Ciliated protozoans are one-celled animal-like organisms characterized by the presence of hair-like structures called cilia. Just like any other organisms, the ciliated protozoans (e.g. Paramecium, Tetrahymena, Vorticella, Stentor) play a very significant link in the food chain as algal grazers and bacterial feeders, and in energy flow and elementary recycling in ecosystems.  Ciliates are popular model organisms for many microbial, cell and molecular biology studies, toxicity bioassays of pollutants, chemosensory responses, lysosomal studies and others (Jahn et al. 1979, Pauli 1997, Banno 1983, Madoni P. and Romeo M. 2006, Rao et al., 2012). As test organisms, ciliates have many advantages such as ubiquitous distribution, high reproductive rate, and cheap and ease of culturing in hay infusion. More than 50% of the population in organically polluted rivers and streams are ciliates, playing impressive role in the ecosystem as warning indicator of changes in the environment. They have been utilized as indicators of organic pollution and in monitoring the health of aquatic ecosystems (Lynn & Gilron 1992, Bick 1972, Mason 1996, Tushmalova et al. 2014 and  Radhakrishnan  & Jayaprakas 2015). Moreover, they are abundant in almost every environment with liquid water: ocean waters, marine sediments, lakes, ponds, and rivers, and even soils. Because individual ciliate species vary greatly in their tolerance to pollution, the ciliates found in a body of water can be used to gauge the degree of pollution quickly.  

There is no documented and published identification of ciliated protozoans in Lake Lanao, the heart of Lanao del Sur ARMM province, Mindanao island (Fig. 1). Though the work of Lewis (1985) on Lake Lanao mentioned ciliates as a group under protozoans but he did not segregate and identify a particular ciliate genus or species. Moreover, most lake studies in the country did not include ciliates. There are phytoplankton and zooplankton studies but no particular studies for ciliated protozoans. In the study of Aquino et al. (2008) on zooplankton in Paoay Lake, Luzon Island, ciliates were not included. Even in “An Illustrated Key to the Philippine Freshwater Zooplankton including some brackish water species from Laguna de Bay” (Petersen et al. 2014), only Paramecium, Vorticella (freshwater), and Tintinnidium (brackish) are described. This project therefore aims to conduct a preliminary inventory of ciliated protozoans in Lake Lanao. Specifically, it intends to identify and classify ciliates morphologically and molecularly by DNA barcoding; to take and compile photomicrographs and video clips of all ciliates found in the lake; to determine ciliate species composition, diversity, frequency, and abundance; to determine ciliates’ spatial and temporal variations in the lake; and to monitor the lake’s aquatic condition for two years utilizing ciliates as bio-indicators of pollution.  

Lake Lanao, the second largest lake in the Philippines with surface area of 354.60 km2, is famous for being one of the ancient lakes in the world and for its endemic cyprinids fish fishes. The Lake has played a vital role in the religious activities, cultural practices, transport system, and livelihood for the Maranaos, the “people of the lake”. There are six hydroelectric power plants along its single outlet, the Agus River, providing approximately 70% of the electric power needs of Mindanao. Bordering the lake's shores are 17 municipalities and a city, Marawi City. There were 475,401 people living along the shoreline of Lake Lanao that comprises 68,759 families.

(http://www.mysmartschools.ph/web/lakelanao/com munity-profile.html). NSO data revealed Lanao del Sur had a total population of 800,162 in 2000; it increased to 1,138,544 in 2007 and decreased to 933,260 persons in 2010 (http://web0.psa.gov.ph). Compared with the other lakes in the country, Lake Lanao is relatively free from industrial effluents. However, as early as 1966, there were reports that Lake Lanao had undergone environmental disaster because of the massive algae contamination and some decaying matters on waters (Villaluz, 1966). Presently, ocular inspection around the lakeshore reveals floating thrash and massive growth of water hyacinth and algae. The impact of the hydroelectric power plants, the confront of climate change, the increasing human population, the alarming reports of extinction of endemic lake fish species, the dominance of invasive exotic species, and many other anthropogenic factors, if left unchecked, the lake’s deterioration will surely affect the lives of thousands of Maranaos who are dependent on it for food and water. This project therefore hopes to generate data from utilization of ciliates as bio-indicators of pollution that will be submitted to the ARMM government of Lanao de Sur and will serve as one basis in assessing the condition of the Lake, formulating and implementing policies and strategies for effective management of Lake Lanao’s natural resource sustainability. Furthermore, the baseline data on ciliate species composition, diversity, frequency, and abundance, would be vital micro-faunal component of Lake’s biodiversity and taxonomic studies later. Ciliates are also cheaper alternative in toxicity bioassays and in environmental bio-indication studies since they can easily be cultured in hay infusion medium. They have shorter generation time hence studies using ciliates yield and indicate fast, reliable results.  The culture collection of ciliates the proponent plans to maintain will be useful for basic instruction and laboratory exercises, and for researchers, teachers and students. 

On the first year of the project, preliminary inventory will be conducted in eight municipalities bordering Lake Lanao as sampling stations. Randomly, sampling will be done in shallower (littoral) and deeper (pelagic) regions of the lake. Surface, subsurface, horizontal and vertical tow samplings will be done using Plankton nets and Niskin bottles. Morphological identification is mainly through microscopy and identification keys. Photomicrographs and video clips will be taken and compiled. Data generated will include ciliate composition, diversity, abundance and frequency as well as ciliates’ spatial variations between littoral and pelagic areas in the lake.  On the second year, the same data will be generated but the ciliates’ temporal (dry, rainy, mixing and non-mixing seasons) variations at two different sampling sites away from inlet and outlet will be evaluated. Quarterly monitoring of Lake’s water condition using ciliates as indicators will also commence on the 2nd year and will continue on the 3rd year at six ecological sites (inlets and outlet, domestic, agricultural, forested, and undisturbed sites).  Dominant key ciliate indicators will be classified according to saprobic system. Molecular identification of ciliate species will start on the 3rd year.   

Minute ladybird beetles belonging to the subfamily Scymninae are predators and have a very close association with sternorrhynchans such as: mealybugs, aphids, psyllids, whiteflies and scale insects because they live in or within their colonies. The larval forms of these beetles, on the other hand, have the ability to mimic their prey, which makes it easier for them to penetrate the colonies without being recognized and regulate pest populations. Nevertheless, people often mistake these ladybird larvae for pests and eventually killing them by the use of pesticides. Elimination of natural enemies, therefore, results in increased pest problems or sometimes pest outbreaks. To manage pest outbreaks, the use of alternative management such as the use of natural enemies is suggested. These minute predatory ladybird beetles play a very significant role in integrated pest management as potential biological control agents. Their ability to reduce pest population largely contributes to decrease in pesticide use and increase yield of vegetable crops. However, as a potential biological control agent, the subfamily Scymninae has been rarely studied in the Philippines. There are only very few species recorded in the Philippines used for this purpose. The life history and functional response of Acarinus philippinensis Kapur (tribe Aspidimerini) to Aphis gossypii Glover reared on Capsicum sp. was studied by Lapiz in 1994. On the other hand, Garcia and Calilung studied the biology of Scymnus (Pullus) trukensis Chapin (subfamily Scymninae, tribe Scymnini) under the tribe Scymnini in 1996. . The latter predator was fed with Pentalonia nigronervosa Coquerel, one of the major pests of banana in the Philippines. Cendaña (1953) successfully reared the imported beetle Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant, in the laboratory which was used to control the Florida red scale, Chrysomphalus ficus Ashmead, a pest of coconut in Cebu which became worst in 1956. Records also show that C. montrouzieri was reported to feed on the mealybug, Dysmicoccus brevipes (Cockerell), and a pest of citrus in the Philippines (Booth and Pope, 1986). Despite their importance, the group has been relatively neglected. The diversity of these predators within the colony is not yet known. Since limited information has been published on Philippine species, a comprehensive taxonomic and systematic study of the group is necessary to assess the richness and diversity, distribution and their involvement with sternorrhynchans colonies. Currently, among 10 tribes reported to be placed under the subfamily Scymninae, there are only four (4) tribes recorded in the Philippines: Aspidimerini, Ortaliini, Scymnini and Stethorini, which consists of 7 genera and 12 species. These generic records are only 12% in comparison with the other 58 genera, which remains to be discovered. With these meager information and studies regarding this very important group, there is a great need to discover the other species, which may later help, reduce pest populations. Moreover, knowledge on the conservation of the predatory beetles could be administered. This could aid the clientele for long term control with the presence of the predatory beetles. The project hopes to provide comprehensive information and collection of Philippine Scymninae with their corresponding Sternorrhynchan prey and host plants. Moreover, provide ample information regarding these beneficial organisms through extension materials such as posters, pamphlets, handbooks or field guide on their potential value as biological control agents. A reference collection will be established at the museum to provide assistance to researchers, students, the public and other interested individuals

  Lake Lanao is the second largest lake in the Philippines and is one of the 15 ancient lakes of the world. It is a home of 18 endemic cyprinid fishes and 42 endemic crab species. A hydroelectric plant installed on the Lanao Lake and Agus River system generates 70% of the electricity used by the people of Mindanao (Rosagaron, 2001). Lake Lanao is the lifeline of about 669,072 Maranaos (NSO, 2000) or the “people of the lake”. With this importance, Lake Lanao’s resources must be comprehensively explored and present status must be evaluated to provide a basis for future conservation programs. 

            Few researches about Lake Lanao in the past were focused on its status, management, fisheries (Rosagaron, 2001; Escudero, 1995) and phytoplankton (Lewis, 1978). No single published researches were done yet on the bacterial and fungal populations in Lake Lanao. While it is true that the flora and fauna of a lake ecosystem comprise the producers and consumers in the lake, respectively, but microorganisms are equally important being the decomposers that degrade dead organic bodies and make nutrients available to the producers, thus, maintaining a stable ecosystem. On the other hand, the presence of unwanted number of microorganisms as well as opportunistic and pathogenic species in the lake from exogenous sources may have contributed to the occurrence of diseases to both the aquatic organisms and indirectly affecting the community along the shorelines of Lake Lanao.

This study will look into the abundance and species composition of bacterial and fungal populations in water and surface sediments and how the physico-chemical factors affect these microorganisms in the lake. Water quality will be determined based on the presence or absence of indicator microorganisms particularly the total and fecal coliforms.  Sampling will be done in five selected sites every other month, that will be on January, March, May, July, September, and November within one year period.  Physico-chemical parameters such as pH, conductivity, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), salinity, and temperature, and the analyses for total N, P, and K as well as Ca, Mg, Na, Mn and Zn will be obtained  (in Project 1) and will be correlated with the data on microbial populations.  

 Microbial abundance will be determined through Serial Dilution Plate Count Technique following the procedure described by Tateishi et al. (1989). The number of total and fecal coliforms will be determined using the most probable number (MPN) method and the standard Coliform Test to confirm the presence of these water contaminants. Identification of bacterial and fungal isolates will include colony and microscopic examination and the Analytical Profile Index (API) system.  This microbial study is very important in completing the information needed to fully characterize and understand the current status of Lake Lanao. 

Holthuis (1980) listed 48 species of Macrobrachium that are consumed as food and hence of economic importance. Among the numerous species of Macrobrachium, it is M. rosenbergii that has been widely studied and cultured. A number of manuals on the seed production and culture of M. rosenbergii has been published which describes the seed production and grow-out techniques for the species (New, 2002; Cuvin-Aralar et al, 2011a, 2011b). However, there are limited references available on the domestication and culture of other species of Macrobrachium. In China, aside from M. rosenbergii, they have domesticated their own native species of oriental river prawn M. nipponense and have successfully produced them in culture (Weimin & Xianping, 2002). The success in the culture of M. nipponense in China has demonstrated the potential of other Macrobrachium species for culture. In Vietnam, experiments on seed production and culture of M. nipponense were also conducted to develop the commodity into a high value enterprise (An et al., 2003). Macrobrachium amazonicum, a native species in South America was also investigated for domestication and culture (Moraes-Riodades & Valenti, 2004). In India and Pakistan, Macrobrachium malcomsonii or the monsoon river prawn is being cultured using wild-caught seeds and there were attempts to produce post larvae for stocking in the hatchery (Kutty et al., 2000). 

Both Macrobrachium lar (Fabricius, 1798) and M. mammillodactylus (Thallwitz, 1872) are indigenous to the Philippines. Like other species of prawns, they are commercially exploited and sold in the local market in the municipalities where they are caught. Both are considered “large” species by Short (2004). The same author describes in detail the morphological characteristics of the two species. Among the easily distinguishable features are the rostrum and the second cheliped. In summary, M. lar has a short rostrum in fully developed males. There are 7-10 dorsal rostral teeth and the 2-4 ventral rostral teeth. The second chelipeds are unequal with protective setae present in all segments of the cheliped.The merus is much shorter than the chela but longer than the carpus. Early specimens of M. lar (1908 to 1909) were obtained from the provinces of Benguet, Mindoro, and Cebu (Chase and Bruce, 1993). M. mammillodactylus has a short to medium rostral length with the dorsal carina generally straight with upturned tip with 9 to 18 dorsal teeth and 2-6 ventral teeth. The second pair of cheliped is isomorphic in shape and maybe subequal or equal in length. The merus is shorter than the carpus which is in turn distinctly shorter than the chela (Short, 2004). Early specimens of this species were found in San Juan and Pasig Rivers by R.P. Cowles in 1914 and in Aringay River, La Union by D.G. Frey (Chase and Bruce, 1993).

The earliest published attempt at larval rearing of M. lar was by Atkinson (1977) but he was unable to obtain full metamorphosis to post larvae. Recently, Lal (2012) was able to successfully obtain a few PL of M. lar in studies conducted at the University of South Pacific. Subsequent studies involved salinity and temperature requirements for the larval rearing of this species, again Fiji (Lal et al, 2012). The larval rearing of M. mammillodactylus remain unstudied (Short, 2004) and there are also no records available in the literature of attempts to close the life cycle of this species. 

Lake Lanao is the largest lake in Mindanao and the second largest in the Philippines, located in Lanao del Sur in the southern island of Mindanao with a surface area of 340 square kilometers). The lake is home to 18 endemic species of cyprinid fish in the genus Barbodes (most were formerly in Puntius) Ismail et al, 2014. 

Mollusks and crustaceans are invertebrates which have a big role in the ecosystem, they are important in the food chain, they serve as a food, medicine and source of income. However some mollusks like the gastropod species are necessary important hosts for parasitic flatworms such as the species that cause schistosomiasis in human.  To date, they have caused millions of dollars in commercial damage by clogging the water pipes of power plants and cooling systems. They are driving many native freshwater bivalve species to extinction (Salvini-Plawen, 2014). Mollusks provide a sensitive tool for monitoring environmental health. They are sensitive to changes in their environment and therefore could provide an early warning of habitat deterioration (Wells, S.M., and J.E. Chatfiled (1992). Direct habitat destruction by human activities, such as forest clearing, dam construction, pollution and introduction of non-native or exotic species, intention or not are the two main reasons of declining the native mollusks (Parent, 2018).  

The same with mollusks, crustaceans are of great direct and indirect importance to human beings. Literature showed that there were 42 crabs in the lake identified before. But these days, elders observed that there were much lesser crabs and shrimps available in the local markets of Lanao del Sur than before. Crustaceans also play many roles in aquatic ecosystem. The planktonic forms, such as the copepod and the krill, feed on the microscopic plants floating in the water and in turn eaten by the fishes. The crabs for example are also important predators. So, depletion or an increase of any of the crustacean species in the lake can disrupt its ecosystem. 

Among plant species, the very famous water hyacinth (Eichhorniacrassipes) is also introduced and became invasive aquatic plant (Joshi 2011) and its massive growths are evident not just in the Lake Lanao but in any freshwater habitats here in Mindanao. Water hyacinth, being labeled as the “ecosystem engineer” or “invasive habitat modifier” recently alarms the government since it clogs waterways causing destructing floods in Cotabato in 2011; it makes boat transport and fishing activities difficult, and obviously affecting fisheries productivity (MacKinnon, 2002).

 The main purpose of this study is to assess the indigenous, endemic mollusks and crustaceans; investigate the presence of introduced exotic (invasive) species in Lake Lanao and to evaluate their abundance, productivity and distribution. Importantly the study will try to assess the impacts of the introduce species (crustaceans and mollusks) in Lake ecosystem. 

The targeted mollusks to be studies are gastropods, bivalves and other classes of mollusks such as cephalopods. Though cephalopods are mainly found in the marine ecosystem, the researcher will find any of its presence in the lake. The targeted crustaceans to be studied are shrimps, crabs and others crustaceans that can be seen in Lake Lanao.

