Philippines Research Articles

Of Casinos and Mangoes: Korean Drama Representations of the Philippine Islands

A noticeable trope in South Korean dramas is using actual specific islands as settings. The Philippine islands have been mentioned and portrayed in almost all types of Korean TV drama genres, such as romance, suspense, drama, comedy, action, crime and fantasy. In the first part of the article, these fictional island representations are examined to uncover two types of depictions of cultures of ‘islandness’ or constructions of island identity, the first of which is tropical and paradisiacal, where everything is exotically beautiful, blissful, and bountiful; and the second, dark, dangerous, and chaotic, where criminals and outcasts exercise corruption and power. The second part examines ‘cultural-imperial’ or ‘re- oriental’ suggestions and assumptions in these K-dramas.

Sea Vegetables: An Alternative Food Source: A Review

Seaweeds or sea vegetables are the non-traditional vegetables largely produced and consumed by China, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam and other island countries. They are rich in essential nutrients, including minerals, vitamins, amino acids etc. making them a valuable addition to a balanced diet. Moreover, they have low caloric content and are free from cholesterol, essential for weight management and heart-healthy diets. Additionally, sea vegetables contain unique bioactive compounds such as polysaccharides, polyphenols and omega-3 fatty acids, which have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Globally the demand for seaweed as vegetables along with its several value-added products are increasing day by day. The cultivation of seaweed is cost effective as it does not require seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, no freshwater and arable land. Sea vegetables can serve as bio filters by absorbing excess nutrients from aquatic ecosystems, thus promoting environmental sustainability in coastal aquatic system. To combat hunger, achieve food security and protect the environment, it is crucial to create public awareness on the health benefits and nutritional value of sea vegetables. More in-depth research and developments are required to commercialize, explore the diversity of sea vegetables, develop innovative culinary applications and establishment of quality and safety standards. The present review works highlights a comprehensive overview of seaweed diversity, nutritional composition, health benefits, diverse uses, cultivation methods and potential for developing processed products for food and agricultural industry.

Determining Priority Conservation of Endemic Palms in the Philippine Islands Using a Localized Conservation Priority Index

The mass production of palms for economic and cultural use in the Philippines leads to risk of extinction, genetic erosion, and biodiversity loss. This study aimed to identify top-priority endemic Arecaceae species in the Philippine Islands using a modified localized conservation priority index (LCPI), which considered factors such as distribution, harvesting risk, and economic and cultural use. A taxonomic list of 89 species was constructed, spanning 12 genera, with Calamus being the most speciose genus containing 25 endemic species. The LCPI assessment designated 31 high priority species for conservation, 24 as medium priority, and 34 as low priority. High-priority palms scored highly on the LCPI due to their limited distribution, high susceptibility to overharvesting, and significant economic and cultural value to local communities. The study reveals the diversity and importance of endemic Philippine palms needing urgent conservation efforts to sustain their valuable ecosystem services.

Side-Lying and Cross-Cradle Breastfeeding Positions of Mothers Toward Good Health and Well-Being of Young Children

Early initiation of breastfeeding protects newborns from various infections and mortality. Despite its benefits, not all mothers practice this essential feeding method due to various factors. This study addressed breastfeeding concerns in consonance with the Philippine Republic Act. 10028, as it orders optimal breastfeeding practices and aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goal number 3 to ensure good health and well-being. This study aimed to assess the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of educational attainment and number of children; analyze mothers’ perceptions of breastfeeding positions; evaluate the relationship between side-lying and cross-cradle breastfeeding positions and the educational attainment and number of children; and based on the findings of the study, develop a breastfeeding health education program. In this study, a quantitative descriptive research method was employed. The survey questionnaire was validated by professional experts and administered in Barangay Narra, Francisco Homes, City of San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan, Philippines. Data analysis was conducted using a descriptive aspect of frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and anova for a predictive aspect of the research results. The findings indicated a strong preference for the side-lying position for rest and relaxation (mean = 4.3), and a high recommendation for the cross-cradle position (mean = 4.7). It was proved in this study that there was no significant relationship between the cross-cradle position and educational attainment (p-value = 0.62), whereas the side-lying position and educational attainment showed a significant relationship (p-value = 0.047). Furthermore, the study revealed no significant relationship between the cross-cradle and side-lying position and the number of children (p-value = 0.60). It is recommended that lactating mothers have to practice early breastfeeding to attain good health and well-being of young children.

