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.