Dr. Christina A. Gabrillo: The woman behind the SOA for visual arts, mental health and the environment

Dr. Christina A. Gabrillo (second from left) receives her certificate for completing the 2019 Asia Pacific Leadership Program (APLP) of the East-West Center (EWC). The conduct of SOA for visual arts, mental health and the environment was funded by EWC.

This time, we will feature the brains behind the implementation of the school-on-the-air for visual arts, mental health and the environment. Meet Dr. Christina A. Gabrillo, the current Head of the Department of Development Communication (DDC) at the Visayas State University (VSU).

Dr. Gabrillo is an educator, researcher and leader at VSU with more than two decades of experience in the field of development communication–a discipline she took from her bachelor’s degree up until her doctorate degree. Both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees were obtained from VSU while her Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree was completed at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB).

At the beginning of her career in the academe, Gabrillo has taught broadcasting courses to undergraduate Devcom students, facilitated communication research and extension projects and served as program host and announcer of the then VSU Radio DYAC-AM, currently rebranded as VSU Radio DYDC-FM, which is the public service and extension broadcast facility of VSU.

Gabrillo’s leadership journey started when she became the Station Manager of the former DYAC from 2006 to 2009. Later on, she took greater leadership roles in other offices such as the Open University, the Multimedia Development Center (MMDC), and the VSU Printing Press.

After finishing her PhD, she was re-appointed as Station Manager of DYDC-FM from 2013 to March 2021. At about the same time, she also served as Head of the VSU Department of Development Communication (DDC) for eight years.

Gabrillo’s leadership journey led her to join the Asia Pacific Leadership Program (APLP) of the East-West Center (EWC) in Honolulu, Hawaii in 2019. It was a five-month long cross-country training which brought her to India, California and Hawaii both in the United States. APLP aims to develop leaders who can create an ideal environment that enhances personal, team and community coordination through effective and efficient leadership strategies. Gabrillo took this as a big opportunity to improve and enhance her handling of the two units, DDC and DYDC-FM radio station.

Upon becoming an EWC-APLP fellow, Gabrillo immediately had a proposal approved and funded by the Center. It was a community radio drama on disaster preparedness which was launched in December 2019.

Part of her completion of the APLP in 2019 is the ongoing School-on-the-Air (SOA) on visual arts for mental health and environmental protection where 120 junior and senior high school students and teachers from Baybay City and Southern Leyte divisions join in six-week online classes. This project is set to culminate in September 2021.

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