An Emerging New Tourism Destination: Geographic Resources and Tourism Potential of the Province of Masbate (Republic of the Philippines)

The Masbate Province surrounded by the Sibuyan Sea, Visayan Sea and Samar Sea, is located in the central part of the Philippine archipelago and includes 3 large islands (Masbate, Ticao and Burias) and many smaller islands. All the islands within the borders of Masbate Province are just one part of the Luzon Islands Group in terms of physical geography; also in terms of political geography and administrative geography, they are located within the “Bicol Administrative Region”. In terms of administrative structure, there are 20 districts, 1 city (Masbate City) and 550 Barangays in the Masbate Province. Even though the Masbate Province has rich natural resources and mines, great agricultural and fishing potential, it has so far failed to achieve the desired success in international tourism. In this study, Masbate, Ticao and Burias, which are the largest islands of the Masbate province, are investigated and analyzed separately and both their geographical features, tourism potential and tourism attractiveness of these islands are accounted for. In this article, the main accommodation facilities, major nature reserves, islands and beaches within the borders of Masbate Province, as well as natural and cultural tourism attractions are examined; additionally, the tourism advantages and disadvantages of Masbate Province are addressed. The main purpose of the study is to introduce the tourism resources, cultural riches and natural beauties of the Masbate Province, which actually is not very popular among the international tourists, to the readers, both to popularize the name of the Masbate Province to the global tourism markets and offer new holiday options for the inquisitive tourists.

An Emerging New Tourism Destination: Geographic Resources and Tourism Potential of the Province of Masbate (Republic of the Philippines)

An Emerging New Tourism Destination: Geographic Resources and Tourism Potential of the Province of Masbate (Republic of the Philippines)

Towards Agricultural Development: A Study of the Americas Public School System in Bukidnon 1901-1940

The resettlement of Bukidnon following its separation from the Misamis province in 1907 was formalized under the Special Provincial Governmental Act, also known as Act 1693. This transition sparked various resistance movements within the province, including the Tauidis outlaws and the Tungud movement, both formed to oppose America's resettlement campaign in Bukidnon. After its suppression by the constabulary the American administration introduced an education system aimed at pacifying the Bukidnon population while fostering economic self-sufficiency in the province. This paper aims to analyze and evaluate the role of the education system in Bukidnon as a crucial component of America's pacification and integration campaign in the province. It addresses key questions such as: How did the America introduce education in Bukidnon? What were the education policies implemented by America in the region? And what impact did education have on the economic and political integration of Bukidnon? The study uses an archival approach, relying on primary sources including the Reports of the Director of Education from 1906 to 1938, as well as the Annual Reports of the Philippine Commission, the Report of the Auditor of the Philippines, and the Annual Report of the Governor General of the Philippine Islands. These sources offer a descriptive and narrative account of education in Bukidnon within the broader context of America's campaign of pacification and integration. This research is significant as it rationalizes the impact of America's education on the agricultural systems and food production in the province. By examining the development of the education system, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of the dynamics of colonial governance and its impact on local communities.

