Bedan Research Journal

Mending Humanity’s Broken Inner Ecology: An Integral Ecology and Theory in Action Towards Ecological Preservation

Noel Santander — 2025-10-22

The ecological crisis is a pressing global challenge, manifesting in climate disasters, environmental degradation, and rising inequality. Frameworks like the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals highlight the urgency of action, supported by religious leaders such as Pope Francis in Laudato Si’ and Laudate Deum. While these calls for change are crucial, this study explores a deeper aspect: the human inner ecology. It posits that lasting ecological solutions must begin within the individual. Grounded in biblical Christian anthropology, Pope Francis’s vision of integral ecology, and Ken Wilber’s Integral Theory, the research presents ecological preservation as an internal, transformative process. Using a qualitative narrative inquiry approach, the study examines personal stories from diverse spiritual traditions of individuals who have undergone significant transformation in their relationship with nature. These narratives highlight shared practices such as mindfulness, soul purification, non-violence, and earth-centered rituals that fostered reconnection with both self and environment. The research also led to the development of a conscious ecological workshop program, aimed at cultivating self-awareness, emotional resilience, spiritual renewal, and ecological responsibility within youth and community groups. By emphasizing practical application, the study offers a model for ecological conversion, asserting that meaningful change begins not just in policy but in the healing of the self.

The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Sustainability Behavior: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

Ester Rada — 2025-10-22

Sustainability Consciousness (SC) refers to the individual's awareness of sustainable development (SD). This concept describes thoughts, opinions, or ideas (cognitive), emotions, moods or feelings (affective) that may be enduring positive or negative, fostering beliefs and actions toward social (SO), environment (EN), and economic (EC) dimensions of SD. This study examined the role of Emotional Intelligence (EI) in shaping sustainability behavior through sustainability knowingness and attitudes. Using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), we analyzed data from 241 participants aged 11-18 (M = 16.84, Sd = 1.70), male and female, from partner communities of a university in Manila. Filipino Sustainability Consciousness Questionnaire (F-SCQ) and self-made Emotional Intelligence questionnaire were used as instruments to achieve the objectives of the study. Results showed that all four latent variables satisfy the usual criteria for both convergent and discriminant validity. First, the measurement scales are internally consistent: Cronbach’s alpha ranges from 0.798 (BE) to 0.947 (KN), comfortably exceeding the 0.70 benchmark. Second, convergent validity is confirmed because the Average Variance Extracted (AVE) for each construct is well above the recommended 0.50 threshold, varying between 0.709 and 0.905. Taken together, these results provide strong evidence that the measurement model is both reliable and valid. The results from the serial mediation analysis demonstrate that emotional intelligence significantly influences sustainability behavior through the mediating roles of sustainability knowingness and sustainability attitude. Specifically, Emotional Intelligence has a significant indirect effect on Sustainability Attitude through Sustainability Knowingness (β = .280, t = 4.81, p < .001), suggesting that greater emotional intelligence enhances individuals’ knowledge about sustainability, which in turn strengthens their attitudes toward it. These findings emphasize the need for sustainability programs that integrate both cognitive and affective approaches to enhance pro-sustainability behaviors.

Women-Centric Amenities in Collective Bargaining Agreements in Selected Unionized Firms: Their Impact Among Women in Promoting Gender Equality and Quality of Work Life

Divina Edralin — 2025-10-22

In a world of work dominated by men, women, like men, can contribute to building a flourishing organization where they can be heard, respected, engaged, and developed as people. Hence, in a unionized firm, bargaining for gender equality is vital because women's issues are undervalued and must be addressed to have decent work and contribute to the organization’s sustainability. We described the women-centric amenities stipulated in the CBAs of 29 selected unionized establishments based on the Gender Equality Bargaining model of the ILO. This model focuses on the issues of working conditions, maternity and family responsibilities, defending the rights of non-permanent and vulnerable workers, dignity at the workplace to combat discrimination and victimization, and giving women a voice. We subsequently determined the impact of these amenities in promoting gender equality and quality of work life among women employees in the unionized firms. Our results confirmed the proposition that many amenities in the CBAs are beneficial to women. The top amenities given only to women employees by all firms are maternity leave as provided by law, and maternity benefits covered by the SSS. Among the women-centric amenities, women highly value maternity and family responsibilities. The impact on promoting gender equality is ending all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere. It also ensures women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in their political, economic, and public life. These amenities positively affected their quality of work life since they enhanced their job satisfaction, reduced their stress, and increased their loyalty and commitment. Only a few respondents encountered challenges, such as organizational culture and gender biases, in promoting gender equality in their workplace. We proposed that unions prioritize bargaining issues that women highly value in promoting gender equality and quality of work-life.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PSEi) and its Selected Macroeconomic Indicators: Catalyst for Sustainable Economic Growth

