Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Competencies of Students: A Case Study at Bachelor of Science in Office Administration Students in Pre-Internship

The study aims to assess the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) competencies of Bachelor of Science in Office Administration (BSOA) third-year students at Camarines Sur Polytechnic Colleges (CSPC) in preparation for their pre-internship. The research problem centers on evaluating students’ readiness in identifying factors that influence their ICT proficiency, which is crucial for success in the modern professional workplace. The hypothesis assumes no significant relationship exists between the competency levels and the factors affecting the competencies. Using quantitative, correlational research design, data was collected through a structured online questionnaire distributed to 144 BSOA students. The study analyzed various competency levels: basic, intermediate, and advanced ICT skills. The results revealed that the majority of the students show basic to intermediate ICT proficiency, with several factors such as personal background, socio-economic status, and access to technology playing a role in their competency levels. A significant relationship was found between these factors and ICT competency, rejecting the null hypothesis. The study concludes that targeted interventions are necessary to enhance students’ ICT skills before their internships. The findings have implications for curriculum design, suggesting that integrating more advanced ICT training could better prepare students for the digital workplace demands

Information Technology as a Catalyst for Innovation and Sustainability in the Creative Industry

Creative industries and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play a vital role in economic growth, innovation, and cultural development, yet they face persistent challenges related to classification, financing, regulation, and market competition. Recent studies highlight that information technology (IT) has become a key enabler for enhancing creative capacity, operational efficiency, and competitiveness among creative SMEs. This paper examines the interconnected relationships between creative industry SMEs, IT usage, government policy, and innovation performance. Drawing on prior literature, it argues that IT adoption supports innovation, collaboration, customer engagement, and business sustainability. The adoption is through digital platforms, e-commerce, and creative technologies. However, effective IT utilization depends on supportive policy frameworks, access to skills, and adequate digital infrastructure. By synthesizing evidence on technological, institutional, and organizational factors, this study emphasizes the importance of integrated strategies that align IT development with government support to foster sustainable growth in creative industry SMEs

Intelligent Tutoring Systems and the Future of Problem-Solving Education: An Opinionated Synthesis

The rapid evolution of Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) has transformed contemporary educational discourse, particularly regarding how automated systems can enhance students’ problem-solving abilities in STEM fields. Although empirical studies consistently show that ITS can outperform traditional instruction, the mechanisms driving these gains remain insufficiently emphasized in policy and pedagogical narratives. This article argues that ITS effectiveness stems from a synergy of seven cognitive mechanisms: adaptive scaffolding, immediate and elaborated feedback, model-tracing and knowledge-tracing, metacognitive prompting, productive practice, error-driven learning, and cognitive load regulation. An opinion-based synthesis supported by extensive literature is presented to advocate for the strategic integration of ITS within national instructional reforms. The conceptual framework includes a visual diagram representing the mechanisms and their interactions. Results and discussion are organized into three subsections The article concludes with recommendations for adopting ITS in large-scale educational systems to improve learners' higher-order problem-solving

Implementation of Student Internship Program among Bachelor of Science in Office Administration (BSOA) Students

This study was conducted to assess the Implementation of Student Internship Program among BSOA Students, who had undergone on Student Internship Program (SIP) which was guided by answering the profile of respondents which includes the Personal Profile in terms of Section, Age, Sex., Civil Status and Socio-Economic profile in terms of Household Monthly Income, Gadgets owned, and Educational Materials used of the respondents. The study also assessed the Extent of Implementation (Pre-deployment, Deployment, Exit); Challenges encountered by BSOA Students on the Student Internship Program (Pre-deployment, Deployment, Exit). The respondents were the 114 BSOA students for the academic year 2023-2024. This study utilized the Quantitative Descriptive Research Method and Slovin’s formula, percentage technique, weighted mean, and rank order method as the statistical tools. The study revealed that most of the respondents are from Section A and majority of the respondents belonged to age bracket of 21-22 years old and mostly are dominated by female which are single, it also revealed that the Household Monthly income of the respondents belong to Php15, 000 and below; The gadgets owned by most of the respondents is cellphone and the educational materials they used is learning module; as to extent of implementation of SIP, findings revealed that along pre-deployment, deployment, and exit, all garnered a verbal interpretation of very high extent. In terms of challenges encountered, the respondents’ average weighted mean interprets as seldom encountered. The output of this study is the proposed recommendations to enhance the Implementation of the Students' Internship Program among BSOA students

Filosofi Sistem Kekerabatan Matrilineal Sebagai Warisan Budaya Minangkabau

Sistem kekerabatan matrilineal merupakan ciri khas budaya masyarakat Minangkabau yang menjadikannya unik di antara sistem kekerabatan lainnya di Indonesia. Dalam sistem ini, garis keturunan ditarik dari pihak ibu, di mana perempuan memegang peranan sentral dalam pewarisan harta pusaka dan identitas sosial. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji filosofi yang mendasari sistem kekerabatan matrilineal Minangkabau sebagai warisan budaya yang sarat makna dan nilai-nilai kehidupan. Dengan menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif-deskriptif dan studi pustaka, kajian ini menemukan bahwa sistem tersebut tidak sekadar sebagai struktur sosial, tetapi juga mencerminkan keseimbangan peran gender, tanggung jawab kolektif dalam keluarga, serta keterikatan kuat antara adat dan agama melalui prinsip “adat basandi syarak, syarak basandi Kitabullah.” Di tengah arus globalisasi dan modernisasi, filosofi ini tetap relevan sebagai dasar penguatan identitas budaya dan pembangunan karakter sosial masyarakat. Oleh karena itu, pemahaman dan pelestarian terhadap filosofi sistem kekerabatan matrilineal Minangkabau sangat penting untuk menjaga keberlanjutan nilai-nilai luhur budaya bangsa

