Batangas Province Research Articles

Tulong: An Articulation of Politics in Christian Philippines by Soon Chuan Yean

Reviewed by: Tulong: An Articulation of Politics in Christian Philippines by Soon Chuan Yean Yeoh Seng Guan SOON CHUAN YEAN Tulong: An Articulation of Politics in Christian Philippines Manila: University of Santo Tomas Publishing House, 2015. 275 pages. The author, Soon Chuan Yean, is a Malaysian political scientist based at the Universiti Sains Malaysia with research interests in local and cultural politics “from below” in Malaysia and the Philippines. The book grew out of his doctoral thesis submitted to the Department of Southeast Asian Studies, National University of Singapore. Because Soon was supervised by the eminent Filipino historian Reynaldo Ileto, the book is arguably yet another elaboration of the long-standing concerns of his mentor. In 2001 Ileto had thrown down the gauntlet at scholars imbibing an Orientalist mode of interpreting and representing Philippine politics. With the scholarship of the influential American political scientist Carl Lande serving as the paradigmatic example, Ileto (“Orientalism and the Study of Philippine Politics,” Philippine Political Science Journal 2001:1–32, p. 28) observed “how a certain kind of politics, which is really never understood from within, gets to be constructed as a negative ‘other’ of the Euro-American post-Enlightenment political tradition.” By positing an impervious binary of “personal versus public” and “personal versus impersonal,” these so-called Orientalist scholars depict the “peculiar” nature of Philippine politics as an undesirable confounding of these two domains. More to the point, studies on Philippine politics and society have been stereotypically portrayed in terms of instrumentalist patron–client relationships animated by the shared cultural values of utang na loob (debt of gratitude) and hiya (shame) but deployed in an hierarchical register. Soon’s rendition of the “everyday politics” of Barangay Angeles, a lowland settlement situated close to the shores of Lake Taal and a short distance away [End Page 126] from the poblacion (town proper) of Tanauan City, Batangas province, is an attempt at a post-Orientialist scholarship. He argues that elites stationed at the higher echelons of a political hierarchy are not always able to shape the terms of the aforementioned relationships. Conversely, nor are the articulations of the masa (ordinary people) manifested in a monolithic or predictable fashion. To support his claims, Soon paid close attention to the reflections of his informants, made up of “clients” and lider (sub-leaders). For this purpose, Soon had to acquire a working fluency in Tagalog. He also adopted a research strategy associated more with anthropologists than with political scientists—ethnographic fieldwork. Inclusive of his language training, he spent a total of thirteen months between 2004 and 2005 in his fieldwork site. Besides drawing his key theoretical coordinates from Ileto and Benedict Kerkvliet, Soon also appropriates the work of Filipino philosopher Fr. Leonardo N. Mercado to decipher recurring Tagalog phrases that his informants use as indicative of their worldviews “from below.” Oddly, the pioneering work of Virgilio G. Enriquez and his colleagues in the Sikolohiyang Pilipino (Filipino psychology) movement, which arguably shares a similar objective in decentering the use of Western epistemology in understanding Filipinos, is left out in Soon’s literature review and subsequent discussion. The book is organized into six chapters. Three of the chapters situate the research problem theoretically while the remaining chapters—chapters 3 to 5—form the empirical spine of the book. Chapter 3 unpacks the nuances between tulong (help) and pera (money) as played out between patrons and their recipients, and chapter 4 continues in the same trajectory by turning our attention to the lexicon and politics of emotions in everyday life. Chapter 5 examines key religious idioms that undergird these meanings and expectations. Briefly, the author maintains that expressions as espoused by the masa (ordinary people) need to be better appreciated as complex utterances that exhibit various nuanced layers of meaning. In the context of receiving tulong from political patrons, these meanings include notions of mabait (good), loob (inner being), lakaran (journey), sariling sikap (self initiative), malapit/malayo (closeness/aloofness), pagsubok (trial), pagmamalasakit (compassion), kaligtasan (salvation), and liwanag (light). Nevertheless, undergirding this melange of idioms and values are popular religious ideas stemming from Christianity, which frame the Tanauan residents’ understanding and experience of everyday politics. [End Page 127] Tulong thus cannot be...

