University Knowledge Digital Repository UPLB (University of the Philippines Los Baños)
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Taxonomy of Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) Mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) - 1: Identification and Local Distribution of the Predominant Species on Witches’ Broom-Diseased Plants in the Philippines
No full textSamples of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) plants infected with witches’ broom disease were gathered from 13 provinces in the Philippines. Mealybugs were observed to occur in nine out of the 13 cumulative samples. The most predominant among several mealybug species observed was identified as Pseudococcus jackbeardsleyi Gimpel and Miller. P. jackbeardsleyi is not yet known to transmit phytoplasma, especially the one causing cassava witches’ broom (CWB). However, its occurrence in almost 70% of the CWB-infected samples provides circumstantial evidence that it may be related to the spread of the pathogen. This formal report of identification is in support of the studies on the possible role of mealybug species on CWB phytoplasma transmission
Optimization of factors affecting the performance of a fluidized bed dryer
No full textThis study investigated the theoretical, analytical, and experimental effects of parameters such as bed height, air velocity, and air temperature on drying using a fluidized bed dryer. The objective was to examine how these parameters influence the drying process of salt products in a pilot fluidized bed dryer and establish the foundation for the development of a future full-scale machine. Salt products with an initial moisture content of 3% were used in all experimental trials. The pressure drop was determined by calculating the minimum fluidization rate, Archimedes and Reynolds number. The calculated values were compared with the analyses conducted using the Multiphase Flow with Interphase eXchanges (MFIX) program and the tests performed on the pilot-scale static fluidized bed dryer equipment to verify the accuracy. Upon comparing the parameters in fluidized bed drying, it was concluded that the increase in air velocity had a more significant impact on the pressure drop than what was predicted in the theoretical calculations. Nevertheless, it was noted that the analysis was significantly impacted by the height of the bed
Evaluation of Bifidobacterium sp. and Guazuma ulmifolia leaf extract on quail (Coturnix coturnix-japonica): influences on feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and quail day production
No full textBackground: Quail farms have a great opportunity as poultry farming businesses in Indonesia due to its short biological cycle and high metabolic rate. The success of a poultry business is closely linked to factors such as feed quality and health management. This study aims to determine the effect of adding Bifidobacterium sp. and Guazuma ulmifolia leaf extract into drinking water on quail production performance include feed intake, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and quail day production (QDP). Methodology: The research employed an experimental design using a Completely Randomized Design with 96 female quails (Coturnix coturnix-japonica), randomly assigned to four treatments with six replications, each consisting of four quails. Different ratios of Bifidobacterium sp. and Guazuma ulmifolia leaf extract were administered in each treatment. Data collection occurred during the final week of the research period. Results: Each treatment was given different ratio between Bifidobacterium sp. and Guazuma ulmifolia leaf extract. The data collected in the last week of the research period were analyzed to evaluate the outcomes. Conclusion: The addition of 2 ml/liter Bifidobacterium sp. and Guazuma ulmifolia leaf extract to drinking water had a significant effect (p\u3c0.05) on feed intake, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and quail day production (QDP)
Trevi Bakeshop: An Enterprise Study
No full textTrevi Bakeshop is sole proprietorship based in Cabuyao, Laguna. It was founded in February 2024 by Vince Nero C. Ritual, a fourth-year agribusiness management and entrepreneurship student. The business mainly deals with the retail sale of gluten-free Cookieroons, a healthier version of the classic chocolate chip cookie. The bakeshop bis a home-based business with support from the owner\u27s family. The venture focuses on an emerging market opportunity that has to do with customers in the locality and their desire to indulge in food without feeling any guilt. The bakery industry in the Philippines is one that plays a role in generating employment and spurring the economy up. This is the area that Trevi Bakeshop wants to tap into. By offering healthy desserts, the business maximizes not only the opportunities of the thriving bakery industry but also the increasing market demand towards healthier products.
The business was born out of the owner\u27s struggle with food guilt and negative body image. These personal struggles inspired the owner to view food not as his enemy but his instrument to help other people who are struggling the same challenges. The pre-feasibility and feasibility plan of Trevi Bakeshop with its market needs assessment and business plan, the owner determined that the venture can succeed in the market. However, the business faced challenges when it started operating. This was evidenced when with the challenges surrounding limitations with the equipment and shortages of the ingredients supply. To solve these problems, the bakeshop optimized its production process, implemented a tracking system, and changed their ordering strategy.
