Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Livelihood And Happiness In A Resource (Natural And Cultural)-Rich Rural Municipality In The Philippines, Rosalina Palanca-Tan, Sheila Bayog

Economics Department Faculty Publications

This paper looks at the economic and welfare conditions of residents in Lake Sebu, a largely rural but natural and cultural resource-rich municipality in Southern Mindanao in the Philippines. Two notions of welfare are used in the study: economic welfare, measured in terms of household income and vulnerability to hunger; and social welfare, measured in terms of self-reported happiness. The study uses primary data collected through a household survey and analyzed with statistical and econometric procedures (tests of difference between sub-populations; and ordinary least squares, binary probit, and ordered logistic regressions). The results suggest mixed implications of abundant natural and …

Measuring The Capacity To Combat Illicit Tobacco Trade In 160 Countries, Valerie Gilbert T. Ulep, Monica Paula Lavares, Ariza Francisco

Ateneo School of Government Publications

Background

Illicit trade of tobacco negatively affects countries’ tobacco control efforts. It leads to lower tobacco prices and makes tobacco products more accessible to vulnerable populations. In this study, we constructed an illicit tobacco trade index, which measures the structural and institutional capabilities of 160 countries in addressing illicit tobacco trade. We collected the most recent and best available data on general governance, tobacco control policies, and trade and customs practices.

Results

Singapore, New Zealand, Finland and Sweden lead countries with the most favorable illicit tobacco trade score. We observed a positive relationship between illicit tobacco trade scores and Gross …

Factors Affecting Retention In The Philippine National Rural Physician Deployment Program From 2012 To 2019: A Mixed Methods Study, Erika Louise L. Flores, Edric Matthew R. Manahan, Miguel Paulo B. Lacanilao, Isabella Ma. Beatriz T. Ladaw, Mico Martin B. Mallillin, Nikolai Thadeus Q. Mappatao, Juan Alfonso Leonardia, Veincent Christian F. Pepito

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Background

To address the maldistribution of healthcare providers and the shortage of physicians in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas of the Philippines, the Philippine National Rural Physician Deployment Program, or more commonly known as the Doctors to the Barrios (DTTB) program was established in 1993. However, as of 2011, only 18% of the DTTBs chose to stay in their assigned municipalities after their two-year deployment, termed retention. This study aims to identify the individual, local, work, national, and international factors affecting the retention of DTTBs in their assigned communities after their two-year deployment.

Methods

A descriptive, mixed-methods, explanatory design was …

Effectiveness Of A Parenting Programme To Reduce Violence In A Cash Transfer System In The Philippines: Rct With Follow-Up, Jamie M. Lachman, Liane Peña Alampay, Rosanne M. Jocson, Cecilia Alinea, Bernadette J. Madrid, Catherine L. Ward, Judy Hutchings, Bernice Landoy Mamauag, Maria Ana Victoria Felize V. Garilao, Frances Gardner

Psychology Department Faculty Publications

Background

Parenting interventions and conditional cash transfer (CCT) programmes are promising strategies to reduce the risk of violence against children, but evidence of the effectiveness of combining such programmes is lacking for families in low- and middle-income countries with children over two years of age. This study examined the effectiveness of a locally adapted parenting programme delivered as part of a government CCT system to low-income families with children aged two to six years in Metro Manila, Philippines.

Methods

Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to either a 12-session group-based parenting programme or treatment-as-usual services (N= 120). Participation in …

Agents Of Place: Negotiations Between Artist And Government In Philippine Public Art, Pristine L. De Leon

Fine Arts Department Faculty Publications

The paper inquires into public art produced by artists and government authorities. It interprets collaboration as a site of negotiating various interests; holding possibilities for both disruption and complicity; antagonism and amelioration. The research considers two art projects in the Philippine context: first; the Paoay sand dunes sculpture park made between 2012 and 2015 in the Northern Ilocos region; and second; the ongoing Pasig River Art for Urban Change; beginning with Bakawan in 2015 in the Philippine capital Metro Manila. As both involve the artist Leeroy New (b. 1986) working with different government agencies; the paper tracks inconspicuous shifts not …