The study hopes to furnish basic information regarding introduced species in the lake and to provide basis for policy formulation and appropriate actions to be implemented in order to protect the endemic/indigenous species of Lake Lanao.

Lake Lanao is the second largest lake in the Philippines, wholly located within the province of Lanao del Sur. It is of great biological, ecological economic, and social importance – as the seat of evolution of an endemic species flock of cyprinids, as a sizable contributor to the local hydrologic cycle, as the source of water supply riving the Agus hydropower plants, and as the center of life and culture of its native inhabitants – the Maranaos who call themselves the “People of the Lake” (Hansel and Metillo 2016). The first extensive limnological study of Lake Lanao, which is included determination of some of its physical and chemical characteristics, was done by Frey (1969). This was continued by Lewis with his more in-depth field work performed in 1970-71 (Lewis 1973). Frey summarized his morphometric data for Lake Lanao as follows: area – 357 km2; volume – 21.5 km3; maximum depth – 112 m; mean depth (volume/area) – 60.3 m; replacement time (volume/mean annual discharge) – 6.5 years. His other findings showed that during mid-February to mid-March, the lake was essentially isothermal at 24.4 oC, then rapidly warmed to 26.5 oC. During May and June, the surface water warmed to almost 28 oC which was probably the maximum for that year. Lewis (1973) made a more exhaustive study on the occurrence of thermal stratification of Lake Lanao, showing it to be a monimictic lake. Freys additional findings show that dissolved oxygen ranged from 7.3-8.5 ppm at the top 12 m (trophogenic zone) and was slightly supersaturated (106%) from mid-May through mid-June. pH within the top 10 m ranged from 8.2 to 8.9. Methyl-orange alkalinity averaged about 1.2 m.eq. and conductivity about 120 micromhos (1 micromho = 1 microSiemens/cm). The 1% light intensity level varied from 11 to 25 m. Transparency was low during overturn. Since these first studies, various change has occurred. One was affecting the natural variation in the outflow of Lake Lanao, namely the construction of a Marawi Lake Regulation Dam at the mouth of Agus River, effectively making the lake itself its reservoir, which is started operation in 1992. The volume of lake outflow would influence the flushing rate, the rate at which water enters and leaves the lake relative to lake volume, usually expressed as time needed to replaced the lake volume with inflowing water, or its replacement time. Some unusual phenomena have taken place. The occurrence of a fish kill, diagnosed as epizootic ulcerative syndrome by an MSU Team (Escudero et al. 1998) was observed by Lake Lanao fisherman and lakeshore dwellers at around the latter part of December 1997. An unusual greening occurred in September 2006, wherein subsequent to its peak, a hydrobiological investigation of the lake was performed (Lagmay et al. 2006). These unusual occurrences point out the need for a regular periodic monitoring of the lake. Thus, this study sought to measure the current status of various physical and chemical characteristics of Lake Lanao. These include temperature, Secchi disk depth, pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, nutrients (nitrate-N, ammonia-N, total phosphorus), alkalinity, and chlorophyll-a, and 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD).

Gout is disease that predominantly occurs in men and post-menopausal women. Hyperuricemia which is caused by urate monohydrate crystal deposition in joints and kidneys is the underlying metabolic disorder in gout. The deposition of the urate crystals causes the inflammation of the joints. It has been linked to the development of other illness like hypertension, cancer, hyperlipidemia, diabetes and obesity. Xanthine oxidase is an enzyme found in the liver and the small intestinal mucosa, that oxidizes hypoxanthine to xanthine and xantine to uric acid which leads to hyperuricemia. Allopurinol, the commercially available drug for hyperuricemia and gout, is a purine analog that inhibits xanthine oxidase. It is very effective but it comes with a lot of serious side effects from allergic reactions to renal failure and liver malfunction It is for this reason that novel XO inhibitor alternatives must be discovered.

The Broad Mite, Polyphagotarsonemus latus, has been previously recorded on 45 host plants in the Philippines. Recently, P. latus was recollected from these host plants and 16 more were added to the list as new host records. Reported host plants of P. latus are dominated by the plant family Leguminosae with 13 species, but also include eight species of the family Solanaceae, five Cucurbitacea, four each of the families Asteraceae and Brassicaceae, three Malvaceae, two species each of the families Anacardicea, Euphorbiacea, Moraceae and two species each of Amaranthaceae, Basellaceae, Caricaceae, Convolvulacea, Dioscoreacea, Lauraceae, Myrtaceae, Portulacaceae, Tiliaceae, and Virtaceae. Weed hosts include two species of Convolvulaceae and one species of each of the families Asteraceae, Portulacaceae, Solanaceae, and Verbenaceae.

P. latus suck plant sap when feeding and injury is characterization by reduced size and deformed leaves, flowers and fruit, stunting and premature death of the infested plants. Growth inhibition and a decrease in leaf number and area, and aberrations in the whole leaf tissue, such as complete loss of epidermis and thickening and distortion of mesophyll cell walls are also manifested in some infested plants. Symptoms similar to those caused by virus diseases, herbicide toxicity and micronutrient can be attributed to the Broad Mite.

From the previous 10 predatory mite species reported associated with P. latus there are now 12 species, 10 of which belong to the family Phytoseiidae and one each to the Blattisoscidae (=Ascidae) and Cunaxidas. The most frequently found with the pest was Paraphytoseius orientalis, one of the 108 species of the family Phytoseiidae that have been reported from the country.

This taxonomic survey focused mostly on weed hosts to be able to know where P. latus is hen its crop hosts are not around; for instance, during harvest time, or before planting these crops. The study would like also to further the information on the diversity of predatory mites associated with P. latus, as well as other mites inhabiting weeds hosts of the latter and the litter underneath where predators may find alternate prey or refuge. The role of weeds on colonization and establishment of these predatory and other species for P. latus management focusing on biological and cultural methods would be better understood.

Actinomycetes are known to be major producers of antibiotics and other metabolites. Watve et. al. (2001) estimated that more than 105 antibiotics are produced by Streptomyces and only a small portion (3%) of these antibiotics have been discovered thus far. Antibiotics are the third largest pharmaceutical drug market segment with more than US$25.7 billion global sales in 2004 (vom Nussbaum, 2006).

The search for new antibiotics from microbes continue due to a) development of resistant pathogens, b) evolution of new diseases, c) the existence of naturally resistant bacteria, and d) the toxicity of some of the current compounds.

Antibiotic resistance is a major problem in the management of infections caused by pathogens that are resistant to multiple classes of antibiotics. Resistance could spread at interspecies and intergeneric levels when gene encoding resistance mechanism are transferred between pathogens.

The occurrence of various antibiotic-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus, historically known as MRSA is a global problem because of its virulence and high transmissibility, and because of limited treatment options for infected patients. Local investigators have reported the presence of MRSA in the Philippines. Ontengco et. al., (2004) showed that of 373 S. aureus isolated from in-patients of three tertiary hospitals from years 1999-2003, 18.2% (68) were comfirmed MRSA by oxacillin agar test, cefoxitin disk breakpoints, and the heterogenous expression with oxacillin disk. On the other hand, nosocomial gram-negative pathogens like Pseudomonas and members of the family Enterobacteriaceae are causing epidemics and outbreaks. They are also resistant to multiple antibiotics. When recovered from patients of the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), they are associated with increase mortality rates, prolonged hospital stay of survivors and increased healthcare cost.

Studies on acanthocephalans feature many aspects of parasite biology. These parasites are known to play important roles in shaping ecosystems through regulation of their hosts’ population structure. Studies have also shown both their potential as agents of disease upon reaching epizootic levels and biomonitors of anthropogenic disturbances. Hence, this research was conducted to identify the acanthocephalan fauna of the Philippine freshwater fishes and to generate baseline information on their infection dynamics in their fish hosts. It also aimed to determine the pathogenicity of acanthocephalans in their fish hosts as well as their efficiency as bioindicators of heavy metal pollution in aquatic ecosystems. Fishes were collected in the wild from Seven Lakes of San Pablo Laguna namely; Bunot, Calibato, Mohicap, Palakpakin, Pandin, Sampaloc, and Yambo Lake, from February 2013 – March 2015. Freshwater fishes include Carassius carassius (Crucian carp), Channa striata (Snakehead murrel), Cyprinus carpio (Common carp), Giuris margaritacea (Snakehead gudgeon), Glossogobius giuris (White goby), Leiopotherapon plumbeus (Tiger perch), Oreochromis niloticus (Nile tilapia), Parachromis managuensis (Jaguar guapote), Red Nile tilapia, and Vieja sp. (Flowerhorn). Species of Acanthocephala namely Acanthogyrus sp. was found in all the lakes. It was found to frequently infect O. niloticus, P. managuensis, Vieja sp. and Red Nile tilapia all belonging to F. Cichlidae. Highest infection rate of Acanthogyrus sp. in O. niloticus was recorded in Palakpakin, followed by Sampaloc, Pandin, Yambo, Mohicap, Bunot, and Calibato Lake with prevalence values of 79.4%, 73.0%, 71.5%, 51.1%, 50.9%, 48.7% and 31.3%, respectively. The overall mean intensity was four parasites per fish in the Seven Lakes, with Palakpakin showing the highest (9 parasites per fish), and Calibato Lake as the lowest (1 parasite per fish). Furthermore, observed prevalence was higher during dry season (56.6%) than wet season (55.0%). Similar trend was observed on the mean intensity with value of 5.0 ± 3.0 and 3.0 ± 1.0 during dry and wet season, respectively. The potential use of acanthocephalan parasites as heavy metal bioindicator in aquatic ecosystem was investigated. Parasitized fish accumulated lower lead (Pb) concentration (7.64 mg/kg) than in the uninfected fish (21.87 mg/kg). Parasites recovered from the infected fish accumulated higher Pb concentrations (10.13 mg/kg) than the fish liver (6.19 mg/kg), intestine (2.80 mg/kg), and muscle (0.75 mg/kg). Also, parasites showed Pb bioaccumulation capacity which was 3015 times higher than the established bivalve bioindicator, Corbicula fluminea. The uptake of Pb by acanthocephalan, Acanthogyrus sp. is clearly beneficial to its host and is therefore valuable as environmental indicators, particularly for assessing aquatic heavy metal pollution. Further analyses were conducted to evaluate the effect of the parasites on the general health of its hosts. Hematological and histological manifestations of the parasitized fish were evident but revealed no severe effect on the overall health of its fish hosts. Likewise, pattern of distribution of the parasites infecting the fish host population was found to be highly aggregated (D=0.73) which implies that a general healthy fish populations is maintained. However, superinfections in the host could cause serious epizootics particularly during an adverse condition in the environment. This study could serve as baseline information for future investigation on acanthocephalans and their role in shaping ecosystems in the Philippines. In addition, this study demonstrates the emerging potential use of parasites as monitors of environmental quality implying a novel role as sentinels of metal pollution in aquatic ecosystem.

Estrogenic pollutants have been the focus of numerous research undertakings in contemporary ecotoxicology. Exposure to these endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) has caused reproductive impairment in vulnerable organisms. The presence of 17β-estradiol (E2), an estrogenic endocrine disruptor, has been confirmed in Laguna de Bay. Effects that corresponded to estrogen exposure in caged male fish were also observed (Paraso and Capitan, 2012). E2 is a pollutant of either human or animal origin that reaches the aquatic environment via untreated sewage effluent. The public health implications of EDC exposure have warranted the adoption of the “precautionary approach” for endocrine disruptors in advanced countries like US, Canada and Europe. In effect, relevant environmental policies and/or regulations have been implemented that would inhibit, if not, minimize the release of these compounds into the environment “in advance of scientific certainty to prevent harm to humans and the environment” (O'Riordan and Jordan, 1995). Most local freshwater systems serve as a sink to domestic, agricultural and industrial effluent. Coupled with the lack of sewage treatment plants in the country, contamination of bodies of water with estrogenic pollutants is highly probable but remains largely unstudied. However, in addition to screening surface waters for the presence of these compounds, assessing exposure impacts on the aquatic biota should also be endeavored. The use of biomarkers as tools for monitoring estrogenic contamination of aquatic ecosystems has gained popularity in recent years. Biomarkers are biochemical or cellular alterations that may be attributed to the occurrence and magnitude of toxicants; thus, may serve as early warning signals (van der Oost et al., 2003). Measurement and characterization of these biomarkers not only gauge overall fish health but also aid in the identification of pollution hotspots. There is currently a paucity of published data on the impact of estrogenic pollutants on aquatic organisms in the Philippines, particularly those measured by biomarkers. This research project was aimed at evaluating sensitive fish biomarkers that may be utilized as parameters to determine contamination of Laguna de Bay with environmental estrogens. Vitellogenin response, a biomarker of exposure to these compounds, were assessed in feral fish together with liver and gonad histopathology parameters, and gross indices such as the gonadosomatic index (GSI) and hepatopancreas-somatic index (HPSI). The information gained in this research is hoped to establish the applicability and sensitivity of biomarkers in measuring and assessing estrogenic contamination of local freshwater resources.

Sight word recognition is an essential reading skill for beginning readers. When a child can read a word instantly without hesitation, it can be said that that word is a sight word for that child. The term sight word can refer to any word that is taught or must be learned by sight rather than through analysis of the parts (Cooper and Kiger, 2005). Sight words, also called high frequency sight words, are commonly used words that young children are encouraged to learn as a whole by sight, so that they can automatically recognize these words in print without having to use any strategies to decode.

Sight words account for a large percentage of the words used in beginning children's print material. The advantage for children being able to recognize sight words automatically is that beginning readers will be able identify the majority of words in a beginning text before they even attempt to read it; therefore, allowing the child to concentrate on meaning and comprehension as they read without having to stop and decode every single word.

On the other hand, word lists are collections of words that must be part of the sight words of a chiled in a specific grade level. Unlike dictionaries that provide list of words of a child in a specific grade level. Unlike dictionaries that provide list of words and their definitions, word lists can be used as a tool for assessing a child's word recognition skill as well as basis for developing reading materials for specific grade levels. An example is the DolchBasic Sight Word (Dolch, 1942) which consists of 220 high-frequency words divided into lists from pre-primer to grade three. Another is Fry's Word List which is made up of 1000 of the most commonly used words in the English language.

The Philippines is a multilingual nation with more than 170 languages being spoken nationwide. With the implementation of the Mother Tongue Curriculum in grades K-3 which uses 19 Philippine Languages, there is perceived need to develop wordlists in these languages. This need is compounded by the fact that not much instructional materials in the mother tongues, as well tools assessing reading skills such as sight word recognition and fluency, have been developed yet for these pupils in the primary grade.

This project aims to generate basic information on S. dorsalis being an invasive pest of mango. The intrinsic and extrinsic factors that contribute to its persistence will be identified. The localization of different population from several mango growing areas as influenced by its parthenogenetic trait will be determined as well as the biology and behavior of S. dorsalis on different hosts.

The study would determine the present population status of the introduced species (Hypseleotris agilis and Glossogobius giurus) believed to have proliferated to such an extent that they affect the population of the endemic species, as wells as the remaining endemic species (only two, Puntius tumba and P. lindog are believed to be extant). Morphological characterization of these species would also be accomplished. The study would also do spawning and fecundity measurements. 

Present studies have shown populations of endemic species in Lake Lanao are declining (Escudero, 1984). Ismael (2011) in her survey of endemic species listed only two: Puntius tumba and P. lindog, of the 18 endemic described listed by Herre in 1924. Both these fishes are listed as endangered (Fishbase, 2004). 

These surveys were focused on the fish catch by fishermen which usually go fishing in established fishing areas within the Lake itself. The collection/sampling sites in this present study would focus on the streams and rivers that drain into the Lake, using fish traps and fishing nets. Fish landing surveys will also be accomplished in several fish landing zones to gather the total weight of each kind of fish landed.    

This is a qualitative research using case study method that will look into the cultural metaphors of the poor on poverty, development and education. Moreover, the investigation of how the mindsets, concepts, and ideas were formed will serve as bases in creating education model/s or education policies to empower the poor so that they can develop themselved and their communities.

Poverty is pervasive in the mountainous region of Cordillera. In addition, food security and sustainability of the environment remain a challenge to people in the region. In response to these challenges, technologies are being tested, experimented, and proven. Despite research and development on appropriate technologies, there has been little effort to bring back and share research results to communities and to people who need them. This research project focused on how research-based information on 4 nutrient-water dynamics, biodiversity, and agricultural productivity in muyong (traditional forest) and payoh (rice terrace) systems can be communicated, evaluated, and translated into a policy brief to benefit farmers and their families in Banaue, Ifugao.

