Prior to her current post, Buena served as a freelance journalist for different agencies such as CNN International Asia Pacific, Union of Catholic Asian News, Asia Sentinel, Al Jazeera English, and CNA.

She started in journalism as a multimedia reporter for local news site Rappler, producing both video and text reports. Her blend of previous beat reporting experience on the Philippines' courts and justice system, labor and migration, health and other development issues provides her a holistic view of the country's affairs.

In her media career focusing on the underreported, she has immersed in the daily lives of deep sea fishermen of sashimi-grade tuna, tobacco farmers, sugar plantation workers and eight different tribes across the three main island groups of the Philippines.

She completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Santo Tomas in Manila.