Davao Oriental State College of Science and Technology

This study aimed to investigate the psychological stances of local residents on tourism development in the coastal area where beach resorts and other captivating sights were established. It intended to contribute evidence-based information for policy considerations and livelihood programs toward regenerative tourism. This study utilized a qualitative research design that employed a one-on-one interview and focus-group discussions to gather meaningful data. The research participants were the local residents including males and females, living within the tourism structures in the Municipality of Governor Generoso, Davao Oriental, Philippines. The findings show that residents expressed concern for safety alongside feelings of pride, joy, and gratitude toward tourism. These psychological stances reflect a growing sense of belonging and ownership, aligning with regenerative tourism’s emphasis on community agency and emotional investment. This was further reflected in their active participation in community initiatives and efforts to protect and promote their local environment. On the other hand, some participants manifested an anxious mentality and emotionality of repression and inhibition despite the growing tourism industry in their place. Despite the economic advancements brought by tourism, certain individuals continued to experience feeling of anxiety and emotional constraint, hindering their full participation in the industry’s benefit. Based on the psychological stances of local residents on tourism development, policy recommendations were discussed and a capacity-building program was designed and proposed. This program aims to support regenerative tourism, ultimately enhancing the quality of life of the people in the community. Additionally, the socio-demographic profiles of the participants were described.

This study investigated the local interests of Generation Z (Gen Z) students in rural communities to strengthen the delivery of the Philippine physical activity towards health and fitness (PATH-Fit) program. Using a qualitative-ethnographic approach, insights were gathered from 20 carefully selected Gen Z students through open-ended questions validated by experts. The findings revealed seven key areas of interest: i) social media, videos, and the internet; ii) something profitable; iii) e-games; iv) sports and physical activities; v) going out and exploring; vi) church, reflection, and music; and vii) rest and sleep. This study concludes that the local interests of Gen Z students in rural communities paint a comprehensive picture of a generation adeptly balancing the digital and physical realms of their lives. From the appeal of social media, online ventures, and e-games to the grounding effects of sports, nature exploration, and spiritual practices, these students demonstrate a flexible approach to well-being and personal growth. Their focus on profitable online activities reflects a pragmatic response to economic challenges, while their commitment to physical activities and outdoor exploration underscores the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Their emphasis on church, reflection, music, rest, and sleep also highlights a holistic understanding of mental and emotional health. Together, these interests reveal a resourceful, adaptive generation that is deeply aware of the need for balance in an increasingly complex world.

The fall army worm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J E Smith), an invasive polyphagous pest, poses a significant threat to global agriculture. This study investigated its life history and morphometrics when reared on castor (Ricinus communis L.) under laboratory conditions. Egg dimensions averaged 0.89± 0.54 mm (width) and 13.72± 2.64 mm (length). Larval head capsule and body measurements consistently increased through instars, with the sixth instar exhibiting the largest dimensions. Pre-pupal dimensions closely resembled those of the final larval instar. Sexual dimorphism was evident: male pupal length was slightly greater (17.09± 0.65 mm), while adult female wing expanse was larger (32.37± 1.34 mm) and male body height was greater (16.12± 0.57 mm). Notably, larval mortality was 0%, indicating the high suitability of R. communis as a host. The study further revealed a rapid life cycle, completing from egg to adult emergence within 30-34 days, coupled with high egg hatchability (95–100%) and substantial female fecundity (1,233 - 2,203 eggs/ female). A balanced sex ratio (1:1) was observed. These findings underscore the considerable potential of R. communis for efficient mass rearing of S. frugiperda, offering a reliable resource for research, pest management, and biological control initiatives.

