University Knowledge Digital Repository UPLB (University of the Philippines Los Baños)
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A correlational study on adolescents’ perception of family dynamics during the three periods of the pandemic (COVID-19)
No full textThe effects of the COVID-19 pandemic had a profound impact on adolescents, hindering overall personal development during a crucial stage in their lives. This study focused on analyzing changes in the perception of adolescent students in UP Rural High School, specifically those in grades 10-12, on family dynamics across the three pandemic periods: pre-pandemic, during the pandemic, and post-pandemic. The study used five key measures: parental availability, mutuality, stability, flexibility, and clear communication. Through a mixed-methods approach, combining both quantitative and qualitative data collected via questionnaires and interviews, it was found that there were significant differences for each measure along with varying individual experiences and narratives due to the uniqueness of each family. The varying experiences during later periods were influenced by adolescents’ perceptions of family dynamics before the pandemic, which showed that families were more stable compared to the later periods. There were significant declines in perceived family connection and support during the transition into the pandemic, likely due to heightened stress, disruptions in daily routines, and increased time spent in isolation. Moreover, findings also indicated signs of recovery and adaptation in the post-pandemic phase, as families adjusted and re-established more effective communication and emotional support structures. Individual experiences varied widely, highlighting the role of unique family circumstances and dynamics. For future advancements of this study, it is recommended that a larger and more diverse sample size be included to represent adolescents better and capture a broader range of perspectives. Additionally, future studies should consider other variables that may influence adolescents’ perception of family dynamics to get more nuanced and targeted insights
Simulation and cost analysis of variable ratio gearbox (VRG) using vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) and continuous variable transmission (CVT) assembly
No full textAdopting wind energy as a renewable energy source is costly due to multiple factors such as the lower energy generation, high setup costs, and difficulty due to its strict criteria for locations where wind turbines can be deployed. The exploration of a configuration with a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine added with a type of Variable Ratio Gearbox, Continuous Variable Transmission holds promise for locations that have unstable and slower wind speeds. This study aims to understand and analyze its energy production and costing compared to the same turbine with a Single Ratio Gearbox through simulations and computer programs. The simulations were done with Autodesk Fusion 360, while the programs were made with Python 3.12.1. The same programs were used to configure the turbine dimensions and gear ratio range for the CVT. Using wind speed datasets in the Philippines from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the energy production and the cost of the turbine setup are examined. After analyzing 10 datasets, the results of this study found that a CVT had a higher energy output than an SRG due to its better efficiency through the changing wind speeds; however, the additional cost of the Variable Ratio Gearbox assembly and the marginal increase in energy production result in a lower Benefit- Cost Ratio and a slower payback period. This study concluded that the SRG assembly, while less efficient and producing less energy, was more cost-effective than the VRG assembly. These results suggest the capability of a CVT in small wind turbines, but require further research to improve its benefit-cost ratio by improving its energy production further or by lowering its cost
7 - Affordable and Clean Energy
No full text7 - Affordable and Clean Energyhttps://www.ukdr.uplb.edu.ph/un-sdgs_images/1006/thumbnail.jp
Analysis of Labor Productivity and Labor Use Among Selected Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund Beneficiaries in Pila and Victoria, Laguna, 2025
No full textThis study evaluates the impact of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Mechanization Program on labor productivity and labor use among rice farmers in Pila and Victoria, Laguna. Data was collected from 79 farmer-beneficiaries, using surveys, key informant interviews, and on-site farm visits. Paired t-tests, descriptive statistics, and qualitative insights were used to assess labor dynamics and productivity changes before and after mechanization.
The study found significant reductions in manual labor, particularly in land preparation and harvesting. Paired t-tests revealed that five of the six farmer cooperatives and associations (FCAs) experienced statistically significant reductions in manual labor, primarily due to mechanization in labor-intensive tasks. However, transplanting, fertilization, and pest control remained fully manual across all sites. The evolving labor dynamics, including rural outmigration and declining youth participation in agriculture, were significant contextual factors influencing labor dynamics in the study areas.
Labor productivity, measured by partial factor productivity (PFP), also increased significantly in all six FCAs, with improvements ranging from 51.07 to 104.27 kg of rice per man-day per FCA. Paired t-tests confirmed that these increases were statistically significant at the one percent level, indicating that mechanization significantly improved labor efficiency. Qualitative findings also revealed that equipment mismatches, such as unsuitable machinery for local terrain, and other implementation challenges may affect the adoption of mechanized practices in some stages of production, reducing the overall impact on labor productivity.
The study recommends that farmers should ensure the availability, proper scheduling, and maintenance of machinery. While mechanization improved efficiency in certain tasks, others, such as transplanting and pest control, remained manual. Farmers should view mechanization as an opportunity to rebalance labor use, redirecting efforts from mechanized tasks to other critical operations. It is also essential for farmers to advocate for machinery that suits their specific farm conditions and ensure adequate training and support to maximize the effectiveness of these technologies.