The muyong functions to: 1) provide irrigation water, litter, fuel wood and wood; 2) prevent downslope erosion; and 3) maintain soil fertility and biodiversity. The payoh uses sunflower as organic fertilizer to manage soil fertility and to preserve indigenous and local rice varieties (Macandog et al., 2009). Project Number E-216 was one of three projects under the NRCP-funded program on understanding and communicating nutrient and water dynamics, earthworm composition, and vegetation in the muyong-payoh system in Banaue, Ifugao. The other two projects were Project Numbers E-214 and E-215 carried out in 2012-2013. Dr. Damasa Macandog’s Project E-214 studied nutrient and water dynamics, plant biodiversity, and agricultural productivity in the muyong-payoh system. Project E-215, conducted by Dr. Nestor Baguinon, investigated earthworm species composition in an Ifugao muyong-payoh as they varied with vegetation and soil gradients. These two projects were carried out prior to the implementation of Project E-216. Both projects were implemented in Banaue, Ifugao. Projects E-214 and E-215 provided scientific results as inputs into the communication, evaluation, and policy formulation of popularized research-based information in Banaue, Ifugao. The research results of these two projects were used in Project E-216 to inform and educate farmers and other stakeholders on indigenous technologies and practices relevant to their muyong and payoh systems. Project E-216 focused on how to communicate, evaluate, and formulate policy on the research-based findings of Projects E-214 and E-215. Through communication and understanding of popularized research-based information on the muyong-payoh system, the farmers and other stakeholders were expected to be empowered to make the right decision and take proper action on using technologies to improve their farm production. The results of the evaluation of research-based information provided insights on the immediate effects as well as effectiveness of communication materials and methods used among the farmers and other relevant stakeholders. The evaluation findings also generated directions for future research on the physical and social sciences. Further, the evaluation results showed what aspects of the communication research or of the indigenous technologies can be improved.

Antibiotics have revolutionized medicine in many aspects, and their discovery is considered a turning point in human history. Nevertheless, the major consequence of the use of antibiotics is the contaminant development of resistance against them, thus there is a decline in the number of new antibiotics approved for clinical use. Terrestrial Actinobacteria have severed as a primary source of antibiotics for more than five decades, however, a rapid decrease in the discovery of new effective antibiotics strongly necessitates new approaches or drawing interest to new ecological niche such as marine sediments. Actinobacteria thriving in unexplored marine sediments, represent untapped sources of potentially new bioactive compounds such as antimicrobials. The Philippines is uniquely positioned in the tropics that host very diverse marine organisms and microorganism. The Actinobacteria thriving in the Philippine marine sediments have not been explored for its antibiotic potential, thus we focused our investigation on isolating unique and diverse marine sediment-derived actinobacteria from the Philippines as resource for new antibiotics. We collected marine sediments from eleven Islands (Unisa Island, Nogas Island, Seco Island, Mararison, Island Batbatan Island, Danjugan Island, Apo Island, Sumilon Island, Balicasag Island, Olotayan Island, and Crocodile Island) in Western and Central Visayas, and Isolated marine sediment-derived actinobacteria by culture dependent isolation technique. We now have a library of 2,406 marine sediment derived actinobacteria isolates from Western and Central Visayas.

The island group of Siargao (coordinates: 9° 52’ N, 126° 03’ E) is a complex of over 50 islands, islets, reefs, and atolls, of which the islands of Siargao and Bucas are the largest and the most populated. It is located northeast of Mindanao and east of Dinagat Islands, between Dinagat Sound and the Pacific Ocean. Siargao falls under the political jurisdiction of Siargao del Norte, Province and is comprised of nine municipalities under the province’s first district, namely, Burgos, Dapa, Del Carmen, General Luna, San Benito, Pilar, San Isidro, Santa Monica, and Socorro and with a total of 132 barangays. In territory size, the largest is Del Carmen (with 20,189 hectares) and the smallest is Burgos (1,905 hectares). The island group of Siargao is a protected area and is collectively known as Siargao Island Protected Landscape and Seascape (SIPLAS).

Siargao island group occupies an area of 62,796 hectares. Terrain is generally rugged and mountainous with numerous low hills and mountain ranges that straddle the islands, but none of which reach heights of no more that 300 meters. The basal rocks of Siargao and adjacent islands are composed of limestone karst. The soil type of Bucas Island and adjoining islands is ultramafic and is rich in mineral ores. In contrast to other surrounding islands (such as Dinagat and nearby islands), the islands of Siargao have not been strip-mined for precious metals.

Many of the islands in the Siargao group, especially the low-lying hills and mountain ranges, are still covered with sizeable tracts of various types of forest: forest over limestone karst, forest over ultramafic rocks, beach forest, and mangrove forest. Mangroves are especially extensive at the western region of Siargao at the Municipality of Del Carmen; smaller tracts occur at inland bays of Siargao, Bucas, and adjacent smaller islands. This type of habitat is among the most threatened in the Philippines and has greatly declined in the area. This makes Siargao one of the most important areas in the Philippines in terms of biodiversity conservation of mangroves.

SIPLAS is one of the key biodiversity areas of the Philippines and was declared as a protected area by virtue of Presidential Proclamation 902 in October 1996. Its marine and terrestrial biodiversity, however, remains poorly studied. For instance, no major biological expedition to survey the region’s terrestrial biodiversity has been undertaken since the early 1970’s. A series of surveys of the marine biodiversity of Siargao was conducted in the late 1990’s but were limited to a few sites.

We propose to conduct biological field surveys at 5-10 sites across the mangrove forests of Del Carmen of Siargao Island in order to assess the degree of diversity and abundance of flora (phytoplankton, marine algae, seagrass, flowering plants) and fauna (zooplankton, crustaceans, marine fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals).

Studies on these groups will center on qualitative and quantitative description and analysis of patterns of species richness, abundance, distribution, and habitat preferences. By generating this scientific information, this project will directly support efforts by the local government office of the Municipality of Del Carmen, Siargao, and of the Province of Surigao del Norte to have the mangrove ecosystem in the Municipality of Del Carmen be recognized as a wetland of international importance as one of the Ramsar sites in the world.

This project will directly support efforts by the local government of Del Carmen and the Province of Surigao del Norte to the Siargao Island impact future conservation efforts in the Philippines and will provide unique insights into patterns of distribution, abundance, species richness, and dispersal abilities across a diverse group of vertebrates.

Extreme environments like subterranean caves are promising natural sources of antibiotic-producing microorganisms. As the prevalence of multiple drug- and extremely resistant pathogenic microorganisms increases globally, a continuous need for a new pool of defense through the bioactive secondary metabolites produced by bacteria such as Streptomyces spp. is essential. The assessment of the microbial diversity of Philippines caves is not popular among local scientists due to the physical risks involved and the very limited information available that will verify the existence of important species. Our studies however proved otherwise. Philippine limestone caves proved to be good sources of potentially new, biologically active microorganisms with potential socio-economic and medical importance. This research initiative is under the umbrella research program of the UPLB Museum of Natural History on Cave Biodiversity. Our team pioneered the study on cave microbial diversity and continues to discover new species and records of microorganisms with food, medical, agricultural and industrial applications.

Our team, initiated studies on the microbial diversity of caves found in Polillo Islands, Quezon with the support from the UPLB Basic Research Program. We also isolated new records of biofilm-forming and lactic acid bacteria and filamentous fungi from caves in Panay Islands; Cavinti, Laguna; Atimonan, Quezon, Biak-na-Bato, Bulacan; Boac, Marinduque and Cacupangan, Pangasinan funded by the UPLB MNH Core funds. The metagenome of bat guano collected from Mabini, Pangasinan was determined through a combination of Next Generation Sequencing using Illumina and bioinformatic analyses (De Leon et al., 2018). This pioneering research was funded by the DA-BAR/UP NSRI Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship and in collaboration with the Korean Collection for Type Cultures. Novel species and new record of Streptomyces spp., an actinobacterium, isolated from the same cave proved the abundance of potential Streptomyces spp. From bat guano (De Leon et al., 2018). These are kept in store in the UPLB MNH Microbial Culture Collections.

These interesting discoveries led us to further this research through this proposal that aims to screen the Streptomyces spp. isolated from bat guano of Cabalyorisa Cave, Mabini, Pangasinan for antimicrobial properties against selected multiple drug resistant (MDR) pathogenic bacteria. This will be done through screening of the Streptomyces spp. isolated from the bat guano of Cabalyorisa Cave, Mabini, Pangasinan for antibacterial activity against drug-resistant (DRB) and drug-susceptible bacteria (DSB) such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp., Enterobacter spp., Enterococcus spp. and Escherichia coli. The Streptomyces spp. isolated from Cabalyorisa Cave have been identified phenotypically and genotypically and validated to be new records and new species of Streptomyces.

All the Streptomyces spp. will be screened for antibiotic production against resistant and susceptible pathogenic bacteria (clinical isolates and reference strains) available at the Dr. Pablo O. Torre Sr. Memorial Hospital TB Culture Center (DPOTSMH-TBCC). This antibacterial assay will be done at DPOTSMH-TBCC by a DOH-accredited and certified TB Technologist. Antibacterial assay will follow the recommended protocol by the Department of Health Drug Susceptibility Testing (DOH DST). Further phenotypic and genotypic characterizations using conventional morpho-cultural, rapid biochemical and molecular characterization (16S rRNA sequencing) will be done to identify the putative strains of MDR Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MDR-TB) with susceptibility against the Streptomyces filtrates. Phenotypic and genotypic characterization will be done in the UPLB MNH Microbial Culture Collection and at the Korean Collection of Type Cultures for validation of new species. The bioactive secondary metabolites of selected high activity strains of Streptomyces will be profiled using the Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography in the UPLB Institute of Chemistry.

This is the first time that a study will screen Streptomyces spp. isolated and identified from bat guano of Philippine cave. In 2014, Nordenfjäll of Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences published a similar study on microorganisms isolated from several soil and plant samples including a sample of bat guano from the Philippines and were screened for antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus spp. and Pseudomonas spp. Aside from this report, there were no related or similar studies of such kind reported or published in the country.

This proposal will initially focus on screening the Streptomyces spp. from bat guano of Mabini, Pangasinan for antibacterial activity against DRB and DSB. The success of this study will be used to other known multiple drug resistant (MDR) pathogenic bacteria and fungi in future research projects. This will provide sustainable and cheaper natural sources of antibiotic that can provide a new line of defense for DRB such as the multiple drug resistant (MDR), extensively drug resistant (XDR) and pandrug resistant (PDR) in the near future.

This is a basic research project that deals with the production and exchange of bronze/brass gongs and bamboo/wood instruments and of traditional verbal arts among coastal Moslem Maguindanaon peoples on one hand and the highland groups on the other such as the non-Moslem Teduray, Manobo Dulangan, and Blaan. The distribution of gongs and bamboo instruments and diffusion of verbal arts in a landscape indicate patterns of cross-cultural relations and intercultural symbiosis between the two major groups. These exchanges in music are crucial to the groups' adaptation to the varying physical and social ecologies. In the study, I will map out where musical instrument bossed gongs are made, where they are traded and for what social meanings, and how these trading routes may reveal older patterns of sedentarization, movements of people within and outside the provinces of Maguindanao and the two Cotabatos. I will also include a mapping of traditional verbals arts (spoken or sung) and do intensive ethnographic interviewing concerning musics’ social functions and practices. It will examine the changing "lives of these objects" among the peoples who use them through time, thus tracing the pathways of their diffusion in particular geo-political spaces. This study concerns the area in Lake Buluan, the source of Pulangi River, which empties to Cotabato City on one side and which is opposite to another route that is in Sarangani Bay. Because the main group of people in the Philippines comes from the Austronesian language stock, this study will provide clues to a resilient lowland-highland social co-existence based on reciprocal socio-economic ties that have existed for a very long time. These music instruments are compelling evidences of fluid and unbounded social exchanges since at least the Austronesians entered Mindanao via Butuan River. By mapping the flows of gongs and bamboo instruments in Maguindanao, one appreciates the cultural flows of ideas, goods, and peoples in an important but less studied part of our archipelago.

Water is a precondition to food production and economic growth. As population increases and the economy develops, more water is withdrawn from rivers and aquifers to support the production of food, fiber and services for the growing population with a higher standard of living. Increasing demands for water by agricultural, domestic, industrial and hydropower sectors have led to increasing competition and water supply shortages. Unabated demand for water by different sectors will lead to overexploitation of water resources and degradation of natural water environment. The impacts on climate change exacerbate water availability issues and the risks from extreme flood and drought events in the region.

The study covers watersheds draining to Lanao Lake. These watersheds drain to Lake Lanao and are plagued with several issues. Among these are (1) changes in climatological conditions affecting rainfall irregularity and intensity and reduction of annual rainfall; (2) land degradation as a cause of deforestation, quarrying and agricultural activities encroachment; (3) uneven distribution of water among water users and others (DENR-INREMP). 
Lake Lanao is situated in Lanao Del Sur of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) which is considered as the largest lake in Mindanao and second in the Philippines. Moreover, it is considered as one of the 15 ancient lakes in the world. The lake was declared as watershed reserve area under the National Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act or Republic Act 7586. The lake has 5 watersheds with 336 hectares of inland water and 36,300 hectares surface area. Lake Lanao is facing several issues and challenges. A study conducted by Jose et. al. in 1996 observed that there was a decrease of water inflow during ENSO events in Lake Lanao. If unmonitored, this could be a potential threat to energy sector since 70% of electricity used by Mindanao is sourced from hydroelectric plants installed in the Lake and Agus River. Protection of the watersheds draining to the Lake is very important. 
Effective management of water resources requires comprehensive understanding of the interrelations between the different factors that influence water catchment behavior and the resulting water yields. The project will generate science-based information to support formulation of plans and programs for sustainable management and conservation of freshwater resources. Sustainable management leads to water-secure future and sustain economic growth.
 

In the Philippines, studies and monitoring programs on the extent of toxic heavy metal contamination remains to be limited, despite the persisting issues on food safety and security. Although the EMB-DENR has an existing heavy metal monitoring activity, their mandate is limited for now on selected aquatic ecosystems (National Water Quality Status Report 2006-2013). The DA, for its part, requires the analysis of heavy metals and other water pollutants in wastewater prior to the issuance of certification for latter’s re-use for the purposes of irrigation and other agricultural uses. Based on extensive literature review and personal communications with EMB-DENR and DA, a national program specific for the regular monitoring of heavy metals in agricultural lands is non-existent to date. Thus, in support to the mandated functions of EMB-DENR and DA, this proposed project takes on the initiative to generate basic/baseline information vital in remediation technologies towards a revolutionized Philippine health care system and improved farming systems for vegetables. Indeed, remediation of heavy metal contaminated soils is required inorder to reduce the associated risks, make the land resource available for agricultural production, enhance food security and scale down land tenure problems arising from changes in the land use pattern. The proposed project generally aims to determine the extent of contamination of Cd, Hg, and Pb – heavy metals with potential adverse effects on human health and farming productivity – in agricultural soils and vegetables in selected organic and conventional farms within the Provinces of Laguna (e.g., Los Baños, Bay, Calauan, Victoria, Pila, Kalayaan, and Majayjay) and Quezon (e.g., Tayabas and Sariaya). Farm-selection will be purposive, targeting those that are located near the possible sources of heavy metals (e.g., vegetable farms in the towns Calauan and Bay, Laguna where MakBan Geothermal Plant is located as well as farms close to the coal-fired power plants in Quezon), farms involved in the long-term use of utilize synthetic fertilizers and pesticides as well as those that use wastewater irrigation. Detection and quantitation of heavy metal concentration will utilize quantitative elemental spectrometry with the assistance of a registered chemist along with active consultation with experts from the UP Los Baños. Human health risks indices will be estimated as well, to understand the corresponding risk implications as to the extent of contamination with the targeted heavy metal on public health.

