Mindanao Region Research Articles

Service Reputation and Customer Loyalty in Ocean Freight Forwarders: An Exporters’ Perspective in Mindanao Regions

Customer loyalty is a vital component for businesses to achieve success and growth and that gaining customer loyalty can be sustainable by building a positive reputation. This study investigated the influence of customer satisfaction and trust as dimensions of the reputation of Ocean Freight Forwarders on customer loyalty. Data were collected from 180 exporting companies in Mindanao and a survey questionnaire was administered. A descriptive correlational design was employed, and the results showed positive and statistically significant relationship between customer loyalty, satisfaction, and trust. The findings revealed that exporters perceive ocean freight forwarders' reputation as highly satisfactory in terms of technical and functional qualities, and they have a very high level of trust in forwarders' benevolence and credibility. The results also showed strong loyalty in all dimensions of customer loyalty. Thus, the practical implications of this study are clear: prioritizing customer satisfaction and maintaining trust by the forwarders are essential for establishing a strong reputation. Therefore, ocean freight forwarders should consider these findings and continuously evaluate and improve their trust image and customer satisfaction strategies to enhance customer loyalty and maintain a competitive position in the dynamic export industry.

Epidemiology of typhoid fever in the Philippines during the last six decades from 1960-2019: a profile and its trend

Regardless of the numerous reviews and publications on typhoid fever in the Philippines, it continues to be an issue regarding public health. Using data obtained from the Philippine Health Statistics (PHS), this study examined trends in typhoid fever mortality across an interval of six decades in the Philippines. The mortality and morbidity rates of typhoid fever were analyzed to discover trends of change for each year, age group, sex, and area. The Microsoft Excel software tool became used for all data analysis. The results show a decrease in typhoid fever fatality rates in the Philippines over the previous year. In terms of sex-specific deaths, males outnumbered females. The individuals aged 70 and older have the highest death rates when it comes to age-specific mortality rates. In the Philippines, Region I also has the highest mortality rate from typhoid fever. For instance, the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) has the lowest mortality rate from typhoid fever. The highest average morbidity rate is in the Cordillera administrative region (CAR), while the lowest is in Region IVB. To eliminate typhoid fever in the next few years and to completely combat typhoid fever throughout the years, educational campaign awareness or intimate knowledge must be conducted locally and globally.

Description of Neoperla philippinensis sp. nov. confirmed using integrative taxonomy and some notes on Neoperla oculata Banks, 1924 (Plecoptera: Perlidae).

I re-examine the assumed phenotypic variable Neoperla oculata Banks, 1924 (Plecoptera, Perlidae) and describe Neoperla philippinensis sp. nov. All material examined herein are collections from the Mindanao region, of which supplementary information were provided including COI mtDNA accessions, female adult associations, and egg morphology characterization.

Intrinsic Retention: Job Involvement, Job Satisfaction, Affective Organizational Commitment, and Extrinsic Retention: Continuance Organizational Commitment, Pay Satisfaction; and, Knowledge Sharing Behavior.

This research evaluated the employee perspective of job retention strategy and its relationship with knowledge-sharing behavior. It has given insight pertaining to employee turnover reduction and securing the sharing of knowledge behavior. A research assessment form was used to collect data. The questions were adapted from previous related studies. Convergence validity and reliability tests were used for scale- items, discriminant validity, and correlation coefficients were used for scale’s linear relationship, and hierarchical regression to analyze significant predictors and relationships. The three hundred twenty-six (326) target employee respondents were surveyed. They were randomly selected from different types of agribusiness sectors. The research results showed that employees’ perspectives on variables such as intrinsic retention affective organizational commitment (IRAOC) and extrinsic retention pay satisfaction (ERPS) revealed the highest positive relationship and significant predictor to knowledge sharing behavior (KSB). Both intrinsic retention (IR) and extrinsic retention (ER), overall, had a positive impact and highly significant predictor of KSB outcome, ER was most observed to have a positive relationship and highly significant predictor of KSB in Agribusiness enterprises. The research only studied the Agribusiness sector of the Philippines registered MSMEs in the Northern Mindanao region specific to Bukidnon province. The data collected were solely quantitative. And it only focused on the employees. Further studies would be preferred to study the owner or employer perspective and expand the scope of the study. The enterprise could use the importance of incorporating extrinsic and intrinsic retention strategies and practices to avoid employee turnover in the agribusiness sector and secure knowledge to be shared among employees. This research incorporated job retention strategies as intrinsic or extrinsic. Each retention strategy has been defined according to its nature of retaining employees. This has been presented clearly and each has been assessed in its relationship to knowledge-sharing behavior. Keywords were Intrinsic Retention: Job Involvement, Job Satisfaction, Affective Organizational Commitment, Extrinsic Retention: Continuance Organizational Commitment, Pay Satisfaction; and, Knowledge Sharing Behavior.

