Author: ovcre.upvisayas

Following a period of nation-building after its independence at the end of World War II, the Philippines sought to define its national identity. In the 1970s, mostly as a result of the popularity of Bruce Lee films, the government endeavored to appropriate Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) for nation-building. FMA practitioners sought to contribute to the discourse on national identity by attempting to define it from their perspective. One such practitioner was bodybuilder-turned-actor Roland Dantes who conceptualized and starred in a series of FMAthemed action films. Dantes’ most iconic film, The Pacific Connection is a cornerstone in FMA. Drawing mainly from concepts by Anthony Smith on the ethnie and ethnosymbolism, this essay examines the way in which the film’s main character was defined against the film’s antagonist—a Japanese samurai—and argues that FMA’s representation of Filipino national identity involved a process of construction by drawing from national history, cultural elements, and idealized concepts of Filipino nationalism. Furthermore, such articulations of national identity were intrinsically formulated around perceived characteristics of a foreign other. The filmic engagement of the two characters reflected how concepts of national identity are expressed in FMA, and how FMA practitioners perceive their location and role in the nation.

The use of live microalgae poses constraints and problems in the prawn hatcheries. To address this issue, research efforts have been initiated to develop a locally produced algal paste as a substitute to live microalgae. This study was an attempt to determine the possible economic viability of using algal paste as natural food input to eight selected prawn hatcheries in Panay, Philippines. Since algal paste is a new feed technology, an economic viability assessment is essential to gauge its potential in improving profitability of prawn hatcheries. Cost and return analysis was used to evaluate the viability of using algal paste. The potential economic viability of using algal paste was determined using production data of hatchery operations and results of the laboratory experiments and product testing of algal paste conducted by the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences (CFOS), University of the Philippines Visayas. As for the basis of pricing for the algal paste, a shadow price and selling price were used. Results of the cost and return analysis showed that prawn hatcheries operate profitably. Pure economic profit was positive at PHP 366.73 per ton using algal paste based on CFOS selling price but lower compared to the use of live microalgae. Continuous effort to bring down the operating cost of algal paste production will prove to be effective in making algal paste more profitable to use as food input for prawn hatcheries.

This study constructs an instrument measuring employees’ attitude toward their organization using the Likert Scale. The Employee Attitude toward Organization Scale is composed of 18 items along four primary dimensions that are themselves subscales: Organizational Culture, which has nine items, and Corporate Communication, Compensation, and Commitment, which have three items each. High score indicates positive attitude while low score indicates negative attitude toward one’s employing organization. The study uses known groups method, discriminant analysis, reliability analysis, and factor analysis, using a sample of 204 public and private school teachers from various parts in the Philippines, to validate the scale. The scale has a McDonald’s Omega=0.909 and Cronbach’s Alpha=.910. The findings of the study point to the value of Likert scale in measuring employees’ attitudes toward their organization. Surveys like this can provide organizations with data that point to turnover intentions of their employees and can guide them in reinforcing positive employee relations and work environment.

This study attempts to value the externalities generated by coal power plants in Western Visayas and determine the efficiency implications of valuing these externalities. Valuing externalities can help determine the appropriate environmental policy, such as the amount of tax that will correct for the inefficiency. Benefit Transfer Method (BTM) specifically unit value transfer, was used to estimate the values of pollution damages. To estimate the externalities of coal power in Western Visayas, this study first looked at the emissions caused by three major advanced coal power technologies: Pulverized Fuel (PF), Circulating Fluidized Bed (CFB) and Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC). The two existing coal power plants in Western Visayas utilize CFB technology, which has a higher fuel flexibility and require a lower capital cost. After which, several studies that estimate the values of greenhouse gas (GHG) externalities were examined. These values were then applied to the emissions of the two coal power plants in the region. Results show that total externalities range from PhP 0.08/kWh to PhP 0.44/kWh. This can increase the current effective electricity rate by 0.65 to 4.1 percent.

The study explored the urban public plaza as context in the Ilonggo communicative experience. In the same way that previous studies considered the city as a communication context, the plaza, being a significant feature in urban cities, can also be considered as context. Within the physical boundaries of the plaza, people can interact, socialize, and form meaningful conversations. Conducted in Molo Plaza and Plaza Libertad, the study utilizes Vikas Mehta’s (2014) five dimensions of public spaces in describing the plaza as context. The five dimensions include inclusiveness, pleasurability, safety, comfort, and presence of meaningful activities. As a result, Ilonggo plazas are inclusive since these places cater to Ilonggos coming from different walks of life as well as provide spaces for various activities. Pleasurability, safety, and comfort are characterized by the presence of subspaces and structures within the plazas as well as the perceived convenience, attractiveness, interestingness, and accessibility of the two public plazas. Moreover, various meaningful activities can be done in these plazas. Ilonggos can eat, relax, unwind, play, or meet with their friends and family as well as interact with one another and engage in various conversations. These Ilonggo plazas exemplify an environment that is conducive for social interaction and is a space that contributes to meaningful conversations.

Collective marketing has long been regarded as a critical strategy to strengthen the bargaining power and boost smallholder farmers’ income. Collective marketing can reduce transaction costs and information asymmetries, allowing better access to output markets and increasing farm income. This study explores the determinants of the decision to participate in collective marketing and whether collective marketing increases farmers’ net farm income. The study utilized farm-level data of 351 calamansi farmers from Oriental Mindoro, the Philippines’ major calamansi producing province. An endogenous treatment regression model was used to analyze causality that links collective marketing to net farm income. The results of the analysis indicate that collective marketing positively and significantly influenced calamansi farmers’ net farm income. The decision to join collective marketing activities depends on farmers’ age, marketing cost, output price, access to credit, access to extension service, and distance to the nearest market. The endogenous treatment regression model estimates show that collective marketing resulted in higher net farm income compared to the counterfactual situation. The net farm income of calamansi farmers increased by PhP 21,619.40 per hectare due to collective marketing participation. Hence, collective marketing strategy could be used as a tool to boost the net farm income of calamansi farmers.

Tikum Kadlum is the first poem in the Caballero family’s sugidanon cycle that serves as a prologue for the main storylines involving recurring characters, including Labaw Donggon, Amburukay, and Matan-ayon. It provides valuable insights for contemporary readers into the cultural practices and values of Panay Bukidnon chanters, as well as the world around them within the Philippines and greater Island Southeast Asia. This paper explores four main themes from the text: (1) reverence for the natural world, (2) heirloom objects, (3) tuos as an imagistic icon, and (4) gender relations. It involves a discussion of Makabagting’s tuos, an icon of promise, and its long-term consequences on the narrative; various appeasement rituals practiced within the Panay Bukidnon community and how these connect to larger Philippine folk beliefs; constructing a dialogue between the epic’s portrayal of social and family dynamics, and ethnographic sources; and possible connections to broader Asian folklore.