Animo Repository - De La Salle University Research
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From Universities, Streets, to Modern Contemporary Society: Becoming, Being, and Living as Babaeng Aktibista
No full textHistorically, women faced patterns of prejudice and gender-based oppression, resulting in the denial of their fundamental rights. Through years of ingrained subordination under authoritarian regimes, activism birthed various movements and organizations that sought liberation. As militant groups gained traction, withstanding large-scale issues, women’s struggles were seldom addressed within nationalist movements. Literature has documented the roots of activism, women’s organizations, and the socio-political conditions throughout Philippine history. However, there is a narrow understanding of women’s experiences and how these mold their individual identities in response to shared struggles. This study attempts to design a local framework elucidating the motivations and drivers behind women’s activism. This single-case narrative study conducted semi-structured interviews with an aged female activist who claimed to be a university graduate, living a moderate lifestyle. Through a modified narrative analysis using Butina (2015), findings revealed her profound worldviews, motivations, and ideologies. Recounting her experiences, the participant’s lifelong commitment to activism emerged as a notable discovery. Becoming, being, and living as an activist was a voluntary choice to discover, assert, and sustain her praxis. Through adaptations of the framework, future studies should continue to explore additional narratives of women who are anti-imperialist, self-ascribed activists who work towards attaining an equitable society. By asserting their identities, affirming their actions, and nurturing their efforts towards nation-building, women’s narratives serve as a stark implication that they survived amidst adversity. Hence, becoming a woman activist transcends past experiences and struggles as she lives a life committed to meaningful change
Navigating exclusion: Workplace marginalization experiences of Filipino Nikkeijins in Japan
No full textThis study explores the lived experiences of Filipino Nikkeijins in Japanese workplaces, highlighting how discrimination, language proficiency, and employment stability shape their integration into the workforce. Using a descriptive qualitative design, data were gathered through semi-structured online interviews with eight Filipino Nikkeijins raised in the Philippines who had lived in Japan for at least one year. Participants were selected via purposive and snowball sampling to capture diverse experiences. Thematic analysis revealed that language proficiency functions as both a necessity and a gateway to participation, determining access to stable employment and workplace inclusion. Despite their formal recognition as descendants of Japanese ancestry, participants frequently encountered subtle discrimination and social exclusion, illustrating the Ethnic Returnee Paradox: legal recognition of Japanese heritage did not translate into social or professional acceptance. Many reported unstable employment and limited upward mobility in industries such as manufacturing and food processing, reinforcing marginalization. Filipino peer networks, however, provided critical support, helping participants navigate rigid workplace hierarchies and cultural barriers. These findings highlight the tension between formal inclusion and lived exclusion, showing how Filipino Nikkeijins negotiate identity, opportunity, and belonging within Japan’s structured and culturally demanding work environments, aligning with theories on ethnic return migration and social integration.
Keywords: Filipino Nikkeijins, workplace integration, language barriers, cultural identity, employment challenge
The hidden profession: Antecedents and outcomes of occupational identity concealment behavior among Filipino embalmers
No full textFilipino embalmers are subjected to social, cultural, and psychological stigma, despite their occupational necessity. This explanatory, quantitative study examined Occupational Identity Concealment Behavior (OICB), specifically how stigma predicts OICB and how OICB predicts Psychological Distress (PD), Meaningfulness at Work (MAW), and Social Connectedness (SC). An online, structured questionnaire was self-administered to 87 active, licensed Filipino embalmers in Luzon, Philippines. Descriptive statistics and simple linear regression analyses were employed. Respondents scored moderate stigma. However, low OICB scores suggest embalmers compartmentalize external stigma through active identity management. Mild PD is exhibited, possibly due to faith-based coping, habituation, and cultural acceptance of death, while moderate SC likely comes from shared national identity and strong in-group support. High MAW suggests a strong sense of professional calling among embalmers. Predictive relationships exist between stigma and OICB; however, internalized psychological stigma was the main driver rather than social and cultural stigma (external), entailing an internalized battle of self-regulation. Additionally, OICB is a significantly strong positive predictor of higher PD and lower SC. However, MAW has a significant but weak negative relationship with OICB, as collectivist values of pakikisama and hiya shift OICB’s objective from inauthenticity to a pro-social strategy. These findings extend Goffman’s Stigma Theory, where OICB serves as an active identity management strategy to combat internal stigma. Through reframing, reorienting, and resignifying their work, embalmers perceive their profession as an essential grief service. This study provides insights into enhancing stigma management, mental health support, and positive workplace practices among embalmers
Spiritual formation and ‘attention economy’: Exploring facilitators awareness and approaches during retreats and recollections
No full textThis study examines the intersection of the \u27attention economy\u27 and the religious/spiritual formation processes within retreats and recollections, focusing on facilitators\u27 perspectives and practices. Employing an exploratory approach, the research incorporates focused-group discussion with select facilitators to analyze their awareness, roles, views, and methods for addressing attention-related challenges in face-to-face retreats. The findings highlight facilitators\u27 acute awareness of attention challenges and their proactive efforts to enhance student experiences by minimizing distractions, incorporating reflective activities, and fostering an engaging environment. The study underscores that effective attention management is pivotal for deepening spiritual engagement. It also identifies the need for innovative pedagogical approaches tailored to contemporary cognitive demands. Facilitators believe adaptive strategies significantly improve attentional focus and enrich spiritual practices during retreats. The research calls for further exploration of student perspectives and interdisciplinary collaboration to deepen understanding of attention management in spiritual contexts. Recommendations include continuous professional development for facilitators and using larger, probabilistic samples to enhance the findings\u27 generalizability. Addressing the challenges posed by the „attention economy‟ has the potential to profoundly impact the holistic development of participants in spiritual formation programs
Law of diminishing returns: Quick response (QR) codes as a platform for augmenting physical library spaces and services, but are they now a thing in the past for libraries?