The Global Health Crisis Affected the Economy of an Emerging Metropolis: The Case of Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines

This paper estimates the impact of government strategies that aimed at containing the spread of COVID-19, to the local economic activities of Cagayan de Oro - a highly urbanized city in the Northern region of Mindanao. In the absence of city-level measure for Gross Domestic Product (GDP), gross sales among the 20,626 registered businesses are utilized as an alternative determinant. GDP measures the amount of output produced of a certain area within a specific time-period. Cagayan de Oro is predominantly food sector dependent contributing to almost 80% of its local economic activities. BPO, however, is the fastest growing sector but the food industry is near second. The gross sales of BPO, Tourism and Construction recorded the highest increase for the past ten-years, which indicates that these sectors are massively growing within the city. Using a simple moving-average equation from the business registration data of the City Finance Office from 2010-2019, this paper discovers that the friction created to slow down economic activities cost the city P131, 704,672.26 of foregone sales per week. The estimated impact of a week-long lockdown in the food sector amounts to P645,296,177.66 or a per capita loss of income of P2,428.95. In other words, the impact of lockdown to one food company is around P2,000. Per-capita cost is bigger among medical (P6,631.40) and construction (P7,747.14) firms considering lumpy inputs and higher set-up costs. A one-week lockdown leads to a P104,840,708.03 and P84,954,117.49 of foregone sales in the medical and construction sectors, respectively. This paper also locates the business concentration landscape and potential of Cagayan de Oro City among its 80 barangays and calculates the estimated revenue loss of each sector located among these barangays.

Catastrophic Out-of-Pocket Expenditure on Health: Evidence from the Regions in the Philippines

This study estimates Filipino’s catastrophic and impoverishing out-of-pocket (OOP) healthcare expenditures on a regional perspective to measure the effectiveness and progress of Philippines’ healthcare financing system in ensuring population protection from excessive and unequal healthcare costs. Observations are drawn from the most recent household-based survey in the Philippines, 2018 and 2021 Family Income and Expenditure Survey, and grouped by four major regions: National Capital Region, the rest of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao region. From 2018 to 2021, results showed that the distribution of catastrophic OOP healthcare expenditures decreases while depth of these payments increases across the four major regions. The highest incidences of these catastrophic payments were found in the rest of Luzon and Visayas regions, while the highest intensities were found in Mindanao region. Despite medicines and pharmaceuticals products dominance on OOP healthcare expenditures, payment on inpatient medical services drives the catastrophic expenditures of households. Aside, deepening poverty caused by healthcare payments were more evident in households residing in Mindanao regions, thus exposing this Filipino families to financial risk and poverty threats. Logistic regression analysis showed that aging households head, employment, and socio-economic status are significant and common factors affecting the likelihood of incurring excessive health expenditures across the regions. The risk of catastrophic and impoverishing effects of healthcare expenditures persists in the country. Low levels of catastrophic OOP healthcare expenditures may indicate that disadvantaged households focused on spending on basic necessities and struggle to afford healthcare due to high costs amid COVID 19, leading to foregone treatment. Thus, continuous implementation of fair and innovative ways of financing the healthcare system to reduce the financial burden of OOP payments on Filipino households is recommended.

