Before DZRH listeners knew Elaine Apit as Sister L, she was DJ Elaine, a student discovering what she could do behind a radio microphone. The mentor who opened that door was Pocholo De Leon Gonzales, The VoiceMaster of the Philippines, who welcomed her into broadcasting through Voice of the Youth Network.
In a recorded testimony for the network’s 25th anniversary, Elaine recalled how his invitation, a training scholarship, and opportunities to broadcast helped her find her place in an industry she once believed would be difficult to enter.
Their connection began with an unexpected detour. Elaine said she applied for an internship at CreatiVoices in 2014. Gonzales referred her to Lloyd Luna, with whom she completed her internship. She candidly admitted that she initially felt disappointed about not being accepted at CreatiVoices.
Later, a college assignment brought her back. Studying communication at Adamson University, Elaine and her classmates needed to interview someone involved in dubbing or voice acting. She contacted Gonzales, who agreed to the interview. During that encounter, he invited the group to become part of Voice of the Youth.
A school requirement had led to an opportunity she had not anticipated. Elaine became interested, and Gonzales also gave her a scholarship to VoiceWorx, the voice acting and dubbing workshop. In her account, that training came before her deeper involvement in radio and public speaking.
The invitation mattered because Elaine had not originally planned to pursue a media career. She felt that breaking into the industry would be difficult. Through Voice of the Youth, she gained access to actual broadcasting while she was still a student, giving her a chance to apply what she was learning in college.
At DZIQ 990 AM Radyo Inquirer, she became known as DJ Elaine on Voice of the Youth Radio. An archived Pochology Academy profile records her work as a segment host beginning in July 2015, alongside her role as one of the main hosts of Gen Y-Z Radio. A July 2015 announcement from Voice of the Youth also names DJ Elaine among the hosts of the newly launched Gen Y-Z program. [1][2]
For Elaine, going on air brought back something familiar. She had grown up in the province listening to radio for news and information. As she put it in her anniversary testimony, “first love ko yung radio.” Broadcasting gave her a way to share something useful and positive with fellow young people.
Her confidence developed alongside that experience. Elaine recalled being afraid of facing an audience. Through her involvement in Voice of the Youth and its public speaking activities, that fear gradually eased. She began to trust herself more when speaking in front of other people.
The anniversary presentation also recounts how Gonzales reviewed notes and pointers with a young Elaine before a broadcast. It offers a concrete picture of his mentorship: taking time to help a beginning broadcaster prepare for the opportunity in front of her.
Elaine described joining the network as a volunteer because she enjoyed the work. Looking back, she valued the knowledge, experience, and friendships she gained. Broadcasting while still studying gave her practical experience that she considered an advantage when she graduated.
She also emphasized personal responsibility. The opportunities helped, but she still needed to improve her skills and trust her own abilities. Her account gives credit to the mentor who welcomed her while recognizing the effort required to grow after that first invitation.
By the time she recorded her anniversary testimony, Elaine introduced herself as a news anchor, writer, reporter, and executive producer at DZRH. She also said she had completed a master’s degree in communication at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.
Her later work earned public recognition. DZRH reported that Elaine, popularly known as Sister L, and her Damdaming Bayan co-anchor Deo Macalma received the Best Tandem News Anchor of the Year award at the 2023 Gintong Parangal Awards. [3]
That recognition belongs to a career Elaine worked to build. Her own recollections also make Gonzales’s contribution clear. He welcomed her into Voice of the Youth, supported her training, and gave her opportunities to use her voice before she had finished college.
The story of Sister L includes that earlier chapter as DJ Elaine. When she looked back on how she entered broadcasting, she remembered The VoiceMaster and the chance he gave her to begin.
Sources
Elaine Apit’s recorded testimony for the 25th anniversary of Voice of the Youth Network, supplied transcript.
[1] Pochology Academy, “Elaine Apit.” https://pochologyacademy.wordpress.com/elaine-apit-2/
[2] VOTY Online, “Voice of the Youth Launches Two New Shows on Radyo Inquirer,” July 20, 2015. https://votyonline.wordpress.com/2015/07/20/voice-of-the-youth-launches-two-new-shows-in-radyo-inquirer/
[3] Mary Antalan, DZRH, “DZRH wins Best AM Radio Station of the Year at Gintong Parangal Awards,” August 20, 2023. https://www.dzrh.com.ph/post/gintong-parangal-awards-dzrh-as-best-am-radio-station-of-the-year
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