The Paradox of Deliberation: Jürgen Habermas and the Rational Approach to the Normative Theory of Democracy

Jürgen Habermas anchors his theory of democracy on communicative rationality, which he translates into procedural rationality geared towards the attainment of consensus. In this study, I present his theory of democracy and discuss its limitations. I then argue that for a more comprehensive theory of democracy, the insights from other theories, specifically, the agonistic perspective of Chantal Mouffe, should be seriously taken into account

SustainaBling Ecoccessories by SEEKs Innovate

On June 26, 2023, SEEKs Innovate was incorporated as a sustainable accessory start-up sole proprietorship in order to provide an outlet and solution to excess plastic waste while creating ways to support local communities through job generation. Moreover, the marketing strategies of SustainaBling by SEEKs Innovate continue to uphold its sustainable principles, even through its marketing. Most marketing campaigns are executed through digital means to minimize expenses, and during occasions where physical materials are needed, the company strives to reduce, reuse, and recycle as many resources as possible. Moreover, due to the product line’s unique design using 100% recycled HDPE plastics, the product is able to encompass the accessory industry and the eco-friendly industry. However, the company is still in the emergence stage, so whether or not it will be able to expand into other industries is still under observation. The company is managed by the CEO, COO, CFO, CMO and CIO. Each executive has the necessary qualifications and experience to be able to perform their role effectively in an emerging industry. The market is volatile due to the wide target market, however, the size of the industry pales in comparison to bigger industries, like the traditional jewelry industry, and various fast fashion brands that have an established market presence and large budgets, so the company\u27s priority will be market penetration. With this, the key support groups that shall aid the company are made up of various advisers and mentors of the company, with Mr. Patrick Hariramani acting as the company’s primary adviser and consultant. In terms of financing, the company started with a capital of Php 25,000, a 100% equity mix. No funds were outsourced from non-SEEK members, and the SEEK members will receive their profits from the company at the calendar year\u27s end

Effectiveness of nanoformulated plant growth regulators in the production and propagation of high-value crops and ornamentals

Among the major classes of plant hormones, auxins, gibberellins, and cytokinins are widely used for plant propagation. These hormones influence the physiological and developmental processes of plants such as root initiation, apical dominance, seed germination, leaf expansion, and development of buds, flowers, and fruits. Its exogenous application was found to significantly improve the growth of several important plants. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of plant growth regulators (PGRs) derived from naturally occurring plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPBs) in the production and propagation of selected crops. In this study, indole3-acetic acid (IAA) and gibberellic acid (GA) were extracted from naturally occurring PGPB Bacillus sp. The extracted hormone was nanoformulated for controlled release and increased uptake in plants. The nanoformulated hormones were applied in the propagation of coffee and the production of eggplant and ornamentals. Results showed that the application of nanoformulated IAA (Nano-IAA) significantly increased the survival rate of coffee compared to the commercially available auxin. Nano-IAA increased the germination rate of eggplant in acidic soil and root emergence of Bougainvillea over the negative control (water) but was comparable to that of the commercially available auxin. The nanoformulated GAs and commercially available GA increased the plant height and weight of asters compared to the control. The study showed the effectiveness of Nano-IAA and GA in the production and propagation of coffee, eggplant, and selected ornamentals. Hence, these nanoformulated PGRs can be a substitute for synthetic and imported IAA and GA in plant production and propagation.</p

An Asian Perspective on Global Financial Reforms

The purpose of this study is to better understand the likely impact on Asian economies and financial institutions of various recent global financial reforms, including Basel III capital adequacy and liquidity rules. Part one reviews the lessons of the global financial crisis (GFC) of 2007-09 and their relevance for Asian economies. Part two describes the major regulatory reforms that have been announced and possible concerns about their impacts on emerging economies. Part three reviews the literature aimed at quantifying the impacts of Basel III capital adequacy rules. Part four develops our methodology and analysis of the quantitative impact of Basel III capital adequacy rules on a panel of Southeast Asian financial institutions with emphasis on the effect on economic growth. Finally, the study concludes with a discussion on the policy implications of the results obtained from the previous section for Asian financial sectors and economies. Overall, we find that the Basel III capital adequacy rules are likely to have limited impacts on economic growth in Asia, but other financial regulations, including liquidity standards and rules for over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives, could have stunting effects on financial development in the region

Understanding Dutertismo: Populism and Democratic Politics in the Philippines

The present study investigates how the normative views on democracy influence the analysis of Dutertismo. There are two prevailing normative views that is operative in the analysis of democracy which also provide differing take on the role of populism. On the one hand, the deliberative perspective emphasizes on consensus building and considers populism as irreconcilable with its democratic framework. On the other hand, the agonistic model privileges conflict and tension and considers populism as an essential component of democracy. I shall advance the thesis that a third perspective is necessary which considers the framework of mutual correction where democracy is seen as a postponed synthesis between the task of consensus building and the recognition of irreducible conflict. It is through this framework that the complexity of democracy in the Philippines can be comprehensively grasped and the role of populism be extensively understood

Intrusion of Code-Switching in Exploring the Principles of Sentence and Paragraph Constructions: An Explanatory Sequential Study

The Philippines is one of the countries that produce proficient English speakers in the world. In the previous years, Filipino English proficiency is slowly declining and worsened due to the Covid-19 pandemic which impacted not only students but also the global workforce. Hence, several studies on the use of code-switching were proposed to find answers to such emerging problems; and to determine which medium of instruction aids students’ English proficiency, the researchers conduct sequential-explanatory research about the intrusion of code-switching in exploring the principles of sentence and paragraph construction. A total of 60 students divided into two (2) groups: a) experimental group (code-switched class) b) control group (English only) underwent the pre-test, class intervention, and post-tests for quantitative data and a total of six (6) students from experimental groups underwent in-depth-interview. The results of the study emphasized that there are significant differences between the experimental and control group test scores. The findings from the qualitative data further explain the numeric data that the intrusion of code-switching in the class improves students’ test scores and positively enhances comprehension, and knowledge, and reduces language anxiety. The study findings present strong indications that the use of code-switching aids students’ English proficiency. This study highlights the implication to determine the type of code-switching appropriate to use in a language classroom