Bedan Research Journal

Metanoia and Ahimsa: Inputs in Inter-Religious Dialogue Between the Catholic Church and Jainism

James Loreto Piscos — 2024-10-22

The study aims to unlock metanoia and Ahimsa as fundamental doctrines of Christianity and Jainism, respectively, that can bring harmony and peace through their character of inclusivity and listening. These are also important traits to achieve the goals of UNSDG that facilitated total human development in various spheres of life. Metanoia is an all-embracing Christian concept about change of heart, while Ahimsa is a Jainist doctrine on non-violence and causing no harm to any life form. In interreligious dialogue, their inputs open doors for transforming potentials that can address issues in achieving sustainable development. Husserl’s phenomenological framework aids in finding meeting points that can bridge different religious strands. His phenomenological approach provides listening and suspension of judgments to bridge and deepen meaningful encounters. The research contends that both Catholicism and Jainism quest for spiritual liberation as a goal. Christianity adheres that metanoia is a way to achieve that where, through change of heart, it brings individuals to nothingness, shown in the unconditional love exemplified by Jesus on the cross. Jainism meets this view where ahimsa is the foundational principle in achieving spiritual liberation. Ahimsa goes with the other two pillars, namely, anekanta (multiplicity of viewpoints) and aparigraha (non-possession as lifestyle). Christianity and Jainism intersected in their aspirations for well-being and total liberation. Both agreed that human beings need to purify through righteous actions or positive karma. Aside from the e-library method, the research engaged in actual research collaboration with Jainist scholars that deepened the study. Through inclusivity and integration of common areas for social welfare achieved in inter-religious dialogue, the church’s agenda of synodality is facilitated.

Palawan Peacock Pheasant (Polyplectron Napoleonis) Species Distribution Modeling: A Review of the Impact of Typhoon Rai/Odette on the Diversity and Distribution of an Endemic Bird Species

Maria Eliza Cruz — 2024-10-22

This study quantified the habitat requirements and, consequently, described the remaining suitable habitats through species distribution modeling of Polyplectron napoleonis within Cleopatra’s Needle Forest Reserve and Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park after the onslaught of Typhoon Odette in the Palawan region. This was accomplished using MaxEnt software, a statistical machine-learning algorithm that creates niche models with presence-only (PO) data and surrounding environmental variables (Dudik et al., 2007; Merow et al., 2013). Previous studies have identified precipitation, elevation, and land cover as the top environmental variables influencing tandikan habitat suitability, as revealed by their percent contributions. There were earlier claims of the noticeable movement of habitat-suitable areas to the fringes and beyond Cleopatra's Needle Forest Reserve. The migration seems to be going towards highland forests. Two factors could be behind this migration: the tandikan are responding to climate change or avoiding human disturbance. As this species is known to have a high tolerance for temperature change, the latter could be the more plausible factor. For 2022, post-Odette, MaxEnt analysis revealed a shift of percent contributions with elevation and land cover classification outranking aspect and slope. Environmental layers were limited to four, as these were the only currently available data. This shift in percent contributions could be linked to the direct damage to forests brought by the Typhoon in December of 2021. The land cover map generated for this year has shown large areas of forests that were converted into non-forests. Conservation efforts, therefore, for the tandikan, a forest species, should be recalibrated in response to this current development. Further, measures to mitigate the impact of solid typhoons on forests should be reviewed and evaluated.

Translation and Validation of the Filipino Sustainability Consciousness Questionnaire

Ester Rada — 2024-10-22

Sustainable Development (SD) has undeniably become an important concept worldwide. But sustainability issues are viewed in different contexts and situations. It is believed that cultural context is an important factor that influences human behaviors and values related to society, the economy, and the environment. Language is an essential part of culture. Thus, measurement indicators that are culturally adapted are as important to visualize the efforts toward SD. The present study aims to create a Filipino version of the Sustainability Consciousness Questionnaire (SCQ) reflecting the three psychological constructs of knowingness, attitudes, and behavioral items which are related to SD dimensions of social, economic, and environmental. Also, validation of the Filipino SCQ (F-SCQ) by experts and pilot tests as to the conceptual level of the target users and construct validity were done. This study used a cross-sectional, explanatory nonexperimental design with participants composed of 678 male and female aged 18-19 years old. The translation processes go through preparation, translation proper (forward translation), and evaluation (i.e. back translation, bilingual technique, and pretest/cognitive debriefing with 10 target samples) to ensure that the translated instrument is both culturally acceptable and contextually scale relevant to target population. In terms of its factor structure, the results of the second-order factor analysis are as follows: for Sustainability Knowingness, all of the first-order factors (i.e., Environmental, Social, and Economic) were loaded onto a single second-order factor. For Sustainability Attitudes, only the Social and Economic factors were retained; while, for Sustainability Behaviour, only the Environmental and Economic factors were confirmed. Hence, this Filipino version of the SCQ is found to be psychometrically sound and suitable for Filipino adolescents in measuring their sustainability consciousness. Further evaluation is recommended in comparison to the original English SCQ, other age groups; and translation to other Philippine dialects may also be considered in future studies.

