Samar Island Research Articles

Reptilian Diversity in Selected Riparian Systems in Misamis Occidental, Philippines

Reptiles are one of the most ecologically important organisms in the ecosystem. Studying their diversity is important in the conservation of the habitats to where each of these reptiles live. This study aimed to explore the diversity of reptiles in the areas around and within Labo and Clarin rivers, two of the most important river systems in the province of Misamis Occidental. Three sampling techniques were applied, which are visual encounter surveys, opportunistic encounters, and road-kill encounters. The results recorded a total of 21 species, including eleven endemic species, with nine Philippine endemic and two Mindanao endemic. Most notable among the species recorded was Lycodon ferroni, which is the second documented occurrence of the species and the first outside Samar Island. Labo River has the highest species richness, abundance and percent endemism of the two riparian systems, with the upstream sites of both rivers having the highest species richness and percent endemism. Studying the nearby riparian areas using other sampling techniques is recommended to fully understand the extent of reptilian diversity in the province and to effectively implement conservation and sustainability programs for the preservation not only of the reptile diversity but as well as the riparian ecosystem.

Amorphophallus samarensis (Araceae), a new species endemic to Samar Island, Eastern Visayas, Philippines

Amorphophallus samarensis is described as a new species from Paranas, Samar Island Natural Park, Samar Eastern Visayas, Philippines. A. samarensis resembles A. calcicola by having a solitary leaf, long peduncled solitary flower, cylindric female zone, ovary depressed, disk shape, slightly distant ovaries, and absence of staminode. It differs from A. calcicola by having the rachis winged at the distal part of the leaf, pale to dark maroon slightly depressed globose capitate stigma, style color, length of spadix, and truncate anther. The new species is considered Critically Endangered (CR) based on IUCN guidelines due to persistent anthropogenic activities. There are 30 individual plants encountered in the locality with less than 100 sq. km area of occupancy with an observed threat.

Degree of Influence of Rural Communities in the Emergence and Growth of Small and Medium Enterprises in Samar Island, Philippines

This study endeavored to determine the degree of influence of rural communities in the emergence and growth of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Samar Island, Philippines. The study is a descriptive survey that utilized structured survey questionnaires and personal interviews with the respondents. The result of the study indicated that the community variables influenced the emergence and growth of SMEs in the rural communities. While the economic factors strongly influenced, the socio-cultural, demographic, bio-physical and politico-legal factors influenced the emergence and growth of SMEs in the rural communities. The common problems that hinder the rural communities from influencing the SMEs toward their emergence and growth were focused on the negative attitudes and values of the people in the community which are attributed to people’s lack of unity and cooperation, laziness, crab mentality, lack of self-discipline, over dependence on others, vices, lack of concern for the development of the community.

Prioritizing plants for conservation in forests over limestone in Guiuan Marine Resource Protected Landscapes and Seascapes (GMRPLS), Samar Island, Philippines using a localized conservation priority index (LCPI)

Philippine landscapes and seascapes have been undergoing massive degradation especially with the onset of the Anthropocene epoch. The unique forests over limestone in Guiuan Marine Resource Protected Landscapes and Seascapes in Eastern Samar have never been exempted from ongoing deteriorating conditions leading to the diminishing ecosystem services for the nearby villages. Conservation plan and action are urgent. The current paper determines top-priority plants for conservation using the localized conservation priority index (LCPI), which considers the contexts of the locality. LCPI follows a point scoring procedure recognizing holistic social, cultural, ecological and biophysical variables, such as cultural use, frequency value of occurrences in study plots, species distribution, harvesting risk, and economic use. Research findings indicated Caryota rumphiana Mart., Saribus rotundifolius (Lam.) Blume Artocarpus blancoi (Elmer) Merr., Shorea negrosensis Foxw., Alstonia scholaris (L.) R. Br., Calophyllum soulattri Burm.f., Artocarpus rubrovenius Warb., Nothaphoebe leytensis (Elmer) Merr., Shorea astylosa Foxw., Palaquium sp., Heterospathe intermedia (Becc.) Fernando, Hancea wenzeliana (Slik) S.E.C.Sierra, Kulju & Welzen, Aquilaria cumingiana (Decne.) Ridl., Wallaceodendron celebicum Koord., Palaquium luzoniense (Fern.-Vill.) Vidal, Mastixia sp., Wrightia sp., Lubi-lubi, Kuyakya and Neonauclea formicaria (Elmer) Merr. The leaves, stems, fruits, and flowers are the most-commonly harvested plant parts in high-priority level species, most of which are primarily used for housing and construction. The identified plants were geotagged to intensify onsite protection. The findings are of extreme relevance in providing guidance to protected area staff, local people organizations, and community residents in embarking on urgent conservation action in conserving locally vulnerable biodiversity in order to sustain ecosystem services.

