TACLOBAN CITY – A communication professor from Visayas State University (VSU) based in Baybay City has been tapped to help guide UNICEF Philippines in shaping national strategies on social and behavior change.
Ulderico Alviola, chair of VSU’s Department of Development Communication, has been appointed to the Research Advisory Group (RAG) for UNICEF’s Social and Behavior Change (SBC) Landscape Analysis and Capacity Assessment.
The panel provides technical guidance, ensures ethical and academic rigor in research outputs, and advises on how findings can support national development efforts.
Alviola, who also serves as president of the Association of Development Communication Educators and Practitioners (ADCEP) Philippines, joins other prominent experts from academia, government, and international organizations.
ADCEP welcomed his inclusion, calling it “a recognition of development communication as a key discipline in SBC initiatives in the country.”
Other members of the advisory group include Elizabeth Enriquez of UP Diliman, NEDA official Girlie Grace Casimero-Igtiben, UPLB professors Benjamina Paula Flor and Rosa Pilipinas Francisco, and former DOH Undersecretary Dr. Vicente Belisario, among others.
The initiative, launched on May 15 and led by ThinkPlace Philippines, is part of UNICEF’s broader effort to assess and enhance SBC systems across sectors, with a focus on improving outcomes such as immunization.
UNICEF Philippines remains a key partner of ADCEP, with both organizations collaborating in recent events, including the 2024 National Development Communication Conference held in Cotabato.
(RONALD O. REYES)