Trends In National-Level Governance And Implementation Of The Philippines' Responsible Parenthood And Reproductive Health Law From 2014 To 2020, Vanessa T. Siy Van, Jhanna Uy, Joy Bagas, Valerie Gilbert T. Ulep

Health Sciences Faculty Publications

In 2012; the Philippines passed the Responsible Parenthood and Family Planning Law; a landmark legislation billed as a multisectoral and rights-based approach to further sustainable human development. This article is part of the first comprehensive evaluation of the implementation of the law by national-level actors. This evaluation is intended to assess the progress of implementers in the conduct of mandates; roles; and responsibilities described in the law and its implementing guidelines. Interviews with key national government officials and data from official documents and literature revealed 3 major trends in governance and implementation from 2014 to 2020. First; despite being a …

Managing The Energy Trilemma In The Philippines, Josef Teofisto T. Yap, Aaron Joseph P. Gabriola, Chrysogonus F. Herrera

Ateneo School of Government Publications

Background

The transition to an energy mix with lower carbon emissions is hampered by the existence of the so-called Energy Trilemma. The primary consequence is a trade-off between various objectives of energy policy, e.g., equity and sustainability. This conflict can lead to policy gridlock if policymakers are unable to prioritize the goals. This paper proposes a framework and methodology to manage the trilemma by applying methods related to multi-criteria decision-making in order to assign weights to the various components of the trilemma.

Results

Following the International Energy Agency (IEA), an expanded concept of energy security is adopted and translates to …

Conjugal Mayorship: The Fernandos And The Transformation Of Marikina, 1992–2010, Meynardo P. Mendoza

History Department Faculty Publications

From 1992 to 2010, during the mayoral terms of Bayani and Maria Lourdes Carlos-Fernando, Marikina underwent an extensive transformation. The husband-and-wife team transformed it from a sleepy, semi-agricultural third-class municipality into a model city and the recipient of many awards and distinctions. Aside from providing the physical infrastructure needed to lay the foundation for the city, the Fernandos also transformed the residents by promoting a culture of order and discipline, and later on introducing corporatist practices in the delivery of basic services. In the process, Marikina became sustainable from a financial and environmental standpoint. This paper argues that Marikina’s transformation …

Public Trust And The Covid-19 Vaccination Campaign: Lessons From The Philippines As It Emerges From The Dengvaxia Controversy, Ronald U. Mendoza, Manuel M. Dayrit, Cenon R. Alfonso, Madeline Mae A. Ong

Ateneo School of Government Publications

While the entire world prepares and begins to roll out COVID-19 vaccines, the Philippines is still reeling from the consequences of the Dengvaxia controversy in 2016. Those highly political events led to the erosion of public trust in leaders and a significant damage to vaccine confidence in the country, now potentially impacting the uptake of COVID-19 vaccines. We discuss how public trust and confidence can be rehabilitated through accountability, transparency, and proper communication from the most trusted sources of the population. We also highlight key lessons for policymakers and leaders on allowing science to take the front seat, and politics …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Church Gatherings In The Philippines: A Policy Analysis, Grace Zurielle Malolos, Joseph Christian Obnial, Rena Mallillin, Pamela Bianca Pasco, Erika Ong, Arianne Andes, Faith Ann Apat, Emma Teresa Carmela Aportadera, Rafael Valencia, Don Eliseo Lucero-Prisno Iii

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

The Philippines is the largest Christian-majority country in Asia. With church gatherings playing a vital role in the nature of Christianity in the Filipino culture, the advent of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in the Philippines posed challenges to public religious practices amid efforts to mitigate COVID-19 community transmission. Various policy pronouncements from both the government-led Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Diseases and the church-led Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) were issued. These guidelines were implemented in order to address the two-pronged problem on healthcare and religious obligations. While these guidelines were initially contributory to the mitigation …

