Assessing the Performance of GSMaP and IMERG in Representing the Diurnal Cycle of Precipitation in the Philippines during the Southwest Monsoon Season

The Philippines faces the challenge of having a limited number of rain-gauge stations, which are a vital source of observation data. Satellite-based precipitation data is a viable alternative; however, it is necessary to assess the strengths and weaknesses of these products over various regions in the Philippines. This study analyzes the performance of two leading products from the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission, namely: GSMaP_G v08 and IMERG_F v07. In particular, the diurnal cycle of precipitation in the Philippines during the southwest monsoon season (May to September) from 2013 to 2018 is assessed, in terms of precipitation amount (PA), frequency (PF) and intensity (PI), which has not been done in previous works. Results show that GSMaP_G outperforms IMERG_F in capturing the diurnal cycle for PA and PF, whereas IMERG_F better captures PI as GSMaP_G tends to underestimate PI consistently. In terms of timing, peak values for PA (PPA) and PF (PPF) have similar patterns for both station data and satellite products where these events develop during the afternoon to evening hours (15 to 18 Local Standard Time). Further examination of the possible drivers of these observed patterns suggests that for both station data and IMERG_F, short-duration events have the highest frequency contribution (≥ 60 %), while GSMaP_G has higher contribution (≥ 40 %) from long-duration precipitation events. However, in analyzing the contributions where intensity is considered, both station data and satellite products were observed to be dominated by short-duration light precipitation events (≥ 60 %). These results indicate that during the southwest monsoon season in the Philippines, the main drivers for PA and PF are short-duration light precipitation events, whereas PI may be driven more by localized rain showers. This may indicate that GSMaP_G is more suitable for examining hourly precipitation events that are more frequent but have a lower intensity, whereas IMERG_F may prove to be more useful when analyzing hourly precipitation events with higher intensities such as localized rain showers

Seeking Paradise in Early Twentieth-Century Mindanao: The Philippine Experience of Vic Hurley

Vic Hurley worked in Mindanao in the interwar years. In this article I examine two of his nonfiction books, Southeast of Zamboanga (1935) and Men in Sun Helmets (1936). These books demonstrate how the discourse of tropics as paradise motivated Americans and Europeans to become colonialists. They also provide an example of why white settler colonialism failed in Mindanao, a failure that consequently enabled the rise of a Manila-based Filipino elite. Hurley’s depiction of colonialists not as heroes but as exiles also demonstrates the strengthening of a discourse that sought the separation of Filipinos and Americans based on supposedly fundamental racial differences

Responding to the Cry of the Earth: The Use of Willingness-to-Pay Methodology for Assessing Environmental Policies and Programs

This essay examines public support and individual preferences for green finance through the lens of Pope Francis’s Laudato Si’ and his exhortation to respond to the cry of the earth. Green finance focuses on fostering environmental sustainability and is closely aligned with the themes of caring for our common home and responding to the cry of the earth. However, green finance needs funding to address the exigencies of climate change and is currently facing a climate funding gap. One innovative strategy to close this gap posits the robust use of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) processes, which can estimate the environmental effects and costs/benefits of proposed projects. These assessments can better inform policy decisions and project evaluations, as well as guide resource and budgetary allocations. Notably, these assessments are not limited to environmental initiatives and extend to any project or business venture with potential environmental implications. EIA decision-making necessitates understanding individual preferences, and specifically the value placed by the public on environmental goods and services. In this context, willingness-to-pay (WTP) methodologies offer a novel valuation technique for assessing the monetary value individuals place on goods and services, such as clean air and water, which lack market prices. Incorporating WTP into cost-benefit analyses can help policymakers evaluate the feasibility of environmental policies and interventions. These WTP estimates can provide guidelines for budgetary allocations for green financing and can also be useful in assessing the optimality of existing environmental regulations and policies. The purpose of this essay is to demonstrate the potential of WTP as a tool for addressing the climate funding gap. To this end, several studies that utilized this methodology were surveyed. Additionally, this essay explores how WTP methodology aligns with the principles of Laudato Si’, translating ethical advocacy into actionable, multi-stakeholder approaches for sustainable development

