Central Luzon Research Articles

Improved Integrated Crop Management System of Mungbean (Vigna radiata Linn) Production in Central Luzon

To address low productivity and increase income, studies were conducted to improve the integrated crop management (ICM) of mungbean. Field experiments established using extracts, biocon agents, and varieties under various cropping systems. In rice-mungbean cropping system, Pagasa 19 applied with Vermitea and Carrageenan exhibited lowest CLS and rust infections. Carrageenan-treated plants produced yield, 0.77t/ha vs Control 0.41t/ha. Under corn-mungbean cropping system, Carrageenan-treated Pagasa 19 had the highest yield of 1.36t/ha. In other trials, CLS infection of Carrageenan-treated Pagasa 19 was reduced by 25.6% and the yield/ha was 62.3% higher than untreated valued at Php 29, 400.00/ha. In Pagasa 7, Carrageenan is effective against CLS and rust, and gave the highest yield of 1.37 ton/ha. The Kulabo, whether applied with Carrageenan, Boron or NPV, reduced the CLS infection and increased the yield up to 0.54t/ha. Improved ICM system is vital to reduce loss, improve soil condition, and enhance yield and income.

The factors of compassion fatigue among guidance counsellors

The research was about the compassion fatigue and its contributing factors in guidance counsellors. The sample for the study was 92 guidance counsellors. This study explored factors of compassion fatigue, work-related factors, personality traits and demographic factors utilising the following instruments: professional quality of life scale (ProQOLs), NEO PI-R and demographic questionnaire. The context for the study was different schools in Central Luzon – Region 3, Philippines. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression stepwise method were utilised in the study. Findings indicated that participants had low levels of burnout and low levels of secondary trauma stress as elements of compassion fatigue. Personality traits of the participants identified include low levels of neuroticism, average levels of extraversion, average levels of openness to experience, high level of agreeableness and high levels of conscientiousness. Multiple regression stepwise method confirmed that the personality traits neuroticism, extraversion and agreeableness predict burnout with a variability of 40%. Likewise, salary as work-related factor also predicts burnout with a variability of 4.7%. Similarly, personality trait neuroticism is confirmed to predict secondary trauma stress with a variability of 21.9%. Based on the two elements of compassion fatigue, neuroticism was found out to be the best predictor among the personality traits.
 Keywords: burnout; compassion fatigue; guidance counsellors; secondary traumatic stress;

IMPLEMENTATION STATUS OF K12 SOCIAL STUDIES PROGRAM IN PHILIPPINE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Curriculum implementation needs to be gauged regularly to ensure its effectiveness, efficiency and its relevance to the needs of the students and of the industry. This descriptive-survey research gauged the status of the Social Studies program under the K12 Curriculum for its first four years of implementation. A total of 30 Social Studies teachers and 5 school administrators from three national secondary schools in one division in Central Luzon, Philippines served as respondents of the study. Results revealed that a typical teacher is a female, 37.33 years old, teaching profession for 3.07 years, and a college graduate while a typical administrator is a female, 32.20 years old, serving for about 21.60 years, and a college graduate with MA units. The secondary teachers and school administrators assessed the status of implementation of the curriculum in selected public secondary schools as “moderately observed” in terms of resource variables (M=3.63), process variables (M=3.84) and contextual variables (3.93). Moreover, there is no significant difference between the assessment of the teachers and administrators on the status of the implementation of Social Studies program with regard to the three components. Further, there is no significant difference in the assessment of the teachers and administrators when respondents are grouped according to profile variables. A well-monitored implementation of the K12 Curriculum, specifically the Social Studies program, by stakeholders is recommended. Periodic assessment of the curriculum may also be done to ensure its alignment to the changing educational landscapes and to cope with the challenges of Education 4.0.