Decent Work Practices Incorporated in the Collective Bargaining Agreements of Unionized Firms

Divina Edralin — 2024-10-22

We investigated the decent work practices related to employment at work, rights at work, social protection, and social dialogue incorporated in the Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) of unionized firms. We analyzed qualitatively the various provisions of each of the 20 CBAs of unionized firms from diverse industries in the Philippines that come from manufacturing, hotels, resorts, health, education, telecommunication, and public utilities. Findings revealed that the CBAs' provisions articulate many significant provisions on decent work practices. Specifically, the employment-at-work provisions revealed 14 main themes related to benefits, employee classification, wages, work hours, and opportunities for advancement. Eight key themes were identified on rights at work provisions: employee development, protection against discrimination, safeguards against company closure, sale, lease, transfer, or merger, protection against lay-offs and retrenchment, shared social responsibility, and the ban on labor contracting. On social protection provisions, twelve main themes emerged: maternity benefits, other social security benefits, job security, extended financial assistance and loan benefits, and medical/health care incentive programs. On social dialogue provisions, 11 main themes evolved about union-management communication, acknowledging the current labor union as the sole bargaining representative, the institution of grievance machinery, the union's right to information and consultation, as well as the presence of the Labor-Management Committee. The overall results underscored the important role of the union through its collective bargaining power in ensuring that decent work thrives in the workplace. We recommend implementing the “one union one industry policy” as stipulated in the Labor Code; strengthening the conceptual, technical, and behavioral skills of the union leaders; treating unions as social partners; and undertaking research studies that can benefit both the union and management during their CBA negotiations. These efforts can open more opportunities for unions and those workers covered by CBAs to actualize the ILO conventions of guaranteeing decent work that will transform people and organizations toward a sustainable mindset that includes justice, peace, and equality for the common good of the future generation of working people.

Exploring the Effects of High National Debt on Household Consumption and Foreign Direct Investments

Ma. Jesusa Bato — 2024-10-22

As nations grapple with the challenges posed by increasing debt burdens, finding out the intricacies between macroeconomic indicators would give insights into how household consumption and foreign investments are affected by the high national debt level, and how they move along with the identified variables such as tax revenues and economic health of the country. The goal of this paper is to focus on the implications of high external debt for macroeconomic variables and find out the variables’ effects in the short term and the long term by using a quantitative approach or method. The researchers intend to find out if the household consumption expenditure is influenced by high national debt, tax revenues, total economic health, and foreign investments, or otherwise, finding out as well if the foreign investments are influenced by high national debt, tax revenues, total economic health, and household consumption expenditure or not. The paper also has its constraints given that related literature is limited in terms of the immediate relationship of the variables that the researchers want to study.

With the knowledge that high national debt would have a toll on the country’s economic performance or the gross domestic product (GDP), there is the perception of high debt having an impact on household consumption or consumer spending that can alter the living conditions or reduce incomes of the people, given that the government would need to look for ways in order to pay off high debt by resorting to collecting more taxes. An impending increase in tax rates would eat up a portion of personal income that can in turn affect their ability to consume. High tax rates can also discourage foreign direct investments (FDIs) into the country, as this factor can also contribute to decisions to investments since other countries might offer a more competitive tax package. Aside from this, with the perception that a country can be on the brink of debt overheating due to high national debt, foreign investors would hesitate to come in due to the idea that the economy is struggling, a bad precedent for doing business. High amounts of public debt can restrict the government's options for fiscal policy during recessions, which lessens the government's ability to help the economy recover and push forward. As debts increase, the growing perception that this would be contra beneficial to the living conditions of people despite the everyday grind could affect consumption behavior and future expectations on price and policy directions, further affecting the country’s overall economic health.