‘I am safer in Hong Kong’: Transimperial entanglements in Filipino nationalist explorations

Abstract Between 1907 and 1914, Filipino lawyer, journalist, and nationalist Vicente Sotto found in Hong Kong a sanctuary from the clutches of the Americans. The city also provided him with a space in which to explore alternative ideas for both his own development and the future of the Philippine Islands beyond the confines of pan-Asianism and anti-imperialism. Using Sotto’s experience in Hong Kong as a point of access, this article demonstrates modern Asia’s anti-imperial era as a product of transimperial ‘connectivities’ and ‘ruptures’ wherein new political affinities were forged between like-minded Asians, while interstitial imperial spaces between colony and metropole carved space for radical, yet nuanced and inconsistent, visions of national independence to materialize—at the expense of abutting empires. It serves to decentralize the role of empire, conflating instead the activities of local, colonial, and imperial actors as a singular experience that shaped modern Asia’s revolutionary decades.

‘Requeiro huma duas e tres vezes’: the confrontation between Ruy López de Villalobos and Jorge de Castro over the Maluku Islands in 1543-4

ABSTRACT This article examines in detail the exchange of letters between Ruy López de Villalobos, captain general of a significant Spanish fleet, which landed on the island of Mindanao in February 1543, and the captain of the Portuguese fort on the Malukan island of Ternate, Jorge de Castro. In his letters and formal injunctions, Castro warns Villalobos not to enter the Maluku islands as these are under Portuguese jurisdiction while Villalobos attempts various arguments to justify his movements between the future Philippine islands of Mindanao, Samar and Leyte, and the northern Malukus. The exchange ceases with Castro’s rotation from his post on Ternate in the late Spring of 1544 and in effect only covers the first year of Villalobos’ presence in the Philippine and Malukan archipelagos. Nevertheless, the letters provide an interesting insight into how an experienced Portuguese governor dealt with a neophyte Spanish naval expeditionary at a turning point in the balance between Spanish and Portuguese power in these islands. The letters, while mediated by the intervention of legal clerks, copyists and advisors, provide a flavour of each man as an individual, palpable in the language and tone they struck.

Dissolved rare earth elements in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre: Lithogenic sources and water mass mixing control

In the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, which is one of the largest oligotrophic regions, there is a lack of information regarding the sources and transport of trace metals through water mass mixing. Rare earth elements (REEs) are essential for tracing lithogenic sources and water mass transport. In this study, we present dissolved REE concentrations and the factors controlling their distributions in the northwest Pacific during a GEOTRACES cruise (GP09). In the surface water along 11°N, we observed input signals from the Philippine and the Hawaiian Islands, characterized by positive Eu anomalies and slightly elevated REE concentrations. By incorporating our data and published REE data from the northwest Pacific to the southeast Pacific (40°N–40°S), we demonstrated that the REE concentrations and Yb/Nd ratios can distinguish North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW), Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW), and modified AAIW. By estimating the ratio of water mass mixing, we suggest that heavy REEs are predominantly contributed by water mass mixing (e.g., 93 % ± 4% for Yb) and can be used as semi-conservative tracers to quantify the mixing of NPIW and modified AAIW at the potential density of 27.2 kg/m3. At ∼800 m depth at stations K12, K13, and K14, weak negative Ce anomalies (>0.1) were observed, indicating the lateral transport of water masses imprinted with sediment signals from the Philippine Islands. In the deep waters (>1500 m) at the Luzon Strait (station K1), we propose that the weak Ce negative anomalies (>0.08) and low Yb/Nd ratios (<5), combined with the low beam transmission, are the result of particle resuspension and release. In deep water (>2000 m), combining high-resolution REE measurements with water mass analysis, our research reveals that dissolved REEs (except Ce) are dominantly controlled by water mass mixing (e.g., 80 %∼100 % for Yb and 70 %∼100 % for Nd). For the non-conservative behavior, which is not explained by water mass mixing, the residual fraction of heavy REEs (<20 % for Yb) originates from release of sinking particles (organic matter and siliceous particles), while the remaining concentrations of light REEs (<30 % for Nd) may be influenced by a combination of particle release and scavenging processes. These findings highlight valuable information about lithogenic sources and the proportions of REE distributions that are controlled by physical and biogeochemical processes. Moreover, it emphasizes the applicability of heavy REEs as effective tracers for understanding basin-scale water mass mixing in the northwest Pacific.

