Bicol University

Background:The Mediterranean diet (MD) and low-fat diet (LFD) were well-known dietary interventions for cardiovascular disease prevention. However, there is an ongoing debate about the relative efficacy of improving cardiovascular (CV) risk factors and clinical outcomes between the 2. This systematic review aims to evaluate and summarize findings from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that directly compare the MD and LFD concerning CV risk factors and clinical outcomes.Methods:Per the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines, a comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed, Google Scholar, SCOPUS, Science Direct, and RCTs that compared MD and LFD in adults, and reported data on CV risk factors or clinical outcomes were included.Results:Our systematic review includes 11 RCTs with 5942 participants. MD significantly reduced the formation of procoagulant and prothrombotic microvesicles. Studies have also reported that MD has resulted in greater reductions in total cholesterol, cholesterol-high-density lipoproteins ratios, insulin levels, blood glucose levels, leukocyte count, and body mass index compared to LFD.Conclusion:MD demonstrates superior efficacy over LFD in improving CV risk factors and outcomes. These findings could support the preferential recommendation of MD over LFD for the secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Further research should explore the long-term adherence and implementation of these dietary interventions in diverse populations.

Abstract The Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium (CPIC) bases its drug–gene recommendations on the assignment of star alleles, which map known genotypes to defined functional categories and corresponding drug dosage guidelines. The star allele framework, first proposed in 1996 for the CYP gene family and later formalized with CPIC’s establishment in 2010 [1, 2], remains foundational to pharmacogenomics. However, this system has notable limitations. Its dependence on a restricted set of benchmark single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) excludes rare or novel pathogenic variants that can invalidate a star allele call and lead to incorrect dosing recommendations. Furthermore, nearby non-pathogenic variants can interfere with haplotype interpretation, introducing additional risk of misclassification. To address these gaps, we developed PHARMWATCH, a multistep pharmacogenomics workflow for comprehensive variant analysis, allele tracking, and contextual interpretation. PHARMWATCH incorporates two algorithmic safeguards designed to identify genomic alterations that compromise star allele accuracy: (1) de novo germline variant screening using the ACMG-based BIAS-2015 classifier and (2) variant interpretation in context (VIIC) to validate the functional integrity of star allele–defining SNPs [3]. Together, these layers enhance the reliability of pharmacogenomic reporting, enabling safe, automated, and review-ready recommendations that extend beyond the constraints of traditional star allele–based approaches.

ABSTRACT Geriatric social work is a field that provides care and interventions for older adults. As the population of this sector increases, there is a significant demand for social workers to engage in this setting. This study describes the experiences of Filipino social workers who handle older adults in various residential institutions. It employed a Descriptive Phenomenologically informed approach and conducted interviews with 10 purposively selected participants. Manual conduct of thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke’s (2006) framework was used to process and interpret the participants’ narratives and statements. The findings highlight key themes that relate to five C’s, namely: communication, collaboration, consciousness, connection, and capability-building. This study informs social workers, students, educators, welfare institutions, and allied professionals in designing evidence-informed curricula, field practice strategies, and capacity-building initiatives for enhanced delivery of quality care to older adults.

The main objective of this study is to examine the implementation of Green Public Procurement in the province of Albay. This study explores awareness of procurement officers and city government officials on Green Public Procurement, evaluates the compliance of the three cities in Albay with its legal mandates, assesses the sustainability practices they have adopted, and identifies key challenges and strategic solutions to enhance the effectiveness of sustainable procurement initiatives. This employs a mixed-methods approach, blending qualitative and quantitative techniques to thoroughly analyze how Green Public Procurement is being implemented. To gain deeper insights, semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions are conducted with key stakeholders, including procurement officers and city government officials to shed light on their experiences and perspectives regarding Green Public Procurement. Additionally, relevant documents and policies are reviewed to better understand the existing framework and uncover any potential gaps. To complement this, structured surveys are distributed to key respondents, providing a means to measure awareness, compliance levels, and challenges related to Green Public Procurement. The collected data is then carefully analyzed using statistical tools to identify trends, patterns, and opportunities for improvement. This well-rounded approach ensures that the evaluation of Green Public Procurement practices in Albay is both detailed and insightful. The findings highlight that the cities of Tabaco, Legazpi, and Ligao in the Province of Albay have a basic awareness of Green Public Procurement, particularly in relation to Republic Act 9184. However, they lack a deeper understanding of how to effectively integrate green criteria into their regular procurement processes. While these cities engage in various sustainable development initiatives, there are no specific programs in place to encourage end users to prioritize green products during procurement. Moreover, the implementation of Green Public Procurement in these cities is hindered by the absence of essential elements such as binding policies, local ordinances, established procedures, and clear targets for Green Public Procurement adoption. These gaps present significant challenges to fully embrace sustainable procurement practices in the region.