Community Organizing, Empowerment and Mobilization, and Information Education : The Revitalized KASIMBAYANAN Program of the Philippine National Police in Naga City

This study examined the implementation and outcomes of the Revitalized Kapulisan, Simbahan, at Pamayanan (KASIMBAYANAN) program of the Philippine National Police in Naga City. Specifically, it assessed the level of program implementation, identified strategies and practices employed, determined the effectiveness of police–church–community collaboration in crime prevention and crime solution, examined challenges and barriers encountered, tested the level of agreement between implementation and collaborative effectiveness, and proposed policy and practice improvements. The study adopted a descriptive–correlational research design utilizing both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Data were collected from 488 respondents composed of Philippine National Police personnel, barangay officials, and representatives of the religious sector through structured questionnaires, documentary analysis, and unstructured interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using frequency count and percentage, weighted mean, ranking, and Kendall’s Coefficient of Concordance. Findings revealed that the Revitalized KASIMBAYANAN program was very much implemented in terms of community organizing, community empowerment and mobilization, and community information and education. Strategies and practices effectively strengthened partnerships among the police, church, and community, while collaborative efforts in crime prevention and crime solution were rated as very effective. However, challenges related to time constraints, financial sustainability, and mobility were identified. Results further indicated no significant agreement between the level of program implementation and the perceived effectiveness of collaboration, leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis. Policy and practice recommendations are proposed to enhance program sustainability

Branding in the Age of AI: Bridging the Human-Tech Divide for Authentic Engagement

In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, artificial intelligence is revolutionizing how brands connect with their audiences. As AI technologies become deeply embedded in marketing strategies, businesses face both exciting opportunities and significant challenges in maintaining authentic human connections while leveraging cutting-edge automation. This exploration examines how modern brands are successfully navigating this transformation by integrating AI tools that enhance rather than replace meaningful customer relationships. The discussion highlights how intelligent systems are being designed to amplify brand personality through thoughtful anthropomorphism, creating digital interactions that feel genuinely engaging rather than mechanically impersonal. However, this technological shift requires careful navigation. The most successful implementations balance efficiency with empathy, using AI to handle routine interactions while preserving human judgment for complex or sensitive situations. Brands must also address growing consumer concerns about data privacy and the ethical implications of synthetic relationships. For marketing professionals, these developments present a new paradigm where technology becomes an enabler of deeper human connections rather than a barrier. The future belongs to brands that can harness AI's power while staying true to the authentic, human qualities that customers value most. The insights shared here provide practical guidance for businesses seeking to thrive in this new era, offering frameworks for implementation while cautioning against over-reliance on automation. Ultimately, the brands that will succeed are those that view AI not as a replacement for human connection, but as a powerful tool to enhance and extend it

Records Management Practices of Barangay STO. Domingo, Nabua, Camarines Sur, Philippines

This study aimed to evaluate the current status and identify the challenges faced in the records management practices of a barangay in Nabua, Camarines Sur, focusing on four key areas: records creation, maintenance, retention, and disposition. It also examined the significant relationship between existing records management practices and the problems encountered by respondents, and proposed recommendations to enhance current practices. A descriptive-correlational survey method was employed to collect, analyze, and interpret data, utilizing physical questionnaires. The data were analyzed using methods such as the Likert scale, weighted mean, and Kendall’s Tau correlation. Of the 27 distributed questionnaires, 22 were retrieved and included in the analysis. Findings indicated that while Barangay Sto. Domingo in Nabua, Camarines Sur had established basic records management practices, respondents frequently encountered issues across all four areas of records management: creation, maintenance, retention, and disposition

The Impact of the U.S.-China Tariff War on International Trade

This study aims to analyze the trade flows (imports, exports, and re-exports) of the world's two largest economies, namely China and the United States, during the period 2020 to 2023. Trading data is measured in USD units and includes three main types of trading flows. The visualization results show that China consistently maintains a trade surplus, with the value of exports always exceeding imports every year. In contrast, the United States shows a trade deficit trend, with the value of imports significantly higher than exports and re-exports. In addition, the role of re-exports in the trade structure of the United States showed a significant contribution, although not enough to balance the deficit. These findings provide important insights for global economic analysis and international trade policy, especially in the context of the dynamics of economic relations between the two superpowers

An Analysis of University Muhammadiyah Maumere Students’ English Speaking Skill

This research examines the English-speaking needs of students in the English Department at the University of Muhammadiyah Maumere. Collecting and analyzing data on needs helps the lecturer identify gaps between what has been done and what remains to be done. A needs analysis can help establish and implement language policy with significant implications. In this case, the analysis includes students' speaking levels and investigates students’ wants and needs in speaking English. The participants of this research were students majoring in English Education and Literature Study Program at the University of Muhammadiyah Maumere. This research used a qualitative research design. To find a comprehensive perception of each student, focus group discussion (FGD) is used. The results showed that the existing shortcomings found that student's level of English speaking skills was very low, and students often were afraid to speak because they were worried about making mistakes. Students need presents that students must learn to be brave to speak English at the level of daily communication.  In addition, students’  desire found that students will use English speaking skills for job demands, they prefer pair or group projects in a teaching-learning process, and students prefer lecturers as facilitators and guides to improve speaking skills because they believe that poor speaking skills will have a negative impact on academic performance