While fiscal policies are strong indicators of government revenue raising and spending directions and actions, tax collection or revenues are necessarily integral as a key variable influencing a country’s capacity to pay that can also limit potentials of incurring a high national debt level. With good tax collection practices and tax policies, as a key source of revenues to help pay off the country’s debt, other factors such as monetary policy are also important. Monetary policy control is needed because rising interest rates can make it more expensive to borrow to cover basic household needs and other forms of financial needs, such as mortgages and other financial obligations. This could limit disposable income and reduce consumer spending. Moreover, related hazards that impact general consumption behavior include the depreciation of the currency and price rises that lead to inflation, which could exacerbate the living conditions of the people. These might lower families' purchasing power. Therefore, the effects of large public debt on investments and budgets emphasize the necessity of sound fiscal management and policy use to reduce any potential negative effects.

The research examines the dynamics of macroeconomic aggregates in the context of the nation's high levels of national debt, tax revenue, household spending, and foreign investments. Among the objectives are trend analyses of significant variables such as GDP, tax revenues, foreign direct investment (FDI), household consumption, and national government debt. Another study objective is to comprehend the relationship between tax income, state debt, household expenditure, and foreign direct investments. Its goal is to determine whether the country's growing debt affects household consumption and investments. The study utilizes the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) cointegration technique to examine the links between GDP, tax collections, foreign investments, household consumption, and national debt. In conclusion, the analysis' result regarding the influence of total national debt, overall economic health, and foreign investment on the household's final consumption expenditure (HCFE) is largely evident in both the short run and long run. The ARDL is a flexible model that allows analysis at level and first differences. Different lag lengths may also be used in the model having different variables.

Personality Traits as Predictors of Pro-Environmental Behavior: Evidence from the Philippines

Alvin Nieva — 2024-10-22

One of the objectives within the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development set by the United Nations General Assembly is to enhance global awareness about sustainable development by disseminating precise information to people worldwide and encouraging lifestyles that harmonize with nature. Pope Francis's Laudato Si' is considered by many as a landmark document urging major change because it criticizes the consumer-centered way of life and argues that protecting the Earth requires a complete shift in our priorities. It is believed that pro-environmental behaviors play an important role in achieving the goals of the SDGs, UNESCO, and Laudato Si'. Previous studies have shown relationships between pro-environmental behavior and personality traits. However, these studies were conducted in foreign contexts, and to the best of the researcher's knowledge, there was no published local study that explains the connection between personality traits and pro-environmental behavior among Filipinos, particularly those in the workforce. This is the gap that this study aimed to address. This study determined the link between personality traits and pro-environmental behavior of Filipino workers in the National Capital Region (NCR). This utilized a cross-sectional predictive design. The participants were comprised of 644 Filipino workers from the NCR. In terms of gender, there were 256 (39.8%) males, 374 (58.1%) females, and 14 (2.2%) undisclosed. Two sets of self-report questionnaires were administered online: the Brief HEXACO Inventory and the adapted General Ecological Behavior Scale. Results of the main analysis suggest that only Extraversion, Conscientiousness, and Openness to Experience as personality traits positively predict pro-environmental behavior; while Honesty-Humility, Emotionality, and Agreeableness did not. This may suggest that individuals who score high on these personality dimensions are more likely to engage in behaviors that benefit the environment. Therefore, strategic interventions aimed at developing these qualities could potentially contribute to a significant shift towards sustainability among Filipino workers.

The Unpaid Labor of Women in Barangay San Juan, Aliaga, Nueva Ecija Towards Sustainable Gender Equality Policy Reforms

Josephine Prudente — 2024-10-22

Globally, women have been a critical part of every household and agricultural operation. Despite their major contributions in the care economy in maintaining a healthy and sustainable food system, they remain largely invisible because, for a long time, economists depart from valuing unpaid work because of its non-economic value and social constructs. Barangay San Juan is one of the 26 barangays representing 7.47% of the total population of the municipality categorized by PhilAtlas (n.d.) as landlocked, referring to an area that is entirely surrounded by land. Before the agricultural mechanization, farmwomen in the barangay devoted 35 hours a week of unpaid care and 49 hours a week of unpaid farm work assisting the family in farm activities. The mechanization displaced farmwomen and deprived them of income opportunity while continuously providing domestic care to the family. This research aims to investigate the impact of unpaid labor for women in Barangay San Juan, Aliaga, and Nueva Ecija are adhering to Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG-5) by recognizing the value of unpaid work. A triangulation approach was employed through a qualitative and descriptive design to assess the effects of unpaid work on gender equality, which revealed a significant amount of time devoted by women in the care economy, hence dismissing their economic opportunity in the labor market. The observed absence led to the proposal of operational gender education, governance in resource mobilization, and inclusion of gender perspectives in ordinances that are critical in achieving equality to increase value recognition of women's labor.