The 'Highway Effect' on Public Finance: Case of the Star Highway in the Philippines

In this study, we examine the impact of the STAR highway located in Batangas province, Philippines, on the public finance of the cities and municipalities through which it directly passes. Specifically, we exploit a unique, disaggregated dataset on tax (property and business taxes) as well as non-tax revenues (regulatory fees and user charges) of the cities and municipalities in the Batangas province. We find, based on our two specifications of a modified difference-in-difference model, that the STAR highway had a robust, statistically significant, and economically growing impact on business taxes. We also find that this so-called “highway effect” also extends to municipalities located in a neighboring province to Batangas. Furthermore, based on more careful inspection and robustness checks, it appears that the STAR highway had a significant impact not only on business taxes, but also on property taxes and regulatory fees. These findings support the widely held belief that infrastructure investments matter; further, our micro-case study suggests that infrastructure investments can indirectly boost tax and non-tax revenues through their power to reduce transportation costs and enhance the activity of firms and workers located along the highway.

Aspidiotus rigidus Reyne (Hemiptera: Diaspididae): a devastating pest of coconut in the Philippines

Abstract The Philippines is the second largest producer of coconut products and, in some areas, coconut farming is the main source of livelihood. A damaging armoured scale insect (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) infesting coconut palms was first found in the Philippines on Luzon Island (Batangas province) in 2009, and is now affecting most of the provinces of southern Luzon. The scale pest is still spreading in the Visayan Islands and Mindanao. Infestation stops photosynthesis; the leaves yellow and dry; fruits form less nutmeat and the coconut‐water is sour; weak new leaflets bend over or break off; and the tree dies in 6 months or less. The scale pest is identified in the present study as Aspidiotus rigidus Reyne; it presents a significant quarantine threat to coconut‐producing countries worldwide. Characters enabling the identification of A. rigidus, its host range and distribution are given. Some literature on the natural enemies and control of A. rigidus is reviewed briefly.

Awareness and Utilization of Health Services By Caregivers of Patients With Maladaptive Behavior

A professional help is needed before a person can be declared as mentally ill. It is quite alarming that there are unreported cases of mental illness that needed help but people are afraid to seek consultation for fear of social stigma. This study aimed to assess the level of awareness and utilization of mental health services by caregivers of patients with maladaptive behaviour in Batangas Province. Descriptive type of research was used in this study. Data were collected through the use of a structured questionnaire and interview. The data were analysed using weighted mean. Results indicate that most of the patients with maladaptive behaviour were aged 35-44 years. Majority of them were male coming from the lower socioeconomic level. It was also found out that caregivers were aware of the different health services offered by the Department of Health; however, not all of them were available in the medical institution where they seek consultation. The only government hospital with mental health services in Batangas Province is the Regional Hospital situated in Batangas City. The study concluded that health services which should be available to patients were not fully implemented. Keywords - mental health, maladaptive behaviour, awareness, caregiver, health services

Tourism Industry of Batangas Province, Philippines: Basis for Improved Tourism Program

The goal of this research is to help improve the tourism program of Batangas Province and evaluate competitiveness of the tourism sector companies by helping them on their environmental performance and engage them in community action. The LPU’s College of International Tourism and Hospitality Management (CITHM) being the most awarded hospitality school in the country today aims to produce globally competitive graduates who will be able to contribute to the expansion, enrichment and preservation of the tradition and culture of the Batangueños. This research was conceptualized to help develop the tourism industry in the province of Batangas. This study used the descriptive research design and respondents were different local and foreign tourists who visited destinations in the province of Batangas from January -December, 2008. A self- made questionnaire was used as the basic tool of investigation and interview was also done. Results revealed that the most frequently visited attraction are beach resorts for it is a venue for diving and aqua sports activity. Majority of the local and foreign tourists who visited Batangas are male. Batangas is visited due to the affordability of the tourist attractions and destinations including the amenities offered. Either local or foreign tourists were satisfied and enjoyed visiting beaches due to the warm accommodation of the Filipino staff and personnel. Keywords - Tourist, Tourism, Destination

Labour Migration and Ties of Relatedness: Diasporic Houses and Investments in Memory in a Rural Philippine Village