Biosecurity assessment of layer farms in Central Luzon, Philippines

Biosecurity assessment in poultry farms is important for disease prevention and control. When specific biosecurity measures are assessed, they become more useful if they are quantified. While there are qualitative means to assess biosecurity, specific improvements can be implemented easily when compliance to biosecurity measures are quantified.To quantify biosecurity measures in 124 layer farms in Central Luzon, a survey was carried out using a modified Biocheck.UGent biosecurity scoring system. The study revealed that external and internal biosecurity scores among layer farms in Central Luzon were widely spread out suggesting that compliance to various biosecurity measures differed from farm to farm. This further suggests that layer farms need to improve their biosecurity practices.The overall biosecurity score of layer farms in the region is 65.9 % while the total regional scores for external and internal biosecurity are 63.3 % and 71.9 %, respectively. Bulacan had the highest overall biosecurity across provinces which was followed by Bataan. The two highest mean external biosecurity scores were those of the subcategories, supply of materials (mean = 87.1) and purchase of pullets (mean = 83.7) while the lowest was that of the category, transport of animals (mean = 50.6). In the internal biosecurity category, materials and measures between compartments had the highest mean score.Low to negligible correlations between external and internal biosecurity were seen among layer farms except for the province of Tarlac. This suggests that a farm with low external biosecurity score also had low internal biosecurity score while high external biosecurity score was equated to high internal biosecurity score. Analysis also showed that large commercials farms had biosecurity ratings that were 6.84 higher compared to small commercial farms. Results of this study may be beneficial for farmers to make necessary improvement to increase level of compliance to biosecurity measures. Policies to impose, implement and monitor compliance may also be instituted.

Farm Mechanization and its Behavioral Effects on Displaced Rice Workers of Region III

With the current development in technology, agriculture has rapidly changed and accepting change and technology is key to mechanical progress. The use of technology has improved efficiency in producing, processing and distributing agricultural produce. Farmers are now gradually shifting to new and modern farming system. Historically, advances in farm mechanization have been made where a strong demand for labor in other industries has withdrawn workers from the land and forced wage rates up. Increasing use of farm machines requires less and less of human power, while, it is expected that mechanized farming leads to more productivity, the reversed is true to displaced farm workers. This research focused on discovering the impact of farm mechanization in the marketing of rice in Central Luzon, Philippines and its behavioural effects on rice workers who were displaced as a result of the use of farm machines.

The college students perspective on what makes an educator well-qualified

The educators of the 21st century have a great task ahead. In today’s world, the educators are expected to have a great deal of professional and personal qualities, and extraordinary skills. This descriptive-correlational study aimed to determine perceptions of college students on a well-qualified educator. The study included 123 selected college students from different colleges in Central Luzon, Philippines using a convenience sampling technique. As data collection tool, a questionnaire prepared by the researcher team was used. Some of the findings of the study include: (1) the respondents answered agree on the context of professional and personal qualities that a teacher should have; (2) while in terms of the skills exhibited by an educator, it got an answer to Very Satisfactory. We also found significant differences in professional qualities, learning and innovation skills and life and career skills when grouped according to the respondent’s profile. There was low-to-moderate evidence of the relationship that existed between the qualities and skills of an educator. The results further confirmed the relationship through regression analysis and found that communication skills affect the qualities of an educator. Based on the results, we discussed and recommended practical suggestions on professional, personal and skills improvements of an educator.

