Community-based mangrove-friendly aquaculture: Philippine experience

This paper discussed two mangrove-friendly aquaculture technologies that will not only protect the coastal and mangrove ecosystem but could also increase the income of the coastal communities not only from the forest products but also from fish, shellfish, and crab production. Moreover, the technologies will not only serve as livelihood but also help in promoting the conservation of biodiversity

Exploring the Dimensions of Innovation Culture in the Public Higher Education Institutions: Towards Improved Organizational Performance in Research and Development

This paper extends the concept of innovation culture to the academic organizations, particularly public higher education institutions (HEIs). Through a case study approach, a total of 40 individuals composed of research and development (R&D) managers and administrators, innovators, and faculty research personnel from four selected public HEIs participated in the in-depth interviews and FGDs. Institutional statements were also used as secondary data. Through synthesis of previous studies, we learned the different organizational, human, and collaborative dimensions of innovation culture, however in the context of private manufacturing organizations. Results revealed that in academic organizations like public HEIs, the aspects of innovation and the concept of innovation culture were embedded in the institutional statements as well as in the values of the participants. It was also found that innovation culture is a widely understood concept in terms of its attributes or building blocks. Through this study, we understood the importance of innovation culture in promoting performance amidst the challenges of doing R&D in public HEIs. We learned that creativity and flexibility, innovation resources, training and capacity development, and coaching and mentoring were the key elements of innovation culture that can help address the managerial and institutional challenges in doing R&D in academic organizations. Lastly, identifying and assessing the specific dimensions and elements of innovation culture in academic organizations as well as determining their impacts of innovation culture on research productivity in academic organizations were relevant research areas to explore in future studies

School-Based Community Engagement in Higher Education Institutions: Selected Case Studies in the Philippines

There is growing scholarly interest in understanding the dynamism of school-based community engagement in educational institutions, particularly on the formative effects of these modes of instruction-driven public services on students, school staff, and communities. This study sought to investigate different modes of community engagement activities in selected Philippine higher education institutions. A multi-sector participatory systemic inquiry using a series of field visits, focused group discussions, semi-structured key informant interviews, and informal workshops were conducted among volunteers, school staff, and community members of respective higher education institutions. Results showed that school-based community engagement can be classified in relation to teaching-learning functions as curricular, co-curricular, and non-curricular. Among students, faculty, and staff, such activities generally improved sense of self-fulfillment, over-all well-being and developed competencies, enhanced teaching pedagogy, and appreciation for participatory tools for both classroom and community work. Among communities, the engagement improved economic opportunities, organizational and project management skills, and expanded networks. Unfortunately, school-based community engagement in Philippine higher education institutions are hampered and discouraged by administrative and policy problems that include weak internal coordination among school units, paperwork, protocols, and lack of enabling mechanisms such as promotion, merit, or incentive system

Conservation and farming of a common freshwater food clam, tulla (Corbicula manilensis Philippi 1844), in the Laguna Lake basin

Abstract only.Stocking of tulla (Corbicula manilensis) in small water impounding dam was studied in the Angat Watersheds, Bulacan, Philippines at elevation 209 m above mean sea level. Result of the study indicates that tulla introduction and production in higher elevation streams is possible. From 10 pieces of small tulla thrown into the impounding pond, the species multiplied rapidly that at the end of one year, the populations of tulla at the upstream and downstream side of the impounding dam are 1,436 and 840 pcs/m2, respectively. Based from group classifications of tulla as advanced by Villadolid et al. (1930), results indicated that 45.17% belongs to Size Group I; 27.86% for II; 18.01% for III; and the least is for Size Group IV which is 8.96%. The total population in the 24.50 m2 pond was estimated at 27,881 individuals consisting of all size groups. It should be noted that there was no harvesting or collection done within the year. There is no fish in the pond except few edible frogs that consider the pond its home. The stream has never been inhabited by tulla before. The concentration of individuals at the upstream side of the pond could be due to deeper substrate, sandy and gravelly sediments, constant aeration from the waterfalls and presence of rich detrital matter from decomposition of deposited leaves. The exceptionally high concentration of tulla in the pond is due to the structure that prevents them from being washed downstream by strong current or flood waters. Tulla is a low-cost food item very rich in calcium and other minerals that could support the nutritional needs of our poor and low income population, and could be grown in streams in the watersheds. The study shows the feasibility of introduction and production of tulla in streams at higher elevation for food, poultry and shrimp feed, fertilizer, and for improving the quality of water in rivers

Implications of Gender Attribution for the Cacao Value Chain of Davao City, Southern Philippines