Results of this proposed project are expected to serve as baseline information that are deemed relevant to policy recommendations, enhanced and sustainable farming practices, improved campaign on food safety and security, and mitigation of public health risks. The proposed project is aligned with the current priority programs of the 2017-2022 National Integrated Basic Research Agenda (NIBRA) of the NRCP as well as PCAARRD’s Vegetable Industry Strategic Program, as it will contribute to food safety and security. In addition, the proposed project is an opportunity for collaborative R&D activities between the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) and Laguna State Polytechnic University (LSPU), through which proactive mentoring of developing institutions like LSPU by established research universities like UPLB is highly encouraged. The LSPU’s faculty researchers and students alike are considered direct R&D mentoring beneficiaries, capacitating these people to conduct responsive R&D activities in the region. Moreover, the implementation of this proposed project justifies the establishment/functionalization of LSPU’s Science Research Facility that was recently funded by PCAARRD-DOST, in line with government’s initiatives and efforts on regional scientific development. In addition, to promote the project as GAD-relevant, selection of partner-farms will ensure that a balance between male and female participants will included in the project. Faculty researchers and student mentees will also consider equal number of male and female as recipients of research mentoring.

With the declining number of healthy freshwater ecosystems in the country, we must preserve our remaining water resources and restore those that are impaired. To achieve this, the project will develop the Philippine Biotic Index (PBI), which is a simple, rapid and cost-effective bioassessment tool which utilizes benthic macroinvertebrates as sensitive bioindicators. This multimetric index will serve as a standard tool for a national-scale bioassessment of the state of stream ecosystems and thus addressing a specific gap in the implementation of the Philippine Clean Water Act, which is the assessment of water quality using bioindicators. Finally, this project will provide scientific inputs in the formulation of a national policy for the protection and restoration of freshwater ecosystems in the country.

Mastitis infection is a prevalent disease in dairy animals characterized by the inflammation of the mammary gland of the infected animal. Mastitis infection affects both quality and quantity of milk thus causing severe economic burden to dairy farmers worldwide. In the Philippines, the rapidly growing population and strong economic growth is pushing further the demand for milk. However, the prevalence of mastitis infection undermines the government’s efforts in improving local dairy industry. The country is hoping to increase local milk production from its current measly levels which only accounts roughly at 1% of the total supply. The common farm practice in addressing mastitis infection is the administration of antibiotic to farm animals. This practice however have multiple negative implications as it results to high volume of milk wastage as well as high risk of residual antibiotic contamination in milk. Antibiotic contamination in food have been shown to pose adverse health effects to humans. A more serious dimension of antibiotic contamination in food is on its linked to the emergence of antibiotic resistance in many bacterial pathogens. Meanwhile, bacteriocins are antimicrobial compounds that have been utilized as a food-grade antimicrobial agent in many industrialized countries. These compounds are inherently potent against mastitis-causing bacterial pathogens such as Streptococcus agalactiae, Corynebacterium bovis, and Staphylococcus aureus. This proposed research undertaking hopes to establish the utility of bacteriocin-based prophylactic and therapeutic formulation against mastitis infection in dairy cattle. The success of this proposed project should benefit dairy farmers by providing access to food-grade alternative for the prevention and control of mastitis infection. This proposed research undertaking is aligned to the government’s efforts for the development of the local dairy industry. The food-grade nature of bacteriocins should also address the problem of residual antibiotic contamination in milk from

The overall goal of PHILMARINE-BLI is to identify promising BLI lead compounds from marine sediment-derived Actinomycetes from Tubbataha Reefs stored in the University of San Agustin biobank. We will combine the actinomycete extracts with common beta-lactams and discover combinations with activity against well-characterized, beta-lactam-resistant, Gram-negative pathogens circulating in the Philippines. The PHILMARINE-BLI project will be structured as described below and in the graphical abstract.

Characterization of BLA-inactivation genes of Gram-negative clinical isolates at a tertiary hospital in the Philippines. Different genes that encode for beta-lactamases from unique strains of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa will be identified. This part of the project will produce an exclusive panel of beta-lactam-resistant, genetically characterized, clinical isolates with Filipino origin.

Primary screen for inhibitory activity of crude extracts from Philippine marine actinomycetes when used in combination with commonly used beta-lactam antibiotics against Gram-negative clinical isolates at a tertiary hospital in the Philippines. These in vitro experiments in bacterial cell culture will select promising crude extracts with inhibitory activity when used in combination therapy (with no antibacterial activity when used alone).

Secondary screen for enzyme-targeted inhibitory activity of BLI-containing actinomycete crude extracts using commercially available purified serine- and metallo-beta-lactamases. These in vitro studies using pure enzymes will test promising crude extracts with inhibitory activities against serine- or metallo-beta-lactamases (or both).

Bioactivity-guided isolation of beta-lactamase inhibitors from the chosen extracts and determination of their enzyme binding via in silico docking and molecular dynamics simulation. This section will provide the identity of BLI lead compounds in the screened extracts, elucidate molecular interactions with serine- or metallo-beta-lactamases, and gain an understanding of possible mechanisms-of-inhibition.

This component project proposal is part of a bigger program proposal, which intends to assess the vulnerability of both limnetic and littoral areas of post-eruption Lake Taal. The two projects that were proposed have a similar framework: (a) look into changes in the lake’s water quality, (b) assess the stability of an important catch fisheries target, (c) determine the community structure of primary consumers that may act serve as an important dietary source for fish communities, (d) and look into the trophic interactions of all elements to provide sound policy recommendations for both littoral and limnetic areas of Lake Taal. On our end, we propose to investigate differences in Biya population characteristics and habits, macroinvertebrate community structure, and coastal water quality and enrichment because of ash deposition.

Assessing the interactions among lake biota is a proven, effective measure and gold standard for lake rehabilitation. Such researches are successfully utilized in providing good recommendations for altered freshwater ecosystems (Lake et al. 2001). However, trophic interactions in lake ecosystems are complex. That is why we need to characterize both benthic and pelagic pathways which undergo different processes but are equally important for understanding the whole-lake perspective (Carpenter & Kitchell 1993, Jeppensen et al. 2005, Vadeboncoeur et al. 2002).

This project aims to update our knowledge on the potential impacts of the January 12, 2020 volcanic eruption of Taal Volcano on an integral component of the Lake Taal ecosystem and its primary food source: the endemic and now endangered freshwater sardine, Sardinella tawilis and the zooplankton community of Lake Taal, particularly its preferred prey – the copepods.

Prior to the January 12, 2020 eruption, our studies have been able to document zooplanktivory (and therefore the preferred prey) in the endemic S.tawilis (Papa et al., 2008), the species composition, and spatio-temporal distribution of zooplankton in open water and fish cage areas in Lake Taal (Papa et al., 2011; Papa and Zafaralla, 2011, Papa et al., 2012a, Papa et al., 2013), the confirmation of the occurrence of an invasive calanoid copepod (Arctodiaptomus dorsalis) in Lake Taal (Papa et al., 2012b), the co-occurrence and morphometrics of two calanoid species in Lake Taal (Papa and Zafaralla, 2011; Papa et al., 2012a; De Leon et al., 2016; Papa et al., 2017; Guinto et al., 2018), an initial attempt to use stable isotopes in confirming the trophic position of another Lake Taal endemic species – Hydrophis semperi (Garcia et al., 2014) and a study on the archived water quality and meteorological data which recommended changes in the monitoring scheme being employed in Lake Taal (Mendoza et al., 2019). Although these publications have improved the current state of scientific knowledge on Lake Taal, the recent declaration of S. tawilis as an endangered species (Santos et al., 2018) and the increased volcanic activity in Taal Volcano starting last January 2020 together with the previously identified anthropogenic influences on the limnology of the lake (aquaculture, excessive nutrient inputs, the alteration of lake littoral zones) all justify a renewed interest to study the zooplanktivory of S. tawilis.

The project will visualize the largely invisible water resource that runs underneath the ground. The UP Cebu Center for Environmental Informatics (CENVI) has experience in data processing techniques for generating map visualizations of geospatial data from satellites and other sources. GRNDH2O.ph will utilize sensors for deployment to multiple monitoring wells across the study area. These wells have direct access to the underlying aquifer system; hence, extracting real-time data from these wells will provide vital information on the groundwater state of health. The sensor system will emerge from the Open Data Kit (ODK) platform for mobile devices, which allows for offline data acquisition. Mobile-based data collection will suit the Philippine urban setting because many wells are in areas where communication infrastructure is non-existent or has poor performance. The idea is to collect data from as many wells as possible, regardless of transport access and communication constraints. GRNDH2O.ph will create a map of the data to visualize, ideally in real-time, the changes that occur to the groundwater resource as a function of urban development and climate change. Although mathematical models that propose to relate these variables with the state of groundwater resources are available, the availability of timely data will significantly enhance the accuracy and predictive value of such models for decision-making purposes. 

This project aims to enhance the biohydrogen production of PNSB strain using some physiological parameter optimizations, cell immobilization, photobioreactor design, and strain improvement. The physiological improvement may use a response surface methodology to obtain the optimal dosage or condition of each parameter in response to hydrogen yield or productivity. For cell immobilization, common immobilization techniques will be applied to investigate the importance of cell immobilization in hydrogen production of PNSB. From this data, necessary material modification will be made for a better immobilization system. Corresponding improvement of the photobioreactor will also be implemented. In this scheme, an array of light will be placed inside a photobioreactor instead of the usual external lighting source. More importantly, strain modification will be made to further enhance the biological hydrogen production of PNSB. Overexpression of nitrogenase, and/or deletion of hydrogenase and/or polyhydroxyalkanoate-synthase of PNSB may be carried as part of the genetic modification process.

 (See section: Rationale)

See section: Rationale

(See section: Rationale)

This project component will work on the design of each of the membrane distiller set-up using solar energy. Later on, after each component has been successfully fabricated, the integration of each component will follow. Modifications and revisions of the designed is expected vis-à-vis its trial runs. There are three universities and at least one industry that are involved in the conception and integration of the design. An initial design will be presented to the group. Each group will have an assigned component for further research and later on, its fabrication. USC will give the initial design and introduce the SBS machine for the membrane fabrication. XU and USTP will lead in the further research and fabrication of the different components. XU will be tasked for the Thermal insulator / convective reducer and Solar radiation absorber / heat converter. USTP will be tasked for the Membrane-distiller design, heat sink and collection system. COWD and MBDA will give input on the practical design as well as the materials needed for its fabrication. Fabrication of the membranes will be carried out in USC, while integration of the components and its initial runs will be carried out in XU and USTP.

This proposed project will develop a heat map or a hotspot map describing the extent of microplastic contamination in the major aquatic environments in Mindanao. In particular, the sites of interest where the survey will be conducted are the major rivers and bays in Mindanao, such as Butuan Bay, Agusan River, Macajalar Bay (Cagayan de Oro), Cagayan River, Moro Gulf, Liguasan Marsh, Davao Gulf, and Davao River. Microplastic assessment will be done in various samples, fish, sediments, water, and other aquatic microorganisms. Likewise, preliminary identification of microplastics will be done using FT-IR analysis. Also, potential screening of stress biomarkers will be determined. Coordination with the different LGUs will be done as to the conduct of the sample collection, presentation of results, and the development of policy notes.

The project is more on biological approach to gather information to mitigate conflicts and zoonosis in tourist areas and nearby communities where humans and long-tailed macaques interact. The study aims to understand the behavior of long-tailed macaques in human-modified landscapes in Leyte and Mindanao, and how habitat types or the presence of tourism can affect their behaviors. Moreover, the change of behavior of macaques is also linked to the possible change in macaques’ diet and preferences which could affect the species’ natural ecological functions and health. To have a better representation of macaques’ behavior and ecology, this project will be conducted for 2-year duration using scientifically accepted methodologies. A collaboration between researchers with different fields in biology is also a requirement in this project, such as staff specializing in taxonomy, and zoology. Aside from knowledge generation through publications and conference presentations, this project also aims to conduct awareness campaign in the local communities to increase positive perception and attitude towards wildlife in the area. Research-based policies will also be recommended to the Local Government Units of the sites, and to the management offices of the tourist spots. 

This project will provide information on the prevalence and intensity of gastrointestinal parasites in long-tailed macaques, local residents (who have been directly or indirectly exposed to macaques and their wastes) and environmental samples, possible cross transmission of zoonotic parasites, and evaluation of different risk factors associated with the occurrence of gastrointestinal parasites in human-macaque interface. To have substantial knowledge and better understanding on the transmission dynamics of parasites in human-macaque interface are essential in the mitigation of possible zoonotic/anthroponotic transmission of parasitic infection in the area. The results of this project will also contribute to the possible recommendation of policies that will help promote public health protection, reduction of parasitic infection risks to macaques, tourists and local residents and to have sustainable eco-tourism in the study areas. spots. Information generated from this study will also be used to formulate the Vulnerability Index of tourist areas in terms of zoonosis and conflict. 

This project will provide information on the prevalence and intensity of gastrointestinal parasites in long-tailed macaques, local residents (who have been directly or indirectly exposed to macaques and their wastes) and environmental samples, possible cross transmission of zoonotic parasites, and evaluation of different risk factors associated with the occurrence of gastrointestinal parasites in human-macaque interface. To have substantial knowledge and better understanding on the transmission dynamics of parasites in human-macaque interface are essential in the mitigation of possible zoonotic/anthroponotic transmission of parasitic infection in the area. The results of this project will also contribute to the possible recommendation of policies that will help promote public health protection, reduction of parasitic infection risks to macaques, tourists and local residents and to have sustainable eco-tourism in the study areas. spots. Information generated from this study will also be used to formulate the Vulnerability Index of tourist areas in terms of zoonosis and conflict. 

The project deals with a social approach to gather information on perception of tourists and residents/locals on long-tailed macaques in human-modified landscapes in Leyte and Mindanao which serves as tourist areas. Specifically, assess the knowledge and attitude of humans to the presence of macaques as they can share the same resources like space and food. In addition, this interaction of humans and macaques may be new which may lead to changes in behavior and perception of locals and tourists on wildlife. In order to gather enough data and representation of the target group, this project will be done for two years using scientifically accepted survey method and data analysis. The program will be led by zoologists and environmental scientists. The data generated can then be used for sustainable tourism which can in turn mitigate human-macaque conflicts and zoonosis. Aside from knowledge generation through publications, presentations and IEC materials, awareness campaign in local communities to increase positive perception and attitude towards wildlife in the area will be conducted in coordination with the Local Government unit and agencies that manages the tourist spots. Data in this project are also essential to generate the the Vulnerability Index (CZVI) of the program. 

The project deals with a social approach to gather information on perception of tourists and residents/locals on long-tailed macaques in human-modified landscapes in Leyte and Mindanao which serves as tourist areas. Specifically, assess the knowledge and attitude of humans to the presence of macaques as they can share the same resources like space and food. In addition, this interaction of humans and macaques may be new which may lead to changes in behavior and perception of locals and tourists on wildlife. In order to gather enough data and representation of the target group, this project will be done for two years using scientifically accepted survey method and data analysis. The program will be led by zoologists and environmental scientists. The data generated can then be used for sustainable tourism which can in turn mitigate human-macaque conflicts and zoonosis. Aside from knowledge generation through publications, presentations and IEC materials, awareness campaign in local communities to increase positive perception and attitude towards wildlife in the area will be conducted in coordination with the Local Government unit and agencies that manages the tourist spots. Data in this project are also essential to generate the the Vulnerability Index (CZVI) of the program. 

With the increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance coupled with the dwindling supply of new antibiotics, it is critical that innovative solutions be implemented that would allow rapid discovery of novel compounds from natural sources. Soil microbes are wealthy in genetically-encoded small molecules and have been successful sources of effective antibiotics. Conventional cultivation approaches have been widely used to discover novel environmental bacteria. However, these techniques only lead to rediscoveries because only a fraction of bacteria can be grown under standard conditions. This growth bottleneck greatly diminishes our ability to capture the wealth of chemical diversity found in nature and ultimately impedes NP discovery. To break this bottleneck, we propose a metagenomic-driven pipeline that bypasses the need of cultivation for NP discovery. The vast genetic diversity of soil microbes are fully harnessed and converted to genetic libraries that could be expressed in a heterologous host. A multi-disciplinary approach combining microbiology, genomics and synthetic biology will be employed that would allow efficient discovery of novel biosynthetic genes and bioactive small molecules.

This project aims to isolate novel bacteria using semipermeable Silastic tubing embedded in soil. The isolates will be grown in standard media after initial growth in the Silastic tubes, then induced to produce antibiotics by exposure to sublethal amounts of antibiotics. Agar plugs containing putative metabolites will be placed on lawn cultures of test bacteria to test for zones of clearing. Isolates that are antibiotic will be characterized morphologically and phenotypically. Their genomes will be sequenced, and supernatants from their cultures studied for metabolites produced. The genomes will be analyzed for potential biosynthetic gene clusters. The metabolites will be identified by mass spectrometry and compared with the predicted BGCs. The data will be compared with the metagenomic data generated by the second project in this program. The isolates, genome sequences, and metabolite identities will be kept in stock for further research.