Putting migrant remittances into house construction and rebuilding is generally seen as either conspicuous consumption or productive investment, but in both cases the perspective is economistic. This article argues that only when the cultural dimension of economic action is understood will it be possible to comprehend migrant spending on houses. Specifically, this article seeks to understand why, in the case of the rural Tagalog village in this study, located in upland Batangas Province in the Philippines, overseas labour migrants build houses that they do not even live in, but are given to parents or simply left unoccupied. The explanation is framed in relation to the meanings of houses in a culture of bilateral kinship, which the Philippines shares with most parts of Southeast Asia, but inflected by distinct colonial influences. The article demonstrates the ways in which houses as memorials serve as idioms of ties of relatedness within kin groups and the broader community, ties that are being transformed by global migration and experienced differently yet maintained, renegotiated yet sustained transnationally.

A Study of the Problems Confronting the Backyard Pig Raisers in Batangas Province of Southern Luzon

A Study of the Problems Confronting the Backyard Pig Raisers in Batangas Province of Southern Luzon

Perceived economic factors influencing the sustainability of integrated coastal management projects in the Philippines

The use of integrated coastal management (ICM) has a long history in the Philippines. Despite all this effort, however, most ICM efforts in the Philippines have not been sustainable. If ICM is to be fully accepted and integrated by the Philippine government into its natural resource management efforts, than the issue of sustainability of ICM must be addressed. An understanding of the factors that influence ICM sustainability will contribute to improving the design of ICM for more sustainable efforts. This paper examines factors influencing the sustainability of ICM projects in the Philippines. Specifically, the study focused on two locations in the country, Bais Bay area of Negros Oriental Province and Mabini-Tingloy (known as Anilao) area of Batangas Province, where a number of ICM projects have been implemented since the mid-1980s. Indicators for ICM project impacts are developed and analyzed to determine their relationships with ICM project sustainability.

Molecular characterization of infectious laryngotracheitis virus (ILTV) isolates from outbreak cases at Lipa City, Batangas Province, The Philippines

Investigations were carried out to identify molecular character of infectious laryngotracheitis virus (ILTV) isolates from commercial layer chicken farm located at Lipa City, Batangas Province, the Philippines using western blotting. The virus was first isolated in chorio allantoic membrane (CAM). A-total of five isolates (#IV, #VI-C28, #VI-C29, #VI-C30, and #VII) produced typical plaque lesions in CAM at second passages such as yellowish plaques with opaque edges. Furthermore, five isolates were then characterized by western blotting on 7.5% of acrylamide. These results showed that Chicken antisera to the ILTV strain NS-175 (as standard sera), and rabbit antisera to vaccine strain (BAL-ILT) recognized four major viral protein with molecular weight of 205, 160, 85 and 60 kDa of isolates #VI-C28, #VI-C29, #VI-30 and #VII. While the isolate # IV produced viral protein of 205 and 85 kDa. The same four viral proteins were recognized by both ILTV antisera, indicating that the viral proteins of the vaccine strain and ILTV local isolates from Lipa City, Batangas Province, the Philippine had cross-reactivity. Thus, this cross reactivity may cause the effective protection afforded by the vaccine strain in the field. Key words: Infectious laryngotracheitis virus, CAM, western blotting, chicken

Determining superior cropping patterns for small farms in a dryland rice environment: Test of a methodology

A methodology for cropping systems research was proposed in 1975. It involved the farmer as an active participant in the research, with test patterns grown on his land under joint farmer-research management. Experience with the use of this methodology in developing a dryland rice-based cropping systems test site in the Philippines is discussed. The potential for increased crop productivity in the major dryland rice-producing region of eastern Batangas province, where the predominant cropping pattern involves dryland rice followed by field corn, was studied by testing the impact of these cropping pattern alternatives: following rice with field crops other than the local Orange flint corn, an intercrop pattern, and a three-crop-per-year pattern. Cooperating farmers applied the alternative patterns on 1000 m 2 plots adjacent to their rice-corn plots. Some patterns showed yield instability and poor pest resistance. None had any adverse effect on the yield of the next rice crop when compared with the traditional pattern. The research opened several directions in which dryland rice-based patterns may be improved. A shift to an improved corn variety showed promise as an effective means of increasing pattern productivity. Soybeans and sorghum were the outstanding alternative crops to follow rice. Intercrops with corn were productive, but may fit only if labour requirements are not excessive and labour productivity is fairly high.

