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Vulnerability to flooding and the impacts of extreme climatic events of New Corella, Davao del Norte
No full textThe provinces of Davao del Norte and Campostela Valley are bestowed with abundant natural resources. Natural resources of both terrestrial and aquatic abound and flourish sustaining life in the area.This provides land water for many other valuable resources such as plants, animals, and minerals. It is capable of producing and providing water, timber and non-timber products including food, fiber, medicine and many intangible goods such as aesthetics and wholesome environment. Its vast area provides for residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, educational, and experimental and forest land uses. However, many of these are usually conflicting and competing with each other. With the worsening impact of climate extremes, natural and man-made hazards such as landslide, flood, and deforestation/biodiversity loss have been experienced in these areas. These often occur in degraded areas due to its steep topography, poor vegetative cover, high, rainfall, poor farming practices, proximity to fault lines ad other factors. Similarly, these hazards had occurred in nearby watersheds such as Lasang River, Bunawan River and Andap River among others. The occurrence of landslide has been observed in Southern Mindanao. On September 10, 2008 a massive landslide which claimed 30 lives and displaced nearly 5,000 residents occurred in Barangay [village] Masara, Maco, Campostella Valley Province. The landslide was attributed to large-scale mining of Apex Mining Company and the Crew Mineral Corporation of Canada. Furthermore, GMA News TV reported that Barangay Masara, Maco, ComVal is a geo-hazard and high risk zone for landslide and the Mines ang Geo-Sciences Bureau of DENR [Department of Environment and Natural Resources] had recommended the evacuation of residents from the area. However, adaptation strategies have been developed from the grassroots to the national level to cope with the challenges faced by the communities particularly in New Corella and nearby municipalities. Strategies involving agricultural/farming techniques and resilient crop varieties have been sought to combat the effects of decreasing farm production. Disaster preparedness has also been strengthened through the capability building of local disaster risk management bodies. In addition, it is sought that drainage and irrigation facilities be improved and maintained such as desilting and dredging activities to mitigate the impacts of flooding and drought. These among others, are also expected to materialize as future strategies given the continued increase in climate parameter such as temperature and rainfall
Spray Characterization of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle for Agricultural Spraying
Get PDFSustainability and higher efficiency in crop production are possible with the use of new technologies. The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) brings many advantages, both in terms of monitoring agricultural areas and pesticide applications, and allows for early disease and damage detection as well as its application in areas without access to conventional sprayers. This study established parameters for spraying with clean water using a DJI Agras 14 MG-1P (RTK) UAV. Droplet distribution and droplet analyses were examined in the experiments carried out at different heights (1.5, 2.0, and 2.5 m) and flow rates (10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 L/ha). Droplets were analyzed using DepositScan. Coefficients of Variation of droplet distribution decreased with the increasing spray rate. The trials with the closest values to uniformity were spraying applications made at a flight height of 2.0 m. When evaluating pesticide efficacy according to the number of droplets per unit area, insecticides and all herbicides can be effective at applications at flight heights of 1.5 and 2.0 m and spray rates of 20 L/ha. While all spraying is done at flight heights of 1.5 and 2.0 m and spray rates of 25 L/ha, fungicides are ineffective when applied from a height of 2.5 m. As a result, this study found measurements made at a 2.0 m altitude and a 20 L/ha spray rate to have the highest coverage rate and the lowest drift potential
Localization of secreted ferritin (FER2) in the embryos of the tick Haemaphysalis longicornis
No full textDespite the absence of a blood meal, embryogenesis involves many processes that require nutrients and other essen‑ tial elements, including iron. Due to the lack of an external source of these nutrients, these requirements are acquired maternally. Because of the toxic nature of iron, they are transferred through iron transport molecules such as secreted ferritin (FER2). Here we tried to follow the trail of the FER2 through indirect immunofuorescence, and we observed an apparent shift of FER2 from the germ layer at the early part of development to the appendages during the late stage of embryogenesis. FER2 is also found in the middle part of the legs of the embryo. The apparent movement not only sheds light on iron processing events during embryogenesis but also indirectly guides organogenesis in the tick
An Analysis of the Affects of Contract and Non-Contract Marketing Arrangements on the Business Performance of Small-Scale Sugarcane Farmers in Balayan, Batangas
No full textThe general objective of this study was to analyze the effects of contract and non- contract marketing arrangements of small-scale sugarcane farmers in terms of business performance in Balayan, Batangas. Specifically, this study aimed to (1) describe the socio- demographic profile of the small-scale sugarcane farmers in Balayan, Batangas; (2) discuss the current marketing arrangement of the farmers; (3) identify the factors that are associated with the choice of marketing arrangement of the small-scale sugarcane farmers; (4) assess the relationships and effects of these marketing arrangements on the business performance of the farmers; (5) evaluate the problems encountered by the farmers concerning their participation in the marketing arrangements; and (6) formulate recommendations to address the identified problems.