Known as the chocolate capital in of the Philippine, Davao City account for 80%–90% of the country’s total volume of dried cocoa beans. Production targets were set at 100 MT of dried cocoa beans by 2022. This is anticipated to alleviate poverty through livelihood and job creation. However, there are scant studies on whether women receive equitable benefits across the cacao agricultural value chain in Davao City. A gendered approach across the different nodes of the cacao value chain may provide rich insights that can help address issues of equity in the cacao chain. Based on a 2018 survey conducted for this study, smallholder cacao farmers devote an average of 3.72 h per day in cacao production: 55% of the work required is done by males and 45% done by females. Male household heads generally make decisions regarding market channels for the beans and are mostly responsible for bringing them to market. The distribution of the sale of cacao beans remains a gray area, and it is unknown whether this is shared equitably to women in the household according to their production contribution. Children’s involvement in cacao production is considered family labor, and women are still expected to run the household. But women’s contributions are oftentimes viewed as an extension to household chores. Hence, a more detailed gender attribution in other nodes of the cocoa value chain (e.g., processing and trading) may provide a more realistic picture of work requirements, equitable benefit distribution among actors, and address sustainability issues in cacao commodity value chain in the region

Towards an Inclusive and Sustainable Disaster Resiliency Model for Flood-Vulnerable Communities in Davao City, Southern Philippines

Development and disasters are closely linked, but the cause-andeffect relationship between the two has been ignored in the past. Thus, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) observed that disasters were seen in the context of emergency response and not as part of long-term development programming. Over time, effects of disasters can seriously degrade a country’s long-term potential for sustained development. Vulnerable communities of Davao City in the Southern Philippines has experienced flooding that led to catastrophic results such as damage to property and loss of lives. Communities need to build its resiliency to respond to flooding and mitigate its negative impacts, while policy makers and leaders need to consciously and regularly review and update its existing policies to address gaps and promote effective community engagement. This paper highlights the results from the quantitative phase of the study to examine and analyze the respondents’ vulnerability, awareness, and perception of flood risks. A survey using multistage cluster sampling was conducted among 353 respondents from the top 5 flood-vulnerable barangays. Data from the key informant interviews and focus group discussions were also integrated to provide an in-depth explanation of the patterns emerging from the survey. Results of the study revealed that the vulnerability is associated with sociodemographic characteristics, experience in flooding, and responses to flooding. Moreover, risk reduction strategies can be further enhanced through risk communication management using a localized and participatory approach in the proper knowledge transfer of flood risk communication among the stakeholders involved. Community-based policies and well-defined communication processes must be strengthened to promote inclusive approach towards effective community-based disaster preparedness and management

Can Agroforestry Farmers Attain Sustainability? Case of Farmers in Selected Upland Farming Communities in the Philippines

This article is based on the study which investigated the socioeconomic and biophysical conditions of the upland farming communities in the Philippines; identified the development pathways that were undertaken by the upland farmers; and determined level of sustainability of the upland farming communities on the basis of their development pathways. This article argues that agroforestry farmers in upland farming communities in the Philippines can attain sustainability. This argument is based on the study conducted in the three pilot upland communities of the Conservation Farming Villages program in Albay, Ifugao and Negros Oriental, Philippines. From seven focus group discussions (FGDs) with at least 12 participants per FGD for a total of 147 farmers, and farm household survey of 230 upland farmers, research results indicate that agroforestry farmers in the three study sites were smallholders and were cultivating in areas with marginal conditions. There were five development pathways identified. These are monocropping in contour, multiple cropping in contour, agroforestry, agroforestry with non-farm activities, and multiple cropping/monocropping without contour. With the community capitals framework as the theoretical foundation, analysis indicated that the five development pathways contributed to a high level of social, human and political capitals having mean scores of 0.73, 0.55 and 0.54, respectively; a moderate level of physical, financial and natural capital, with mean scores of 0.23, 0.20 and 0.23, respectively; and a very low level of cultural capital with mean score of -0.08. At the community level, on the other hand, research results revealed that the CFV sites in Ligao, Albay and La Libertad, Negros Oriental have almost similar contributions to the sustainability of the upland farming communities, while Alfonso Lista, Ifugao had the lowest. Thus, institutional arrangements with the farmers’ association and the local government units also played a key role in the sustainability of the upland farming communities. These results imply the need for a holistic and collaborative engagement towards attaining sustainable upland farming communities

Chemical synthesis, 3D structure and ASIC binding site of mambalgin-2

Mambalgins are a novel class of snake venom components that exert potent analgesic effects mediated through the inhibition of acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs). The 57-residue polypeptide mambalgin-2 (Ma-2) was synthesized by using a combination of solid-phase peptide synthesis and native chemical ligation. The structure of the synthetic toxin, determined using homonuclear NMR, revealed an unusual three-finger toxin fold reminiscent of functionally unrelated snake toxins. Electrophysiological analysis of Ma-2 on wild-type and mutant ASIC1a receptors allowed us to identify -helix 5, which borders on the functionally critical acidic pocket of the channel, as a major part of the Ma-2 binding site. This region is also crucial for the interaction of ASIC1a with the spider toxin PcTx1, thus suggesting that the binding sites for these toxins substantially overlap. This work lays the foundation for structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies and further development of this promising analgesic peptide