Microorganisms have been known for their diverse natural products chemistry. In particular, soil microorganisms have produced several chemicals to help them grow, survive and compete with other species. As a result, studies have reported the substantial role of soil microorganisms in the discovery of antimicrobial compounds and their chemically-synthesized products (Mahajan et al., 2012; Kandula et al., 2013). However, with the inevitable evolution of resistant pathogens and their growing antimicrobial resistance, continuous search of antimicrobial compounds is necessary.

The Philippines, being in a strategic location along the typhoon belt and ring of fire, possesses a rich and diverse plant species which has a significant direct effect on soil microbial abundance (Lamb et al., 2011). Due to this, various studies have been conducted on the isolation of antibiotic-producing microorganisms and their antibiotic compounds they produce. However, the studies are limited only to general screening and morphological identification of microbial isolates (Parungao et al., 2016). Moreover, screening of natural products from soil microorganisms are prone to "rediscovery" of known antimicrobial compounds in the standard laboratory conditions, restricting their potential biosynthetic diversity (Vinale et al., 2017.

In this study, isolated microorganisms will be co-cultured with other microorganisms to reduce the time spent for rediscovery of known compounds. This approach mimics the ecological environment of the microorganisms which is susceptible to competition (Marmann et al. 2014). Through this approach, there will be an increased chance of discovering novel antibiotic compounds that will emerge from communication between the microorganisms.

On-farm assessment of soil quality and health is recommended to assist farmers evaluate the effects of their management decisions on soil productivity. Also, this approach permits interaction between researchers, extension people when providing interpretation to link on-farm knowledge to soil health information. The main challenge is to develop soil health measures to assess changes which are practical and useful to farmers aiming high crop production, making them food-secure. This assessment will also include gender issues and local knowledge that farmers are able to accurately predict soil quality differences of conventional and organic fields.

The project has 3 phases and consists three-step framework: indicator selection for soil health, interpretation, and integration of data collected. It will evaluate soil quality by focusing first at the project goals, identifies the soil functions associated to soil health and food security, and will develop key indicators associated with each of the functions. Interpretations in terms of performance of soil functions with site-specific controlling factors in the respective farms will be performed (Phase 1 and 2).  

The project is guided by effective study programs/activities, which would guarantee the collation of the necessary baseline data in order to develop appropriate minimum datasets (Phase 3). Since soil quality evaluation is based on expert opinion, statistical procedures will also be accomplished All indicators will be subjected to standard descriptive statistics. Education programs that include trainings and meetings on the use of soil quality tools, standards and techniques are part of the project to increase awareness that being food-secure is related to soil health. The need to improve public awareness about soil resources is relevant to help them understand how soil management decisions affect not only the soil itself but other important resources (i.e. water and air quality) as well.

The project is an interdisciplinary study that would focus on assessing the current distribution and composition of true mangroves on the coastal barangays of San Fernando City, La Union. A biophysical mapping of their distribution and predictive model of their distribution will also be constructed. Moreover, a risk attitude and ecosystem valuation study among the percpetions of the local residents thriving on the vulnerable coastal communities will be performed.

The USA Center for Heritage and Indigenous Cultures serves to preserve and enrich the Filipino cultural, heritage, and indigenous identity through quality research, community engagement, and awareness programs. In view of the above, this proposed project aims to document the indigenous knowledge, practices, and lived-experiences of Ati people in Panay, Western Visayas during natural calamities brought about by climate change, and their responses on the recent impacts of the government’s health and security measures during the COVID-19 pandemic expressed in the form of a book on binalaybay, a Hiligaynon poetry. This aim is premised on the idea that this piece of work may shed light in understanding the Ati people’s current social conditions amidst the pressing environmental risks brought by climate change and COVID-19 outbreak. The gathered responses during conversations with Ati communities will serve as basis for recommendation to local government units (LGUs) in creating policies that will further improve the socio-economic well-being, health condition, and recognition of the identities and way of life of Ati communities in Iloilo City and provinces of Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, and Guimaras.

Binalaybay is considered as one of the dying folk literatures in the country, hence documentation and curation is imperative. In this proposed study, binalaybay will be documented as a medium of expression of the Ati people regarding their indigenous knowledge, practices, and lived-experiences in time of natural catastrophes and during the COVID-19 outbreak. The book on the poems by the Ati people will be the tangible outcome of this proposed study, which documents the expressions of their indigenous knowledge, cultural identities, and local practices. Further, this project is conceived not only to portray the Ati people’s indigenous knowledge and phenomenology during natural calamities but also to provide new written literature of Ati culture.

The project VIVA is a 2 year project component of INFLORAS program that would measure the diversity of invasive plants and local native trees that are currently found within many coastal barangays of La Union. The mapping component would also use to know the current range distribution of either the invasive plants or if there are still native trees that are protected. Risk attitude studies will also be conducted among the local residents of coastal barangays to know how such floras are economically important for the communities.

PROJECT PRICE is the third component project of INFLORAS that is tasked to document the many diverse forms of coastal associated (marine and estuarine environments) protist flora such as myxomycetes and oomycetes. These organisms are known to be of great ecological value as it is a major microbial predator that maintains most ecosystem dynamic in terrestrial environments, especially in the soil. A number of substrates usually found along the coastlines, i.e. driftwoods, leaf litters, algae, will be the sources of this fungus like protists. They will be collected and will be meticulously isolated using technical expertise of the project leaders. New protocol of preservation and optimized culturing of this unpopular protist group is expected to be develop. The possible implication with regards to the health of the marine shoreline, and the possible threat it could give to the coastal settlers are expected to be speculated from the diversity studies that will be part of the project. 

Lichens are often regarded in nature as the most successful symbiosis between a fungus and a photosynthetic partner. Interestingly, endolichenic fungi, another lichen-associated microorganisms, has been recently discovered living within the lichen thalli. The production of metabolites previously identified from plants by its associated fungi led natural product researchers to tap endophytic microorganisms such endolichenic fungi for drug discovery. In this 3-year Project ELFHA, endolichenic fungi will be isolated from four native species of Usnea collected from eight sampling localities in the Philippines. The host lichen Usnea and its associated endolichenic fungi will be identified by conventional morphological and modern molecular (DNA barcoding) methods which could lead to taxonomic revision of the host lichens and/or discovery of new species of endolichenic fungi. The endolichenic fungi will then be screened for their inhibitory activities against plant pathogenic fungi (for agricultural application) and the ESKAPE bacterial pathogens (for health application). To hasten the discovery process, three promising ELF will be subjected to OSMAC approach for the production of secondary metabolites via solid-state fermentation of indigenous substrata and to metabolomic profiling for early detection of novel compounds. Metabolomic analysis facilitates rapid identification of extracts with possible novel metabolites without the need for compound purification, isolation, and structure elucidation. Then, the crude culture extract from a “talented” ELF, i.e., a fungal isolate with high metabolic diversity, strong bioactivity, and taxonomic novelty, will be fractionated, and tested against an antibiotic-resistant bacterium (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and fungicide-resistant fungus (azole-resistant Fusarium graminearum). Project ELFHA generally aims to discover novel endolichenic fungi with novel bioactive metabolites.

This project proposal on Safe and Secure Water Supply for Mountain Communities is a timely endeavor to address the water woes of the communities in the mountainous areas in the Cordillera Administrative Region. Consistent with the National Integrated Basic Research Agenda (NIBRA) particularly on water security, it aims to provide sufficient, clean, and safe domestic water supply for these communities. Since the Cordillera is of unique geography with indigenous people having their own customary laws on land ownership and ancestral domains, this project will assess the communities’ water resources, supply and demand characteristics with science-based procedures. Assessment results together with all the given unique factors and climate change will be utilized for different scenario analyses through the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) software. This is to investigate options that will provide long term secure water for community water supply that are more resilient to climate change and variability. Suitable technologies will be determined accordingly as needed in each of the water systems in the community. In consideration of the specific and unique conditions in this mountainous region however, such technologies will be pilot tested as basis for parameters to be followed during actual installation.

It is expected that at the end of this project,  site- specific climate-resilient water system designs with suitable water technologies will be made available to the LGUs and other concerned agencies for adoption. This is to bring science and technology to the Cordillera people to address their critical and basic need. If the water supply problems of mountain communities can be solved with appropriate and practical science and technology, the communities can become the government’s staunchest ally in environmental protection and conservation.

This project will be conducted for three years  in Bontoc, Mountain Province where many problems on water quantity and quality are being experienced.

Coastal recreational waters are continually at risk of fecal contamination, which pose a significant public health concern since fecal material often harbor pathogenic bacteria. Recent reports still indicate high levels of fecal coliform in several areas of Manila Bay. Although quantifying fecal coliform is a standard parameter in water quality monitoring, it does not account for the entire microbial pathogen community in the environment. Characterizing the pathogens present helps in addressing the risks as well as designing preventive strategies to minimize concerns to public health. Moreover, understanding the environmental parameters that influence pathogen loading into the system is important in predicting and preventing pathogen transmission. Traditional techniques in pathogen detection such as culture-based assays, PCR, and microarrays are labor-intensive, unable to detect a majority of pathogens in the natural environment, have sensitivity issues, and rely on the availability of prior data. With the advent of metagenomics, it is now possible to account for the total microbial diversity in a single sample. This study will utilize next-generation sequencing to identify the microbial pathogen community from selected sites in Manila Bay, with focus on pathogenic bacteria, as well as use the microbial community signature for microbial source tracking (MST). Information on microbial diversity will also be correlated with various physico-chemical parameters to determine how these abiotic factors influence the microbial community. The outcome of this research can (1) provide the microbial community composition of samples from Manila Bay, (2) detect and identify pathogenic bacteria which pose risks, (3) determine the parameters as well as pollution sources that influence the pathogenic community, and (4) develop protocols for the monitoring of water quality in Manila Bay and potential pollution sources. This information can lead to more concrete steps in controlling pathogen load into the bay, thus, improving its overall water quality.

The research project entitled “Environmental protection of water bodies from acid mine drainage (AMD) using permeable reactive barrier as passive treatment system” aims to mitigate the negative impacts of mining activities to our bodies of water considering that the Philippines ranks among the richest countries in the world in terms of gold, copper and nickel reserves. The AMD is a wastewater discharge from some mining activities and is typically acidic and contains considerable amounts of hazardous components which could greatly affect the receiving bodies of water. This AMD will be treated using a permeable reactive barrier (PRB) which would act as a unit process that could neutralize the acidity and remove the toxic components. The PRB will utilize locally available materials like limestone, mine wastes, concrete wastes and fly ash as neutralizing and reactive media. The parameters that will be monitored includes pH, heavy metal concentrations, conductivity, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), total dissolved solids (TDS), dissolved oxygen (DO) and sulfates concentrations. The treated effluent will be ensured to pass the effluent standard set by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) under the recently amended law, i.e. DENR Administrative Order 2016-08 (DAO 2016-08). The success of the project will not only help protect the most important resource, i.e. water, but will also help achieve a sustainable green mining activity for operational mines and mitigate the release of AMD from abandoned mines.

Project DANUM mainly aims to develop a technology enhanced watershed decision support system using participatory approaches. The project focuses in the integration of appropriate technologies transforming these as tools for watershed management. Component activities of the project include the following studies: transformations of watersheds, watershed landuse models, a participatory developed and technology enhanced watershed decision support system. The scope of the study include areas of the Bued Watershed in Benguet, and the Upland Watersheds of Mountain Province.

In the Philippines, a wide array of street foods are enjoyed by both locals and foreigners. These foods are highly valued because of their flavor and form part of the rich and colorful history of the regions. Eastern Visayas (EV) is especially known for street-vended native crop-based delicacies because the region is predominantly agriculture, and excesses in the staple diet are processed into delicacies.

The problem with native delicacies is they are prone to spoilage with a number of incidents involving food safety scandals in the Philippines. Studying the different foodborne contaminants of EV street-vended native crop-based delicacies is important for the following reasons: 1) The tropical temperature of the Philippines favors the growth and multiplication of foodborne disease (FBD) etiological pathogens. 2) Food vending outlets are among the establishments that are difficult to regulate due to the lack of resources for safety controls (Collado et al., 2015). 3) There is limited information available on FBDs related to native delicacies.

This project aims to bridge these gaps in support of the two pillars of EV (expanded and diversified manufacturing subsector and vibrant tourism subsector) as well as to provide data required by the Food Safety Act of 2013. This project will run over a two-year period with phase 1 determining the microbial quality and count of hygiene indicators and pathogens as well as shelf-life of native delicacies. In phase 2, consumers' willingness to pay for safety attributes will be investigated. Outputs of the project are one/two publications, proposals on new food standards for native delicacies, establishment of a microbial laboratory, partnerships with local government units (LGUs) of different sites, and mentoring of BSIT and BSAB students in their thesis. This project will be jointly undertaken by BiPSU and VSU.    

Exploring the as-yet untapped potential of fungal natural products from the endophytes of endemic Philippine plants especially species of the family Annonaceae and Zingiberaceae increases the chances of finding novel antibiotic compounds. The concept of natural products targeting microbial pathogens (i.e. Mycobacterium tuberculosis H₃₇Rv and ESKAPE) has been applied to isolate novel antituberculosis and other antimicrobial compounds, and the rapid development of drug-resistant strains has significantly increased the need for new chemotherapeutic treatments. It remains important to continuously screen for novel compounds from natural sources, particularly from RARELY ENCOUNTERED MICROORGANISMS, SUCH AS THE ENDOPHYTES. The project aims at searching new secondary metabolites with potent antibiotic properties, utilizing classical as well as innovative methods for detection of antimicrobial effects. The new antibiotic compounds will be produced by fermentation using the OSMAC (One Species, Many Compounds) strategy, isolated by modern chromatographic methods, identified by spectroscopic techniques (NMR spectroscopy, high-resolution mass spectrometry, single X-ray diffraction) and subjected to broad antimicrobial characterization. It also aims to strengthen and solidify the collaboration between HZI (a global leader in anti-infective drug discovery) and UST on the chemistry and biological potentials of natural products from novel endophytic fungal taxa. At the end of the project, it is hoped that through scientific activities lined up for the study, the proponent and his institution will have broaden their research franchise in the area of novel antibiotic drug discovery and development, come up with new antibiotic drugs for further mechanistic and pre-clinical investigations, sustainable research cooperation established and a number of manuscripts related to novel endophytic fungal species and novel biologically active secondary metabolites published in peer-reviewed journals.

The coastal provinces per region will be listed and random sampling will be used to choose the provinces that will be included. However, in the selection of the final of the coastal municipalities and finally the coastal barangays will be based from the following inclusion criteria:

1. coastal communities a least 1500 m from the coastline
2. coastal communities with farming activities

3. coastal communities that have existing wells being used both for farming and domestic purposes

   Data gathering on the identified parameters will be conducted three times a week per study area and will be simultaneously conducted. Full time researchers with will be trained on the data gathering about the following: a) the physical and chemical parameters of salinity using the ProDSS Multiparameter Water Quality Meter; and; b) identification of the actual modes of saltwater intrusion.

The study will be conducted using both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Study areas that have salinity levels of groundwater above the threshold limits for electrical conductivity (>1000.0 mg/L) and chlorides (> 250 mg/L) will be considered. Respondents for both the qualitative and quantitative research methods will be selected, separately. For the qualitative design, eight (8) respondents will be interviewed personally using an interview schedule.  On the other hand, the quantitative method will be conducted by random sampling. The number of respondents will be based on the total population of qualified study areas. A questionnaire will be constructed, validated, and piloted.

Analysis of the gathered data for the qualitative design will be analyzed using Anthropac and Nvivo for qualitative data while the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software will be used for the quantitative research design.

Before the actual data gathering, ethical considerations will be followed where the proposal will be submitted to an Ethical Review Board.

In the Philippines, lakes are among the most important natural resources because of its agricultural and industrial uses (Guerrero 1999). At present, there are eight lakes identified in Leyte. The largest of these lacustrine waters is Lake Danao in Ormoc City (146 ha).
Lake Danao is one of the top ecotourism destinations in Leyte and the entire Region VIII. Cognizant of the importance of the lake to the locals who are dependent on this resource, indeed, it is necessary that the water quality of Lake Danao should be maintained and protected  against harmful anthropogenic activities. Poor water quality can result in low profit, low product quality, and potential human health risks. Thus, the degradation of water resources due to man-made activities necessitates the evaluation and monitoring of water quality (PHILMINAQ 2008). This project entitled LaWaQ: Lake Water Quality Evaluation and Monitoring using Physico-Chemical and Biological Characterization therefore aims to provide an update information on the status of the water quality in Lake Danao. Levels of nutrients, heavy metals, total coliform and other physico-chemical parameters in water and sediment samples will be measured in assessing the water quality of the lake. This information can be used by local authorities and legislators in formulating and developing regulatory measures that will ensure the maintenance, protection, and responsible use of the  Lake waters.