Climate-Induced Stressors To Peace: A Review Of Recent Literature, Ayyoob Sharifi, Dahlia Simangan, Chui Ying Lee, Rose Reyes, Tarek Katramiz, Jairus Carmela C. Josol, Leticia Dos Muchangos, Hassan Virji, Shinji Kaneko, Thea Kersti Tandog, Leorence Tandog, Moinul Islam

Environmental Science Faculty Publications

Climate change is increasingly recognized as a threat to global peace and security. This paper intends to provide a better understanding of the nature of interactions between climate change and events that undermine peace through a systematic review of recent literature. It highlights major methodological approaches adopted in the literature, elaborates on the geographic focus of the research at the nexus of climate change and peace, and provides further information on how various climatic stressors, such as extreme temperature, floods, sea-level rise, storms, and water stress may be linked to different events that undermine peace (e.g. civil conflict, crime, intercommunal …

Evidence On Child Nutrition Recommendations And Challenges In Crisis Settings: A Scoping Review, Aniqa Islam Marshall, Gideon Lasco, Mathudara Phaiyarom, Nattanicha Pangkariya, Phetdavanh Leuangvilay, Pigunkaew Sinam, Rapeepong Suphanchaimat, Sataporn Julchoo, Watinee Kunpeuk, Yunting Zhang

Development Studies Faculty Publications

Adequate child nutrition is critical to child development, yet child malnutrition is prevalent in crisis settings. However, the intersection of malnutrition and disasters is sparse. This study reviews existing evidence on nutrition responses and outcomes for infants and young children during times of crisis. The scoping review was conducted via two approaches: a systematic search and a purposive search. For the systematic search, two key online databases, PubMed and Science Direct, were utilized. In total, data from 32 studies were extracted and included in the data extraction form. Additionally, seven guidelines and policy documents were included, based on relevance to …

The ‘Wickedness’ Of Governing Land Subsidence: Policy Perspectives From Urban Southeast Asia, Rapti Siriwardane-De Zoysa, Tilo Schöne, Johannes Herbeck, Julia Illigner, Mahmud Haghighi, Hendricus Simarmata, Emma E. Porio, Alessio Rovere, Anna-Katharina Hornidge

Sociology & Anthropology Department Faculty Publications

Drawing on Jakarta, Metro Manila and Singapore as case studies, we explore the paradox of slow political action in addressing subsiding land, particularly along high-density urban coastlines with empirical insights from coastal geography, geodesy analysis, geology, and urban planning. In framing land subsidence as a classic ‘wicked’ policy problem, and also as a hybrid geological and anthropogenic phenomenon that is unevenly experienced across urban contexts, the paper uses a three-step analysis. First, satellite-derived InSAR maps are integrated with Sentinel-1A data in order to reveal the socio-temporal variability of subsidence rates which in turn pose challenges in uniformly applying regulatory action. …

The Language Of Pandemic Leaderships: Mapping Political Rhetoric During The Covid-19 Outbreak, Cristina J. Montiel, Joshua Uyheng, Erwine Dela Paz

Psychology Department Faculty Publications

This paper maps political rhetoric by national leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic. We identify and characterize global variations in major rhetorical storylines invoked in publicly available speeches (N = 1201) across a sample of 26 countries. Employing a text analytics or corpus linguistics approach, we show that state heads rhetorically lead their nations by: enforcing systemic interventions, upholding global unity, encouraging communal cooperation, stoking national fervor, and assuring responsive governance. Principal component analysis further shows that country-level rhetoric is organized along emergent dimensions of cultural cognition: an agency-structure axis to define the loci of pandemic interventions, and a hierarchy-egalitarianism axis …

Small Farm Households' Vulnerabilities In South Cotabato, Philippines, Rosalina Palanca-Tan, Leonora F. Gio