Maybelle Gallardo — 2025-10-22

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) goal in financial inclusion was not only to provide universal access to financial services but to use these financial services to improve the financial health of each Filipino. Based on its study, only a few Filipinos can be considered financially literate. Financial literacy results in a person's good financial well-being. Investment in the stock exchange is part of the financial ecosystem and considered one of its aggressive investments. There was scant literature specifically on the relationship between PSEi and its selected macro indicators, which measured the performance of the Philippine stock market. Hence, this study significantly addresses this gap. The study's main goal was to probe the impact of the macroeconomic indicators, namely gross domestic product (GDP), inflation rate, exchange rate, and interest rates, on the performance of the stock market. Employing secondary data, these indicators were processed and measured using the Granger causality analysis. Results showed that the trend on each indicator reflected a significant relationship to PSEi. As the country promotes more investment, this study provides valuable insights into the potential cause-and-effect benefits of the changes in the macro-indicators. Further, the PSE index served as a significant means to measure the performance of the stock market. It provided guidance for investors in making sound decisions. A stable and growing PSEi enhances the market trust, thereby optimizing productivity. A robust PSEi attracts local and international investments, leading to economic growth. Hence, BSP and DOF may adopt the use of PSEi using the selected macro indicators as part of their financial inclusion program on financial literacy and investment.

Teaching Environmentalism in Philippine Schools: An Empirical Integrative Review

Maria Eliza Cruz-Ocampo — 2025-10-22

Schools are recognized as crucial agents in promoting awareness and driving collective action against climate change, the most urgent issue of our time. This integrative review examines how schools have adopted this role, with a focus on understanding environmental education (EE) within the context of Philippine schools. It analyzes 21 peer-reviewed online journal articles published between 2000 and 2025 by Filipino authors. The review is framed around three theoretical lenses: Sustainable Development Goal 13 on Climate Action, Republic Act 9512, known as the National Environmental Awareness and Education Act of 2008, and UNFCCC’s Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE). It identifies publication trends, methodological patterns, pedagogical approaches, and barriers to effectively integrating environmentalism into schools. Significant insights were found in this review, including: 1) a steady increase in published articles on environmentalism in schools between 2000 and 2025, with substantial representation from Luzon-based, Catholic, and teacher education institutions. 2) Quantitative research methods, particularly focused on self-perception of program effectiveness, dominate the publication trend, while qualitative and mixed-method studies are underutilized. 3) Further, interdisciplinary and participatory approaches to teaching and learning are increasingly integrated in higher education, whereas methods for teaching basic education students remain highly cognitive, indicating a knowledge-behavior gap. 4) The barriers to effectively integrating environmentalism in schools include limited curriculum space, inadequate teacher training, and a lack of an organized, whole-school approach toward sustainability. Despite these limitations, positive impacts on cognition and behavior are noted, although self-rater bias may be present. It is concluded that emotionally engaging, ethically grounded, and culturally rooted models of environmental education are needed. These models should involve youth, serving as avenues for consistently and collectively assessing and evaluating environmental education (EE) implementation, adoption, and integration, as anchored in Republic Act 9512, the ACE Framework of UNFCCC, and SDG 13. Approaches for integrating environmentalism in schools should also transcend classroom teaching and learning, adopting a whole-school approach (WSA) that considers resources, cultural practices, and institutional support.