Predictors Associated with the Curricular Performance of Student-Athletes

This study was conducted to establish the potential association between predictors and curricular performance of student-athletes. To accomplish the reason for the study the descriptive research design was used. One hundred thirty-four athletes from the Province of Pampanga who competed in the Central Luzon Regional Association (CLRAA) in the School Year 2016-2017 served as respondents of the study. The sports involvement of student-athletes and its perceived effects on their curricular performance. For physical aspect, sixty-six or 49.25% agreed is the poor balance diet, Seven or 5.52% strongly disagreed that the injury acquired from sports involvement affected their curricular performance. On the other hand, the social aspect, Seventy-four or 55.22% agreed is teachers’ discrimination was a factor that affects their curricular performance. While 11 or 8.20% strongly disagreed is the discrimination from classmate can effect on their curricular performance. Likewise, in the emotional aspect, seventy or 52.23% disagreed Failure/defeat in sports involvement may result in loss of Self-reliance. While six or 4.47% strongly agreed that defeats led to the loss of Courage. Lastly, mental aspect, Fifty-nine or 44.02% agreed that cause of anger often becomes the focus of attention. While eleven or 8.20% which were describing strongly agreed is the worry.

A fuzzy analytic hierarchy process for the site selection of the Philippine algal industry

The Philippine algae industry is a multi-billion dollar industry that requires restructuring to further gain global market share. Through the development of new algal bioproducts by strategically repositioning and enabling collaboration with existing industries, the Philippine algal industry aims to enhance its economic status. The decentralized locations of regions in the Philippines make it challenging to select a potential site for the industry. A decision support system is proposed to aid the industry for site selection that evaluates the different regions based on environmental impact, costs, social aspects, and industry presence. In addition, the site assessment considers the viewpoints of the various stakeholders to arrive at a sound and just decision. Thus, a fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) method is employed to include the uncertainty in the subjectivity in the viewpoints of different stakeholders such as the academe, the government, and the industry. In addition, the FAHP approach is capable of combining both qualitative and quantitative data. The combined results revealed the level of importance of the main criteria with a combined weight of 43% for the environmental impact, 22% for the costs, 21% for the social aspects, and 14% for the industry presence. The disparity of priorities was observed among the stakeholders where the industry chose costs at 29% above other criteria when compared to the government and the academe which chose environmental impact at 44% and 40%, respectively, among other criteria. The highly preferred sites for the Philippine algae industry were Calabarzon, Northern Mindanao, Western Visayas, and Central Luzon due to the good potential labor force, presence of industries, and available resources in the regions. In order to achieve a harmonious prioritization of criteria among the stakeholders, policies on the encouragement of public investment on regions with marginal income must be considered.

Gene Expression and Sequence Analysis of BADH1 Gene in CLSU Aromatic Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Accessions Subjected to Drought and Saline Condition.

The BADH1 was characterized by investigating its association to aroma, drought and salinity stress through sequence and gene expression analysis using the selected aromatic rice accessions from Central Luzon State University, Philippines. Polymorphisms including SNPs, were observed in genomic analysis between the resistant check and the susceptible varieties during saline condition. On the other hand, BADH1 transcript level in tolerant varieties revealed that during salt treatment, the salt tolerant check Pokkali and moderately salt tolerant accession Leyte Special have increased transcript level compared to non-treated saline condition relative to actin. The downstream investigation of the BADH1 using genomic and transcriptomic approach is important information to elucidate the molecular mechanism of fragrance development among aromatic rice in CLSU and its response to abiotic stresses.

Biology Learning Station Strategy (BLISS): Its Effects on Science Achievement and Attitude towards Biology

Science education faces monumental changes in terms of curriculum design and approach brought about by the challenges of globalization and diversifying educational landscapes. This study sought to test the effects of Biology Learning Station Strategy (BLISS) to the academic achievement and attitude of junior high school Science students. This action research utilized a within-group pretest-posttest experimental design involving 28 Grade 10 Science students of a government-run secondary school in Central Luzon, Philippines. The study found out that prior to the intervention, the junior high school Science students were performing below average in terms of Science achievement and have slightly positive attitude towards Biology. After the intervention, the students’ Science achievement and their attitude towards Biology had improved. BLISS was found to be an effective differentiated learning strategy in improving the Science achievement and attitude towards Biology of students. There was a positive correlation between Science achievement and attitude towards Biology.