Economics Department Faculty Publications

Low-productivity subsistence agriculture still prevails in many areas in the Philippines such as in the Municipality of Lake Sebu in the Province of South Cotabato in Mindanao. This study employs primary data collection methods; namely key informant interview (KII); focus group discussion (FGD) and a household survey to assess the conditions and problems constraining farming households in Lake Sebu. The study finds that constraints on sourcing and financing of farm inputs and on marketing of produce have perpetuated the dominating role of middlemen in agricultural financing and marketing that result in high input prices and low farm-gate output prices; and …

Analysing The Trend Of Illicit Tobacco In The Philippines From 1998 To 2018, Monica Paula Lavares, Hana Ross, Ariza Francisco, Nadia Doytch

Ateneo School of Government Publications

Tobacco taxation is the most effective measure to reduce cigarette consumption and consequently improve public health outcomes. It is also an important source of government revenue. The presence of an illicit tobacco market diminishes the public health and fiscal gains of cigarette levies by making cheaper non-taxed cigarettes available. To date, the research on the extent of illicit tobacco trade in the Philippines, despite its potential to inform policies for controlling the supply of illicit cigarettes, has been limited. This study provides an estimate of the size of the illicit tobacco market in the Philippines from 1998 to 2018. It …

Implications Of Covid-19 On Progress In The Un Conventions On Biodiversity And Climate Change, Andrea Monica D. Ortiz, Alaya M. De Leon, Justine Nicole V. Torres, Cecilia Therese T. Guiao, Antonio Gabriel M. La Viña

Environmental Science Faculty Publications

2020 was to be a landmark year for setting targets to stop biodiversity loss and prevent dangerous climate change. However, COVID-19 has caused delays to the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP) of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity and the 26th COP of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Negotiations on the Global Biodiversity Framework and the second submission of Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement were due to take place at these COPs. There is uncertainty as to how the COVID-19 disruption will affect the negotiations, whether parties will pursue more ambitious actions or take a …

Counterterrorism In The Philippines: Review Of Key Issues, Ronald U. Mendoza, Rommel Jude G. Ong, Dion Lorenz L. Romano, Bernadette Chloe P. Torno

Ateneo School of Government Publications

Terrorism has taken root in almost all corners of the world with terrorist organizations thriving in both rich and poor countries. In the Philippines, the Human Security Act of 2007 came into force to address the threat of terrorism to the national security of the country. However, the law has never been fully utilized. To provide law enforcers with a stronger legal measure to address acts of terrorism in the country, President Duterte certified a new Anti-Terrorism Bill as urgent, with Congress adopting the Senate version and approving it in the shortest time possible. Despite opposition from various sectors and …

Early Response To Covid-19 In The Philippines, Arianna Maever L. Amit, Veincent Christian F. Pepito, Manuel M. Dayrit

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) with weak health systems are especially vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this paper, we describe the challenges and early response of the Philippine Government, focusing on travel restrictions, community interventions, risk communication and testing, from 30 January 2020 when the first case was reported, to 21 March 2020. Our narrative provides a better understanding of the specific limitations of the Philippines and other LMICs, which could serve as basis for future action to improve national strategies for current and future public health outbreaks and emergencies.

Balancing The Pedagogical And Practical Concerns In Remote Higher Education: A Cyberethnography, Jose Eos R. Trinidad, Samantha Joan Ackary, Lyka Janelle P. Pacleb, Sophia Sue Tabanao, Jan Llenzl Dagohoy

Interdisciplinary Studies Faculty Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about physical school closures and quick transitions online, with universities making decisions for this new mode of instruction. Such decisions, however, were open to discussion and debates, particularly as students and instructors held varying concerns, experiences, and expectations for remote learning. We investigate what these debates are using a cyberethnography of a Facebook group for students and faculty, and an anonymous Freedom Wall page for students in the same university. The concerns centered on workload that balanced academic rigor and practical exigencies; learning modalities that balanced accountability and flexibility; and assessments that balanced academic integrity and …