The bakeshop also transformed their marketing efforts throughout the entrepreneurial journey. Initially, the business focused on using the gluten-free label of the Cookieroons to appeal to customers. When this was deemed ineffective, the owner decided to shift its strategy by emphasizing the health benefits of honey, one of its main ingredients, which led to substantial success. The business also engaged in social media, community channels, and work of mouth marketing. From a financial viewpoint, the business streamline cost volatility by looking for alternative ingredients and strategically managing costs. Personnel operation was based on the owner\u27s family support which also emphasized social circles are valuables in sales.
PEC Test results indicated that there were positive changes in the owner\u27s significant skills and traits that are essential in successfully running a business. Over the course of the entire entrepreneurial journey, the owner showed flexibility, determination, and risk tolerance. Strategies under consideration for future plans include enhancing packaging and product presentation, adding other product offerings, and focusing on research and development to provide quality assurance while working on shippable products for growth. Overall, Trevi Bakeshop exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit, demonstrating the importance of resilience, adaptability, and strategic decision-making in navigating challenges and capitalizing on market opportunities
Opportunity Cost Estimation of Regular Economic Shutdown on Output, Environment, and Income
No full textThe study focused on estimating the opportunity cost of a regular economic shutdown on production, environment, and income using ex-ante opportunity cost analysis in the macro-economic context of the Philippines. Using degrowth as a framework and setting policy assumptions similar to Sunday trade bans, or Sunday blue laws, and enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) during the pandemic, the study found a 9.49% reduction in GDP and 10.5% reduction in revenue from 964,299 identified non- essential establishments from MSMEs and large enterprises. Around 4.5 billion kg of CO2e and 6.23 billion kWh of electric use can be saved from having a regular economic shutdown for all 52 Sundays of a year. A worker may lose Php 595.28 of his or her daily income on a regular economic shutdown if the regular economic shutdown is implemented asynchronously to the employee\u27s rest day. The study utilized stringent policy assumptions, but future policymakers can consider exempting certain industries and certain numbers of Sundays from the regulation. This study aims to contribute to the discussion of degrowth and can be a basis for future research on policy making on non- working Sunday or Sunday trade bans
Entrepreneurial Competencies and Intentions of Grade 12 ABM Students in Baguio City National Science High School
No full textEntrepreneurship plays a critical role in fostering economic growth, and cultivating entrepreneurial intentions among students is a priority of the ABM strand in the K-12 curriculum. However, despite the inclusion of entrepreneurship education, there is limited research assessing how well the program develops entrepreneurial competencies and intentions among students, particularly in Baguio City. This study aimed to address this gap by examining how socio-demographic factors, attitudes, and competencies shape entrepreneurial intentions. Specifically, it aimed to: (a) present the socio-demographic profile of Grade 12 ABM students, (b) determine their entrepreneurial intention levels, (c) identify factors influencing these intentions, (d) assess their entrepreneurial competencies, and (e) recommend initiatives to enhance entrepreneurial education. This study explored the entrepreneurial intentions and competencies of Grade 12 ABM students from Baguio City National Science High School (BCNSHS) to evaluate how entrepreneurship education prepares students for future entrepreneurial endeavors. Anchored on Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the Personal Entrepreneurial Competencies Self-Rating Questionnaire (PEC SRQ), the research sought to understand the factors influencing entrepreneurial intentions and measure the entrepreneurial competencies of students, while also identifying areas for curriculum improvement. A qualitative research design was employed, featuring descriptive and correlational analyses. Data were gathered through a structured questionnaire, divided into sections on socio-demographics, entrepreneurial intentions, and competencies. A 7-point Likert scale measured entrepreneurial intentions, while the PEC SRQ evaluated competencies such as opportunity-seeking, risk-taking, and goal-setting. Complete enumeration was used to include all ABM students at BCNSHS. Data analysis utilized descriptive statistics to summarize profiles and regression analysis to identify significant predictors of entrepreneurial intentions.
The results of this study provided a comprehensive view of the entrepreneurial intentions and competencies of Grade 12 ABM students at Baguio City National Science High School (BCNSHS). The socio-demographic profile of the students revealed an average age of 17.45 years, with 57% females and 43% males, and most students coming from families with an average of 2.4 siblings. Interestingly, while 17% of the students owned businesses, 45% had parents in business, and 53% had entrepreneurial relatives, suggesting that familial exposure plays a significant role in shaping their entrepreneurial outlook. Despite this exposure, 43% of students reported having practical business experiences outside of school, indicating a need for more structured hands-on opportunities.