Factors of early breastfeeding initiation among Filipino women: A population-based cross-sectional study

BackgroundEarly breastfeeding initiation (EBI) within the first hour after birth has the potential to reduce neonatal mortality. However, the prevalence of EBI still falls short of the 70 % target set by the WHO for 2030. Limited research has been conducted on this issue. Therefore, the study aimed to assess the prevalence and factors of EBI in the Philippines. MethodsThis study is a secondary analysis of the data from the Philippine National Demographic and Health Survey (PNDHS) in 2017. Women survey participants aged 15 to 49 (n = 3750) who had given birth within the two years prior to the survey were included in this study. A p-value < 0.05 was used to define statistical significance when identifying the factors associated with EBI using hierarchical logistic regression analysis. ResultsWomen who were more likely to practice EBI were those from the Cordillera Administrative Region, who read newspaper/magazines, and delivered infants at 2 or later birth order. On the contrary, women from Central Luzon, CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon provinces), Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, and the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao; who listen to the radio at least once a week; and give birth through cesarean section were less likely to practice EBI. ConclusionChanneling breastfeeding messages through printed mass media and provision of specialized breastfeeding support to mothers with cesarean section delivery may help in reducing the barriers to early breastfeeding initiation. Targeted interventions and strategies that promote breastfeeding practices, particularly among primigravida women and in regions with lower rates of EBI contribute to increased rate of optimal breastfeeding.

Digital Literacy, Pedagogical Knowledge, and Research Skill: A Structural Equation Model in Professional Competence of Teachers

Aims: To determine the levels of digital literacy, pedagogical knowledge, and research skills and to identify the best-fit model of professional competence of elementary and high school teachers in Southern Mindanao Region, Philippines.&#x0D; Study Design: Quantitative-causal research design utilizing the Structural Equation Model.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: Southern Mindanao Region, The Philippines, during the school year 2022-2023.&#x0D; Methodology: Stratified random sampling technique was used to determine the 400 elementary and secondary Filipino teachers. Only those respondents who agreed to be part of the study were included. However, this study did not have teachers not handling Filipino subjects; those teaching in college; teaching outside Region XI; or training in the previous school year. The respondents came from different divisions of Davao City, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Occidental, Davao de Oro, Davao Oriental, Digos City, Mati City, Panabo City, Island Garden of Samal, and Tagum City.&#x0D; Results: Filipino teachers' digital literacy, pedagogical knowledge, and research skills were very high. It indicated that digital literacy, pedagogical knowledge, and research skills were observed. Likewise, my professional competence was also very high. It was an indication that the respondents paid much attention to professional abilities. It also revealed that digital literacy, pedagogical knowledge, research skills, and professional competence had a significant relationship. Among the five models tested, hypothesized model 5 was the best-fitted model. Digital literacy exhibited the effect, making it a significant predictor of professional competence. In contrast, pedagogical knowledge shows eligible results, which means partly a predictor of professional competence. Moreover, the research skill shows a negligible direct effect on professional competence.&#x0D; Conclusion: Model 5 was the most appropriate model for the teachers' professional competence, and the study indicated that Filipino teachers in Southern Mindanao Region had very high levels of digital literacy, pedagogical knowledge, research skill, and professional competence. It implies that teachers must maintain substantial and relevant teaching-learning activities to gain professional competence. It shows further that these three independent variables may be used as a starting point for future research and as a resource when creating prospectuses for students enrolling in education programs.

Richness and distribution of reptiles and amphibians in the tropical lowland habitats of Mt. Agad-Agad, Iligan City, Southern Philippines

Knowledge of Philippine herpetofauna is progressively increasing. However, there are still areas in the country that are poorly understood and remain unexplored, particularly in the southern Philippines. Mt. Agad-Agad in Iligan City (Lanao del Norte Province) is a secondary lowland evergreen tropical rainforest in the southern portion of the northern Mindanao region, popular with the general public and a biologically important mountain ecosystem. Herein, we present the species richness and distribution of herpetofauna using standardized sampling methods. We documented 37 species of amphibians and reptiles, recording 20 Philippine-endemic species, three exotic anurans, two threatened reptiles, and one unidentified species of lizard. Species richness was higher in a mixed agricultural area (18 species, n = 108 individuals) compared to secondary growth forest (17 species, n = 86 individuals). This research provides baseline information on the herpetofauna from Mt. Agad-Agad, and additional herpetological knowledge on the distribution and ecology of amphibians and reptiles from the northern Mindanao region.

