Matthew Balicudiong
Matt is a multimedia writer and producer who loves creating value-adding
content. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief of Next Upgrade.
Aside from his web magazine stint, this YouTube-certified producer is
currently leading content creation projects on YouTube and Twitter.
Matt spent most of his career in the media industry working as a TV News
Writer and Segment Producer at CNN Philippines. After his 6-year TV
stint, he took on the role of a Multimedia Content Producer at a
Makati-based digital publishing network. In 2022, he made his debut as a
screenwriter, writing and producing his first documentary film series
featuring Filipino Paralympians entitled "SULONG".
Matt graduated from Philippine Christian University - Manila with a
bachelor's degree in Mass Communication major in Broadcasting and Print
Media. He earned his Master's degree in Marketing Communications from De
La Salle University - Manila.
Outside his corporate life, Matt helps multi-national organizations and
brands tell stories through engaging and meaningful content on social
media.
Elaine Calderon
Elaine is the epitome of a commuting/carpooling middle-class Asian with
a regular 9-5, a semi-adaptive vocabulary, and a shopping problem. She
is currently the managing editor of Next Upgrade, while also balancing
her work in a Sydney-based social media agency and a local events
company. She became a writer and editor for ABS-CBN Publishing’s
campus magazine Chalk for more than nine years, starting as an
editorial assistant until becoming the Editor-in-Chief in 2014. During
this time, she also became a regular contributor for other titles such
as Metro, MYX, and Working Mom, to name a
few. From 2017 to 2020, she also became the General Manager and acting
Editor-in-Chief of a Hong Kong-based startup company where she led a
team in the company’s Philippine office. Elaine graduated with a
degree in Communication Arts from the University of the Philippines Los
Baños in 2008.
Excel Dyquiangco
Excel started writing short stories and novels even before he hit
adolescence. With inspirations such as Stephen King, Christopher Pike,
RL Stine, and even the classic murder-mystery show
Murder, She Wrote, his stories were initially filled with
foreboding images, dark tones, and an array of thrill and suspense. His
tales soon transcended into writing for publications and publishing
children’s books, having penned two bestsellers,
I Don’t Like to Eat published by Adarna House, and
Lala Burara by Hiyas Books. Because of his career in writing,
Excel often gets invited to speak at symposiums and webinars, and he was
once featured in ANC News Channel and Reader’s Digest Asia. As a
content writer for Next Upgrade, his focus is on Sports & Fitness as
he often works out and likes to get fit. Excel graduated from the
University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City with a degree in
Bachelor in Secondary Education.
Gracey Maala
Gracey is the lead content writer for Next Upgrade’s Technology
and Gaming sections—topics she loves exploring and learning for
work. The pandemic had forced her to choose writing as a career, but she
ended up loving it!
She was a former Senior Multimedia Producer at YugaTech where she
developed her love for all things tech. Now, she enjoys being a content
writer for Next Upgrade and a social media manager at Mustard Digital.
Despite her busy schedule, she still finds time to socialize with her
friends, watch K-Dramas, and bond with her mom and dogs!
She is a graduate of AB Communication from Lyceum of the Philippines
University - Laguna.
Janice Roman
Janice is a mix of everything—a scholar, writer, researcher, and
lecturer in communication and media studies. On regular workdays, she is
Next Upgrade’s main writer for Wellness, Pop Culture, and
Entertainment sections as well as the managing editor and instructional
design manager at C & E Publishing, Inc. Her previous writing
experience includes being a contributing writer for entertainment at
ABS-CBN Corporation, a writer for a marketing company in Auckland, New
Zealand, a freelance press release writer, and an author for coursewares
in communication and media studies. She was a Binibining Pilipinas 2018
finalist, representing her hometown, Tondo, Manila. Her reading
interests include Nick Joaquin’s books and pride literature.
Janice is a Ph.D. student in Communication at the University of the
Philippines, Diliman, with local and international publications and
conference presentations to her name and upcoming textbook publications,
such as Media and Information Literacy and Oral Communication, to name a
few.
Karess Rubrico
Karess serves as the lead writer for Next Upgrade’s Productivity
and Steals & Deals sections. She is also a freelance content writer
and editor.
Since 2009, Karess has written and created content for a range of
industries, including non-profit organizations, publishing, real estate,
finance, BPOs, local and international SMEs, and healthcare. She
pioneered the social media specialist role at a church in the
Philippines. Her lifestyle pieces are featured in ModernFilipina.ph, an
online webzine for women. In addition, her copyediting work includes the
2019 and 2020 Giving Journal for The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf
Philippines.
Karess majored in Communication Arts at De La Salle University-Manila.
Angela Arcega
Initially aiming to solely be a video editor, Angela eventually explored
multimedia as a means for more creative freedom. She’s currently
the graphic artist for Next Upgrade, but her experiences vary from being
a video editor for ASEAN Basketball League and a multimedia artist for
both Tatler Philippines and Sydney-based agency, If and When. On regular
days, she’s a video editor for e-commerce company Ashford Point.
Angela graduated from De La Salle University-Dasmariñas with a
degree in Graphic Design and Multimedia. In the rare times that
she’s not creating content, she’s either diving into her
tall stack of TBR books or playing with her dog Balenciaga.
Louigi Balao
Louigi, better known as Gi, is a content writer for Next Upgrade’s Technology and Gaming sections. He enjoys producing creative pieces that were fleshed out from factual information in order to relay an entertaining message.
Gi was formerly a Multimedia Producer at Yugatech and created editorial and graphic pieces that were publicly placed on their platforms. His interests include gaming, anime, manga, and writing. He normally profiles himself as a penguin in both real life and in-game because of his favorite childhood character Pingu.
He spent three years as a Literature Major at De La Salle University-Manila but received his bachelor’s degree in Communication Arts.
Kitty Elicay-Carpena
After discovering the wonders of working from home during the pandemic, Kitty has not looked back since. Apart from her main job at a social media agency, she finds time to indulge in her passion for writing as one of Next Upgrade’s Content Writers.
Kitty has over 10 years of experience in the digital and publishing space, working her way up to becoming an editor for several magazines under ABS-CBN Publishing including Working Mom, Metro Weddings, UAAP Magazine, and Chalk. From 2017 to 2021, she was with Smart Parenting under Summit Media, starting as a Senior Staff Writer before eventually becoming its Assistant Managing Editor. In October 2021, she was also selected as an Elevate Scholar by the International News Media Association (INMA). Kitty graduated with a degree in Journalism from the University of Santo Tomas in 2010.
JR Carag
JR has always had a passion for writing. He has been writing short stories, essays, and critiques about his favorite media properties for his own private enjoyment since he was young; but has only started writing as a career due to the pandemic. He has been writing a fictional web novel for a subscription-based website since June 2021, while also doing freelance legal writing and legal research on the side, having been a former law student for Arellano University School of Law.
JR graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from De La Salle University-Manila in 2011.