This project will be conducted to identify the major users and stakeholders of the rivers in the Samar Island Natural Park (SINP), and document how the traditions or practices of these riparian communities on resource-use and conservation impact riverine biodiversity.  In particular, the role and participation of women in the array of activities in artisanal fisheries, and in transmission of indigenous knowledge related to conservation will be documented. The location of riparian communities in the SINP will be mapped using available data from government agencies and LGUs, and through transect walks, and boat and aerial surveys.  Unstructured and structured interviews, focus group discussions, key informant interviews (KII), direct observation/immersion will be conducted to gather information on fishing practices, gears, crafts, and local ecological knowledge (LEK) related to traditional fisheries and river biodiversity conservation and utilization. Data gathered will be validated using the DELPHI technique, and will be correlated to ecological data from Projects 1,2, 3 and 5.  The information that will be generated over two years will be useful in developing holistic approaches and strategies on poverty alleviation, riverine resource management, and biodiversity conservation. These efforts are necessary and urgent not only to safeguard riverine biodiversity, but also to avoid the transformation or loss of the knowledge systems of riparian communities and arisanal fishers who are largely dependent on the rivers of the SINP for survival.  

This project will be conducted in the nine nonwadeable rivers within the Samar Island Natural Park (SINP), particularly in the jurisdictional regions of  Western Samar (Gandara River, Calbiga River, and Golden Rivers), Eastern Samar (Can-avid Oras, Suribao and Taft Rivers) and Northern Samar (Catubig, Catarman and Pambujan rivers).  Riverine species, particularly indigenous aquatic species, which are “traditionally fished” will be identified, and the traditional fishing practices of fishers will be documented. The standing biomass, abundance and size distribution, extent of exploitation as well as the conservation status of these species will be determined. Data on riverine fisheries are necessary solid foundations in developing approaches on management, culture, and sustainable utilization of IAS in the rivers of the SINP. 

Samar is considered as one of the biodiversity hotspots in the Philippines.  Its freshwater ecosystem could be home to diverse indigenous aquatic species which have been largely undocumented and unmonitored.  This aquatic biodiversity which inhabits the nine-river ecosystem of Samar needs close monitoring and conservation initiatives to save and sustain the richness and distribution of aquatic species, and to continue its function to support particularly the food and livelihood of the local community along these rivers.  

The success of documentation, biomonitoring and consequent conservation of aquatic species in the Samar Island Natural Park depends primarily on the concerted effort of scientists who will initially conduct these activities to establish and publish this information. As such, to convey continued support for conservation from the government and the local communities.  

Knowledge on the most sensitive, highly efficient and cost effective technologies, techniques and methodologies to survey or detect not only single species but multispecies of aquatic animals particularly indigenous and rare species inhabiting the river ecosystem is a pre-requisite to maximize the establishment of aquatic species database and the development of a conservation-oriented monitoring of aquatic species in Samar.  It has been observed that traditional monitoring relied on physical identification of species by visual surveys and counting of individuals, remain problematic due to difficulties associated with correct identification of cryptic species or juvenile life stages, a continuous decline in taxonomic expertise, non-standardized sampling, and invasive nature of some survey techniques. Hence, there is an urgent need for an alternative and efficient techniques for large-scale biodiversity monitoring.  This, to introduce High Throughput Sequencing (HTS) such as Next Generation Sequencing or NGS or by nanopore sequencing which is currently the advanced and most sensitive tool used to pursue our objectives such as to survey, monitor and conserve biodiversity of aquatic species in freshwater ecosystems like fishes and crustaceans.   It uses eDNA or environmental DNA which is defined as genetic material obtained directly from environmental samples (soil, sediment, water, etc.) without any obvious signs of biological source material – that is an efficient, non-invasive and easy-to-standardize sampling approach to survey species richness from any ecosystems (Deiner, K. et al., 2016 and Thomsen and Willerslev, 2014). 

This eDNA metabarcoding strategy to survey, monitor and to save biodiversity of indigenous and rare aquatic species in Samar could be used as a model to study aquatic biodiversity in other parts of the country.  This is a re entry research project of the proponent after her PhD in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology as far as her trainings in genomics and next generation sequencing is concerned. The NGS and/or nanopore sequencing approach that will be employed in this project are best and appropriate tools to achieve our objectives as supported by our literatures on eDNA metabarcoding.

The project is a component of a bigger program entitled “Empowering Vulnerable Communities Through Risk Communication in Disaster Risk Management (RiskCom4DRM). On the whole, the program aims to capacitate affected communities in designing, implementing, and monitoring and evaluating strategic risk communication (riskcom) plan and integrate such in their bigger local disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) plans. Through this risk communication (riskcom) intervention, it is envisioned that the selected local communities will be better able to effectively manage the disaster risks confronting them. 

RiskCom4DRM will be undertaken to enable vulnerable communities to get organized for quick response and to avoid being exposed to risks by: 

• Implementing awareness and education campaigns to inform and guide the community on threats, preventive measures, institutional responsibilities, among others
• Promoting active participation of vulnerable communities in risk management policies and plans
• Identifying current good practices (and malpractices), adaptation strategies, and coping skills
• Documenting and validating best indigenous practices and local technologies
• Involving rural communities in monitoring key indicators
• Implementing early warning systems using community-based communication channels
• Mobilizing the support of different sectors to promote rehabilitation and reconstruction in affected communities.       

This project tackles the first sequential step in RiskCom4DRM program. It deals with the baseline or situational analysis. It seeks to draw up the situation in the selected communities by identifying and analyzing the following aspects: key DRM issues, affected stakeholders, existing policies and programs on DRM, organizations doing work on DRM, communication resources, and communication needs to be addressed by RiskCom4DRM. Data gathering techniques will make use of participatory rapid communication appraisal methods (PRCA) such as problem tree, social mapping, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions. A preliminary analysis of the situation based on secondary data shall set the focus for the field PRCA. 

The value added of this participatory approach is that it leads community members to: (a) jointly discuss the issue that the riskcom initiative intends to address; (b) brainstorm and agree on who would be affected by the riskcom initiative; (c) have an influence over the riskcom process and an interest in its successful implementation; (d) focus on people and groups with “concrete” stake; and (e) cluster and prioritize those with higher levels of interest and influence over the issue (FAO, 2014).  Furthermore, PRCA in riskcom involves the centrality of listening to project stakeholders’ voices (FAO, 2014: 44). From this, their real needs, understanding of, perceptions and assumptions regarding risk or DRRM in general can be threshed out and clarified on a deeper level. This also provides a sense of ownership of the riskcom process and protocol to be developed.

Literature review would attest that many studies on baseline assessment skip the communication data while focusing heavily on socio-demographics, economic and technical aspects. As such, there are rarely baseline data available for communication planning. This results to having arbitrary (and not strategic) communication plans based on guts and feel and not really on actual evidences gathered on the ground.    

The results of this project will serve as the empirical basis for the next step and the project entitled “Design, Management, and Implementation of Community-Based Riskcom in Disaster Risk Management.” This will help form the strategic riskcom plan that depicts the essential communication elements and approaches meant to bring about desired behavioral changes among the various stakeholders in terms of sound disaster risk management.

Disaster risk management (DRM) is an information- and knowledge-intensive endeavor. People can only “learn better, do better” when they have relevant information and knowledge to base their practices on. To a large extent, human behavior is driven by what people know and understand. Thus, the need for a communication intervention that would facilitate learning and knowledge sharing among the stakeholders on DRM. 

This project proposal is related to a similar project undertaken by the proponent for climate resilience among coastal communities in Bangladesh. Entitled “Rural Radio Initiatives for Coastal Climate Resilient Infrastructure Project (RRI-CCRIP), this also involved the conduct of intensive situational analysis the results of which were used for developing and implementing a local Strategic Communication for Development (Comdev) Plan that addresses climate resilience among poor coastal communities.  Given the context in this area, rural or community radio was chosen as the hub of all the communication efforts in the communities. 

Through this new initiative in the Philippine setting, the proponent aims to find out how the distinct features of riskcom, as the communication approach and framework, as well as its accompanying elements (source, messages, channel) can push and pull the DRM efforts at the local community level. 

The Philippines is constantly being exposed to natural hazards due to its climate system and location in the Pacific Ring of Fire. Through the years, the country has seen these hazards become disasters of increasing impact. The geophysical characteristics of the country merged with the socio-economic and cultural contexts have mostly caused hazards to turn into disasters. 

There has been a recent influx of studies on risk assessment for risk reduction mostly in the fields of environmental science, engineering, agriculture and forestry (Licuanan et al., 2015; Asare-Kyei et al., 2014; Cadag, J. and Gaillard, JC., 2012; Barquet, K. and Cumiskey, L., 2018). Many vulnerable areas have been studied and many risk assessment maps have been developed. However, there have been limited studies done on risk communication. The participatory nature of risk communication for DRRM aims to establish a context-specific, people-focused approach to risk reduction and management.

Development of a hybrid (integrated) risk assessment (HYDRA) model by combining models of various fields such as hydrology, hydraulics and agriculture to develop a comprehensive disaster risk assessment that will provide data accuracy in real time monitoring. This aims to improve monitoring and forecasting schemes of water-related disasters (e.g. droughts, flooding) for hazards monitoring and forecasting, risk assessments and communications to reduce community’s vulnerability from water-related disasters, enhance community preparedness and aid in local planning and decision-making. 

Quantifying the impact of ecotourism on the sustainability status of coastal communities, and providing a resultant overall picture of their status, provides a dependable foundation in implementing targeted efficient initiatives and programs that would uplift their sustainability status. This helps decision-makers and policymakers in creating appropriate policies to establish sustainable coastal communities. With this, a methodological approach is proposed in this project in order to address the aforementioned issues. With the Philippines at the forefront of climate change impacts, with the tourism industry as an important driver of economic growth, this study is particularly significant to the sustainability of local coastal communities.

According to the Updated Lake Danao Natural Park Protected Area Management Plan (ULDNPPAMP) 2017, households which rely on fishing in Lake Danao are affected by the fluctuating stock of economically important freshwater fisheries species like tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), ‘tahong’ or ‘tab’ (Anodonta woodiana) and the seasonal ‘kasili’ (Anguilla rostrata) (Jocson and Costim, 2010; ULDNPPAMP 2017). This situation worsened after a Magnitude 6.5 earthquake hit the island of Leyte last 6 July 2017. Since then, the locals reported declining fish catch. In June 2018, local authorities of Ormoc City released 20,000 tilapia fingerlings into the lake in the hope of helping the fishing communities recover from their losses. Instead, the LGU Ormoc received criticism from experts and other concerned entities following the said activity. These critics fear that the invasive nature of tilapia would affect and eventually wipe out the population of other indigenous fish species in the lake. Contrary to popular belief, it was in 1998 when BFAR Regional Office VIII first introduced tilapia in Lake Danao (ULDNPPAMP 2017). Moreover, the presence of other invasive alien species (IAS) like the snakehead murrel (Channa striata) was also observed in Lake Danao (ULDNPPAMP 2017). Other factors leading to the decline or fluctuation of fish stock could be the wastewater runoff from nearby settlements and agricultural lands. All these issues surrounding the lake resources prompts urgent actions to provide a detailed picture of the current status of the fishery and aquatic biodiversity in Lake Danao. The information that can be generated from these studies can be used to formulate appropriate, timely and science-based measures for purposes of development, management, and sustainable utilization of the lake resources. This component of the LAKES Danao Program is established primarily to address issues affecting the inland fisheries sector and the aquatic biodiversity in Lake Danao vis-à-vis the goals and objectives of ULDNPPAMP 2017. More specifically, this project will conduct a regular assessment and monitoring of the catch, composition and diversity of both native and introduced fish and other economically important macroinvertebrate species found in the lake. Together with the LaWaQ component, this project will also monitor the water quality and the plankton biomass, composition, and diversity, which will help us understand the problems affecting the fish and aquatic  acroinvertebrate population dynamics. At the end, the outputs of this project would be beneficial to the LGU, concerned line government agencies (LGAs), and other stakeholders in formulating appropriate evidence-based interventions that can improve the living conditions and knowledge of the lake users while ensuring the conservation of aquatic biodiversity and lake water quality. Furthermore, this component of the program will contribute to the national government’s effort in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and 15 (Life on Land) of the United Nations Agenda 2030 vis-à-vis the Ambisyon Natin 2040. Most importantly, this project intends to help the Protected Areas Management Board (PAMB) of Lake Danao, LGU Ormoc and its partners fulfill the mission, vision and goals of the ULDNPPAMP 2017 specifically Goal 1. Biodiversity Resources, Protection, Conservation and Monitoring.

Lakes are a valuable natural resource that is valued as the best source of freshwater on the Earth's surface. In addition, lakes also influence different facets of human life by providing ecological and tourism revenue. Interestingly, while there is scarcity of lakes in the world, Eastern Visayas (Region VIII) has at least eight lakes with varying levels of human activity. Lake Danao, which is situated in the Lake Danao Natural Park, Ormoc City that covers an area of 148 hectares, supplies potable water to several towns, including Dagami, Burauen, and Pastrana in the Leyte Province. It also doubles as a source of water for rice field irrigation. Other lakes in the region, such as Lake Bito and Lake Mahagnao, serve multiple functions, which include, among others, the aquaculture and eco-tourism industry. Studies on Philippine lakes have consistently increased over the years. However, the data from these studies are not readily available in a form that is accessible to other stakeholders. As a result, lake data that could have been used for modeling and predictive analysis of lake ecosystem dynamics, or up-to-date assessment and monitoring of the state of lake ecosystems remain unused to their full potential. There is a need for systematic management of lake data to enable the development of applications that will help local and national government organizations design and implement well-informed lake management programs.

This study aims to contribute towards the assessment of Lake Danao by analyzing the interaction of formal and informal institutions in lake governance, access to lake resources and economic valuation of key lake resources such as fisheries resources, biodiversity and recreational (ecotourism) resources. This study will employ a mixedmethod research design using quantitative and qualitative research methods in order to cover the complexity of the social dynamics of lake environments and communities. This project is significant as this aims to analyze the social dynamics underlying assessments of Lake Danao, complementing the natural science methods in the overall program proposal. This project is important implement resource management and conservation in Lake Danao that will stem from the results of the assessment will be implemented by social actors – individuals, organizations and communities- that are governed by formal and informal rules. The lack of a social science component in lake assessments may risk ignoring the influence of social actors and institutions in the overall dynamics inherent in lake communities and environments. This study aims to build on previous work by incorporating a feedback mechanism wherein informal rules and norms of local communities will feed into the policy component of lake management. At the same time, results from the socio-economic surveys and economic valuation are also expected to feed into formal and informal institutions for lake governance and management. 

This study aims to provide a baseline data of the insect fauna in the ancestral domain of Tboli ethnolinguistic group in the protected landscape of Lake Holon, Mt. Parker in T’boli, South Cotabato. Insect diversity and ecological parameters will be identified. This study will also document ethno-entomological knowledge of the Tboli ethnolinguistic group living in Brgy. Salacafe that includes local name of insects, their uses, cultural and economic importance.

Recently, we have investigated the use of known purple nonsulfur bacteria (PNSB) strain for the photoheterotrophic production of hydrogen using representative volatile fatty acids as substrate under two different headspace gases (Ventura et al., 2016). Based on our findings, it was identified that the Rhodobacter sphaeroides KCTC 1434 favored an argon gas-filled culture condition compared to a nitrogen as headspace gas. Under argon headspace, the H2 substrate conversion efficiency (SCE) and H2 yield is increased. Individual acid utilization shows that the strain had high SCE in both butyrate and propionate but not in acetate. In mixed-acid cultivation, however, resulted in a lower H2 generation and drastic increase of medium pH.

Based on these results, it could be inferred that there is a need to further study the metabolic activity of certain H2-producing microorganism such as PNSB. The diversity of their metabolism in the context of H2 production needs further understanding through physiological optimization, process improvement, or genetic manipulation. More importantly, an identification of the best strain for this process may need a lot of work especially in finding the best and robust strain to be used for H2 production.

