Excessive consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, alcohol, and caffeine is linked to unhealthy behaviors, including poor sleep quality. This study aimed to look at sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) and alcoholic and caffeinated beverage (ACB) intake and their effect on the sleep quality of selected night shift call center agents working in Mandaluyong City. A cross-sectional research design was used, and data were collected through an online questionnaire distributed to 247 qualified participants. Results showed that the most consumed beverage by the respondents was water, with an average amount of 1,187.66 ± 553.37 mL/day. They also habitually drank fruit juices, soft drinks, sweetened juice drinks, and whole milk. The respondents’ beverage intake exceeded the recommendations for both SSB and ACB. Furthermore, almost all (88.26%) of them are categorized to have poor sleep quality. Most respondents with poor sleep quality consume more ACBs (61.13%) than SSBs (38.87%). On the other hand, most respondents with good sleep quality consume more SSBs (55.23%) compared to ACBs (44.77%). This research contributes to the expanding body of information on the health impacts of SSB and ACB consumption. It emphasizes the need for nutrition-focused measures to minimize their intake and promote healthier alternatives.

This study aimed to assess the acceptability of arrowroot flour (Maranta arundinacea L.) in the production of salt bread (pandesal) in the country. Two experiments were conducted namely, pre-experiment and actual experiment. The pre-experiment had two trials in making pandesal wherein the first trial focused on producing traditional pandesal (T1, 0%) while the second trial used different percentages of arrowroot flour (T2, 20%; T3, 30% and T4,40%) to determine the optimum ratio with selected flours. The acceptability used a 9-point Hedonic scale wherein 9 is the highest (Like extremely) and 1 (Dislike extremely). Results showed that T1 had the highest general acceptability (7.8, ) followed by T3 (7.5) and both were labeled as ‘Like very much’ while T2 (6.8) and T4 (6.7) were both labeled as ‘Like moderately’. In terms of cost, T1 was the cheapest and T4 as the most expensive. While arrowroot-based flour pandesal is more expensive right now, it was found out to acceptable flour substitute in making pandesal. The use of this flour as alternative in producing bread can help address the problem of the country’s heavy dependence on imported flour. Result of this study and further studies on the use of arrowroot flour will support local farmers in growing arrowroot for other potential uses.

The issue of Food and Nutrition Security (FNS) in the Philippines has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and persistent social, environmental and agricultural problems. To address this concern, the involvement of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) is explored by reviewing the local policies in the Philippines. Applications and recommendations on how human ecology can address the complex problem of FNS were then noted. This systematic literature review used a framework synthesis approach wherein the Australian National University (ANU) Transdisciplinary Framework was used to check if the stated policies, applications, and recommendations were aligned with the framework components, which are interactive, integrative, change-oriented, systemic, context-based, and pluralistic. This transdisciplinary framework is expected to promote policy change and development related to FNS. After that, 38 articles were included in the review. Upon the review, no local policies fit all of the ANU Transdisciplinary Framework’s components. Nonetheless, these policies mostly separately address food security and nutrition security. However, there are still no established responses to the concern of FNS as an integrated concept of food security and nutrition security. HEIs contribute to developing FNS-related policies by intensifying advocacy for integrating food and nutrition security and improving FNS-related research and programs.

This study was conducted to assess the role of Butuanon River Watershed Management Board (BRWMB) in rehabilitating the Butuanon River in Cebu, Philippines. Data was gathered through key informant interviews with officials of the Board and a self-administered questionnaire for the members of the Board and was analyzed through descriptive and thematic analyses.Results showed that since the creation of the Butuanon River Watershed Water Quality Management Area (BRW WQMA) in 2014, the river’s biological oxygen demand (BOD) level has decreased. While the level has yet to meet the water quality guidelines of DENR’s Class D rivers, the Board’s initiatives like clean-up activities, information, education, and communication (IEC), and the relocation of informal settlers residing at riverbanks contributed to the improvement of the river’s water quality. The activities conducted by the Board strengthened the linkages with other stakeholders. The good working relationship among the stakeholders facilitated the convergence of their resources, making their efforts to rehabilitate the Butuanon River more coordinated and sustainable. Furthermore, Mandaue LGU, the chair of BRWMB, integrated its efforts in its Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) and the 10-year Action Plan of the BRW WQMA in its Butuanon River Rehabilitation Plan.Results revealed that the existence of BRWMB played a vital role in the Butuanon River’s rehabilitation, and such efforts are hoped to be sustained with the participation of the various stakeholders and formulation of policies to support all efforts of the Board.