Role of Eco-spirituality in Psychological Well-Being of Selected Working Women

Annabelle Quilon — 2024-10-22

This study intended to determine the role of ecospirituality in the psychological well-being of selected working women in Metro Manila; thus, casual research design as well as a cross-sectional survey were utilized in this study. Moreover, this study aimed to identify the level of ecospirituality and psychological well-being of the participants. A total of 574 working women in Metro Manila were conveniently selected. They participated and voluntarily answered the survey questionnaires, such as the Ecospirituality Scale and the Psychological Well-being Scale. The Ecospirituality Scale measures emotional and spiritual states about nature and has five aspects such as dwelling, caring, revering, experiencing, and relating. Moreover, the Psychological Well-being Scale measured six aspects of wellbeing and happiness, such as autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relations with others, purpose in life, and self-acceptance. Findings revealed that working women were low in dwelling, caring, revering, experiencing, and relating the same as with psychological well-being in terms of personal growth and personal relations with others. On the other hand, they were high in psychological well-being as to autonomy, environmental mastery, purpose in life, and self-acceptance. Findings also revealed that ecospirituality in terms of caring predicts psychological well-being as to autonomy and personal relations with others. Likewise, ecospirituality in terms of dwelling predicts environmental mastery. Further, ecospirituality in terms of relating predicts psychological well-being as to personal growth, personal relations with others, and purpose in life. On the other hand, all aspects of ecospirituality do not predict psychological well-being as to self-acceptance. It can be concluded that working women’s life fulfillment and happiness were influenced by their spiritual connection with nature; hence, the need to design an employee development program focused on ecopsychology was recommended.

The Poetic Expression of Gay Lexicon Conveyed through Imagery in Lines of Poems

Larry Ambion — 2024-10-22

The focus of this study revolves around gay literature, specifically the poetics related to homosexuality. Gay literature includes literary works authored by individuals who identify as gay, as well as literary works by heterosexual writers that explore or discuss homosexual themes, and literary works that incorporate gay terminology. While there have been recent studies on gay literature and works, there has been a lack of attention given to gayspeak, which can be referred to more formally as a lavender lexicon, being incorporated into texts or selections that are thought to have literary significance. The study seeks to address how gayspeak is depicted in literature. Are there poetic elements present in texts that use gayspeak? The study seeks to determine the potential impact of homosexual poetics or gay speak on the advancement of literature and the teaching of literature, particularly about its literary qualities. The study utilized a limited selection of only two poems due to the scarcity of available poetry incorporating gay language. Every poetry in the collection is accompanied by translations in Filipino and English, which accurately convey the original phrases written in gayspeak. The poems were assessed based on their poetic substance and the extent to which the language used in the poem's lines demonstrates literary qualities, which is the study's primary objective. The analysis of these poems involved the application of established theories and research, such as Shklovsky’s concept of Defamiliarization (2004) and the Imagery and Symbolism concept by Dimalanta and Abad (2003). Gay language in poetry has literary qualities, conveying meaning through imagery. It enhances comprehension of a poet's work and creative process. Studying imagery provides insight into the poet's production and interpretation of the text, whether written in standard or specialized language.

Practices and Challenges on the Relationship to Support the Goals of Impact Ranked Universities in the Philippines

Greg Emmanuel Baniaga — 2024-10-22

This study investigated the collaborative efforts of Philippine Higher Education Institutions (PHEIs) with NGOs, government agencies, and other stakeholders in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By leveraging their academic capabilities, PHEIs ranked by the Times Higher Education Impact Ranking played a crucial role in addressing global challenges through a multi-sectoral approach. This study emphasized the importance of collaborating with regional NGOs and government agencies for policy-making and multi-sectoral dialogue in promoting participatory decision-making. It also highlighted the significance of international collaborations in standardizing data gathering and sharing best practices, thus enhancing the quality and impact of research related to public policy and sustainable development. PHEIs' engagement with NGOs was pivotal in mobilizing resources for community-targeted projects, including disaster risk reduction, health and well-being, educational outreach, and environmental conservation. These initiatives contributed to immediate community needs and built long-term resilience and sustainability. Findings revealed that PHEIs were not only centers of learning but also key players in the global sustainable development agenda. Their ability to bridge knowledge gaps, coupled with the operational reach of NGOs and the policy influence of government bodies, formed a powerful force for societal transformation. As the world progressed towards the 2030 Agenda, it was essential for PHEIs to strengthen partnerships, expand research scope, and enhance community engagement practices. This would not only advance the SDGs but also shape an inclusive and resilient sustainable future. The study called for continued innovation in partnership models and inclusive strategies that engaged all societal sectors, ensuring substantial and measurable progress towards the SDGs. The ongoing commitment of PHEIs would be crucial in achieving a sustainable world for future generations.