Impacts of a Moderate-Sized Earthquake: The 2023 Magnitude (Mw) 4.7 Leyte, Leyte Earthquake, Philippines

On 15 January 2023, a shallow, moderate earthquake with a magnitude (Mw) of 4.7 and a depth of one kilometer struck the northern part of Leyte Island in the central Philippines. Originating along the northern Leyte segment of the Philippine Fault, a well-established creeping fault, the earthquake caused significant geologic, structural, and socio-economic impacts despite its low magnitude. Probable surface rupture and landslides were reported, leading to a comprehensive field investigation. Our investigation revealed an ~8 km discontinuous surface rupture along the northern Leyte segment of the Philippine Fault, with a maximum left-lateral displacement of 2 cm. This was the first documented occurrence of such a phenomenon associated with an earthquake of a magnitude less than 6, particularly along a creeping fault segment. The maximum ground shaking felt was reported on the PHIVOLCS Earthquake Intensity Scale (PEIS) to be VI (very strong), equivalent to a Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) of VI along the fault strike. However, strong motion accelerographs recorded a peak ground acceleration (PGA) of 0.407 g, equivalent to PEIS VIII (very destructive), attributed to local site amplification influenced by subsurface geology. In the area where the local site amplification occurred, limited liquefaction was observed on marshlands with recent and alluvial deposits. Two landslides were observed in the mountainous area west of the fault. Structural damages were noted in areas with PEIS VI intensity and areas transected by the surface rupture. Despite the earthquake’s low magnitude, the event documented significant impacts, including surface ruptures, liquefaction, landslides, and severe structural damage. The peculiarities of this event are attributed to the shallowness of the earthquake source, and local site conditions, including geology, geomorphology, and soil properties, contributed to the severity of the impacts. Moderate in size, this earthquake emphasizes the importance of documenting moderate-sized earthquakes as a tool and guide for medium- and long-term earthquake risk assessment and resiliency.

Map evidence for the Philippines’ territorial claim in the South China Sea: a historical, cartographical and legal analysis

Based on international law and practices, a map by itself does not constitute an independent territorial title and has no independent probative value in territorial disputes. Regarding maps with inaccurate or unreliable sources of information, unofficial maps and official maps produced by one party aiming to enhance its position, international judicial and arbitration institutions tend to hold a very little credibility. The Institute of Maritime and Ocean Affairs (IMOA), an agency of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, and some Philippine political elites selected many of the maps for the 2014 exhibition. Although some maps or charts of Scarborough Shoal drawn by the Spanish colonists on display are official or semiofficial in nature, they do not mark the political boundaries of the relevant areas and are obviously inaccurate. The purpose of Spain’s charting in each expedition to Scarborough Shoal was to provide guidance on navigational safety, not to assert sovereignty. It is difficult to arrive at definite conclusions about sovereignty over Scarborough Shoal from these maps and charts. The maps or charts displayed and drawn by cartographers from other countries, have many problems, such as insufficient accuracy, covering vast area more than the Philippine Islands and the lack of marking political boundaries and thus cannot prove that the Philippines has territorial sovereignty over Scarborough Shoal. Similarly, none of the maps and charts on display are sufficient to prove that the “Kalayaan Islands” belong to the Philippines.

First record of the genus Coeleumenes van der Vecht from the Philippine Islands, with description of a new species (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae).

The genus Coeleumenes van der Vecht, 1963 is recorded from the Philippine Islands for the first time, with Coeleumenes rusticanus sp. nov. from Mindanao. A key to the species occurring in the Malay Archipelago is provided, and Coeleumenes flavus Nguyen, 2016 and C. chumomray Mai & Nguyen, 2021 are synonymized under C. impavidus (Bingham, 1897) syn. nov.