Field Evaluation of Insecticide Seed Treatments for Corn Seedling Maggot Control on Maize, Batangas, Philippines, 1980

Abstract In a farmer’s field In Cale village, Tanauan, Batangas province, Philippines, 37 insecticide seed dressings were tested at 3 g ai/kg seed for seedling maggot control on maize. Seeds agitated in a plastic bag with 25% gum arabic-water solution and insecticide were sown (15 kg/ha) to 5-m2 plots in a randomized complete block design with 3 replications. Percentage deadhearts were recorded twice, 14 and 28 days after crop emergence, from 10 randomly selected plants per plot.

Field Evaluation of Insecticide Seed Treatments for Corn Seedling Maggot Control on Sorghum, Batangas, Philippines, 1980

Abstract In a farmer’s field in Cale village, Tanauan, Batangas province, Philippines, 36 insecticide seed dressings were tested at 3 g ai/kg seed for seeding maggot control on sorghum planted on Aug 18. Seeds agitated in a plastic bag with 25% gum arabic-water solution and insecticide were sown (15kg/ha) to 5-m2 plots in a randomized complete block design with 3 replications. Percentage deadhearts were recorded twice, 14 and 28 days after crop emergence, from 10 randomly selected plants per plot.

Field Evaluation of Insecticide Seed Dressings on Corn for Control Of Corn Seedling-Maggot, Batangas, Philippines, 1979

Abstract A trial on farmer's field in the village of Cale, Tanauan municipality, Batangas province, Philippines, evaluated 8 insecticides applied as seed dressings on corn for control of corn seedling maggot, Atherigona oryzae Malloch. Each insecticide was applied at 2 dosages, 5 and 10 g a i / k g seed, to replicated plots (25 sq.m) in a randomized complete block design. Seeds, including the untreated check, were placed in a plastic bag and 25% gum arable water solution was added and agitated until the seed surfaces were evenly coated. Insecticide was then added and agitated to uniform coverage. The field was sown by hand by placing seeds (2 seeds/hill, 60 cm between hills) in plow furrows 75 cm wide attaining 52,000 plants/ha (13 kg seeds/ha). Germination percentage was recorded on 7 days after crop emergence (DE) from whole plots. At weekly intervals from 7 and 28 DE, 10 plants were randomly chosen per plot to record percentage dead hearts (infested leaves). Plant height was measured from random plants on 30 DE. The soil was a clay loam alfisol with pH 6. Rainfall was 255, 24, 121, and 19 mm during the four weeks after crop emergence, respectively.

Inter-Local Collaboration

Today, Batangas is one of the only provinces in the Philippines, who have implemented the Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) program successfully alongside with Bataan and Guimaras. It is a mechanism to increase the efficiency of coastal governance in terms of its ability to achieve sustainable use of coastal resources. The Local Government Code of the Philippines encourages cooperative mechanisms and partnerships among stakeholders at the local level. Furthermore, different sectors and stakeholders, from international, national, and local levels, have contributed to the implementation of the program. The Local Government Units (LGUs) of Batangas are among the key actors in the implementation of the program. Using the Model of Collaborative Governance (Ansell & Gash, 2007), and Common Pool Resource Theory (Ostrom, 1990), this paper reveals that the inter-local collaboration of Batangas City and 14 coastal municipalities of Batangas province as regards the successful implementation of the ICM program in their province is effective based on the Critical Ingredients for Effective Inter-Local Government Unit (LGU) Cooperation, which was formulated by the Philippine Development Forum Working Group on Decentralization and Local Government's Sub-Working Group on Inter-Local Cooperation. A qualitative approach was used in this research, through the descriptive method following an evaluative design. As such, this research caters contributions to the field of political science, both theoretically and practically by applying the aforementioned theories, and by exemplifying the interactions of the LGUs of Batangas in fulfilling the goals of the ICM program as a successful model which could be adopted by other LGUs in the country.