        Integrated bio-H2 production pathway

    There are two ways to produce bio-H2 integrating the dark and photofermentation process. The first method is the two-stage bio-H2 production (Table 1). Based on the initial findings using some pure substrate, food carbon source, starch, whey and other organic wastes – the highest H2 yield is around 7 mol/mol hexose. This is roughly half of the theoretical yield of glucose to H2 (12 mol H2) fermentation using the integrated process. On the other hand, the combined process (meaning single reactor, two-phase fermentation) the maximum yield of H2 produced is around 7.2 mol/mol hexose using algal biomass as substrate (Table 2).

        Table 1. H2 production in sequential two-stage process (Rai and Singh, 2016)

        Table 2. H2 production in combined dark and photo fermentation process (Rai and Singh, 2016).

                  Based on Tables 1 and 2, the strains used in the dark fermentation stages are commonly a consortium of anaerobic fermenting bacteria. This is typical dark-fermentation inoculation setup especially if substrate is obtained from industrial or agricultural organic wastes. The photofermentation stage, however, uses pure PNSB strains such as Rhodobacter, Rhodobium, and Rhodopseudomonas species.

    The theoretical amount of H2 produced in 1 mole of hexose such as glucose is 12 mol. In the dark fermentation stage, 1 mol of glucose is typically limited to 4 mol H2 due to formation of other fermentation products (Reactions 1 and 2). On the other hand, photofermentation utilizing 1 mol of acetate or butyrate obtained in the preceding fermentation will produce 4 and 10 mol H2 (Reactions 3 and 4), respectively. Hence, the burden of this process could be mainly attributed to the photobiological-H2 performance of the strain used in the photofermentation stage.

C6H12O6 + 2H2O → 2CH3COOH + 4H2 + 2CO2                    (Reaction 1)

  C6H12O6 + 6H2O → CH3(CH2)2COOH + 2H2 + 2CO2       (Reaction 2)      

  CH3COOH + 2H2O → 4H2 + 2CO2                                         (Reaction 3)

  CH3(CH2)2COOH + 6H2O → 10H2 + 4CO2                             (Reaction 4)

    Several reports investigated the direct utilization of hexose using PNSB (Abo-Hashesh et al., 2011); however, PNSB prefer a more reduced substrate such as VFAs for bio-H2 production (Table 3). PNSB could utilize also hexoses but in the expense of lower H2 yield due to a thermodynamically not feasible H2 production pathway in an unmodified strain (McKinlay, 2014).

Substrate Conversion Efficiencies

     Substrate conversion efficiency (SCE) is defined as the amount of actual H2 (in moles) produced over the theoretical amount of H2 produced from the consumed substrate (in moles). Based on Table 3, it could be understood that there is a selectivity of substrate consumption among PNSB in converting the substrate in H2.

Table 3.  H2 Substrate Conversion Efficiencies (SCE) of different PNSB.

Cognizant of the UN and the Philippine governement's goal of alleviating poverty through education, this research aims to map out and develop culturally-relevant and an empowering education pedagogy model in addressing the special needs of poor students. Grounded on the current data that children from poorer households are more likely to delay the start of their education (UN MDG Report 2013), the research will not only answer how the children learn but also how will they be empowered to make informed decisions in their lives to play active social role in the community and in the long term to effect changes in the society.

After the Phase 1 (Dec. 2016- Nov. 2017) and Phase 2 (Dec. 2017- Nov. 2018) of the research program entitled "Marine Sediment-Derived Actinobacteria: New Vista for Natural Products Discovery on the Philippines", a total of 3,371 actinobacteria strains were recovered from marine sediment samples collected in 21 sampling sites in the Philippine archipelago. After screening for their antibacterial activities against pathogenic Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, 169 active strains have confirmed antibacterial activities with at least 50% growth inhibition gainst the test bacteria.

NRCP in-house study: preliminary study, regarding the insights and experiences of men and women who have been on WFH during the first three (3) months of the lockdown and quarantine restrictions that were imposed by the government due to the pandemic (i.e, March 16 to June 15, 2020)

There is a popular belief that a large earthworm species has spread and are living in the walls of rice terraces and are the main factors causing their collapse. Corollary to this is the belief that this earthworm species invaded the rice terraces only recently during the last three decades. Local people in the area speculate that they were introduced just like the golden kuhol and million dollar fish which came in the area also only recently. Since they are perceived as the culprit to the collapse of terrace walls, there is the popular desire among the local people that the said giant earthworm should be exterminated and that this will save the local tourism industry. The present investigators however believe that more scientific investigation should be done to confirm whether or not the allegations against the aforementioned giant earthworms are indeed true. In order to establish the truth, the present study is being conducted. Empirical information from the current study will provide the scientific basis for appropriate informed-decisions to save the Ifugao rice terraces on top of a possibility to help farmers increase their rice production. The Philippines is part of the Indo-Australasian region, home of the earthworm Pheretima-species complex (Sims & Easton, 1972), family Megascolecidae. Particularly, for the Philippines and other islands east of the Wallace’s line, the family Megascolecidae is the only native earthworm family. For any earthworm collected from the field, it is easy to pin down its family by dissecting the worm and carefully note its external and internal morphological characters. With the help of Blakemore’s Introductory Key to the Revised Families of Earthworms of the World (Blakemore, 2006), both external and internal morphological characters of the worm should lead to its correct family. Thus, when an earthworm from the field does not conform to the family Megascolecidae, then there is large probability it belongs to an alien earthworm family. The Philippines claims a record of 71 megascolecid species (Blakemore, 2007) spread among the pheretimoid genera Amynthas (12 species), Archipheretima (4 species), Dendropheretima (2 species), Isarogoscolex (2 species), Metaphire (8 species), Pheretima (12 species), Pheretima (Pheretima) (9 species), Pithemera (2 species), Pleionogaster (16 species) and Polypheretima (4 species). The presence of the tropical Asian megascolecid Perionyx 2longate2, common in dung heap of piggeries and livestock is extant in the Cordillera. A family related to megascolecids, family Octochaetidae, is represented by the genus Dichogaster. Dichogaster nr.curgensis has been reported by Barrion and Litsinger (1997) to infest rice plants in the Cordillera highlands. The family Moniligastridae in the Philippines is credited with 1 genus (Drawida) and 3 species and these could have been unwittingly introduced by man. A certain introduced alien is Pontoscolex corethrurus of the South American family Glossoscolecidae. External and internal morphological descriptions of the aforementioned earthworm species are available in the literature (Baguinon, 1981; Beddard, 1900a, 1912; Blakemore et al., 2007; Easton, 1976; Flores, 2007; Gates,1965; Hong and James, 2004, 2008a, b; James, 2004, 2006; Michaelsen,1900b; Sims and Easton, 1972; Stephenson, 1923). A recent publication by James (2009) describes five new species of Archipheretima thus the number of recorded earthworm species in the Philippines is now pegged at 76.

Biodiversity, latest buzzword in biological sciences circle, created an initial impact among Filipino researchers/scientists a couple of Decades ago. This was manifested by the nature of project proposals reaching funding government agencies and/or non-government organizations. Apparently, biodiversity researches were dominated by botany, microbiology, and zoology investigators. More often than not, researchers in these fields work in tandem or have teamed up cohesively with ecologists.

The introduction of biodiversity as an area of research, provided a new option for botanists, microbiologist, and zoologists by utilizing their 'must' foundations in taxonomy, systematics, morphology, physiology, and ecology. At one point, taxonomists/systematists felt being relegated to the ' endangered' group of researchers with the advent of more 'modern' technology to handle biology-related studies. But biodiversity research has resurrected and has activated taxonomists and ecologists.

Biodiversity, in a more simplistic/laymen interpretation, holistically refers to the study of living organisms (plants, animals, microorganisms), their taxa, species compositions, populations, relative dominance in a specific study area, as influenced/affected by in situ ecological parameters, e.g. physical, chemical, biological, obtaining in the area. The present study, is an initial attempt to document and assess the species compositions, population, distribution, and occurrence of marine algae in the island of Leyte, initially the northeastern coast facing the Pacific Ocean (Leyte Gulf). The island is among the Philippines bigger land mass and has a relatively long shoreline. Adding to the stretch of the shoreline are the islands/islets found in the Upper Leyte or northernmost municipalities of Calubian, Leyte-Leyte, Capoocan, Carigara, Barugo, and San Miguel, Central Leyte (Babatngon, Tacloban, Palo, Tanauan, Tolosa, and Dulag), has only few islets, the more 'popular' being the Diyo Island facing Tacloban City. Other islands within Leyte Gulf belong to the Western Samar towns of Sta. Rita, Basey, and Marabut, and in part that of Eastern Samar's Guiuan and the historic island ofHomonhon. The southernly or Lower Leyte towns of Mayorga, MacArthur, Javier, and Abuyog have fewer islets.

Birth of Philippine Phycology

Before the entry of biodiversity-laced researches, the study of freshwater and marine algae/seaweeds known as Phycology (Algology), the seawaters of the particularly those coming from Europe and the Americas.

1. Foreign Expeditions/Investigators

As early as the 1800s the Romanzoff Expedition (1817-1818) on board the Russian ship Rurik, diverted their route and took shelter in Manila Bay following a heavy storm in the Pacific. A von Chamisso, a botanist of the expedition collected the fust specimens of the red algal genus Corallopsis in Manila Bay. In 1831, another foreign researcher joined the Prussian East Asia Expedition headed by F. J. Meyen. Georg von Martens, phycologist of the expedition, found (1806), collected and described two new species of green freshwater algae, namely, Cladophora diluta and C. luzunensis.

Considered as the first American-led group to visit the Philippine shores, so called the American Exploring Expedition headed by Charles Wilkes, had two phycologists who worked on their collections. J. W. Harvey and W. H. Harvey (1851, 1853, 1852), reported new records of brown seaweed Dictyota dichotoma and a number of new algal species, namely: Amphitetras farinosa, Campylodiscus kutzingii, Lagena williamsonii, and Triceratium orientale. These new species were collected from Maron gas Island, NE of Jolo, Sulu. The British Challenger Expedition visited Central Philippines (Visayan Waters) in 1874-1875. One new species of marine green alga was described by G. Dikie (1876- 1877) as Poliphysa spicata collected from Mactan Island, Cebu.

However, regarded as the most successful group of foreign scientists to visit the Philippine seas came with the Dutch Siboga Expedition in 1900. The expedition covered the Sulu Sea and had their rich marine algal collections studied by different phycologists, e.g. genus Halimeda by W. van Bosse and M. Foslie (1904, 1918), family Codiaceae by A. & E.S. Gepp (1911), and W. van Bosse (1912-1928), who published a checklist of blue-green, brown, and red algal species. She made special mention of the green Bornetella sphaerica among her Philippine materials. Other foreign biologists who did algal collections included H. H. Bartlett, who came twice in 1935 and 1940-1941. His (Bartlett) was an extensive collection trips from Batanes Province to the Sulu - Archipelago.

Low Point and Recovery of Philippine "Phycology Studies”

Philippine phycological research activities suffered a set-back m 1942-1945 during the outbreak of World War II. The assault on Manila saw the country's herbarium, then under the defunct Bureau of Scici1Ce, burned to the ground, its priceless terrestrial and aquatic plant exsiccate turned into ashes. However, there were few herbarium specimens, sent as exchange materials with foreign herbaria Rijks Herbarium of Netherlands, Royal Botanic Gardens of England, and the US Smithsonian Institution, which became the subject of 'retrieval' plan of then Philippine National Museum Director and noted botanist Dr. Eduardo Quisumbing. There were few Post War foreign biologists who were able to study Philippine algal materials kept in European and American herbaria. Worth mentioning among those who came to the country was E. Yale Dawson whose publications appeared in 1953. One of his contributions to Philippine phycology was his collection and description of the red seaweed Corallopsis salicornia found along the seawall of Manila Harbor. His collection turned out to be the topotype of the taxon later named as Gracilaria salicornia.

1. Filipino Phycology Researchers

The handful of pioneering Filipino algae researchers had the biggest challenge of rebuilding the algological herbarium collections ruined during World War II. Dr. G. T.  Velasquez, a renown freshwater algologist who by sheer desire to resurrect algae research including marine algae, initiated a crusade of building manpower base of postwar Filipino researchers. He pursued his studies on Philippine Blue-green Algae (Myxophyceae/Cyanophyceae) through a Grant-in-Aid from the American Philosophical Society. He was followed by his growing number of graduate students, who, armed with Master of Science Degrees formed the core of early Filipino algologists, e.g. J. D. Soriano, M. Cantoria, V. Aligaen, E. MediJla, M. Velasco, V. Viola among others. These advisees of G. T. Velasquez turned into under and graduate student advisers and caused the production of next generation algae work algae workers. One of them as Head of Botany Department and Professor at Far Eastern University, Prof. Violeta Viola-Arbizo became the Bachelor of Science Thesis Adviser of P. A. Cordero, Jr. They were later joined by the Theses/Dissertation advisees of G. C Trono, Jr., at UP-Diliman (including M. Fortes and E. Banzon-Fortes) and P. A. Cordero, Jr., at University of Santo Tomas. Together with Cordero's elrven (11) M Sc. Degree and three (3) Ph. D. advisees. referred to as his phycology research 'offspring’s', most of whom joined the academe and research institutions here and abroad. Adding to the rekindling of the Philippine algal research were few foreign phycologists who came as expedition members. One of these was the month-lone expedition headed by the internationally known Japanese Phycologist Dr. Takesi Tanaka, who came on board the 1,000-ton training ship "Kagoshima Maru", of the Kagoshima University, Japan. The group collected both terrestrial and marine plants in Batan Island, Batanes Province and San Pioquinto, Cagayan Province. He (Tanaka, 1967, 1981) described two new species of marine algae, namely: green Avrainvillea capituliformis and brown Dictyopteris camiguensis from Batanes and Cagayan, respectively. Cordero, then a fledgling student of phycology with the Botany division, Philippine National Museum, who, together with Velasquez, was among the 7-man Philippine counterpart of the Japanese expedition. Later, he (Cordero) was invited by Dr. Tanaka to do graduate study on marine algae through the Ministry of Japan Scholarship Program (MOMBUSHO), under his advisership. He took qualifying examination for the said scholarship and studied the Japanese Expedition rich algal collections and finished M Sc. in Fisheries Degree at Kagoshima University. His thesis, titled "The Marine Algae of Batao Island" was later invited for publication in three fascicles (1976, 1977, 1978) in the Fisheries Research Journal of the Philippines. Aside from algal species newly recorded for the Philippines, Cordero (1974) described a new variety of green Halimeda velasquezii Taylor var. stuposa Cordero. Earlier, Cordero and Tanaka (1972), published the genus Halimeda of Camiguin Island, Cagayan Province.

Phycological Investigations

The Visayan Sea

The Visayan Sea surrounds the three (3) political regions of Region VI Western-, Region 7 Central-, and Region 8 Eastern Visayas. Of the three regions, the marine algal flora of Western Visayas and Central Visayas are well documented/assessed compared to that of Eastern Visayas. Algae workers in Region VI include Prof. V.-Aligaen (UPV-lloilo) and Prof. Calmorin (Northern Iloilo Polytechnic State College-Estancia), M. Sc. Thesis advisee of Dr. Cordero, including their under- and graduate students. Also, on severa1 occasions, often in collaboration with Japanese a1go1ogists, e.g. Dr. Isamu Umezaki of Kyoto University and Cordero's Doctoral Dissertation Critic), or as Consultant of the Southeast Asia Fisheries Development. Center (SEAFDEC), otherwise in projects funded by the Philippine government, he (Cordero) contributed to the phycology research of Region VI. Cordero conducted floristic studies in the provinces of Aklan, Capiz, iloilo, anc Guirnaras. He reported (1978 a/b, 1980), marine algae newly recorded from the Region and the Philippines, e. g. Callymenia pacifica and few new Philippine records of epiphytic species, among others. It might be worthy of note that Cordero as designated Head of Task Force Philippine National Museum Marine Biological Station (PNMBRS), put up the first national museum marine field station in Aklan. Region 7 boasts of algae workers like Dr. Ernani Menez (Emeritus Phycologist with U.S. Smithsonian Institution) and Dr. Hilconida Calumpong (then Director, Siliman University Research Center), Dr. Danilo Largo, Prof. M. Filipinas, and Dr. Lawrence Liaos of the University of Sart Carlos, who were ably complemented by their respective graduate student advisees. Cordero, as part of his project on the- "Marine Algae of the Philippines", did several collecting trips in Mactan, Cebu, including Olango Island.

