Cebuano journalist receives research fellowship from Chinese university

A freelance journalist from Liloan, Cebu, has been granted a research fellowship at a university in China.

Cris Evert Ruffolo was awarded a full scholarship that covers tuition, accommodation, a monthly allowance, and medical insurance while enrolled at the School of Journalism and Communication at the Renmin University of China (RUC) in Beijing. 

Ruffolo, who obtained a mass communication degree from the University of the Philippines Cebu in 2007 and diplomas in language and literacy education and professional education from the UP Open University and Cebu Technological University, respectively, was endorsed by the Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China in Cebu for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-China Young Leaders Program.

Ruffolo is pursuing graduate studies in development communication, language teaching, and literature.

Under the fellowship, she will take journalism and communication courses while working on her research paper on how social media platform TikTok is being utilized to combat sexual exploitation of children in Cebu and a Binisaya'ng Sugbuanon-English-Chinese children’s storybook.

A licensed professional teacher, Ruffolo worked for various media outfits such as the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Sun.Star Cebu, The Freeman, Cebu Daily News, and CDN Digital.

She is now an independent journalist covering travel, business and economics, and human interest stories.

Ruffolo is also the chairperson of Basadours Inc., a non-government organization that conducts community-based storytelling sessions and art workshops. —Jiselle Anne Casucian/VBL, GMA Integrated News