The Correlation of Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) and Organizational Excellence in a Vacation Rental Company (VRC)

Kimon Irvin Co — 2024-10-22

This study aimed to analyze the correlation between green human resource management (GHRM) and organizational excellence through a postpositivist worldview. Respondents covered were employees of a Vacation Rental Company (VRC) with at least six months experience within the organization. GHRM Scale by Malik, Hayat Mughal, Azam, Cao, Wan, Zhu, and Thurasamy (2021) and Organizational Excellence Scale by Shakhour, Obeidat, Jaradat, and Alshurideh (2021) were used for the online survey. Thirty-five (35) eligible respondents have participated. Mean, standard deviation, and Spearman rank correlation coefficient were employed. Results showed that GHRM was displayed in the VRC to a rather high degree, while organizational excellence was exhibited to a high degree. There was a linear, positive, and significant correlation between GHRM and organizational excellence. Each aspect of the organizational excellence was positively and significantly correlated with GHRM.

“Going beyond the margin” work ecology model: A Filipino representation of gay instructional leaders in basic education

Mark Valdevieso — 2024-10-22

There has been an abundance of foreign studies on queer leadership in schools, but significantly fewer in the country. This study was initiated for this very purpose: to have a vivid description of who the Filipino gay instructional leader is as embodied in his/her work ecology model. Through the use of grounded theory, the inclusion criteria were employed to ensure a thorough exploration of the experiences of seven (7) gay instructional leaders in leading their units. The leaders were selected using theoretical sampling to develop categories that explain the specific phenomenon and form a rich and nuanced theory. Throughout the process, the researcher considered theoretical sensitivity, purposeful sampling techniques, constant comparison, theoretical saturation, and flexibility in data collection and analysis. Queer leadership, as was grounded in the data collected, meant being challenged by the culture of heteronormative leadership in the country, which includes (but is not limited to) encountering pressure to conform to traditional gender roles, navigating toxic work environments, and facing gender stereotyping and biased treatment. Further, Filipino gay instructional leaders are distinguished in their PRIDE qualities-- Passion, Resilience, Inclusivity, Diversified Role as a Leader, and Empowering Others. These qualities help them to serve and lead schools effectively. The "Going Beyond the Margin" work ecology model, created using these same grounded qualities of a Filipino gay leader, is centered on inclusivity and symbolizes the progress made by these leaders toward achieving complete acceptance and acknowledgment of what they can contribute. However, there remain some individual and systemic issues in leadership that the Filipino gay leader continues to traverse.

On Laudato Si’: Articulation of its Message and the SVD’s Response

Joselito Gutierrez — 2024-10-22

“Laudato Si, mi’ Signore” is a papal encyclical written by Pope Francis and published on May 24, 2015. Intended for all the people, the Holy Father discussed the state of the planet Earth, our common home, and his concern for our future and the future of the coming generations. The document dealt with environmental concerns grounded on theological and spiritual principles. The aim of this paper is to articulate the message of the document and propose how the encyclical can be of use in mitigating global concerns about environmental degradation. This research paper used the “see-judge-act” method to do a theological reflection. For the “see” part, researchers brought to light the nation's current state of the environment of Laudato Si’ in the Philippines. For the “judge” part, researchers discussed pieces of literature that articulated the encyclical, particularly focusing on the “Gospel of Creation.” Finally, for the “act” part, the researchers featured the SVD Laudato Si’ Farm of the SVD (Societas Verbi Divini) priests, brothers, and missionaries in Tagaytay City as a concrete expression of their response to the challenges of Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’. The research paper concluded with recommendations for urgent actions, that is, ecological conversion – an encounter with Jesus that leads to meaningful communion with God, other people, and nature. It confronts us to live Laudato Si’ and embrace it as life’s spirituality.