The Effectiveness of Information Systems in the Enrollment of State Universities and Colleges in Central Luzon Philippines: A Basis for Enhancement

This paper aimed to measure the effectiveness of the information systems in the enrollment of State Universities and Colleges (SUC) in Central Luzon Philippines, evaluate the features to be integrated in the information systems and the level of readiness of SUC’s for online enrollment. The De Lone and McLean Success Models were used as bases for the selection of appropriate Information System measures; information quality, system quality, service quality, intention to use, user satisfaction and net benefits. The study revealed that Information Systems is 'Effective' using the DM the Level of Readiness for Online Enrollment is described as Moderately Ready; and Online Registration as priority to be integrated in the system.

Maternal and Infant Care Beliefs and Practices of Aeta Mothers in Central Luzon, Philippines

Background: This study attempts at understanding the Aetas concept of maternal and infant care, specifically, beliefs and practices of Aeta mothers during pregnancy, childbirth and care of the infant.
 Methodology: Qualitative descriptive design was utilized in this research. Forty Aeta mothers were informants of this study selected via purposive sampling. Participant observation, formal and informal interviews and examination of relevant documents were the instruments for data collection.
 Findings: Most respondents were between 16-27 years old, from the province of Zambales, with two pregnancies and one living child. The majority had home deliveries attended by traditional birth attendants or next of kin and had visits to the Rural Health Units for a prenatal check-up. It was found that most Aeta mothers usually visit the Rural Health Unit in their second trimester. The mothers also rely on traditional beliefs and practices passed on from elders of the community particularly on diet, hygiene, and faith in God, preparation prior to delivery, cord care and use of placenta.
 Conclusion: The findings showed that the majority of the Aeta mothers interviewed adhered to some form of belief and practice that were passed to them by their elders.
 Implication: Stakeholders such as government and non-government organizations should pursue promoting and enriching beliefs and practices of the Aeta and reinforcing programs with an emphasis on indigenous minorities to follow safe delivery and motherhood practices that are culturally acceptable.

Potential and versatility of WEAP model (Water Evaluation and Planning System) for hydrological assessments of AWD (Alternate Wetting and Drying) in irrigated rice

The production of irrigated rice is increasingly challenged by freshwater scarcity. Water saving technologies such as Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) allow sustaining production levels under reduced water availability. Before implementing such innovations on a large scale, their hydrological impact on the system needs to be assessed.This study investigated the applicability of the water management tool WEAP (Water Evaluation and Planning System) for evaluating the effects of AWD on water use and water resources at field and irrigation system level for two different case studies in Central Luzon, the Philippines.In the first study, the Zeigler Experiment Station (ZES) of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) was used for parameterization of WEAP and field-scale assessment of AWD, making use of the availability of spatially and temporally highly resolved data. In the second study, WEAP was applied to an irrigation scheme in the Philippines, the Angat-Maasim River Irrigation System (AMRIS) to assess effects on up- and downstream water resources using lower resolution data.Simulated AWD implementation during the dry season reduced water requirements by 12–27% and 34.3% on ZES and AMRIS, respectively. Additionally, AWD implementation enhanced streamflow in main and lateral canals, and thus increased water availability in the entire irrigation system. We also conducted an ex-ante assessment of future freshwater availability assuming reduced precipitation due to climate change effects alongside with irrigation supply at current levels. WEAP showed that water levels in the reservoir will substantially decline under these circumstances leading to severe water stress in AMRIS. Implementing AWD in such a scenario improved water availability in the system by up to 50%. WEAP proved to be a suitable tool for upscaling different irrigation techniques and assessing their impact on water resources on a large scale. Limitations of the approach and future possibilities for improvements are discussed.