For this study, the researcher did a face-to-face interview with 299 respondents, selected through stratified random sampling, and were interviewed one-on-one through the guide of pre-tested questionnaires. The study used a descriptive correlational research design with the Chi-Square Test of Independence, Cramer’s V, T-Test, and Multiple Linear Regression Analysis as the analytical tools used.
The socio-demographic characteristics of the small-scale sugarcane farmers in Balayan, Batangas were typically males, in the late middle age group, 47 years old, with 19 years of farming experience. The majority of them had five (5) members per household, entered high school, and had no other sources of income except for the farm income and money they received from their relatives.
In terms of the marketing arrangements, there was one (1) trader who had contract arrangements with 202 small-scale sugarcane farmers in Balayan, Batangas. The study revealed that the contract marketing arrangement was able to help the farmers in terms of assistance with capital, transportation of produce from the farm to processing facilities, farm inputs, manpower, and especially the marketing of their quedans. However, the downside of joining a contract arrangement is that the profitability of the farm would decrease if the capital loans would not be utilized for the farm operations and improvement. Additionally, there were two (2) traders in non-contract marketing arrangements wherein 136 farmers were dealing with the sugar agents and 66 farmers were dealing with Pro-green Agricorp. Unlike the trader in contract, these traders merely provide them with payment for their output. They did not offer agricultural loans, transportation, manpower, or any assistance. Conversely, relative to the contract, the net income gained by the farmers under the non-contract arrangement was relatively higher
which was due to the absence of an interest amount.
The results showed that sex had a weak relationship with the farmer’s choice of marketing arrangement while the government support, farmgate price, presence of other sources of income, and affiliation, had a strong relationship with the choice of arrangement of the sugarcane farmers.
In addition, it was observed that farmers under non-contract arrangements had 10 tons of cane (TC) per hectare, received PhP 138.58 farmgate price per TC per hectare, and gathered PhP 29,295.36 per hectare more than the farmers under contract arrangements. This is attributed to the fact that the total costs of operation were slightly higher in the contract arrangements due to the presence of loan interest charged by the contract trader. In terms of the arrangement’s effect on the business performance, it was revealed that the access to credit and the farmer’s perspective of fairness of the farmgate prices inversely affected the net income, while labor cost and access to farm inputs positively affected their net income. In terms of farm productivity, access to credit and accessibility to farm-to-market roads were discovered to be inversely related while fairness of farmgate price was positively associated.
The problems faced by the farmers were also identified concerning their participation in the marketing arrangement. Aside from the climate-instigated problems like calamity, low yield, and the presence of pests, farmers under contract arrangements usually had lesser problems in terms of capital and no problem in marketing their output. However, farmers lacked the knowledge about managing the finances of the farm as they tend to mix business and personal finances. This became a burden due to the high interest rates offered to the farmers. Along with that is the low farmgate prices offered by the mere contract trader in the area. Farmers who were not part of contract arrangements, on the other hand, experienced challenges in marketing their output since there was no sure market where they can sell their quedan or raw canes.
Given the problems encountered by the farmers, it is recommended that the farmers should only be encouraged to join the contract arrangement if they had no other sources of capital. On the other hand, there should be government-initiated programs that can help farmers learn how to improve the productivity of their farming business using Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to lessen the need for pesticides while decreasing pest problems. The municipal government should also partner with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) for the introduction of machinery that is suitable for small-scale sugarcane farming activities to solve the lack of laborers. Further, the contract trader should conduct a credit investigation to ensure that the loans were used to improve their farms. Moreover, the pricing arrangement between the marketing of quedans should have a floor price to ensure that the prices received by the farmers were fair. This would encourage farmers to put more effort into farming as this can improve their annual income. The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) should also provide the farmers with Higher Yielding Varieties (HYVs) that would be more resistant to calamities, pests, and other climate-instigated problems. Lastly, Sugarcane Block Farming (SBF) should also be reimplemented to address fragmentation. This problem prevents economies of scale from taking place and therefore, this leads to minimal farm income and low farm productivity
Cable television as a platform for community media in the Philippines