New records of pteridophytes in Mount Matutum Protected Landscape, South Central Mindanao, Philippines with notes on its economic value and conservation status

New records on distribution of pteridophytes in Mount Matutum Protected Landscape were documented. The species list was accounted with reference to specimen collections from various herbaria posted in digital databases and reliable literature on pteridophyte flora. Results further showed 105 new records for MMPL and its vicinity-South Cotabato, Sarangani province and General Santos City. From these, seven were new records for South Central Mindanao Region (Region 12). About 19 families, 56 genera were represented – 41 were epiphytes, 10 lithophytes, and 45 soil inhabitants, the rest with dual habits – two (ground and lithophytic); seven (epiphytic and lithophytic). Moreover, 11 species were found to be threatened based on national list while local conservation assessment based on relative frequency noted 91 threatened species. A conservation plan for these valuable species in the protected landscape is also proposed to ensure sound intervention and sustainable environment for this plant group.

Does safer housing save lives? An analysis of typhoon mortality and dwellings in the Philippines

Storms globally account for the highest loss of life among weather-related natural hazards. This study examines the relationship between components of housing vulnerability and typhoon related mortality in the Philippines at a municipal level between 2005 and 2015 using a Hurdle Negative Binomial (HNB) model. We find that in municipalities with greater prevalence of extreme substandard housing, unimproved household water sources, crowdedness, lower housing density, and less secure tenure, people are more likely to die from typhoons when controlling for typhoon proximity and wind speed as well as coastal proximity. We recommend targeted investments in safer housing in municipalities of Region VIII, Region XI and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) where correlations between housing vulnerability and disaster mortality are the highest. This research provides new knowledge of the link between housing and mortality in disasters, offering one of the first national scale assessments to quantify the contributions of safer housing in reducing loss of life in disasters.

Youth inclusion in peace processes: the case of the Bangsamoro transition authority in Mindanao, Philippines

ABSTRACT Drawing on the post-accord case of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) in the region of Muslim Mindanao, this research examines how far youth’s vertical integration in formal political institutions is influenced by both structural association and youth’s agential capacity. While association with the formal structural elements enables elite youth’s entry into the formal space, the latter’s agential capacity shapes the nature of that inclusion over the long-term. Positive intergenerational collaboration and interdependence between Moro elders and the Moro youth supports this process, although inclusion remains limited to only a minority of the youthful population. New empirical data collected through primary research with the elders and young Moro ministers in the BTA is used to demonstrate the workings of our argument around the importance of intergenerational collaboration and support from the elders, for a wider inclusion of young people’s skills and voices into post-conflict governance institutions.

Midwives' Perspectives on Family Planning With Pregnant and Postpartum Women in the Philippines' Mindanao Region: A Qualitative Study.

BackgroundThis study sought to identify factors significantly impacting access to and utilization of modern contraceptive methods among Filipinas from the perspective of midwives who are caring for women during pregnancy and the postpartum period.MethodsIn-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 midwives working at three birthing clinics within the Mindanao region of the Philippines. Data were coded and analyzed for major themes using a grounded theory approach.ResultsLogistics of obtaining the desired contraceptive method, superstitions associated with family planning (FP) methods, opinions of community leaders and partners, and education regarding fertility and birth spacing benefits are significant factors impacting Filipina family planning use. Religion and midwives’ preferences are not significant factors.ConclusionsCultural and social factors play a large role in family planning decisions. There is a need for enhanced education, beginning in schools, regarding the fertility cycle, birth spacing benefits, and the importance of individual family planning. Filipino public health infrastructure operating consistently is a key factor for women to reliably access contraception.