Utilization of Different Protein Sources and Intestinal Histology in Yellowtail Snapper, Ocyurus chrysurus

Yellowtail snapper (Ocyurus chrysurus) is a marine snapper of the family Lutjanidae that has potential as a mariculture species and as a research model for Lutjanid snapper species, since it is relatively easy to spawn and rear. Hence, there is an interest in identifying the appropriate diets for its culture. The utilization of practical diets and their effects on fish growth performance and body composition are currently poorly understood. To study the effects of practical diets for yellowtail snapper with different protein sources, such as fishmeal (F), poultry meal (P), and soybean meal (SBM), a 14-week growth trial was conducted in juveniles with a mean initial weight of 2.03 ± 0.06 g. The trial included a dose-response in replacing fishmeal with poultry meal (F30, F15:P15, P30, and F15:SMB40), which were formulated to have 40 % protein and 10 % lipid levels. Histological measurements of the distal intestine mucosal length, thickness of the mucosa, lamina propria, submucosa, and serosa, as well as in the histological scoring of the lamina propria folds, connective tissue, and large vacuoles showed no significant differences (p \u3e 0.05) among fish fed F30, P30, and F15:SMB40. Results show no adverse effects on growth performance and intestinal histology in yellowtail snapper juveniles when they were fed diets containing low levels of different protein sources and high levels of soybean meal. While diets containing high levels of fishmeal as protein source were best, the results of this study indicate that yellowtail snapper can be grown effectively (i.e. with no significant enteritis or decreases in growth performance) using diets containing a variety of different protein sources allowing for potentially decreased grow-out feed costs and improved overall economic production efficiency

Badaseng: Reclaiming the Indigenous Maritory of the Sangir Diasporic Community in the Southern Philippines

The Sangir community in the southern Philippines has culturally specific ways of recognizing their territory, which differs from how it appears on a generic political map. This study argues that the Sangir people’s understanding of their indigenous maritory, or marine territory, is fluid and extends beyond the demarcations of national territories, whether those of Indonesia or the Philippines. The study, which took place in four barangays in the southern Philippines and some areas in North Sulawesi between 2020 and 2022, found evidence of the Sangir’s indigenous maritory in the history of relationships among people in the area, the place-names, folklore on the relationships among people in the region, and their badaseng practice

Camusian Rebellious Intra-Religious Dialogue: A Proposed Adaptive Coping Strategy for Religious Hybrids

The term “religious hybrids” refers to religious individuals who seek groundedness in a particular religious tradition but consciously or unconsciously mix in other factors such as culture or different religions. Thus, religious individuals often experience conflict between their lived faith and their affiliated religion’s doctrines, leading to guilt and the deterioration of mental health. In confronting such complexities resulting from religious hybridity, Raimundo Panikkar’s intra-religious dialogue is considered appropriate, given that such dialogue within oneself considers the deepening of one’s faith through the encounter with various religions. Within this context, this study proposes a philosophically modified see-judge-act framework to assist religious hybrids and pastoral care workers in coping with the precarious condition resulting from religious hybridity. In elaborating this proposal, the paper is comprised of five parts. The first part elaborates on the see-judge-act framework and its effectiveness in pastoral care. Second, the discussion covers the “see” aspect of religious hybridity. In this part, the characteristics of hybrid religious identities are identified. Third, the “judge” part pertains to Albert Camus’s philosophical anthropology, focusing on the absurdity of the human condition and the concept of rebellion. Then, Panikkar’s idea of intra-religious dialogue is elaborated. The fourth part of the study presents the “act” aspect: a rebellious intra-religious dialogue as an adaptive coping strategy. Lastly, given the intended scope, the study concludes with future directions for research

Air Temperature and Gastroenteritis Among Rohingya Populations in Bangladesh Refugee Camps