‘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.

Identifying plants for priority conservation in Samar Island Natural Park forests (the Philippines) over limestone using a localized conservation priority index

The escalating degradation of ecosystems and the consequent reduction in critical services essential for human communities are global concerns. This study aimed to identify top-priority plants for conservation using a localized conservation priority index (LCPI), customized for the locality. The LCPI, a point scoring method, ranked 50 evaluated species based on criteria such as harvesting risk, economic and cultural use, species distribution, and frequency value. Thirteen species were classified as high priority, requiring stringent harvesting regulations, while the remaining 37 were designated at a medium priority level, allowing specific quotas for harvesting. Notably, all 13 high-priority species exhibited higher harvesting risks. These include Caryota rumphiana Mart., Aquilaria cumingiana (Decne.) Ridl., Cycas riuminiana Regel, Dracaena angustifolia (Medik.) Roxb., Oncosperma tigillarium (Jack) Ridl., Oreocnide rubescens (Blume) Miq., Kleinhovia hospita L., Diospyros blancoi A.DC., Codiaeum sp., Gymnostoma rumphianum (Miq.) L.A.S.Johnson, Caryota cumingii Lodd. ex Mart., Artocarpus rubrovenius Warb., and Palaquium sp. Local communities engage in harvesting all parts of certain plant species. Following the identification of priority plants, geotagging was employed to enhance targeted in situ conservation efforts, providing valuable guidance for local leaders in initiating localized conservation of threatened biodiversity.

Detection and Identification of Microplastics from Locally Sold Fishes in Borongan City, Samar Island, Philippines

Detection and Identification of Microplastics from Locally Sold Fishes in Borongan City, Samar Island, Philippines

Academic Career Development among State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) in Samar

The study sought to answer the extent of implementation of the career development program and the significant relationship between the faculty profiles and the career development programs and processes. The study also wanted to know the challenges and strategies of career development by using a mixed-method research design and randomly picking 125 faculty respondents from different State Universities and Colleges on Samar Island. It was revealed that the lowest career development program extent of implementation was career development counseling and career development coaching and mentoring which both indicated “Moderately Implemented”. It was also shown in the study that there is a significant correlation between career advancement educational background, academic rank, and the number of published research of the faculty. There is also a significant relationship between career development training to international, national, and local training provided and attended. The career development support process has also a significant relationship with the training of faculty internationally and lastly, career development counseling is significantly related to the number of published research. Thematic analysis was also used for providing career development challenges and strategies and it was discovered that the faculty were challenged with three reasons as follows: (1) there are many tasks in Publishing Research; (2) Financial struggle in finishing a Doctorate Degree; and (3) Time constraints because of designation. Subsequently, the career development strategies also revealed the following: (1) Faculty must finish a doctorate to meet the educational requirement; (2) Conduct and publish research to maximize higher possible points; and (3) Study the guidelines of NBC 461 to achieve higher academic rank. Faculty facing challenges in career development makes them initiate self-development in keeping up points in consonance with the NBC provisions and policies, some are still in adjustment to have a culture of research, challenged by finances both education and personal, a problem of which balancing is tough. Encouraging SUC to help faculty career growth and develop a model that effectively does both individual and institutional support. With the results from the research conducted, quantitative and qualitative approaches, and recommendations the researcher generated a model of academic career development which is called “Refuncion’s Academic Career Development Model.”

Needs Assessment for Improved Local Governance in Samar: Basis for the Development of Extension Programs

Despite ranking among the top 10 poorest provinces in the Philippines for two decades, Samar Island Province has the potential for a brighter future. This study, conducted by Samar State University’s Samar Island Center for Good and Local Governance (SICGLG) in collaboration with the Graduate School Master of Public Management Program, identified key areas for improvement within Local Government Units (LGUs) through surveys and focus groups. Prioritizing accountability, effectiveness, efficiency, and responsiveness, the study paves the way for a comprehensive capacity-building program. This program will equip LGUs with the skills and knowledge necessary to excel in these crucial areas, ultimately leading to improved service delivery, resource utilization, and a more empowered and prosperous Samar community.