Kapampangan People and Their Language: A Case Study

This study aims to understand the Kapampangan people and their language settling at the heart of Central Luzon or Region III in the Philippines. This study attempts to address the origin of the Kapampangan people, their language and their influences on the Filipino culture as a whole. In spite of the fact that the province of Pampanga is in the midst of the Tagalog, Pangasinese and Ilocano speaking provinces, it remains united in language and, up to this date, used by the native Kapampangans. They believed that it is a member of the Malayo-Polynesian branch of the Austronesian language family and is also known as Pampango, Capampangan, Pampangueño or Amanung Sisuan. The province also declared that once Spain used it as the seat of the Spanish government in the Philippines. According to some historians, the people of Pampanga played an important role in the campaign for reforms and independence during Spanish, American and Japanese colonization. Kapampangans are very proud of their origin and language that remains the bedrock of their existence. Today, the Province of Pampanga is considered one of the fastest-growing provinces in the Philippines, notwithstanding it was devastated by the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991. Perhaps the behavior and culture of the Kapampangans that made them bounce back from nature’s wrath and, in a short span of time, fully recover and on the track again. The objective of the study is to understand the Kapampangan and its language, origin and development. In particular, it seeks to answer the following: What are the sources of the Kapampangan language? What makes the language unique among other languages? What are the roles of the Kapampangan during colonization? Why the Kapampangan language is an endangered language? The finding of the study: The provincial government of Pampanga, in coordination with the Department of Education, must revive the Pampangan language in all schools in Pampanga as a medium of instruction for Kinder to Grade 12. In coordination with all the cities and towns, the provincial government of Pampanga should practice as part of their official communication the Pampangan language. The provincial government of Pampanga must create a center for Kapampangan Studies. If both Kapampangans make it compulsory to converse in Pampangan The scope of the research concentrates on the Kapampangan language. It will be presented through available records, media interviews and historical data. Social scientists, in particular, have made wide use of qualitative research methods to examine contemporary real-life situations and provide the basis for the application of ideas and extension of methods.

ICT-Pedagogy Integration in Elementary Classrooms: Unpacking the Pre-service Teachers’ TPACK

This study aimed to investigate the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) self-efficacy and ICT integration skills of elementary pre-service teachers in elementary classrooms. The respondents were fifty-two (52) elementary pre-service teachers enrolled in the student teaching program at the Central Luzon State University. Results revealed that most of respondents perceived themselves to be highly proficient in all domains of TPACK framework: Technology Knowledge (TK), Content Knowledge (CK), Pedagogical Knowledge (PK), Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK), Technological Content Knowledge (TCK), Technological Pedagogical Knowledge (TPK) and Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPCK). Most of them were found to be good in integrating ICT in classroom instruction, particularly in terms of planning and implementation.Respondents’ GPA in Educational Technology and ICT-related courses was found to have negative significant relationship with their planning and implementation of ICT-Integrated instruction. Their TPACK self-efficacy had a highly significant relationship with their planning and implementation of ICT-integrated instruction.

Is alternate wetting and drying irrigation technique enough to reduce methane emission from a tropical rice paddy?

ABSTRACT Combination of a pre-season wet soil condition and rice straw incorporation just before transplanting, which is typical for a tropical rice double cropping, can induce a flash of methane (CH4) emission shortly after the transplanting. The conventional practice of alternate wetting and drying (AWD) irrigation technique that typically starts at 21 days after transplanting (DAT) can hardly reduce this emission because the soil become methanogenic before the onset of AWD treatment. Field experiments were conducted in Central Luzon, Philippines, during the 2014–2017 dry rice seasons to examine the effects of the timing of rice straw/stubble incorporation on the efficacy of AWD in reducing the CH4 emission. Two treatments of the timing of stubble incorporation were stubbles incorporated during the start of wet land preparation (S1) and stubbles incorporated during the dry fallow tillage (S2). For the water management, we compared two treatments: continuous flooding (CF) and AWD with – 15 cm threshold for irrigation. The AWD under S2 was implemented earlier at 10 DAT. We observed a significant interaction (p < 0.01) between effects of AWD and straw management on CH4 emissions; the seasonal total CH4 emission was reduced by AWD compared with CF by 73% under S2, while the reduction was <20% under S1. The AWD significantly (p < 0.05) increased the nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions by 47 and 48% relative to CF under S1 and S2, respectively. The global warming potential (GWP, CH4 + N2O) and yield-scaled GWP were still substantially lower by 62 and 59%, respectively, in AWD than in CF under S2, but the reduction was not realized under S1 due to the relatively smaller CH4 reduction and increased N2O emission. The results confirm that pre-season aerobic stubble decomposition and earlier implementation of AWD enhanced AWD’s mitigation potential in reducing substantially the CH4 emission from the tropical rice double-cropping system.