Roger Felix V. Salditos and Agrarian Class Struggles in Panay Island, Philippines

Roger Felix V. Salditos was among seven Filipino revolutionaries who were summarily executed by police and military forces in San Jose town, Antique, in the central Philippine island of Panay in 2018. Better known by the pen names Mayamor and Maya Daniel, which he used to sign his paintings and poetry, Salditos was a revolutionary intellectual who spent the better part of his life as a cadre of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) since he left the seminary in 1979. This article examines the underground literary and political writings of Salditos to help illuminate the long history of agrarian class struggles of peasants and Tumandok indigenous peoples in one of the Philippines’ top food-producing regions. His narratives highlight the role of Panay as the only place where the Huk peasant rebellion took root outside Luzon in the 1950s, recalling important episodes of revolutionary contestations in the island amid changing conditions under the Marcos dictatorship and the class offensive of neoliberalism. Despite their partisan character and focus on the local and the superstructural, Salditos’s writings provide an important perspective on the persistence of one of the world’s longest-running rural-based insurgencies, notwithstanding the end of the classical era of peasant wars of the twentieth century and shifting spaces for agrarian contestations in the new century.

Competing nationalisms, tactical alliances: The Communist Party of the Philippines’ stance on the Bangsamoro struggle during the anti-Marcos resistance

ABSTRACT Focusing on hostile relations between Muslims and Christians, most accounts of secessionism in the southern Philippine island of Mindanao leave out the revolutionary solidarity expressed by a non-Muslim force, the Filipino communist movement, toward the Bangsamoro struggle. Despite their common beginnings during the upsurge of radical struggles during the Global Sixties, historical narratives of the two armed groups are usually discussed separately in the historiography of the martial law period in the Philippines (1972–1986). Using Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) documents from the University of the Philippines Main Library’s Philippine Radical Papers archive, this article interrogates the CPP’s stance on the Bangsamoro struggle as led in the main by the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) during the years of the anti-dictatorship resistance. Despite embracing competing nationalisms based on opposed understandings of the character of the Bangsamoro struggle, the CPP endeavored to build tactical alliances in the face of a common enemy in the Marcos dictatorship. Amid the persistence of neocolonial conditions in much of the Global South and rise of neofascist nationalisms today, this vision of solidarity offers important lessons for contemporary struggles on the limits and potentials of “Third World” nationalisms that emerged during the Global Sixties.

A Historical Review of the Molecular Phylogeny of the Philippine Nepenthes L. (Nepenthaceae) with Notes for Unsampled Taxa

Despite advances in molecular phylogenetics, the genus Nepenthes L., comprising about 180 species, presents a challenging phylogenetic puzzle due to morphological convergence. The Philippines (PH), a hotspot for pitcher plant diversity with 61 species, faces unclear evolutionary relationships due to insufficient taxon sampling. This historical review compiled the phylogenetic studies concerning Philippine Nepenthes from various molecular studies using nuclear or plastid markers. Here, we identified that the molecular phylogeny constructed from the angiosperms353 probe set used by Mullins et al. (2020) has given the most comprehensive results, with most samples from the Philippines and a total of 35 species compared to previously conducted phylogenies since 2000. It was revealed that these species form a large Philippine clade, split into three groups: Mindanao, Palawan, and Graciliflora, with other PH taxa belonging to the Insignes Clade. This study noted the possible clades of 26 unsampled PH taxa based on morphology and geography. Lastly, we created a distribution map of Philippine Nepenthes to support these placements. This study will help future research determine the phylogeny of Nepenthes in the Philippines, understand their evolutionary relationships with other paleotropical species, and assist policymakers in conserving these species from extinction.