Instructional Leadership in School-Based Management of DepEd Schools in Samar Island: Systematic Approach Review

Instructional Leadership in School-Based Management of DepEd Schools in Samar Island: Systematic Approach Review

Instructional Leadership in School-Based Management of DepEd Schools in Samar Island: Systematic Approach Review

Instructional Leadership in School-Based Management of DepEd Schools in Samar Island: Systematic Approach Review

Exploring the Use of Scientific and Technical Information in Collaborative Forest Management: The Case of Samar Island Natural Park, Philippines

Exploring the Use of Scientific and Technical Information in Collaborative Forest Management: The Case of Samar Island Natural Park, Philippines

A Tale of Change and Continuity: Three Storm Surges, and Three Towns, Under Three Flags


 
 
 The historical record, though incomplete, shows that typhoon generated storm surges cause extreme damage and loss of life in the Philippine archipelago. Storm surges associated with typhoons historically make sea-to-land crossings. There is an annual average of nineteen tropical cyclones occurring in the Philippine’s area of responsibility, of which an average of nine cross the country. There are few areas of the archipelago that have not been affected by storm surges. This paper investigates the crucial role and impacts of this natural hazard in certain areas of the Philippines that have been exposed to typhoons and storm surges across the centuries. The paper discusses the character of the storm surge, highlights some of the worst storm surge catastrophes that have occurred outside the Philippines, and then focuses on three storm surge events in the Visayan Islands of Samar and Leyte. On October 12, 1897, November 24-26, 1912, and November 3-11, 2013, the exposed coastal towns of Hernani and Guiuan on Samar and Tacloban on Leyte were destroyed by storm surges. The recurrent damage and loss of life caused by storm surges and cyclonic storms has increased in these three places as the complex cascade chain of the hazard changed through time, shifting from thousands to millions of people displaced and their livelihoods and communities destroyed on three occasions between October 1897 and November 2013.
 
 

On seven undescribed leaf insect species revealed within the recent "Tree of Leaves" (Phasmatodea, Phylliidae).

With the recent advance in molecular phylogenetics focused on the leaf insects (Phasmatodea, Phylliidae), gaps in knowledge are beginning to be filled. Yet, shortcomings are also being highlighted, for instance, the unveiling of numerous undescribed phylliid species. Here, some of these taxa are described, including Phylliumiyadaonsp. nov. from Mindoro Island, Philippines; Phylliumsamarensesp. nov. from Samar Island, Philippines; Phylliumortizisp. nov. from Mindanao Island, Philippines; Pulchriphylliumheraclessp. nov. from Vietnam; Pulchriphylliumdelisleisp. nov. from South Kalimantan, Indonesia; and Pulchriphylliumbhaskaraisp. nov. from Java, Indonesia. Several additional specimens of these species together with a seventh species described herein, Pulchriphylliumanangusp. nov. from southwestern India, were incorporated into a newly constructed phylogenetic tree. Additionally, two taxa that were originally described as species, but in recent decades have been treated as subspecies, are elevated back to species status to reflect their unique morphology and geographic isolation, creating the following new combinations: Pulchriphylliumscythe (Gray, 1843) stat. rev., comb. nov. from Bangladesh and northeastern India, and Pulchriphylliumcrurifolium (Audinet-Serville, 1838) stat. rev., comb. nov. from the Seychelles islands. Lectotype specimens are also designated for Pulchriphylliumscythe (Gray, 1843) stat. rev., comb. nov. and Pulchriphylliumcrurifolium (Audinet-Serville, 1838) stat. rev., comb. nov. from original type material.

A new diminutive species of Schismatoglottis (Araceae) from Samar Island, Philippines

Schismatoglottis minuta (Araceae) is described as a new species and illustrated based on accessions collected from Samar Island, Philippines. The new species, belonging to the Calyptrata clade sensu Hay and Yuzammi is distinct from previously reported taxa. Due to its habitat preferences and low (<100) estimated number of mature individuals, we recommend that this noteworthy species should be considered as critically endangered.