Get PDFCable TV in the Philippines was identified by the government in the 1990s as an instrument which could support information and services provided by local and international television. This study aimed to determine whether Philippine cable TV providers can serve as community media. Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed and participatory communication concepts formed the theoretical framework of the study. The community-based operations and management of selected cable TV providers are described, their strengths and opportunities as community media analyzed, and the levels of community participation with partners determined. In-person interviews were conducted with six cable TV providers in Luzon which served as the case studies of the research, and phone interviews with 10 cable TV providers from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. All 16 cable TV providers were privately-owned, had at least one access channel, and aired recorded content from government and nongovernment agencies. Budgetary constraints, lack of production staff, and non-prioritization in producing original content hinder them from producing their own programs. Community participation within the CTV companies was limited. The ABS-CBN Regional Network Group promoted development but enabled limited participation in its production and management. Through partnerships with schools, government and nongovernment organizations, some companies provided a platform for communities to receive local information. This study shows that cable TV in the Philippines can serve as community media although nurturing partnerships with various organizations is very crucial
UP Los Baños Journal, Volume 21 - Special Issue on Martial Law
No full textUP Los Baños Journal, Volume 21 - Special Issue on Martial La
Prinsipyo ni Archimedes: mga tula
Get PDFBinabagtas ng limang tula ang ilang pagkakahawig ng ngayon at dati, mga pira-pirasong alingangaw mula sa panahon ng unang Marcos na namumuo at muling nagkakasaysay sa kasalukuyang pamumuno ng kaniyang eredero
Marine fishes of Palawan, Philippines: Species diversity, new records, and conservation status
No full textThe Palawan archipelago is considered as the Philippines’ last ecological frontier, a Man and Biosphere Reserve, and a priority conservation area because of its high marine biodiversity. However, a comprehensive checklist of the current marine fishes occurring in the province that can be used for diversity conservation priorities is still lacking. This paper aims to present an updated checklist of marine fishes recorded in Palawan waters (including new records) and their current conservation status. Underwater visual census (UVC) surveys (2003–2021), and published literature from 156 sites were used to compile the checklist, and the species’ updated nomenclatures were also presented. Currently, 1,056 marine fishes (32 elasmobranchs, 1,024 bony fishes) are included in the list, classified under two classes, 42 orders, 115 families, and 366 genera. More species were recorded in the Sulu Sea (904) than in the West Philippine Sea (557) which could be attributed to more studies being conducted in the former than in the latter. We also included 299 newly recorded species in this province, mostly from UVC surveys. Most of the species have Least Concern and Not Evaluated IUCN status, but a few species are already threatened, comprised mostly of elasmobranchs. Necessary information from this checklist is crucial in crafting a management plan for the protection and conservation of marine fishes in Palawan and nearby areas, especially those that are already declared as threatened species
Evaluation of some toxic trace elements in Crocus sativus L. and soil using neutron activation analysis technique
No full textNeutron activation analysis was used in this research to measure the concentrations of aluminum (Al), bromine (Br), chlorine (Cl), mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), and thorium (Th) in soil and saffron plants as well as their contamination, enrichment, and translocation rates. The edible part of the saffron showed a higher Hg concentration than the WHO/FAO-permitted level in the urban area. The soil was not intoxicated and contaminated by Al, As, and Th except in the urban areas, which were slightly polluted by As. The calculated contamination degree and pollution load index indicated that the soil was almost uncontaminated. The enrichment factors (EF) showed minimal enrichment levels of Al and Th and low As contamination, which may still increase due to human activities in the environment. The tested elements’ translocation abilities were also evaluated by the paired t-test statistical method and indexes of translocation, and it was found that Al, As, and Th can quickly relocate into different soil depths. Saffron was also evaluated as a very poor absorber of the elements studied. While Cl and Th can easily move from the saffron’s corm to its aerial parts, Al and Hg merely translocate from the corm to the petal. It was also found that Al, Cl, and Th can move between the petals and the thread
Air and air-steam gasification of coconut shell in a fluidized bed
No full textIts abundance in tropical countries, high volatile combustible matter (83.51%), and energy content (18.68 MJ kg-1) make coconut shells a good biomass resource and a promising feedstock for gasification. In gasification, different mediums such as air, steam, oxygen, or their combinations can be used to react with the solid carbon and heavy hydrocarbons of biomass. Hence, the effects of using an air-steam mixture as a gasifying agent for the bench-scale fluidized bed gasification of coconut shells were studied. The steam-to-carbon ratio (SCR) was varied to evaluate its effect on the resulting syngas quality and gasification performance while the equivalence ratio was maintained at 0.25 and the bed temperature was kept at 700°C. Results revealed that the optimum SCR is 0.6, where peak values of hydrogen (H2) and methane (CH4) content, hydrogen-to-carbon monoxide ratio (H2/CO), higher heating value (HHV), cold gas efficiency (CGE) and carbon conversion efficiency (CCE) were observed. Furthermore, the use of the air-steam mixture (SCR 0.6) as a gasifying agent was compared with conventional air gasification. Results showed a significant increase in syngas quality in terms of H2 content (4.70–5.82%), H2/CO (0.30–0.39), and CH4 content (3.53–4.38%). The syngas heating value and gasification performance revealed statistically similar improvement: HHV from 4.95 to 5.41 MJ Nm-3, CCE from 77.64 to 81.75%, and CGE from 47.99 to 51.01%. Moreover, air-steam gasification produced less CO2 (13.42 CO2mol kg biomass-1) and had higher energy recovery (49.67%)