Abundance, Species Diversity, and Conservation Status of Reef Fishes in Dumanquillas Bay, Zamboanga, Philippines

Zamboanga is one of the significant fishing grounds in the Mindanao Region, but little is known about the conservation status of reef fishes, particularly in Dumanquillas Bay, Zamboanga. Thus, this study assessed the abundance, species diversity, and conservation status of reef fishes in the bay. The assessment was conducted within eight sampling stations from May 6 to May 16, 2014. Reef fishes were censused using a line-intercept method. Fourteen thousand fifty individuals and 140 fish species belonging to 30 families were recorded―dominated by the family Pomacentridae. The number of fish individuals was significantly more abundant in Triton Island Station than in other sampling stations, while Muyong Island has the most diverse reef fishes. Almost all species are classified as the least concern category, except for Plectropomus areolatus of Cabog Island, which is under the vulnerable (VU) category. The number of less-valued species was higher than the commercially high-valued species. Therefore, it may indicate the overharvest of the latter group of species. This comprehensive study on reef fishes in Dumangquillas Bay may serve as a reference for fisheries resource management planning or for drafting fisheries policies in the bay.

Restriction Site-Associated DNA Sequencing Reveals Local Adaptation Despite High Levels of Gene Flow in Sardinella lemuru (Bleeker, 1853) Along the Northern Coast of Mindanao, Philippines

Stock identification and delineation are important in the management and conservation of marine resources. These were highlighted as priority research areas for Bali sardinella (Sardinella lemuru) which is among the most commercially important fishery resources in the Philippines. Previous studies have already assessed the stocks of S. lemuru between Northern Mindanao Region (NMR) and Northern Zamboanga Peninsula (NZP), yielding conflicting results. Phenotypic variation suggests distinct stocks between the two regions, while mitochondrial DNA did not detect evidence of genetic differentiation for this high gene flow species. This paper tested the hypothesis of regional structuring using genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) acquired through restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RADseq). We examined patterns of population genomic structure using a full panel of 3,573 loci, which was then partitioned into a neutral panel of 3,348 loci and an outlier panel of 31 loci. Similar inferences were obtained from the full and neutral panels, which were contrary to the inferences from the outlier panel. While the full and neutral panels suggested a panmictic population (global FST ∼ 0, p &amp;gt; 0.05), the outlier panel revealed genetic differentiation between the two regions (global FST = 0.161, p = 0.001; FCT = 0.263, p &amp;lt; 0.05). This indicated that while gene flow is apparent, selective forces due to environmental heterogeneity between the two regions play a role in maintaining adaptive variation. Annotation of the outlier loci returned five genes that were mostly involved in organismal development. Meanwhile, three unannotated loci had allele frequencies that correlated with sea surface temperature. Overall, our results provided support for local adaptation despite high levels of gene flow in S. lemuru. Management therefore should not only focus on demographic parameters (e.g., stock size and catch volume), but also consider the preservation of adaptive variation.

Discursive constructions in televised news: The case of Mindanao, Philippines

News stories carry boundary setting language that constructs nations as homogenous imagined communities and furthers the us-vs-them metanarrative that separates those who belong to one nation from those who do not. However, it may be possible that boundary-setting representations may be applied to groups within the nation-state. This article explores this possibility by examining the discourse constructed by mediated communication such as local and national television news programs about the Mindanao region in the southern Philippines. Results show that Mindanao-based journalists present Mindanao to local viewers as different, neglected, and violent. This is possibly an indication of how historical social processes involved in the emergence of the Mindanao state intersect the discursive ones concerned with national and regional identity construction.