From a policy perspective, mechanization programs should prioritize needs-based allocation, ensuring that equipment is tailored to local conditions. Policymakers should strengthen financial management systems within cooperatives to ensure the sustainability of machinery use and labor savings. Future research should explore the impacts of mechanization in diverse agricultural settings and assess factors including land tenure, youth involvement, and rural financing. Longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of mechanization and its adaptability to changing agricultural and climatic conditions
Forecasting and Assessment of Air Quality Dynamics in Northeast India Using Machine Learning Models
Full text linkThis study investigated air quality dynamics in Northeast India, a region with unique terrestrial features, including the Eastern Himalayas. While air quality varies across districts, pollution impacts the entire area. Northeast India’s rich ecology is crucial for Himalayan climate regulation. Robust air quality monitoring and pollution control are essential to preserve environmental balance. This work focused on forecasting emissions of aerosols, SO2, NO2, CO, HCHO, O3, and CH4 primarily associated with human activities. Utilizing data from the Tropospheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) satellite instrument from 2019 to 2023, a 9-mo forecast was conducted using 5 machine learning models: random forest, cubic regression, linear regression, quadratic regression, and k-nearest neighbors\u27 algorithm (KNN) models. The effectiveness of models was evaluated through R2, mean square error (MSE), and mean absolute error (MAE). The results showed a strong alignment between regional dynamics and models with low MSE and high R2 values. Perpetual air quality monitoring is crucial for region-specific modeling and solutions. Gas concentration variations emphasize the need for regularly updated air quality reports. The random forest model was found to be most effective with high R2 values: UV aerosol index (0.97 in Imphal, Aizawl), CO (0.96 in Imphal), NO2 (0.92 in Gangtok), O3 (0.98 in Gangtok), SO2 (0.92 in Gangtok), and CH4 (1.00 in Itanagar, Shillong). Correlation analysis with Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed notable results for Aerosol-PM2.5 (0.76 in Imphal) and Aerosol-PM10 (0.79 in Imphal). Findings from this study may help identify effective machine learning models for forecasting and assessing air quality
Implementation of Organic Rice Farming Based on Local Wisdom in Bali Province, Indonesia
Full text linkThe Green Revolution has significantly contributed to agricultural development. However, it has also caused environmental damage due to excessive use of agricultural inputs and land exploitation. To promote sustainability in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs), organic farming has been recommended to improve and maintain agroecosystems. In Bali Province, Indonesia, the concept of Tri Hita Karana (THK), a form of local wisdom, has guided farmers in implementing the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) technique introduced by the government. This study explored how organic rice farming integrates local wisdom, assessed farmers’ knowledge and attitudes towards SRI, and examined government support initiatives for organic rice farming. The results revealed that SRI farming aligns with the principle of nurturing the soil to enhance fertility, improving soil, water, and air in paddy fields and surrounding areas. THK also guides organic farming practices in SRI, helping farmers maintain a harmonious relationship with God, nature, and fellow human beings. Farmers generally have a high level of knowledge about SRI and agree with its implementation. While the government supports organic rice farming through policies and farmer subsidies for production inputs, it is recommended that efforts be intensified through improved agricultural extension programs that implement more demonstration plots based on the concepts of “learning by doing” and “seeing is believing”, increased SRI-related training activities for farmers, and more extension workers to enhance outreach across Bali’s dispersed agricultural regions
Antibiotic Resistance in Agriculture and Medicine: Ways of Control
No full textAntibiotics are used in both medicine and agriculture to treat and prevent bacterial infections. In the production of food producing animals, antibiotics are also used in feeds at subtherapeutic levels in order to improve growth rate. It has been estimated that about 80 to 90 percent of antibiotics use in animals constitutes growth promotion. This practice and the overuse of antibiotics in horticulture and aquaculture have been blamed for the development and spread of antibiotic resistance in animal as well as human pathogens. Because of the perceived danger to human if food-borne antibiotic resistance, there has been a global move to ban antibiotic use in animal agriculture. Although some antibiotic resistance in human pathogens has been traced to the antibiotic used in animals, most bans were based on the precautionary principle rather than on sound scientific evidence. There has been strong opposition from the animal industry and the veterinary profession against inordinate banning of antibiotic use in food producing animals. They, however, support the move for more prudent use of antibiotics as a means of controlling antibiotic resistance
Towards the Adoption of Tissue-cultured Planting Stocks in Forestry: Current Initiatives in the Philippines
No full textForestry nowadays, in the Philippines or elsewhere in the world, has taken a broader perspective, a bigger sphere that includes forest production environmental restoration and biodiversity conversation. In the Philippines to date, much has yet to be desired in our efforts at environmental restoration, biodiversity conservation and forest production. The current technologies and initiatives available in the country are not adequate to supply the needs for quality planting materials of these activities. The development in the country of tissue culture protocols for industrial and indigenous tree species, initiated to address the pressing need for quality planting materials (Lapitan 1988, 1999) and the need for steady supply of these stocks any planting time , promises a solution to this problem.