Crime Forecasting Model Using Id3 Algorithm

Rosemarie Perreras — 2025-10-22

Crime has been a significant concern in every community, as it brings a negative impact on the economy as well as damages to people’s lives and property. A total of 107,538 index crimes were recorded in 2019 (Philippine Statistics Authority, 2021), clearly showing that crime is a major area of concern for the government. Being able to identify significant patterns in crime data would result in a reduction in the crime rate. The study implements the iterative dichotomiser 3(ID3) algorithm to analyze crime patterns in the Philippines. This data analytic approach evaluates significant patterns in identifying key areas that need immediate concern based on data published by the crime research analysis center of the office of the Directorate for investigation and detective management of the Philippine National Police for the period of January to March 2018. Upon the application of the ID3 technique, four significant criteria are used, namely region, robbery incident killed, robbery incident wounded, and shooting incident. The computation for the entropy and gain is obtained from which attribute selection is derived. Among the four attributes from 23 records available, the highest information gain is treated as the most important criterion, and the results show that upon implementing the Shannon entropy calculation, the wounded in a shooting incident obtained the highest information gain and requires immediate attention in region 4A. An evaluation process has been conducted using relative absolute error, mean absolute error (MAE), and F1 score to determine the accuracy of the crime model, and it was able to obtain a value of 95.2827, 0.2964, and 0.905, respectively.

Moderating Effect of Eco-caring on Workplace Stress and Burnout of Female Employees

Annabel Quilon — 2025-10-22

Nature connectedness is linked with a low level of anxiety, decreased psychological distress, and a negative relationship with stress and burnout. However, few studies explored the eco-caring dimension of eco-spirituality in the context of the workplace. Thus, this study explored the moderating effects of eco-caring on workplace stress and burnout among female employees. This quantitative study employed a moderation research design, utilizing a cross-sectional survey of 574 female employees across various industries in Metro Manila. The researcher selected the participants through convenience sampling. They completely answered eco-caring items on the eco-spirituality scale, the workplace stress scale, and the burnout assessment test. Based on the results, it was found out that female employees have a high level of eco-caring, which means that they express a high level of concern for and involvement with ecologically conscious actions and viewpoints; a low average level of perceived stress related to the workplace, which means that they report fewer occurrences of absenteeism, improved productivity, improved job satisfaction, and fewer mental and physical health problems; and a low level of burnout, which means that working women feel empowered, in control of their work, and have higher rates of personal fulfillment. The results also showed a strong correlation between workplace stress and burnout. The findings indicated that higher levels of workplace stress are significantly associated with higher levels of burnout. Moreover, the direct effect of eco-caring on burnout was small and not significant. This suggests that when considered independently of workplace stress and the interaction, eco-caring does not significantly predict burnout. Based on the findings, future research may explore potential moderators or mediators of the workplace stress-burnout relationship.

Are Green Entrepreneurial Technology and Sustainable Practices Related to Employees’ Performance? A Basis for BPO Techno-Stewardship Action Plan

Josephine Prudente — 2025-10-22

In recognizing the vital role of BPO industry to the Philippine economy and in ascribing to SDG 13 Climate Action target goal 13.2 in integrating climate measures into policies, strategies, and planning and target goal 13.3, that focuses on the building of knowledge to meet climate change, this research is carried out to answer this specific question: What is the relationship between green entrepreneurial technology & sustainable practices to employee performances in attaining sustainable techno-stewardship? This research embraced a quantitative correlational design in determining the relationship between green entrepreneurial technology & sustainable practices to employee performance. The Structural Validity of the Employee Performance Scale for Filipino Workers EPS-FW by Nieva et al. (2025) was utilized to measure Filipino employee performance. In measuring the ecological conscientiousness of BPO firms in employing green entrepreneurial technology (GET) & sustainable practices (SP), the Program Sustainability Assessment Tool (PSAT) of Washington University, St. Louis, MO (2013) was utilized. Results showed a significant relationship of GET and SP to employee performance, particularly the environmental support dimension to the latent constructs of task, adaptive, and contextual performances. This means that having a supportive internal and external climate strengthens the sustainability capacity of BPO firms. The strategic planning dimension also indicates a significant relationship to task performance, demonstrating strong BPO program directions, goals, and strategies. In designing a sustainable action plan, the study concludes the existence of all PSAT dimensions to support BPO firms’ sustainability competence towards a holistic techno-stewardship plan.