The analysis of entrepreneurial intentions, measured through a 7-point Likert scale, showed consistently high aspirations among students. The statement “I have strong intention to start a business someday” received the highest average score of 5.5, with males scoring 5.6 and females 5.4. Similarly, students expressed high determination to create a firm in the future (5.4) and willingness to make every effort to run a business (5.1). However, there were slight gender-based differences, with males showing higher confidence in readiness to pursue entrepreneurship (e.g., 4.9 for males vs. 4.7 for females in “I am ready to do anything to be an entrepreneur”) and females excelling in effort- and planning-related aspects (e.g., 5.3 for females vs. 5.0 for males in “I will make every effort to start and run my own business”). These results suggest that while both genders exhibit strong entrepreneurial intentions, their approaches differ, necessitating tailored support strategies.
In terms of entrepreneurial competencies, students demonstrated strong skills in information-seeking (mean = 18.8), goal-setting (18.4), and persistence (18.2), reflecting their ability to set objectives and acquire relevant knowledge. However, competencies like opportunity-seeking (16.2) and risk-taking (16.3) were relatively weaker, indicating areas where additional training and experiential learning could be beneficial. Regression analysis identified personal attitudes as the most significant predictor of entrepreneurial intentions (R2 = 56.64%), followed by perceived behavioral control (R2 = 35.5%) and entrepreneurial capacity (R2 = 29.5%). Social capital and prior education also had moderate effects, while perceived entrepreneurial success was not a significant factor (R2 = 3.65%). These results underscore the importance of intrinsic motivators, such as attitudes and self-belief, over external factors like perceived success in shaping entrepreneurial intentions.
The findings from this study underscore the critical role of entrepreneurial education in shaping the intentions and competencies of Grade 12 ABM students. With 89% of respondents planning to start their own businesses, the ABM curriculum— featuring business implementations, management courses, and exposure to entrepreneurial role models—has been effective in fostering aspirations. However, gender-specific differences highlight areas for targeted interventions: male students demonstrated higher confidence in readiness and goal-setting, while female students excelled in planning and effort. To address these gaps, BCNSHS could implement experiential learning activities, such as business simulations, internships, and competitions, to enhance competencies like risk-taking and opportunity-seeking. Gender- sensitive mentorship programs, modeled after Germany’s Fraunhofer Society (OECD, 2019), can boost female students’ confidence, while workshops inspired by Singapore’s National Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge (European Commission, 2016) can refine strategic planning among male students. DepEd-CAR could contextualize entrepreneurship education to regional strengths, such as agripreneurship and sustainable tourism, while integrating digital entrepreneurship modules modeled after Estonia’s e-commerce curriculum (OECD, 2019). Colleges and universities should offer interdisciplinary entrepreneurship programs, emphasizing practical skills and self- efficacy training, similar to Babson College’s Entrepreneurship Bootcamp (Nabi et al., 2017). Future research should adopt longitudinal designs and incorporate frameworks like the Digital Entrepreneurship Ecosystem (Kraus et al., 2018) and the Gendered Pathways in Entrepreneurship Model (Brush et al., 2019) to examine socio-cultural and technological influences on entrepreneurial development. Collectively, these strategies aim to equip students with the competencies and mindset necessary for addressing local and global challenges
Time Allocation and Academic Performance of College Students during the Covid-19 Pandemic
No full textThis study analyzed the time allocation and the factors affecting college student’s academic performance during the Covid-19 pandemic. A time diary survey was conducted among 160 enrolled Economics students of the College of Economics and Management, University of the Philippines Los Baños. Descriptive statistics was done to examine the time allocation pattern of college students during the pandemic, and the Ordinary Least Squares and the 2-Stage Least Squares regression were performed in order to analyze the factors affecting academic performance. Results reveal that age, household size, and natural ability were significant in the OLS regression while the time allocation variables were found to be insignificant in both OLS and the 2SLS regression. Contrasting the findings of previous studies, the current study finds no significant relationship between the time allocation variables: lecture attendance, self-study, and extracurricular activities with the academic performance of college students during the pandemic. Several issues were detected in the estimation procedure including sampling bias, low variation in the dependent variable, and the omitted variable bias
Analyzing the Determinants of Philippine Rice Trade and the Effects of Rice Tariffication Law: A Gravity Model Approach
No full textThe Rice Tariffication Law (RTL), or RA 11203, drastically shifted the rice industry in the country, and the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund that was created from the revenue generated from tariffication allowed for the provision of resources for increasing the productivity of Filipino farmers. The removal of the quantitative restrictions on the volume of rice imports liberalized rice importation and allowed for higher import volumes. The impact of this policy on the various stakeholders was ambiguous and varied; consumers enjoyed lower retail rice prices, while producers suffered from the plummeting of local farmgate prices. Despite numerous studies dedicated to the analysis of the RTL, there remains a lack of consensus regarding the policy\u27s overall impact on the country. The main objective of this study is to analyze both internal and external factors that influence the value of rice importation in the country through the augmented gravity model of international trade. The main objective of this study is to analyze both internal and external factors that influence the value of rice importation in the country through the augmented gravity model of international trade. It was determined that the GDP, population, distance from trading partners, language commonality, and the implementation of the RTL all had significant impacts on the value of rice imports in the Philippines from 1995 to 1996. Meanwhile, it was determined that the RCEF failed to meet the goals set during its creation. The findings of this study suggest that both internal and external factors, such as the social, economic, and political conditions in the Philippines and the rice exporting partners, impact the value of rice exports in the country
Price Analysis of Onion in the Philippines, 2000-2022
No full textThis paper analyzed the prices of red and yellow onion in the Philippines from 2000-2022. The specific objectives were to (1) analyze the trend in volume of production, area harvested, and yield of onion at the national and regional levels from 2000 to 2022; (2) analyze the trend (secular), seasonal, cyclical, and irregular variations in the retail prices of red and yellow onion at the national and regional levels; (3) determine the factors influencing the fluctuations of red and yellow onion prices, and; (4) provide policy implications and recommendations for the improvement of the onion industry in the Philippines.