Dimensions of service quality of multipurpose cooperatives in Southern Mindanao Region, Philippines: A multivariate approach

The study endeavored to identify the measures of service quality of multipurpose cooperatives in Digos City. The study followed a sequential exploratory design implemented using survey method involving 367 active members of multi-purpose cooperatives (response rate of 91.75%) responding on a 48-item scale of developed service quality. In analyzing the data, exploratory factor analysis was used with principal components analysis to extract the number of dimensions. Results revealed four measures can be extracted from the 48 items submitted for exploratory factor analysis, named as accommodation and reliability, assurance and empathy, accessibility, and service efficiency. Implications on the utility of the framework developed from the analysis were discussed, as well as the context and applicability of the measures for other institutions.

Influence of boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation on rainfall extremes in the Philippines

AbstractThis study investigates the impact of the northward/northwestward propagating 30–60‐day mode of the boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation (BSISO) on the extreme rainfall events in the Philippines during the June–September (JJAS) season from 1979 to 2018. The Philippines domain is divided into the three latitudinal regions: Luzon region (13°–22°N), Visayas region (10°–13°N), and Mindanao region (5°–10°N) to account for the regional differences in the timing of extreme rainfall events. The probability density functions of JJAS rainfall are skewed towards higher values relative to the non‐BSISO days in BSISO Phases 6–8, Phases 5–7, and Phases 4–6 over the Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao regions, respectively, during which the probability of extreme rainfall events at the 95th percentile increases by as much as 80% in some stations in these regions. Further analyses of the large‐scale circulation features show that the increase (decrease) in the probability of extreme rainfall events is associated with enhanced moisture convergence (divergence) induced by the cyclonic (anticyclonic) circulation anomalies of the BSISO and appearance of multiple tropical cyclones. About 36% of the total extreme rainfall events over the Luzon region are associated with TCs during Phases 7–8. On the other hand, TCs contribute by no more than 24% in all phases over the Visayas and Mindanao regions, indicating less TC influence in these regions. This study is the first attempt to clarify the impact of the BSISO on the extreme rainfall events in the Philippines.

DNA Barcoding of Dominant Species in the Sardine Fishery of Northern Mindanao

DNA barcoding was done to identify the dominant species of sardines that comprised the landed catch of the sardine fishery in the Northern Mindanao Region (NMR), and juveniles or "lupoy" in the Northern Zamboanga Peninsula (NZP). Cytochrome oxidase I (COI) minibarcodes were sequenced for all samples, while 16S ribosomal subunit sequences were obtained from a subset of samples. In reference to a previously reported land catch survey, sequence data confirmed the identity of the most dominant sardines in NMR and lupoy from NZP as Sardinella lemuru. Meanwhile, those reported as S. gibbosa were identified as Herklotsichthys quadrimaculatus, while those reported as S. pacifica were identified as the recently described S. goni. Results highlight: 1) the limitation in identifying sardines during land catch surveys without further taxonomic verification, and 2) the utility of DNA barcoding as a tool for species identification. Moreover, genetic data revealed that S. goni occurs in the fisheries of NMR, thereby expanding its known habitat range. Since this study was limited only in using DNA barcodes for identification, a detailed morphological examination of the dominant sardines is recommended.

Tiger beetles (Coleoptera, Cicindelidae) of Northern Mindanao region (Philippines): checklist, distributional maps, and habitats.

The knowledge about tiger beetle fauna of the Northern Mindanao region (Philippines) is summarized based on literature data and new records. Thirty species classified in ten genera (Tricondyla, Neocollyris, Protocollyris, Therates, Prothyma, Heptodonta, Thopeutica, Lophyra, Calomera, and Cylindera) were documented from the area (56% of tiger beetle fauna of Mindanao and 21% of Philippine species). Twelve species were noted from Northern Mindanao region for the first time, including five taxa, Neocollyris speciosa, Calomera angulata, Cylindera minuta, Lophyra striolata tenuiscripta, and Thopeutica virginea, not recorded from Mindanao before. Distribution maps for all recorded species and the first photographs of habitats for some species in Mindanao and/or in the Philippines are provided. Eight species (27% of recorded fauna) were noted from riverine habitats while 18 tiger beetles (60%) were typical forest taxa; in the case of four species, their habitats in Northern Mindanao region are not known.