Graduate education plays a crucial role in shaping a nation’s academic and research landscape, particularly in producing highly skilled professionals and scholars. In the Philippines, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has issued CMO No. 15 series of 2019 which prescribes the policies, standards, and guidelines for graduate programs in the Philippines. This policy study examined the status of Bicol University’s graduate education in response to this new framework, focusing on program alignment, institutional challenges, and opportunities for development. Using a qualitative-descriptive approach, the study assessed the extent to which Bicol University’s graduate programs comply with CHED’s updated policies and standards. Key areas of analysis included curriculum structure, faculty qualifications, research productivity, accreditation status, among others. Findings indicate that while Bicol University has made significant progress in aligning its graduate education with CHED’s mandates, challenges persist. These include inadequate faculty complement, limited faculty research engagement, limited publication, and the need for more strategic industry and international partnerships. Additionally, compliance with new accreditation and quality assurance measures requires further institutional support and policy refinements. Based on these findings, the study provides strategic recommendations for improving the implementation of CHED’s New Graduate Education Framework at Bicol University. Key recommendations include strengthening faculty complement, enhancing faculty research and publication support, increasing institutional funding for graduate research, fostering collaborative programs with industry and global institutions, and continuously refining policies to ensure sustainable program development. By addressing these areas, Bicol University can enhance the quality and competitiveness of its graduate programs, ultimately contributing to national higher education goals and international academic standards. This study contributes to the ongoing discourse on policy implementation in graduate education, particularly in bridging regulatory frameworks with institutional realities. It underscores the importance of proactive institutional strategies in navigating policy transitions while ensuring that graduate education remains responsive to both national and global academic demands.

PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP) is one of the top server-side scripting languages used worldwide; taking 78.3% of the server-side programming language. It has become the de-facto for web programming not just in the Philippines but around the globe. Programming skills are vital to academics and professionals. It empowers the ability to analyze, manipulate, create and support this digital landscape as a way of solving complex problems. This quantitative research investigates the competencies of the Bicol University College of Science, Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (BSIT) in terms of their self-assessed familiarity with PHP of fifty one (51) BSIT students. The researcher made use of Likert scale in Student’s Demographic, Attitude towards Web Programming and Practice in Web Programming to measure the PHP Programming familiarity of the students. Analyzed data revealed an average level of familiarity of 3.16 indicating moderate competency in PHP programming. Gender distribution was balanced with 27 male and 24 female respondents and an average level of programming attitude of 2.75 indicating a fair level of time devoted to PHP practices. Additionally, 43 out of 44 students reported experience in developing PHP applications. Confidence was highest for locally hosted environments but declined for cloud-hosted applications. There is a high-level of hands-on experience in terms of building PHP projects which shows that majority of the students have created web applications. Further, this highlights potential curriculum gaps in hands-on PHP projects and advanced programming topics and recommends the need for curriculum enhancement and exposure to cloud-hosted applications to better equip students with the necessary skills for real-world web development challenges.

Republic Act No. 9003, known as the “Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000,” is a Philippine law that provides for a systematic, comprehensive, and ecological solid waste management program. This law mandates the creation of necessary institutional mechanisms and incentives, declares prohibited acts related to solid waste management, and penalties for violations. This study was conducted in Malinao, Daraga and Polangui of the Province of Albay covering the period from CY 2023-2025. This study used a Mixed Method Research Design. The Focus Group Discussion was used to gather more detailed data from the respondents. The respondents are the students, faculty and non-teaching staff in college. The study reveals that colleges have initiated compliance measures on solid waste management implementation. Section 56 of RA 9003 on the level of awareness reveals that colleges have sufficient knowledge of the law, putting the law into practice needs ongoing trainings and education. On the evaluation on the level of implementation of the law, colleges demonstrated more on moderate performance. On identifying the constraints of the solid waste management practices, effective implementation and initiatives depend heavily on addressing institutional and structural challenges. Constraints can be addressed through sufficient budget allocation, stronger coordination and regular monitoring and evaluation.

This classroom-based action research investigates the impact of teaching problem-solving heuristics on preservice teachers’ mathematical creativity, self-efficacy, and problem-solving beliefs. The study was conducted with seven preservice teachers at a state university in the Philippines, using a Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle. Participants were assessed on their mathematical creativity in solving non-routine problems in terms of fluency, flexibility, and originality before and after the intervention. Results indicated a significant improvement in fluency, suggesting enhanced proficiency in tackling non-routine problems. However, gains in flexibility and originality were not statistically significant, highlighting the need for further practice and reinforcement. On the other hand, participants exhibited increased self-efficacy in mathematical creativity across all indicators. Despite these positive outcomes, their beliefs about mathematical problem-solving remained stable. The study underscores the importance of incorporating heuristic strategies into mathematics education to foster creativity and problem-solving skills, although extended and sustained efforts are required to develop flexibility and originality fully. These findings contribute to understanding practical pedagogical approaches for enhancing mathematical creativity, self-efficacy, and problem-solving beliefs through heuristic instruction among preservice teachers.