Conference of the Parties (Cop) 28 in Pope Francis’ Ecological Inclusivity Framework

James Loreto Piscos — 2025-10-22

The Conference of the Parties (COP) is an essential body of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that aims to radically cut emissions, expedite the shift to renewable energy, and, as much as possible, avoid fossil fuels to limit global warming to 1.5 °C and below. The study intends to unravel how international politics posed a major challenge in its history for 28 years. Using Pope Francis’ integral ecology framework, the research identifies ways to address this issue that can raise awareness to mitigate the problem of implementing its goals due to such power dynamics. As qualitative research using documentary analysis, this employs a triangulation method that involves primary sources on the proceedings of the conference, writings of Pope Francis on the environment, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals agenda. The scope of the study is within the ambit of how the haggles of international politics, resulting in slowing the realization of COP’s goals, have been challenged by Pope Francis’ integral ecology paradigm. In COP28, rich nations committed to cooperating and even led the implementation. However, their lifestyle and lack of politics will obstruct and slow down the process. Pope Francis noticed this gap and urged world leaders to go beyond their national interests and work for our common home. Pope Francis advocated for social justice, where the poor are prioritized in the impact of climate change. His words are targeting world leaders to influence their decision- making. If given the chance, his integral ecology framework may serve as a guiding wisdom to put into reality the COP aspirations to save Mother Earth.

Interconnected Lives: Exploring Paul Ricoeur’s Philosophy and the Filipino Concept of Kapwa in Reconstructing Narrative Identity and Solicitude for Abandoned Elderly Women

Julius Tutor — 2025-10-22

Despite the deep-rooted value of family in Filipino culture, a troubling shift is emerging, as cases of elderly abandonment are on the rise. This contrast between tradition and reality sparks reflection- what factors are driving this change, and how can society rekindle its commitment to caring for its elders? While several studies and conferences are currently directed toward old age, a limited rigorous attempt is directed toward a phenomenological understanding of elderly women's abandonment. Hence, the main objective of this qualitative study was to explore the intersection of kapwa and Ricoeur's philosophy that may offer ethical and practical responses to the abandonment of elderly women. The data were collected through insightful in-depth interviews, through the process of storytelling, and dynamic focus group discussions, where participants engaged in expressive art-painting activities. This creative art-activity approach not only facilitated a meaningful dialogue but also unveiled the deeper perspectives through the artistic expressions of the lolas (grannies). Applying the hermeneutical-interpretative approach of Ricoeur, in relation to the Filipino concept of kapwa, narratives were reconstructed from the three categories: literal interpretation, symbolic meaning, and language (culture) structure. The analysis revealed significant reconstructed narrative-identities: Recognition of Shared Humanity; The Role of Empathy and Solidarity; Faith and Relational Accountability, and Transformative Growth in Community. By intertwining Ricoeur's concept of solicitude (an ethical responsibility to care for others) with the Filipino cultural value of Kapwa, which emphasizes shared humanity, we can cultivate profound and culturally resonant solutions to support abandoned elderly women. This synergy not only honors tradition but also reinforces a compassionate framework for addressing their unique challenges.

The Relationship between Growth Mindsets and Climate Action Among Filipino Early Adults

Alvin Nieva — 2025-10-22

Education is considered crucial for spreading awareness about climate change. By providing knowledge, skills, and values, it empowers individuals to become agents of change. However, transforming knowledge into action would require an understanding of its determinants. Emerging research on mindsets suggests a connection between growth mindsets and sustainability efforts; however, there are few empirical studies, particularly those focusing on young Filipino adults. Research indicates that individuals with a growth mindset are more aware of climate change, believe in mitigation, and are more likely to act sustainably. However, the influence of individual and group mindsets on climate action, particularly in diverse cultural contexts like the Philippines, requires further investigation. The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between growth mindsets and climate actions. This study included 592 (263 male and 330 female) young Filipino adults (ages 18 to 26) in the National Capital Region (NCR). This study adapted and validated the measures for growth mindset and climate action from Rissanen et al. (2024). The CFA results indicated acceptable structural validity for the scales after the removal of poorly fitting items. The results of the descriptive statistics suggest that participants scored slightly higher on "Mindsets about groups" (ITG) than on "Mindset about persons" (ITP). In terms of climate action, "Willingness to build a sustainable world" (CARE) is slightly higher than "Inclination to discuss climate change" (DISC). The mean score for "Individual climate action" (IND) is higher than that of "Collective climate action" (COL). In terms of zero-order correlations, "Mindsets about groups" (ITG) and "Willingness to build a sustainable world" (CARE) were the only variables that exhibited significant relationships. Regression analysis revealed that "Mindsets about groups" (ITG) significantly, though weakly, predicted "Willingness to build a sustainable world" (CARE), contrasting with Western research that suggests more individualistic tendencies in European youth. This divergence highlights potential cultural differences in climate action approaches.