A PROFESSOR  from Visayas State University (VSU) has made history as the first Filipina to take part in the 5th World Shiology Forum, held recently in Haikou, China.

Dr. Christina A. Gabrillo of the Department of Development Communication served as an official panelist, sharing insights drawn from her extensive work in development and agricultural communication, particularly her engagement with farming, coastal, and disaster-prone communities in Eastern Visayas.

She also became the sole Filipino co-author of the Global Food Systems & SDGs Report 2025, launched during the forum. The report compiled expert contributions from 115 countries and introduced the “Five Food Needs” framework for assessing food systems.

The global forum convened more than 500 scholars, policymakers, and practitioners from over 100 countries to examine food systems through the lens of Shiology—an emerging interdisciplinary field that links food with ecology, culture, behavior, economics, and governance.

Discussions tackled pressing global concerns such as hunger, food security, climate change, environmental degradation, and the sustainability of food supply chains amid mounting ecological pressures.

“With Dr. Gabrillo’s participation and contribution, VSU now has a direct bridge to global food-systems research and discussions. Given her background, her involvement promises potential research collaborations, new program development, and greater attention to food-system realities in the Philippines,” the university said.

“Her presence at the World Shiology Forum and her role as co-author of a global report symbolically open a new chapter not only for her career, but also for VSU’s role in global food-system discourse,” it added.