Dilemmas encountered by Aeta students in a state university in Central Luzon, Philippines

Aeta is one of the many groups of indigenous people (IP)inhabiting the Philippines particularly the Zambales Aetas of Central Luzon. Interestingly, these IPs have given much importance in formal education until the tertiary level as shown by the increasing number of IP enrollees in colleges and universities. However, Aetas who enter in the higher education institution confront a multitude of problems and issues from personal to social aspects. This article attempts to determine the problems and issues encountered by the Aeta college students in one state university in Central Luzon, Philippines. Researcher-structured survey tool was administered to gather valuable data while focus group discussion and informal interviews were made to validate the survey results. Findings of the study revealed that the major problems and issues encountered by the students are mostly on verbal bullying, fear towards their teachers, language barrier, low self-esteem, and academic pressure. A personality development and formation program, contextualized for the young IPs, is recommended for implementation in the University.

Historical Continuities in and New Works on Philippine Cities

Historical Continuities in and New Works on Philippine Cities Michael D. Pante (bio) wataru kusaka Moral Politics in the Philippines: Inequality, Democracy and the Urban Poor Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press, 2019. 341 pages. gerard lico and lorelei d. c. de viana, eds. Regulating Colonial Spaces (1565–1944): A Collection of Laws, Decrees, Proclamations, Ordinances, Orders and Directives on Architecture and the Built Environment during the Colonial Eras in the Philippines Manila: National Commission for Culture and the Arts, 2017. 367 pages. ian morley Cities and Nationhood: American Imperialism and Urban Design in the Philippines, 1898–1916 Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 2018. 250 pages. andre arnisson ortega Neoliberalizing Spaces in the Philippines: Suburbanization, Transnational Migration, and Dispossession Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press, 2018. 361 pages. a. k. sandoval-strausz and nancy h. kwak, eds. Making Cities Global: The Transnational Turn in Urban History Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2018. 339 pages. [End Page 131] On 14 February 2019 Pres. Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act 11201, establishing the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) "to streamline housing and land use planning by the government" (Ranada 2019). In the process, the law dissolved two state agencies—the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council and the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board—and merged their functions in a cabinet-level department. On a somewhat related note, the government is also mulling over the creation within ten to fifteen years of a Greater Capital Region (GCR), which would be composed of Metro Manila, Central Luzon, and the CALABARZON provinces, i.e., Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon—a development that may well be realized due to the ongoing railway projects that will eventually connect the said regions together (Roque 2019). Based on these moves, the Duterte administration seems geared toward massive urban restructuring that will affect not just the national capital but also other cities. This trend makes the study of urbanization an imperative. Fortunately, works on Philippine urban history and urban studies are on an upswing, especially in the past decade, equipping us with the necessary conceptual tools to understand the dizzying pace of change both in the Philippines and in Southeast Asia. The historiography of Southeast Asian urbanization traces its roots to the 1950s, when scholars (Ginsburg 1955; McGee 1967) began theorizing the similarities and differences of the so-called Asian city. In recent years, new frontiers in Philippine urban history have opened up, with some scholars looking at previously ignored topics like health and medicine, [End Page 132] food and provisionment, and even household technology (Mactal 2009; Doeppers 2016; Reyes 2012). Furthermore, the scholarly concern toward the built environment, mass housing, vernacular architecture, and the emergence of the informal urban fabric remain prominent, exemplified by the works of Paulo Alcazaren et al. (2011), Greg Bankoff (2012), and Edson Cabalfin (2014) and a 2016 special issue on urban history of Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints. Adding to this growing body of scholarship are five recently published works that I review in this essay: Ian Morley's Cities and Nationhood: American Imperialism and Urban Design in the Philippines, 1898–1916; Gerard Lico and Lorelei D. C. de Viana's compilation of primary sources, titled Regulating Colonial Spaces (1565–1944): A Collection of Laws, Decrees, Proclamations, Ordinances, Orders and Directives on Architecture and the Built Environment during the Colonial Eras in the Philippines; A. K. Sandoval-Strausz and Nancy H. Kwak's edited volume, Making Cities Global: The Transnational Turn in Urban History; Andre Arnisson Ortega's Neoliberalizing Spaces in the Philippines: Suburbanization, Transnational Migration, and Dispossession; and Wataru Kusaka's Moral Politics in the Philippines: Inequality, Democracy and the Urban Poor. Cities and Nationhood is the first book of Ian Morley, who is associate professor in the Department of History at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. It is the culmination of his long engagement with the history of planning in the Philippines, Morley having published a number of essays on this topic in various academic journals. The first of its six chapters introduces the terrain of concepts and paradoxes that have defined the Philippine nation and links this map of ideas to the...