In the Philippines, an underutilized crop known as adlay has been found to contain valuable nutritive potential. Given Filipinos’ usual diet of snacks and ready-to-eat food items, the study aimed to provide an alternative choice for healthy snacks by utilizing adlay in developing cereal bars with an improved nutritional profile. The study developed cereal bars using varying proportions of oats and adlay grains as follows: control (100:0), treatment 1 (75:25), treatment 2 (50:50), and treatment 3 (25:75). The cereal bars were then subjected to sensory evaluation to determine their acceptability using a nine-point hedonic scale with 67 adult respondents. The control and the most acceptable treatment then underwent proximate and mineral analyses (iron and calcium). The sensory data was analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis H-Test with rank analysis, whereas the proximate and mineral content data were analyzed using the student’s t-test at p<0.05. Results showed no significant difference between the control and all the treatments regarding sensory characteristics, and treatment 1 got the highest rank among all treatments. Proximate and mineral analyses revealed that treatment 1 has significantly higher crude protein (11.25 ± 0.66%), crude fiber (10.79 ± 1.22%), crude fat (17.82 ± 1.10%), and calcium (1.08 ± 0%), than the control made of pure oats. The findings, therefore, suggest that adlay can be used as a value-added ingredient in making sensory-acceptable cereal bars with an improved nutritional profile.

Solar irrigation systems are sustainable practices that can improve the well-being of local communities and enhance the resilience of agriculture to climate change while reducing environmental impacts. Due to its high investment cost, small-scale farmers are inclined to use traditional fossil-based irrigation systems that can harm humans and the environment. This study aims to analyze the environmental impacts, economic feasibility, and social acceptability of shifting agricultural practices from diesel-fueled to solar irrigation systems. Taking the perspective of small-scale farmers from Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro, results found that solar irrigation system has a higher initial investment but lower maintenance and operational costs. These resulted in an attractive economic feasibility of the project with Php 19,693 of fuel cost savings per hectare per year, a project net present value of Php 10,214 per hectare, a payback period of 8.27 years, and returns on investment at 110%. Additionally, shifting to a solar irrigation system significantly reduces the greenhouse gas emissions from diesel at 199.78 CO2 eq/ha/yr, and avoids air pollutant emissions at 14.91 g/ha/yr particulate matter, 2.98 g/ha/yr nitrogen oxides,193.82 g/ha/yr sulfur oxides, and 149.09 g/ha/yr carbon monoxide. Despite the lack of in-depth environmental awareness, small-scale farmers are interested in investing in solar irrigation systems with 68% social acceptability. Results provide bases for recommendations on promoting more human ecologically and sustainable agriculture irrigation systems in the Philippines and other developing countries.

The definition of the new normal stretches towards the notions of pandemic-ready and climate-resilient communities. The recent COVID-19 pandemic and the intensification of climate-related hazards have challenged the disaster management and preparedness of those in developing countries. Baybay, among other cities in the Philippines, had endured the devastation of typhoons and landslides in the middle of the pandemic. While the city grappled with its responses to address the dual threats of the new normal, its implementation of the Barangay Integrated Development Approach for Nutrition Improvement (BIDANI) strategy in 2010 through the Visayas State University (VSU) equipped the local government unit (LGU) with sectoral data and database management for evidence-based decision-making, digital information systems, and nutrition-related interventions in the barangay level. Using the narratives of the LGU and VSU-BIDANI teams, this paper intends to present a comprehensive overview of the significance of BIDANI in addressing LGU governance challenges, especially in planning and development for disaster responses. This paper suggests strengthening the partnership between LGUs and academia to foster good local governance.