Eastern Visayas (Region VITI)

There has been no 'serious' attempts to document/assess the marine algal flora of Region 8 (Eastern Visayas), evidenced by the highly anemic information available. However, and as mentioned earlier., the pre-World War ll saw several visits t-y phycologists participating in expeditions and as individual visiting researchers, who botanized part of Eastern Visayas (Biliran and Tacloban). The Post World V/ar II algal specimens deposited in the National Herbarium, Philippine National Museum, include only three (3) red seaweed materials of Galaxaura oblongata (PNH 113931 and PNH 113937) collected 1n 1%0s from Diyo Island, Tacloban by J. Cabrera and R Magana. The other G. oblongata specimen in the PNH came from Bato, Leyte collected by 1v1r. Abad. The fourth specimen is a red corallinaceous species of Amphiroa foliacea also from Diyo Island These materials were studied and included in the doctoral dissertation of Cordero (1977), submitted 1o Graduate School, Kyoto University. One :1otes that in early 2000s, a foreign-commissioned project to assess the marine plants and animals in the Pacific Seaboard of the Philippines was undertaken in collaboration with select UP Diliman-based researchers. The said project did not include Leyte island in the Eastern Visayas, but for Northern and Eastern Samar Provinces to represent the Eastern Visayan marine flora and fauna. Only few staff of the University of Northern Philippines (UEP) were included in the project, but had no access nor were provided a copy of the project's final report (pers. com.). The present project, therefore, safely marks as the first attempt to study the marine algal resources of Leyte Island - initially conceived to cover the entire island, artificially divided into Northeastern, Northwestern, and Southern Leyte.

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are promising materials that are readily extracted from plants and other cellulose-containing organisms. In this study, CNCs were isolated from freshwater green algae (Cladophora rupestris) thriving in a volcanic lake, using hydrobromic acid (HBr) hydrolysis. Morphological and structural studies revealed highly crystalline CNCs (94.0 % crystallinity index) with preferred orientation to [100] lattice plane as shown by XRD measurements and have an average diameter of 20.0 (+4.4) nm as shown by TEM. Thermal studies showed increased temperature for thermal decomposition of CNCs isolation. The isolated CNCs were reinforced into starch based biocomposites via solution casting and evaporation method. Mechanical strength was improved as high as 78% upon addition of 1% cellulose nanocrystals in the films. The primary hydroxyl groups of CNCs were modified to produce an Azide-bearing CNC derivative. The cholesterol to be attached was first converted to alkyne-bearing cholesterol. The azide and alkyne was reacted using click chemistry to attach the cholesteric compound into the cellulose. Characterization reveal successful grafting of cholesterol as evidence by TEM, XRD and NMR albeit in low incorporation of 1:42. By attaching optically active substances in cellulose nanocrystal, these derivatives could be used as novel materials in light related applications.

The biodiversity of the Philippine ecosystem gives the opportunity to harness such abundance and utilize this particularly on drug discovery. This study aims to determine the potential antihypertensive, antihyperlipidemic and antidiabetic activity of the extracts of selected plants that will be collected from Alabat Island.

This project will also provide baseline information on Cryptosporidium contamination of coastal areas in Metro Manila where bivalves are commonly cultured. Moreover, the surveillance data that will be generated from this study will be helpful in understanding the level of foodborne and environmental contaminants related to the present changing environmental conditions. Moreover, this study aims to assess the risk of cryptosporidiosis on the healthy population of Metro Manila that regularly consumes bivalves from the coastal areas of this megacity. This study will be the first to report on quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) of Cryptosporidium from bivalves. The outcome of this research may drive decision-makers to establish an educational and treatment program to reduce the incidence of parasite-borne intestinal infections in Metro Manila and to conduct risk analysis programs in other similar cities in the Philippines.

This project is the second phase of the program, “Empowering Vulnerable Communities Through Risk Communication in Disaster Risk Management (RiskCom4DRM)”. Using participatory development communication approaches, this project primarily aims to formulate a RiskComDev strategy and action plan and to develop communication materials on disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) in three selected areas including a coastal community (Tacloban City), an upland community (Zambales), and a mining area (Agusan del Norte). 

In contrast with other research projects that focus on the design and development of communication materials on DRM, community participation and sustainability are key concepts and principles that will guide the conduct of this project. Hence, stakeholders will be involved at different levels of project planning and implementation. The level of participation most appropriate to each stakeholder group will be considered. 

This project entailed a comprehensive desk review of government orders, policies, issuances and/or legal instrumentalities pertaining to the prevention and control of COVID-19 in the Philippines.  

The project is a component of a bigger program entitled “Empowering Vulnerable Communities through Risk Communication in Disaster Risk Management (RiskCom4DRM). On the whole, the program aims to capacitate affected communities in designing, implementing, and monitoring & evaluating strategic risk communication (riskcom) plan and integrate such in their bigger local DRRM plans. Through this riskcom intervention, it is envisioned that the selected local communities will be better able to effectively manage the disaster risks confronting them. This third project focuses on the last stage of RiskCom4DRM program and is about “Participatory Evaluation of RiskCom in DRM towards Development of RiskCom Model and Policies for Vulnerable Communities.” It generally aims to analyze the outcome and impacts of the program on the vulnerability level of the local communities. Based on the experiences and lessons learned, riskcom models for each upland, coastal, and mining areas will be developed as contributions to the body of knowledge, or the scientific capital and social technologies of the country. In addition, appropriate policies will be drafted so as to sustain the good results that may be generated and integrate the science and art of riskcom in DRM policies and plans.   

To accomplish the above objectives, the pre-and-post quantitative evaluation design will be used combined with participatory outcome and impact evaluation using qualitative methods such as outcome mapping and most significant technique. For the pre-and-post design, the baseline data will be compared with post-program evaluation to determine the changes that occur that can be attributed to the riskcom intervention. Effectiveness of the program will also be assessed by analyzing the extent by which the program and project objectives have been accomplished. Survey will be used for this part. For results and outcome, focus group discussion (FGD), key informant interview, video and photo documentation, and outcome mapping will be employed. Evaluation in riskcom is participatory in nature. It is assumed that the broader the participation base, the greater the support or the riskcom process will be. This in turn results to a better chance for long-term sustainability.   

Most project evaluations in the area of communication are quantitative in nature providing mostly the breadth of what has been accomplished. They are conducted by the project implementors and results are interpreted from the project implementors’ perspective to a big extent. This participatory M&E under riskcom aims to include the participants’ viewpoint in the analysis, thus, qualitative methods will be used to include their narratives. The latter will hopefully provide depth, complementing appropriately the breadth covered by quantitative methods.  

The pandemic crisis brought about by COVID 19 is never gender neutral. The women more than men receive the hardest blow. For instance, the interruption of reproductive health services may increase unwanted pregnancies especially affected are adolescent girls (POPCOM,2020). In the recent report on UN women by Azcona, et al. 2020) the pandemic will push 96 million people worldwide into extreme poverty by 2021, of which 47 million are women and girls. Moreover, when schooling is interrupted and girls more than boys may not be able to return to school will bring about a widening socioeconomic gap but also education gender gap. It is in this light, that the study on teenage youth who got pregnant or bore a child during the pandemic is a national issue that should be brought to the attention to the policy makers.

In this study, social, economic and emotional characteristics of sample of teenage pregnant and teenage mothers would be narrated from their own stories in order to offer solutions in terms of programs and policy reforms on their most pressing needs and to empower them especially during pandemic. In a  study  by  Nelson and  Rodriguez, 2016, it was found  that the  socio-economic  characteristics of the  youth who got  pregnant  and who  experienced  disaster in the form of typhoons are those   who  are  living in an  extended households  but unrelated  families, are in a  consensual union with either their  spouses or partners, did not  go to  college  and  are  earning  a monthly income between Php 5,000 to  10,000. Thus, the young mothers are poor and were likely not to continue their education beyond high school. It would be interesting to find if these findings on teenagers who got pregnant during disastrous typhoon holds true to that of the of teenage youth   who find themselves pregnant and mothers in a pandemic crisis.

The project will take a 2-pronged approach to look into the emotions generated by the pandemic.  One will be to "scrape" through the social media pages of select popular news sites to get a quick feel for public sentiment at various periods or phases of the outbreak.  The other will be to conduct a small survey to obtain a better grasp of the context and content of people's feelings and reactions to information obtained with regard to the pandemic.

The current COVID19 pandemic has highlighted the mental health problems that has been affecting the Filipino population. Mental health is seen as the next pandemic resulting from COVID19.  As in previous humanitarian emergencies, the situation once again emphasizes the need for mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services and provides the opportunity to build back better. MHPSS services are integral to the response and recovery phases of this global public health emergency. 

The proposed study  aims to explore the various MHPSS services provided by individuals and  organizations in the Philippines in response to the COVID19 pandemic using the 4Ws (Who is Where, When, doing What in Mental Health and Psychosocial Support) developed by the Inter-agency Standing Committee (IASC) Reference Group for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Services. It is designed to identify (i) the key players in the delivery of MHPSS services including their clientele and/or institutional partners; (ii) geographical reach of their services; (iii) nature of cases handled, and(iii) the type of programs and/or services offered

In 2013, a similar research was done for Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) which led to an in-depth analysis of MHPSS response in the country in several emergency situations, resulting in the development of the National Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) Memorandum No. 62 s.2017 National Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergencies and Disaster Situations. This was in coordination with the Department of Health and funded by UNICEF.

The project will mainly focus on (i) gathering and organizing epidemiological datasets as well as social and economic datasets, (ii) analyze the data and connect the different datasets, and (iii) create visuals and data storyboards that can be used to draw gender-specific insights.

Comprehensive studies on Philippine forest spiders currently take a back seat to the larger more charismatic species. However, the introduction of exotic species as well as biodiversity studies requiring comprehensive taxonomic sampling of the country's biota, knowledge regarding these little-known understory and ground-dwelling spiders becomes all the more important.

In a nutshell, this study seeks to provide baseline data on these spiders by: 1) collecting understory and ground-dwelling spiders in the forest ecosystems and nearby habitats, and correlate the impact of forest degradation of habitat quality (i.e) type of vegetation) on spider faunal diversity; 2) identifying these spiders and determining their taxonomic diversity and relative abundance; 3) compiling information on the bionomics of this group of spiders; 4) recording distribution data and updating country inventory; and 5) producing a pictorial field guide on Philippine spiders.

The latter output of this study aims to entice students to pursue a science career in the natural sciences and arm our quarantine officials with the necessary information materials needed to conduct strict quarantine procedures.

This is a survey research to generate scientific evidence such as knowledge, attitudes, risk perceptions and intention (acceptability) of the people towards COVID-19 vaccination.

With the abrupt shift in teaching and learning, the proposed descriptive study intends to look into teacher practices as they enact their lessons remotely. The study proposes to focus on the coping mechanism of teachers in this current modality, which may inform the education agency of means (program and activities) for a work-life balance of teachers and project systems and strategies of bridging and shifting to the new normal. Furthermore, the study proposes to look into the assessment and feedback mechanisms implemented by teachers and their instructional delivery. Sourced findings in these foci may be triangulated with the intended learning outcomes and the envision outcomes to identify teaching and learning gaps to initiate plans of actions to bridge the gap.

A framework for developing a hybrid regression model for short-term forecasting of COVID-19 cases has been proposed. It was demonstrated using three different models with varying predictor parameters.  Results show that the performance of forecasting models during training may not necessarily be the same when validation data is used. In addition, the performance of the model should be tested regularly to ensure whether its performance is still acceptable. In instances that the performance deteriorates, especially since forecast models tend to perform better for short-term prediction rather than long-term prediction, then decision-makers should consider modifying and recalibrating the model. By providing insights on the trend and expected number of COVID-19 cases a few days ahead, short-term forecasting models will be useful for planning resource utilization and allocation not just during this pandemic but other future crisis. Future work should consider other combinations of predictors and investigate the use of other indicators for testing model performance. In addition, these models can be calibrated using more localized regional data to provide better insights and guidance on the COVID-19 situation in a region.

This paper examines the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on ecotourism in the Philippines as well as the lessons learned and ways to go through a case study of ten ecotourism sites in the Philippines from Luzon to Mindanao. Unprecedented global travel restrictions and stay-at-home orders caused tourism to large cease in March 2020 and resulted to the most severe disruption of the global economy since World War II. This study made use of a COVID-19 impact assessment tool based on eight criteria of ecotourism and two focus group discussions with tourism officers and ecotourism management officials. The study found out that the ecotourism sites were closed starting on the middle of March 2020 till the time they were placed under modified GCQ when some of the sites re-opened but only for local tourists or residents within their town, province, or region. The closure of the sites for several months resulted to tremendous losses in terms of livelihood and income. Positive aspects included show of resilience of the ecotourism workers in finding other means of livelihood and the improvement of bioecology and protection of culture and the environment with community participation. The study concludes that most of the sites lacked a contingency plan for epidemics and that their major concerns are having financial assistance and livelihood projects for the laid off staff, sustaining support for their partner communities, and the lack of back up plans and funds. Furthermore, re-booting tourism would involve planning for and re-starting tourism with sustainability in mind while balancing health and the tourism industry.

In response to the two main concerns outlined in the rationale through the ongoing KTOP (Kapakanan ng Tao sa Oras ng Pandemya) initiatives of NRCP, Project RD-DIY-Micro has identified two key strategies related to the remote delivery of lessons amidst the current COVID 19 pandemic. First, I will be assessing the struggles encountered and the coping strategies employed by the teachers and students of microbiology during the online classes. I taught two undergraduate microbiology courses during the 2nd term of AY 2020-2021. At the end of the semester, I conducted an online survey (n=118) to assess the students’ perception of our online learning activities. This survey will list down their challenges and coping strategies and will identify online learning activities that engages students and enhances their learning. The survey also asked about their performance and whether the enriched mode of learning has contributed to the achievement of the learning goals at the course, program, and institutional levels. Additionally, an online perception survey was also conducted with my colleagues (n=8) who handled microbiology courses during the second term. This survey also will identify the challenges encountered by the teachers in their online delivery of lessons in microbiology. The survey also asked their rating of their performance and the strategies they employed to address students’ concerns. Therefore, during the first month of the proposed Project RD-DIY-Micro, the results of these online perception surveys will be analyzed to provide a science-based and local evaluation of online teaching and learning in microbiology. It will enumerate the challenges and struggles encountered by our teachers and students, particularly in the online teaching of microbiology where theoretical knowledge and technical/practical skills are equally important to develop competencies. In anticipation for the need to develop the technical skills as identified by the first phase of Project RD-DIY-Micro, a second phase of the project is planned. The remote delivery of lessons, while has facilitated acquisition of theoretical knowledge, has unfortunately not fully addressed the development of technical or practical skills, particularly in microbiology, where laboratory instruction is a crucial and an integral component of learning. In the past, I have developed and published several learning activities that were successfully employed in my teaching of microbiology, see dela Cruz (2014, 2020), dela Cruz & Aril-dela Cruz (2018), dela Cruz et al. (2012, 2013), Macabago & dela Cruz (2012), Winsett et al. (2017). The second month of the proposed Project RD-DIY-Micro will therefore develop a new learning activity that can be deployed online but will facilitate acquisition of technical skills for both undergraduate and graduate students of microbiology. The learning activity can be accomplished by the students synchronously or asynchronously, thereby allowing the students to manage their own time in the performance of their tasks. This will be achieved through the proposed Do-It-Yourself (DIY) learning activity package which students can easily and safely perform within the confines of their homes but will facilitate performance of technical skills which are often acquired through face-to-face learning in laboratory classrooms. The DIY learning activity package will also include a collection of videos and images which are integrated into the learning activity, and therefore, are very critical for the DIY experiments. In addition, following the step-by-step instructions, the students will perform tasks that can be done in their own backyards and/or in a forest, urban park, or any green spaces in their area. This will provide our Filipino students a “more realistic”, a “local feel”, a “direct connection”, and a “closer-to-home” (Philippine setting) learning experience. For the Do-It-Yourself tasks, learning materials can also be easily acquired from local school supplies or conducted through materials readily available at home.

The proposed activity is a research project involving a survey of experiences of local food service entrepreneurs in Iligan City who are operating their businesses during this time of the pandemic. The goal is to discover opportunities to support the sector in specific areas by understanding how respondent entrepreneurs adapted their business models for purposes of business continuity.

The study will employ qualitative methods to address the research objectives.

Given the prescribed health and safety protocols currently being implemented, data gathering will extensively utilize online interviews, but face-to-face interviews would also be conducted, when necessary. It is possible that respondents may have internet connectivity constraints. This might pose a limitation on the key informant to fully engage in his or her participation to the interview.