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Labor Market Dualism of Overseas Filipino Workers and its Effects on Philippine Income Disparity
No full textThis study examined the impact of dualism in the overseas labor market on regional income inequality in the Philippines using panel estimation techniques and reliability checks. The findings indicate that the recent influx of blue-collar workers has significantly reduced regional income disparity, as measured by both the Gini Coefficient and the Palma Ratio. This trend is particularly evident in regions such as Cagayan Valley and BARMM, which have sent a substantial portion of their workforce abroad as blue-collar workers, in contrast to wealthier regions like NCR, which predominantly sent white-collar workers.
By modifying the Gini Coefficient, the study assessed changes in the income share of the bottom 40% compared to the top 10% of each region\u27s population. Key determinants of regional income disparity included education, GDP per capita, and labor market sentiments. The results consistently show the education and GDP per capita play crucial roles in reducing income inequality, whereas high underemployment levels exacerbate intergenerational inequality. The impact of inflation remains ambiguous, as the average inflation rate was not sufficiently high to significantly influence inequality.
The study highlights BARMM as an outliner, exhibiting low-income inequality despite high education inequality and a large proportion of blue-collar workers. Augmented panel estimations conducted by removing this outlier revealed no significant changes in the overall findings. Additionally, recent migration trends indicate a role reversal in occupational classifications, with women increasingly dominating physical labor roles, demonstration the feminization of transitional migrants in Philippine regions
Developing a smart bus transportation system to improve passenger comfortability, campus accessibility, and traffic control
Get PDFDeveloping a reliable transportation system is crucial for a university to achieve a world-class status. The current public transit system consisting of public utility jeepneys has challenges related to comfortability, accessibility, and traffic control leading to poor service time and quality. The study aimed to address these issues by proposing a transportation system that: (1) enhances passenger comfort through the use of smart buses, (2) increases accessibility by establishing new routes, and (3) improves traffic control through a scheduling scheme. Surveys were deployed to collect origin-destination data of the passengers and identify the common loading-unloading zones. Data were consolidated and processed using spreadsheets. There were 61 unique demand points, which were eventually grouped into 35 bus stops, based on the maximum tolerance in the distance that the passengers are willing to walk from a building to the nearest stop. Initially, route configurations were determined then a bus scheduling scheme was provided for the chosen alternative. Three distinct techniques were used to develop alternative route configurations. The first configuration was determined using a spaghetti diagram in chasing passenger demand. The second was using centroid as a depot and sweep algorithm. The third one was a multi-depot ‘route first-cluster second’ heuristic. Using the overall service time as the key performance indicator, the first route configuration was selected. Its paths traverse the upper, middle, and lower part of the campus, making all the previously untouched regions in the campus accessible. A bus scheduling scheme is also determined per route so that the deployment of vehicles is consistent improving traffic control. As evident by literature, smart buses are the mode of transportation to use the routes and schedule as they provide comfort both in the physical and psychological sense. Future studies can focus on exploring other methodologies to establish route configurations and a simulation study to incorporate the stochasticity of passenger demand and service times. Qualitative studies to investigate insights from jeepney drivers and cost-benefit analysis can also be looked into
Financing Jeepney Fleet Modernization: A Comprehensive Literature Review on Addressing Challenges in the Transition to Low-Carbon Transport
No full textThis study conducted a systematic literature review on the challenges in the financing of low-carbon transport transition and applied the insights gained from the systematic literature review to the case of financing the Jeepney Modernization Program in the Philippines. Specifically, the study addressed the following questions: What are the ways of financing the transition to low-carbon transport, and what strategies have other countries employed? What challenges have they faced in similar modernization projects? What are the differences in the experience of financing the transition to low-carbon transport involving modes of transport that are run by the public sector, compared to those run by the private sector? What lessons can be gleaned from the experience of other countries the apply to the financing of jeepney fleet modernization in the Philippines?
Significant global financial barriers identified include high vehicle and infrastructure costs, limited access to affordable capital, and scarcities in public and donor finance. The public sector benefits from greater access to funding and policy implementation capabilities but faces bureaucratic inefficiencies and political risks. The private sector shows higher efficiency and innovation but depends on stable government policies and faces higher perceived risks.