No full textQR codes are just one of many technologies that have infiltrated and have influenced how libraries render services to their respective communities, from improving conventional services to automated means, and have paved the way for the promotion of digital libraries, the platform, and the contents they store. This paper reviewed the literature on the use of QR codes by libraries and displays the historical data on the development of its use in libraries and tried to establish a productivity trend through bibliometric analysis. This investigation also highlights some of the marvels brought by QR codes on how it has expanded the physical library space giving limitless possibilities for information access and services. The scholarly production on the knowledge of the application of QR codes in libraries found itself in stunted growth
The Effect of the Human Development Index on Banking Stability in ASEAN
Full text linkGlobal phenomena show that the quality of human development plays an important role in various aspects of the economy, including the stability of the banking sector. In the ASEAN region, developing countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Thailand are undergoing rapid economic transformation, which can affect the dynamics of banking stability. The study aims to analyze the relationship between the Human Development Index (HDI) and banking stability in these countries, assuming that improving the quality of human development can strengthen the stability of the emerging banking sector. The study used panel data from 2000 to 2021 obtained from Our World in Data and the International Monetary Fund. The analysis technique in this study uses panel data regression, namely the fixed effect model, to capture the specific influence of HDI on banking stability in each country. The results show that the increase in HDI contributes positively to banking stability in ASEAN, which shows the importance of improving the quality of life that supports economic stability. The main contribution of this research is to provide empirical evidence on the role of HDI as an important factor in strengthening the stability of the banking sector, as well as to enrich the literature on the relationship between human development and financial stability in developing countries
Incorporation of ultrasonic treatment in nixtamalization of Philippine maize varieties (IPB Var 6 and LB lagkitan) and its impact on physicochemical, structural, and thermal properties
No full textMaize (Zea mays L.) is a vital alternative food source in the Philippines; however, its nutritional profile is often inadequate for supporting human growth. To enhance its nutritional value, nixtamalization an ancient Mesoamerican processing technique is employed. Traditional nixtamalization (TN) relies on highly alkaline pH sources, which pose environmental challenges, thereby prompting the exploration of alternative processing methods such as ultrasonic treatment. This study investigates the effects of ultrasonic treatment on the nixtamalization of two Philippine maize varieties, IPB Var 6 and LB Lagkitan, using calcium salts as a processing agent. Optimal processing conditions were determined using the Box-Behnken design (BBD) within a response surface methodology framework, comprising fifteen experimental runs per variety. Three key processing factors were evaluated: ultrasonic pretreatment time (5 to 15 minutes), cooking time (0 to 30 minutes), and steeping time (0 to 16 hours). Box-Cox transformation was utilized for model optimization, employing two-factor interaction (2FI) and linear models to predict maximum water absorption index (WAI) and water solubility index (WSI). For IPB Var 6, optimal conditions yielded a WAI of 2.43 g gel/g dry matter and a WSI of 4.95% (ultrasonic treatment = 15 min, cooking time = 10 min, steeping time = 8 h). LB Lagkitan demonstrated a higher WAI of 2.61 g gel/g dry matter and a WSI of 6.04% (ultrasonic treatment = 10 min, cooking time = 21 min, steeping time = 8 h). Ultrasonic treatment significantly enhanced pericarp removal and improved the physicochemical, morphological, and thermal properties of nixtamal. The use of calcium carbonate as the alkaline source facilitated controlled calcium absorption while reducing phosphorus levels after 8 hours of steeping. Further characterization revealed that IPB Var 6, recognized for its quality protein content, and LB Lagkitan, a waxy maize variety, exhibited apparent amylose contents of 23.7% and 7.59%, respectively. Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy confirmed the high amylopectin content in LB Lagkitan, contributing to its superior hydration properties. Additionally, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy identified key components, including carbohydrates and amide groups, while scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showcased polygonal and irregular starch granules resulting from the reduced cooking time. Particle size distribution (PSD) indicated a decrease in granule size due to the lime source, although no significant correlation with final viscosity (VF) was found. Cooking and calcium-starch interactions were shown to significantly influence viscosity, gelatinization, retrogradation, and thermal stability. This study confirms that the integration of ultrasonic treatment enhances traditional nixtamalization, improves processing efficiency, and preserves the quality of nixtamal, offering a promising avenue for sustainable maize processing