The widely known gains achieved in other countries from the use of tissue-cultured materials have not been realized in the Philippines. The knowledge base, much more so the products of tissue culture species, Acacia mangium, Gmelina arborea, Paraserianthes falcataria,Tectona grandis, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, and Cakamus filispadix, generated in previous work and study in the country, have not been utilized. There were also initiatives undertaken to develop tissue culture protocols in the Philippine indegneous forest species that included Dipteroxarpus grandiflorus, Shorea contorta, Aniseptora thurifera, Parashorea maalonan, Pinus kesiya, Poluyscias nodosa, Medinilla magnifica, Strongylodon macrobotrys, Calamus merili, Melia dubia, Vitex parviflora, Tectona philippinesis and Dracontomleon dao.
This professional chair lecture endeavored to look at whys and hows of things that would lead to the adoption of tissue-cultured materials in Philippine forestry. The importance of formal support from the government and pother sector, stakeholders, in the form of policy and legislation, technical assistance and advice; and resources to the smooth adoption of tissue culture need to be underscored. A strategy for adoption of tissue culture has to be put in place. The strategy should focus on three major agenda which are to inform , to prove and to create the enabling condition, the environment that tissue culture of forest trees is the way to go to ensure there will be improvement in our efforts at environmental r4estoration, biodiversity conversation and forest production.
To inform - no other powerful tool will move stakeholders to adopt the technology than seing, experiencing it. An intelligently informed would be end user would not be hard and hesitant to adopt tissue cultured planting stocks. To prove - a crucial step is to pilot test the current protocols in the very sites where they are to be planted. This activity will also be an avenue for reshaping, refining the technology - an upgrading opportunity. The policy environment, infrastructure, the basic genetic resources, the work force, the laboratory supplies and materials, the mechanics of implementation and coordination among the tissue culturists, the distributors and the would be end users are the components that should be built to create and enabling condition and environment for the adoption of tissue cultured planting stocks in forestry
Design of an Electro-Hydraulic Laboratory Test System for Adjusting the Inclination Angle of Sowing Machines
Full text linkField testing of grain sowing machinery requires favorable field conditions and sufficient time periods, making laboratory tests a preferred alternative for determining performance under controlled conditions. However, a standardized testing system for evaluating sowing machinery has not yet been established. In this study, a test system was designed for laboratory testing of universal grain sowing machines. A movable platform was built on a chassis made using sheet metal with different dimensions and profiles. It operates through a hydraulic system via a programmable logic controller-based control system. The sowing machine placed on this platform allows for inclination adjustments (front, back, right, and left), simulating real field conditions in a laboratory environment. The setup is adaptable and can be easily secured to different types of sowing machines. Strength calculations were conducted for critical points of the developed system and compared with catalog values to assess reliability. The connection load on the lower bracket was measured at 2,023.22 N, which is lower than the catalog values (Fcat = 51,202 N). Based on the conducted tests, the laboratory test system was determined to be reliable
Journey through transition: exploring the lived experiences of transgender Filipino youth
No full textIn a predominantly conservative and heteronormative society, the lived experiences of transgender youth in the Philippines remain underrepresented and often misunderstood. This study investigates the everyday realities of transgender Filipino youth, focusing on how they navigate identity development, societal expectations, interpersonal relationships, and institutional barriers. Through semi-structured interviews with five participants aged 15 to 30, the research examines the formation of gender identity, access to support systems, and personal coping mechanisms. These experiences were analyzed using a qualitative approach, aided by theoretical frameworks such as the Gender Identity Development Theory, Minority Stress Theory, Stereotype Content Model, Uses and Gratifications Theory, and Social Support Theory. Findings reveal that transgender identities are experienced as an internal truth that is developed independently from the sex assigned at birth, yet its expression is often limited by familial, religious, and cultural expectations. Participants described how fear of rejection influenced their decisions around disclosing their identities, resulting in selectivity about their visibility in potentially unsupportive environments. A prominent concern among all participants was the lack of access to gender-affirming resources, deeming them difficult to access and lacking in governmental support. Furthermore, the presence of religion in Filipino culture heavily impacted their self-actualization due to the perpetuation of traditional notions and internalizing restrictive beliefs. Despite these barriers, participants demonstrated resilience by connecting with supportive friends, family, and community. This study highlights the urgent need for inclusive spaces and gender-affirming services in order to improve the perception of transgender Filipino youth in the Philippines beyond simple tolerance and outright discrimination. Recommendations for future research include expanding on the contemporary debates affecting transgender lives, broadening participant representation across the wide spectrum of gender identities, and introducing more questions about the role of family, school, religion, and government in shaping transgender experiences