Results of the study showed that red and yellow onion production, area harvested, and yield showed an increasing trend over time. The onion production in the Philippines has been increasing, its prices also increasing. Red onions have higher prices compared to yellow onions. For 22 years the annual real and nominal farmgate, wholesale, and retail prices of red and yellow onion were increasing. For red onion, monthly seasonal indices were highest in January, and, for yellow onion it was in October, November, and December. Similarly, nominal and real average monthly secular trends were increasing. The result shows the non-existence of cyclical variation in the monthly prices of onions since the assumption here was that onions can be planted all year round. Seasonal variation greatly affects the price of red and yellow onions more than other variations. Since onion is one of the most used ingredients, festivals, occasions and holidays could make the prices change.
Factors affecting the retail price of red and yellow onion were evaluated using the multiple regression analysis using R software. The precipitation, temperature, real retail price of garlic, price of urea, and population were the factors that were used to analyze the retail prices of red and yellow onion in the Philippines from 2000-2022. Regression analysis results showed that the temperature was the only significant variable factor for red onion at 10 percent with a p-value of 0.0903. Based on the variable’s coefficient, holding all the factors constant. For the factors affecting the yellow onion, the only significant was the precipitation at 10 percent with a p-value of 0.009, holding all the factors constant.
The government should assist the farmers in finding other markets that can sell their onions by giving them enough information to address the surplus of onions. To safeguard both consumers and farmers, the government should implement cautious intervention and strong border controls for imports. Also, lay a fund and compensate for their losses to cover the expenses for the next planting season after a devastating natural calamity. Meanwhile, smugglers should also be monitored. To combat the smuggling and stockpiling of agricultural products that impact farmers, traders, and consumers, a task force with the National Bureau of Investigation should be established. To properly handle this issue and safeguard local farmers, strict adherence to the legislation is required
Root Plasticity of Selected Corn (Zea mays L.) Varieties Grown for Food and Forage in Response to FertiGroe®-N and Urea
No full textRoot plasticity, the capacity of a corn root system to modify its growth and development in response to varying environmental conditions, is a crucial adaptability trait for optimizing water and nutrient uptake, especially in a challenging environments. Understanding root plasticity provides insights into the pattern basis of crop adaptation, contributing to the development of improved corn varieties and agricultural practices that optimize the production of both ear shoots and forage. This study assessed root traits and other morphological-physiological responses of three corn varieties (NK8840, IPB Var 6, and Pearl Sweet) grown for food (ear shoots) and forage (baby corn fodder) to FertiGroe®-N and urea fertilizers. The experiment used a two-factor randomized block design with three replications, conducted from August 2021 to February 2022 in Tiaong, Quezon, Philippines using PVC tubes filled with 20 kg of soil. Results revealed that FertiGroe®-N significantly increased root weight, length, volume, and diameter compared to urea, particularly at two to three days after silking (R1) stage. This enhanced root growth translated into improved shoot growth, Soil and Plant Analysis Development (SPAD) chlorophyll values, total dry matter (TDM), and both ear shoot and forage yield. Root length (0.91) and weight (0.89) showed strong positive correlations with ear shoot and forage yield, respectively. Similarly, plant height (0.98) and root weight (0.97) exhibited high correlations with their respective yields, while TDM demonstrated significant correlations with both ear shoot (0.99) and forage yield (0.97). These findings imply that applying FertiGroe®-N at a rate of 160 kg N effectively enhances root traits and consequently improves ear shoot and forage yields