Vegetation structure of forests over limestone and its influencing environmental factors in Samar Island Natural Park, Philippines

Abstract. Villanueva ELC, Obeña RDR, Origenes MG, Buot IE Jr. 2022. Vegetation structure of forests over limestone and its influencing environmental factors in Samar Island Natural Park, Philippines. Biodiversitas 23: 6492-6512. Samar Island National Park (SINP) forests over limestone, a nominee to the UNESCO World Natural Heritage List, needs a comprehensive study of its vegetation structure as the baseline for monitoring and effective conservation. Thus, an inventory was conducted in SINP inland forests over limestone with the following objectives: 1) to discuss the woody vegetation structure in the forests of SINP, and 2), to determine the environmental factors affecting the characteristic physiognomy and ecology of Paranas and Taft forests. Standard vegetation techniques in a total of eighteen 20m x 20m plots, classification and ordination analyses were conducted. A total of 3,578 tree individuals in 72 species, under 46 genera belonging to 35 families, were recorded from Paranas and Taft. Cluster analysis revealed 3 vegetation clusters named after the dominant species: 1) Shorea-Manilkara-Walaceodendron Cluster, 2) Shorea and Dracaena Cluster, and 3) Shorea-Manilkara-Hancea Cluster. Canonical correspondence analysis identified temperature as the most important environmental variable influencing the vegetation of SINP. Other environmental variables, despite their high rate of change and little effect on other species, may have multiple effects and indirect influences on other factors influencing the structure of vegetation in SINP. Thus, the development of appropriate conservation strategies is a must.

Current status of Schismatogobius marmoratus (Peters, 1868) from West Sulawesi, Indonesia

Schismatogobius marmoratus (Peters, 1868) was first described from Samar Island, Philippines. Known distributions from Taiwan, Japan, and Indonesia. We collected several specimens from June 2021 to August 2022 during field trips to the Pamboang River, Mosso River, and Leppangan River Majene Regency, West Sulawesi. This study aimed to report the distribution of S. marmoratus from West Sulawesi. Specimens were collected using an electro shocker 120 Volt and 10 amperes, hand nets mesh size 2 mm, and trap nets mesh size 1 mm. Morphometric measurements were taken from point to point using digital calipers with a precision of 0.01 mm. These records extend its occurrence and confirm its widespread distribution in Sulawesi. The discovery of several specimens in Sulawesi increased the urgency of research to determine the distribution and the conservation status of this species, currently listed as least concern (LC) in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list.

Physical Profile of the Major Rivers in Eastern Samar inside the Samar Island Natural Park (SINP)

Physical Profile of the Major Rivers in Eastern Samar inside the Samar Island Natural Park (SINP)

Orchipedum shareeanniae (Orchidaceae), a new species from Samar, Philippines

We describe Orchipedum shareeanniae as a new species endemic to Samar Island Natural Park in the Philippines and the fourth species in the genus. It is distinct from other Orchipedum species by its labellum, specifically its spreading, semicircular, pectinate lateral lobes with 6–8 linear appendages which are minutely pubescent apically. We provide a detailed description, illustrations, field images, and notes of this new species. Our discovery highlights the importance of performing botanical explorations in unexplored areas in the Philippines and supports the nomination of Samar Island Natural Park as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Pagbalangkas: Issues and opportunities on natural heritage sustainability of Samar Island Natural Park (SINP), Philippines - Basis for inclusive organizational management framework

Pagbalangkas is a Filipino term, which means formulation or conceptualization. And in the conceptualization of a place branding strategy, such as the UNESCO World Heritage Site (WHS), stakeholders, specifically the government sector, must understand different factors and aspects of sustainable development. This study explicated the different issues and opportunities for conservation, and sustainable development, specifically for Samar Island Natural Park (SINP), Philippines. Specifically, the study also determines the associations of different efforts mandated and implemented by different government agencies both from the national and local, assessing the impacts and effects of current and potential plans and programs for conserving and sustaining SINP as a future UNESCO WHS and to conceptualized a framework that would highlight the basic factors on place branding development based on the case of SINP. The research used a qualitative-case study design, specifically by measuring information through focus group discussion (FGD) and content analysis on available government-issued documents. Participants from the FGD were representatives from different government agencies from the national, regional, local, and people’s organizations. The gathered information was analyzed through a repertory grid. Based on the research, conceptualizing a place branding development, such as UNESCO WHS, must determine the government organizations, institutions, and systems framework, situation analysis of the place and its community, issues, and opportunities manifested.