Importance The Rohingya displaced population in Bangladesh is the largest stateless population in the world. Infectious diseases, such as gastroenteritis, respiratory infections, and fever, are among the major health problems the Rohingya population has faced. Although associations between gastroenteritis and air temperature have been reported in various regions, no study has yet been carried out among the displaced populations. Objectives To evaluate the association between air temperature and risk of gastroenteritis among the forcibly displaced Rohingya population in refugee camps in Bangladesh. Design, Setting, and Participants In this cross-sectional study, daily time series data derived from facility-based case reports were collected in 2 clinics organized by the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) in Kutupalong and Nayapara registered camps from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2021. Statistical analysis was conducted from April 2023 to September 2024. Exposure Hourly 2-m air temperature from ERA5-Land by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. Main Outcomes and Measures The daily number of gastroenteritis cases recorded in the camp clinics was the main outcome measure. Nonlinear lagged associations between daily temperature and gastroenteritis cases were modeled using a quasi-Poisson generalized linear model to account for overdispersion coupled with a distributed lag nonlinear model including a maximum 21-day lag. Covariates from the literature were adjusted in the model. Results A total of 33280 gastroenteritis cases (95% among individuals aged ≥5 years; 71% female) were recorded in Kutupalong and 31165 gastroenteritis cases (99% among individuals aged ≥5 years; 67% female) were recorded in Nayapara. Further examination revealed a potential U-shaped curve in Kutupalong with minimum risk temperature (MRT) set at 26 °C. Cumulative relative risk (RR) at the 10th percentile temperature (21.1 °C) was 2.31 (95% CI, 1.18-4.65), while RR at 90th percentile temperature (28.5 °C) was 1.78 (95% CI, 1.24-2.56) relative to MRT. In Nayapara, a nearly linear risk increase was observed with decreasing temperature. Cumulative RR at the 10th percentile temperature (21 °C) was 1.32 (95% CI, 0.78-2.24), while the RR at the 90th percentile temperature (28.3 °C) was 0.75 (95% CI, 0.56-0.99). Lagged effects were delayed in nature. In Kutupalong, cold temperatures (10th percentile) were associated with statistically significant gastroenteritis risks at approximately 15 to 20 days (range: RR, 1.06 [95% CI, 1.00-1.13] to RR, 1.10 [95% CI, 1.00-1.21]). In Nayapara, gastroenteritis risks were correspondingly higher at longer lags (lag, 18 days; RR, 1.05 [95% CI, 1.00-1.10]). Conclusions and Relevance In this cross-sectional study of the Rohingya displaced population in Bangladesh, cold temperatures were associated with an increase in the risk of gastroenteritis. It is important to understand the association of climatic factors with the health of displaced communities, whose population is expected to grow in the future

Impact of Primary Care Benefits on Healthcare Utilisation and Estimated Out-of-pocket Expenses in Urban, Rural and Remote Settings in the Philippines

Background This study aimed to determine the effects of primary care interventions on healthcare utilisation and estimated out-of-pocket (OOP) expenses in selected urban, rural and remote settings in the Philippines. Methodology Context-specific measures relating to expanding healthcare provider networks, augmenting the health human workforce and subsidising transportation costs were implemented to strengthen primary care systems. In this study, two key outcomes were monitored: (1) monthly healthcare utilisation measured by the total number of outpatient consultations per site and (2) change in OOP expenses from baseline to endline within a 1 year study period. Results All sites had a positive trend in monthly outpatient consultations in healthcare utilisation over 1 year. The remote site had the steepest increase in outpatient consultations, with a 401% increase compared with the baseline during the peak of consultations at month 7. The urban site had a 62% increase in outpatient consultations from baseline to month 6, while the rural site had a 251% increase from baseline to month 11, which corresponded to the peak month in terms of the number of outpatient consultations. The rural site had the largest decrease in estimated OOP expenses (50.3% reduction, 95% CI -88 to -13), followed by the remote site (33.2% reduction, 95% CI -67,+1) and the urban site (16.0% reduction, 95% CI -65,+33). Conclusion The rural site showed a significant reduction in estimated OOP expenses and an increase in healthcare utilisation. The remote site had the steepest increase in utilisation, but the reduction in estimated OOP expenses was not statistically significant. The urban site experienced the lowest increase in utilisation, and the smallest reduction in estimated OOP expenses, which was also not statistically significant. Implementing primary care benefits will necessitate contextualised approaches to avoid the inadvertent aggravation of inequities in healthcare