Effective project finance planning is crucial, involving diverse funding sources and financial sustainability. Public-private partnership (PPPs) can provide necessary capital, distribute risks, and align benefits. Government policies and incentives, such as subsidies and tax incentives, are essential to encourage low-carbon technologies. Supporting local manufactures can reduce costs, create jobs, and stimulate the economy
Feasibility Study of Establishing an Ube (Dioscorea alata Linn.) Farm in Tadhana Agriventures Farm in Brgy. Sumucab, Cavinti, Laguna
No full textUbe (Dioscorea alata) is a highly demanded staple crop on both the domestic and global markets. Despite this, purple yam production in the Philippines is dwindling, resulting in shortages. Hence, there is an opportunity to address the shortages of ube in the market. The general objective of the study entitled, Feasibility Study of Establishing an Ube (Dioscorea alata Linn.) Farm in Tadhana Agriventures Farm in Brgy. Sumucab, Cavinti, Laguna, is to determine and assess the viability of establishing a one-hectare ube farm in Brgy. Sumucab, Cavinti, Laguna. This research is intended to guide investors or farm owners in navigating agribusiness, taking calculated risks, and making sound business decisions. With that, the study aimed to (a) present the ube farm project and its planned area of operation; (b) assess the market, operations, organizational, and financial viability of establishing an ube farm; (c) analyze the potential risks, problems, and opportunities in venturing into ube production; and (d) formulate recommendations for the identified problems.
For this feasibility study, the researcher conducted face-to-face and online semi-structured interviews and surveys with respondents to gather first-hand data. Secondary data from Cavinti LGU, San Pablo City LGU and Department of Agriculture were also utilized in the analysis. The analysis tools that were employed are descriptive analysis, target market analysis, Competitive Profile Matrix (CPM), marketing mix, comparative analysis, capital budgeting techniques, and sensitivity analysis.
The property that is going to be developed for the ube farm is located in Brgy. Sumucab, Cavinti, Laguna and is owned by A. Nocon Realty and Development Corporation. This project is in line with the company\u27s growing interest in agribusiness.
The violet-fleshed ube will be marketed in San Pablo City, Laguna. This is due to the growing numbers of ube processors in the area. Based on the computation, the market demand for violet-fleshed ube is 22,100 kilograms per month. The estimated demand for ube is higher than then capacity of the project so the market aspect is feasible. Sett is the from of planting material that will be used since it is time and cost effective. The planting of ube will be from March to April to account for the sett preparation and dormancy of the crop. The crop will be harvested from November to December and the estimated yield per hectare is 30,078 kilograms every season. Based on the soil analysis, the soil in the site is rich in organic matter. However, there is a need to correct the soil pH level of the soul in the site using agricultural limestones because it is slightly more acidic than the requirement of the crop. The project will operate under Tadhana Agriventures, a planned business unit under ANRDC. The people who will initially manage the development of the project are Mr. Noel Nocon and Mr. Emmanuel Argosino. They will eventually hire a farm manager and a caretaker once the pre-operation activities have commenced. Most of the labor will be hired in contractual arrangements and only the farm manager and the caretaker will be the regular employees.
To assess the financial viability of this project, financial projections and sensitivity analysis were performed. Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), and Payback Period (PP) were the basis of the acceptability of the project. The initial investment to establish a one-hectare ube farm is valued at Php 1,172,175. There were 8 scenarios that were simulated to determine how the business will perform in varying economic conditions. Based on the result of sensitivity analysis, the project is feasible in Base Scenario, Scenario 1 (Optimistic), Scenario 7 (Intercropped with Coconut), and Scenario 8 (Increasing Production Capacity). On the other hand, the project is slightly acceptable in Scenario 2 (Most Likely) and Scenario 6 (Intercropped and Maize). The project was found to be viable when the yield is at the expected level of production and the yield was decreased by 27%. The investment can be recovered in 1.803 years at the very least and 2.871 years at most for feasible scenarios. Moreover, the project was found infeasible in Scenario 3 (Pessimistic), Scenario 4, and Scenario 5 (Intercropped with Banana). The payback periods in the infeasible scenarios range from 5.461 years to 69.338 years which is either near to the end of the project life or exceeds the project life.
