’s Lister) and his Master’s in Communication from PUP Graduate School, grounded in philosophy and communication. His research interests include media literacy, AI-driven assessment, digital activism, media ethics, and educational technology. He serves as Board Director and Assistant Treasurer of PCS.
Jim C. Duran
Auditor
Jim has been in the academe for nearly two decades. Passionate about scholarly research, he is drawn to writing policy analyses, which give him another reason to persevere in exploring other areas of study, such as climate change, de-urbanization, and geopolitics. He has an MA in Mass Communication from Far Eastern University and a PhD in Southeast Asian Studies from Centro Escolar University.
At present, he is an associate professor at the College of Communication at Polytechnic University of the Philippines and the college's Research and Extension Coordinator. On Sundays, he teaches a course or two at PUP’s Open University, MA in Communication program.
Christian Jaycee Samonte
Public Affairs Officer
Christian is a Research Manager at That Global View, specialising in AI-driven and technology-enabled consumer insights. He brings over eight years of experience across academia, marketing communications, consumer insights, and research agencies.
He holds an MA in Speech Communication from the University of the Philippines Diliman. His work explores how AI, communication technologies, gender, and politics shape public discourse and decision-making. He has led numerous qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods studies, bringing rigorous, evidence-based thinking to organisational strategy.
Jeffrey R. Ancheta
Asst. Public Affairs Officer
Jeffrey Ancheta is a faculty member of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) Manila, College of Communication, and currently serves as Chair of the Department of Communication Research.
He is a member of the National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP) and holds a PhD in Philippine Studies from De La Salle University Manila. His scholarly work includes peer-reviewed journal articles published in both local and international outlets, reflecting a strong commitment to rigorous research and knowledge production.
Lourdes M. Portus
Board Director
Odette served as Executive Director of the Philippine Social Science Council (PSSC) until 2025, after previously serving as PSSC Chair and Vice Chair. She is a Professor at the UP College of Mass Communication, specializing in communication research, and has held key roles at UP, including Special Assistant to the President, College Secretary, and Chair of the Communication Research Department.
Before academia, she spent two decades managing NGO development projects (PBSP, CRS). She also led the Philippines Communication Society and served as secretary of several CMC-related organizations, publishing widely and presenting in 20+ countries.
Elena E. Pernia
Board Director
Neny has over thirty years of experience in communication and media education, research, planning, and evaluation. Her academic work centers on building the capacity of students, local governments, health professionals, and civil society organizations to design and assess communication programs.
She served as Vice President for Public Affairs of the University of the Philippines System and as Professor and Dean of the UP College of Mass Communication. She was also Readers’ Advocate at the Philippine Daily Inquirer and later Head of Promotions and Marketing of iUPTV. In 2018, she was appointed Commissioner for Communication and Information of the UNESCO National Commission.
Roderick Evans Bartolome
Board Director
Dec is a faculty member at the Far Eastern University – Department of Communication. His research interests include digital religious communication, fandom and participatory cultures, and strategic communication in institutional and community contexts.
He serves on the Editorial Board of Religion and Social Communication and contributes as a peer reviewer, moderator, and evaluator in various regional and international conferences. With over 20 years of industry experience, he integrates scholarship, practice, and pedagogy to advance communication research in the Philippines.
Holden Kenneth G. Alcazaren
Board Director
Holden (he/they) is an Assistant Professor of the Department of Speech Communication and Theatre Arts in the UPD-College of Arts and Letters. He is currently a PhD candidate under the College of Education of the University of the Philippines-Diliman. His research interests are in identity studies, curriculum evaluation, instructional communication, sociology of education, and gender/queer studies.
Artin G. Umali
Board Director
Artin is an Assistant Professor of the Communication and Journalism Department of De La Salle University, Dasmarinas. He is also the chair of the department’s Research Committee. He is currently taking his Doctor of Communication at the University of the Philippines Open University. He received his MA in Communication, majoring in Broadcast, from UP and finished his BS in Economics from the same university. His research interests are in Broadcast and Media Analysis, Communication, and Culture.
Mia Embalzado-Mateo
Board Director
Mia is an Assistant Professor in the Communication Program of the College of Communication, Art, and Design at the University of the Philippines Cebu. She earned her Master’s degree in Development Communication from the University of the Philippines Open University. Her research interests include community journalism, media ethics and regulation, development communication, corporate communication, and Cebuano arts. She is a pioneer member of the Cebu Citizens–Press Council and a fellow of the International Training Program in Media Regulation, funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency and NIRAS Sweden.