This study was conducted to compare the UPLB students’ awareness, knowledge, attitudes and practices (AKAP) on sustainable fashion. It also described their socio-demographic characteristics, explained their AKAP on sustainable fashion, analyzed the relationship between their AKAP towards sustainable fashion, and compared the AKAP of students who have not yet taken the HUME 112 (Sustainability Science) course (first cohort) and students who finished the HUME 112 course (second cohort) on sustainable fashion; and formulated recommendations on the AKAP of selected UPLB students. This research was conducted using a quantitative research method with 225 selected UPLB students determined through purposive sampling. A self-administered survey questionnaire through Google Forms was used as a research instrument. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Spearman’s correlation, and Mann-Whitney U-test. Results showed that the respondents from the first cohort showed a moderate level of awareness, while the respondents from the second cohort showed a high level of awareness. For the knowledge level, both cohorts (first cohort is 77%, second is 95%) had a high level of knowledge on sustainable fashion. Both cohorts showed favorable attitudes towards sustainable fashion and had a moderate level of practice towards sustainable fashion. Variables such as awareness and knowledge, awareness and practices, and knowledge and practices had a significant relationship with each other for the first cohort, while only awareness and knowledge and awareness and practices for the second cohort. Lastly, results showed a significant difference in the awareness and knowledge level between the two cohorts.

With COVID-19 disrupting basic health services, the Family MUAC approach was recognized as a “reduced physical contact” method for detecting malnutrition among children aged 6-59 months old. The mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) is an anthropometric measure taken at the midpoint of the upper arm, between the tip of the shoulder (olecranon process) and the tip of the elbow (acromion). While this approach is already being implemented in 26 countries worldwide, there is a research gap in the implementing strategies of the Family MUAC approach in the Philippines. As of 2021, there were only a few documented barangay-level activities involving this approach; a pilot implementation in Samar, Northern Samar, and Zamboanga Del Norte, and a virtual training in Cagayan Province. This quantitative study was conducted to correlate factors with the competency of the Barangay Nutrition Scholars in the implementation of the Family MUAC approach. The study surveyed all 18 Barangay Nutrition Scholars in Cabuyao, Laguna using a pretested structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, supportive systems, resources, and level of competency of the respondents. On the other hand, Spearman and Cramer’s V coefficients were calculated to identify factors correlated with the competency of the respondents. With the majority of the respondents having a moderate level of competency (72.2\%), results showed that competency was negatively correlated with age and positively correlated with household size, monthly family income, last MUAC training, supervisory visits, refresher training, and availability of selected supplies. In conclusion, the variables above were factors correlated with competency, and knowledge, experience, and motivation were sufficient measures of the Barangay Nutrition Scholars’ level of competency. The study recommends reinforcing strategies on the identified positively-influencing factors related to family support, training, supervision, and supplies to improve the competency of the Barangay Nutrition Scholars in the implementation of the Family MUAC approach.

The scaffolds of the “I See, I Think, and I Feel” capability-building project was built first by the results of a qualitative inquiry of 10 gay preschool teachers whose experiences yielded resiliency with the themes as persona duality, vicarious experiences as an anxiety trigger, innate creativity, adaptability, the need to feel respected, the difficult choice of living alone, and dealing with children’s gender typing; and second by the extension project cycle of Central Mindanao University. Further, the Sustainable Development Goal on Reduction of Inequalities towards the empowerment and promotion of the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, regardless of age, sex, or other status, thereby paving for laws that are non-discriminatory and sustainable development-related policies has been the main ingredient throughout the project development leading to the conceptualization of the main objective that is to reach out to gay preschool teachers in Bukidnon who have been experiencing the struggles, and thereby pave positive psychology for them. Hence, the underscored capability-building method is the process approach covering five main topics: intensifying the utilization of arts in gay preschool teachers’ pedagogy, effective handling of children’s curiosity about gays, positive use of resiliency in dealing with the challenges of being gay preschool teachers, self-love, and the importance of positive mental health, which will undergo 5-year monitoring and evaluation to ensure the sustainability and magnify the impact.