Accumulation of Heavy Metals in Sediments and Tissues of Rhizopora Apiculata, Sonneratia Alba and Avicennia Sp. In Alinsaog River, Zambales, Central Luzon, Philippines

Phytoaccumulative capacity for heavy metals (Zn, Ni, Fe, Mn and Cr) of mangrove species (Rhizophora apiculata, Avicennia sp. Sonneratia alba) was evaluated on sediments collected along the riparian zone of mining-impacted river. Ni, Fe, Mn and Cr exceeded the probable effect level suggesting their potential adverse effects to aquatic organisms and ecosystem. Metal concentration in the sediments was in decreasing order of Fe>Cr>Ni>Mn>Zn. The potential for metal accumulation which was assessed using bioconcentration factor (BCF) and translocation factor was found to vary depending on metals, mangrove species and plant tissues. The tested metals highly accumulated in the roots except for Mn with higher uptake in the leaves. Highest BCF was recorded on Zn (0.7) in Avicennia sp. while metals with high mean level in sediments (4,244.1mg/kg Ni, 137,049.4mg/kg Fe and 13,985.9mg/kg dry weight Cr) registered lower BCF. Variations in metal uptake of the same species could be due to differences in metal bioavailability and sediment characteristics. Limited translocation of Cr in all species, Ni on S. alba, Fe in R. apiculata and Avicennia sp. suggests that they can potentially be used for remediation of Ni-Cr-Fe laden sediments particularly for phytostabilization. Enhancement of metal uptake by mangroves through increasing metal bioavailability should be explored in future studies.

The Long-Term Effects of Rehabilitation Program for Children in Conflict with the Law

This study determined the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs provided for in Republic Act 9344 for children in conflict with the law. Twenty one rehabilitated youth admitted from June to October 2018 participated in the study.All of them are permanent residents of Cabanatuan City, Central Luzon, Philippines. Results showed that diversion program, vocational training, livelihood skills training, fun games and sports development were perceived to be more effective than other methods while cleanliness drives are effective as it is understood as a punishment rather than restorative. The effective program provided formal and non-formal education, better ways in dealing with one's emotions; explore one’s strengths and weaknesses and economic empowerment. According to program implementers, challenges faced in the program were casework and limited financial assistance. Rehabilitated youth reported to have adapted a better perspective in life and are coping with problems well. Follow-up programs must be conducted to ensure the success of children in their community as well in school.