Even if the project was determined to be feasible in some scenarios there are still risks and problems that could arise in the four aspects or functions of the business. Strategies, such as aligning the selling price to the prevailing market price, offering discounts, regular pest and disease scouting, communicate with LGU for the development of farm-to-market roads, fostering good relationships with the workers and the community, and penalties for delayed payments were recommended to manage the possible risks and problems
Application of the analytic hierarchy process and geographic information system in selecting sites for a seafood market stud
No full textStudy site selection is essential for the success of many fisheries-related programs. A thorough site selection could provide transparency in the decision-making process and optimize resources. In this research, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) approach was used to select sites for a market study of reefassociated seafood in Alaminos City, Northwestern Philippines. Out of the 10 coastal barangays, four (Lucap, Sabangan, Telbang, and Victoria) were initially chosen, and the difference between these sites and the priority sites generated from AHP was examined. Five decision criteria and 10 alternatives (coastal barangays) were analyzed to calculate priority weights using pairwise comparisons. The AHP analysis showed that among the set of criteria, the presence of coral reefs, registered number of fishers, proximity to public market, and existence of fish ports were the most relevant. Among the alternatives, Lucap (0.196), Telbang (0.127), and Victoria (0.118) obtained the highest global priority values followed by Pangapisan (0.105), Pandan (0.098), and Bued (0.096); however, Sabangan, which was included in the initially selected study sites, only ranked 7th (0.073). The results confirmed the suitability of the selected sites and helped identify additional potential sites for a market study. The final priority values from the AHP were imported into the Quantum Geographic Information System (QGIS) to generate thematic and suitability maps. The usefulness of AHP was demonstrated in selecting the most suitable sites for a market study. This method uses a systematic and simple procedure that could be utilized by local decision makers for future studies and projects that require prioritization of multiple options
Stress and maternal burnout: an exploratory study among mothers with preschool children
No full textThis study aimed to investigate the factors that contribute to the level of maternal burnout experienced by mothers with preschool children in a non-urban area. It intends to develop initiatives to alleviate and support mothers experiencing maternal burnout. A mixed-method research design was used in this study. Six (6) mothers of preschoolers studying in the UPLB CDL were interviewed for this thesis using a semi-structured interview with open-ended questions. The study described the demographic characteristics of the respondents; determined the parental burnout scores of the participants; identified factors contributing to maternal burnout by analyzing their stressors, resources, perceptions, and the amount of crisis or their parental burnout level; and analyzed how these factors contribute to the mother’s maternal burnout. The study revealed that common stressors such as financial constraints, time constraints, parenting challenges, and health concerns significantly impact the well-being of mothers. Furthermore, it was found that having high-quality social support, and positive marital relationship emerged as vital protective factors against maternal burnout
Future prospects for smallhold native chicken producers in the Philippines
No full textThe Philippine native chickens are believed to have originated from the domesticated red jungle fowl. Through natural selection, genetic isolation and mating with exotic stocks, they have evolved into a population of mixed genetic group which exhibit variability in many qualitative and quantitative traits. As of 2004, the total chicken population in the country was estimated to be 129.43 M head. Of this number, the proportion of the native type was 56.16%.
The Philippine native chickens has remained as an important source of protein food and extra income for the rural farmers in spite of the growing popularity of chicken products from exotic commercial hybrids. Many rural farmers prefer to raise this native type of chickens because they require very minimal production inputs. These chickens are noted for their hardiness and resistance and have the ability to survive and reproduce even under the most marginal of environmental and management conditions. Besides, their meat and eggs are preferred by consumers over that coming from commercial hybrid chickens because of their unique quality attributes particularly that of strong and distinct flavor, high degree of leanness and texture of meat suited for cooking traditional Filipino dishes. The intense yellow pigmentation of their skin and egg yolk are other qualities which are desired by many consumers. These products can very ell considered as organically produced.
The expansion of the native chicken industry is relatively slow as reflected in the very slow population growth rate. Native chicken producers are smallholder farmers which have very limited financial resources to warrant providing appropriate management to his flock.
On the other hand, the growing popularity of organic food, the active movement for humane treatment of animals, the dependence on imported input to production of the commercial hybrids, and the recent outbreak of the avian influenza (bird flu) in many countries, provide a very good opportunity for smallhold native chicken producers to intensify the production and marketing of the products of native type of chickens
Comparison of predictions of conventional mathematical and the artificial neural network models for the thermo physical properties of soya meal
No full textThe study was performed to determine the thermophysical properties of soyameal such as moisture sorption isotherms (MSI), density and specific heat. MSI were determined using relative humidities, controlled by saturated salt solutions, ranging from 11% to 90% and exposed to constant temperatures of 15oC, 25oC, and 35oC. The data were fitted to several models available in the literature and the modified Chung-Pfost and the Guggenheim, Anderson and DeBoer (GAB) models satisfactorily described the sorption behavior of the product. The said models were chosen based on the low means square errors (MSE) as well as high coefficient of determination (r2). The bulk density and specific heat data were found to be linearly related to moisture content. Simple artificial neural network (ANN) models with 3 hidden layers were also fitted to the said thermophysical properties and predictions were closed to the predictions of conventional mathematical models