Macroeconomic Effects of Fiscal Policies: Empirical Evidence from Bangladesh, People’s Republic of China, Indonesia, and Philippines&amp;nbsp;

Macroeconomic Effects of Fiscal Policies: Empirical Evidence from Bangladesh, People’s Republic of China, Indonesia, and Philippines&amp;nbsp;

Foreign Direct Investment, Innovation, and Exports: Firm-Level Evidence from People's Republic of China, Thailand, and Philippines

Foreign Direct Investment, Innovation, and Exports: Firm-Level Evidence from People's Republic of China, Thailand, and Philippines

Language Policies Towards Spanish in Trinidad &amp; Tobago and the Philippines: An Exploratory Study

The small Caribbean republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the much larger southeast Asian republic of the Philippines shared colonial rule first by Spain and then by a major English-speaking power (the United Kingdom, in the case of Trinidad &amp; Tobago, and the United States, in the case of the Philippines). Recent years have seen a distinct resurgence in interest towards the Spanish language and culture in the two island nations. Applying a cyclical five-stage language policy framework, this comparative exploratory analysis foregrounds the political, educational, and sociocultural developments regarding Spanish as a foreign language through the prism of the model’s stages of language policy emergence, agenda setting, formulation, implementation, and evaluation. This is achieved through desk-based analysis, thereby enabling a deeper understanding of the policy-related factors underpinning approaches to Spanish in the two case studies, whilst also noting the importance of relevant geopolitical factors. Finally, further suggestions are given to expand the scope of the analysis in the future. The model applied could be extended to include other Caribbean and southeast Asian countries, thereby enriching wider discussions on policies relating to the role and status of Spanish in the regional and international contexts.

Frontlines and Crossroads: The Impact of COVID-19 on the Motivations of Medical Students from Selected Philippine Medical Schools in Pursuing Their Medical Studies

BACKGROUND: The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic made changes to the Philippine medical education system to transfer to an online setting, which meant the loss of practical skills needed for future clinical encounters. Most students consider the desire to serve others as their motivation to pursue medicine, but stated that online learning was more favorable for theoretical lessons and not for practical skills. These students had to cope with lifestyle changes which challenged their resolve, as well as deal with the technology and infrastructure required for online learning. The study aimed to compare the strength and nature of motivations of medical students to pursue their studies before and after the onset of the pandemic, and to propose recommendations to support them through the pandemic and beyond. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted using a study questionnaire that dealt with determining respondents’ motivations for pursuing a medical degree, the impact of the pandemic and how it may have changed their motivations, and what recommendations they can propose to motivate other medical students. Interview transcripts were then analyzed through a qualitative inductive thematic analysis. Pre-clinical and clinical students (clerks and postgraduate interns) enrolled during SY 2020-2021 from Metro Manila and from among the 3 major Philippine island groups were selected to approximate the distribution of medical schools across the country. A total of 17 eligible participants were selected through purposive sampling of different personal backgrounds. Recruitment and call for participants were coursed through the Association of Philippine Medical Colleges - Student Network as well as through social media. Data from interview transcripts were familiarized and ideas from important recurring patterns shared among respondents’ answers were made into codes, which were subsequently organized into themes both unique and generalizable across student groups. RESULTS: Six major themes arose: 1) Contextualizing the pre-clinical and clinical experiences, 2) Challenges of online learning; 3) Desire for lived experience; 4) Tensions between personal contexts and online learning; 5) Grit driven by a desire to serve; 6) Resilience over adversity and sunk cost. Most pre-clinical students were motivated to pursue medicine by a desire to serve, while clinical students were straightforward about financial reward as motivation. Despite the limitations of online education, lack of social interaction and skills training, medical students had strengthened motivations to continue their studies as the pandemic highlighted the need for physicians, reinforcing their intrinsic desire to serve others. Mental health and financial issues were a concern for some, but these students did not wish to quit so as not to lose momentum with their studies. CONCLUSION: While most medical students interviewed felt more motivated in pursuing their studies during the pandemic, there was a desire and a call for more support in their studies and training. Their personal stories suggested there is room for improvement in certain aspects of local medical education. Addressing their concerns through financial and educational support, and bridging clinical skills with online learning would thus help them create quality healthcare in the pandemic context and beyond.