Coconut, a vital tropical crop, and the Philippines’ leading agricultural export, particularly in Davao Oriental, the “Coconut Capital” of the country, is profoundly impacted by climate change, which disrupts its productivity and agricultural practices, thereby threatening its sustainability. This study evaluated the knowledge, attitudes, practices, perceived impacts, and preparedness of coconut farmers in Barangay Capasnan, a major contributor to Davao Oriental’s coconut production. A descriptive research design was employed, with 145 farmers (out of 227 registered) participating through purposive sampling. Data were collected through validated surveys, analyzed with descriptive statistics, and conducted under ethical guidelines. Results showed that most farmers (30%) were over 61 years old, with 59% male and 41% female participants. A majority (63%) had only elementary-level education, and most households (56%) comprised 1-4 members. Nearly all farmers (94%) owned their farms, but 59% had a monthly income below PHP 10,000 (~USD 170.24). Farmers demonstrated a high awareness of climate change, recognizing its effects on temperature, rainfall, seasonality, and its role in exacerbating extreme weather, pests, and diseases. They perceived climate change as a significant threat to agriculture, advocating for education and action, though engagement in community coping strategies remained moderate. Farmers implemented practices such as knowledge-sharing, exploring alternative income sources, investing in protective infrastructure, and planning for renewable energy use. However, moderate adoption was observed in water-saving irrigation, drought-resistant crops, soil conservation, and pest management practices. Climate change was perceived to have severe impacts on coconut yields, quality, soil fertility, seasonal patterns, and labor demands, while moderate impacts included extreme weather, water scarcity, and heat stress. Recommendations include providing emotional and mental support, financial assistance, access to resilient crop varieties, climate-smart agricultural training, affordable adaptive technology, and increased distribution of coconut seedlings by the Philippine Coconut Authority to address declining quality and productivity caused by weather changes.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether academic confidence predicts university physical education students' physical activity (PA) engagement. This employed a quantitative, descriptive-correlation method with 362 respondents and utilized validated standardized instruments. Stratified random sampling was used to obtain an equal representation of participants. The Academic Confidence Questionnaire and International Physical Activity Questionnaire were the instruments employed and validated to contextualize the items using Google Forms to gather the respondents' responses. In analyzing the data gathered, mean was used to identify the levels of academic confidence and PA engagement, Pearson r was used to determine the relationship between academic confidence and PA engagement, and regression was used to determine whether academic confidence predicts PA engagement of the students. The results showed that the academic confidence level was high while the PA engagement was moderate. The results also revealed a significant relationship between academic confidence and PA engagement. Finally, the results exhibited that academic confidence significantly predicts PA Engagement among university physical education students.

Forests are landscapes dominated by trees and cover approximately 30% of the earth’s land surface, housing most of its biodiversity. This study aimed to quantify the tree height and canopy structure of a man-made forest in the locality, particularly the density, relative density, frequency, relative frequency, coverage, relative coverage, diversity, and importance value of the trees in the study area. The establishment of the study area was conducted on September 8, 2017, a period of one day and a transect-quadrat method was employed to assess the trees in the forest. Two (2) species of tree were found in the study area. These were Gmelina (Gmelina arborea) and Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylia). The densest tree species was Mahogany with 0.53 followed by Gmelina with 0.47. Mahogany was also observed to have a higher frequency than Gmelina. Gmelina in the study area has larger canopy coverage and circumference at breast height than Mahogany attributed to its fast-growing nature. The diversity of tree species in the study area was found to be low, attaining only 0.47 on the Shannon-Wiener Diversity Index and 0.69 on Simpson’s Diversity Index due to the small number of tree species present. The results of the importance value were low, with 1.32 for Gmelina and 1.68 for Mahogany since they are relatively young and have similar numbers of individuals.

Lemongrass grows abundantly in Compostela, Davao de Oro, thriving with proper drainage and adequate sunlight. Traditionally used as an herbal tea, its pale light-yellow color may not be appealing, locally produced packaging is unavailable, and its commercialization in the province of Davao de Oro is limited. This study aimed to increase the market competitiveness of lemongrass bottled tea by adding calamansi and honey flavors from locally available agricultural produce and packaging them in polyethylene plastic bottles. The research determined the most acceptable honey and calamansi-flavored lemongrass bottled tea in terms of (a) sensory qualities and (b) formulation or percentage of honey and calamansi. Sensory evaluation involving two hundred consumer-type panelists assessed the sensory qualities and acceptability of the lemongrass bottled tea formulations. Modes and means were used to interpret the results of the sensory evaluation. ANOVA with repeated measures determined if significant differences existed among samples. The most acceptable product formulation was compared with similar products currently offered in the marketplace. Results showed no significant difference with similar products and revealed the potential marketability of honey and calamansi-flavored lemongrass bottled tea.

Indigenous communities have a rich cultural heritage encompassing diverse ways of knowing, learning, and understanding the world around them. This mixed methods study utilized the explanatory sequential design to determine the level and relationship of the IP mathematics teachers' beliefs and teaching practices and gain a deeper insight into these beliefs and attitudes. There are 115 respondents for the quantitative phase, while 10 participants in the qualitative phase. Data were collected through survey and key informant interviews and were analyzed through mean, standard deviation, Pearson product moment correlation, and thematic analysis. Results showed that the IP mathematics teachers possess high levels for both beliefs and teaching practices, and a significant moderate positive relationship exists between the two variables. Qualitative data analysis revealed that teachers' beliefs include the ideal qualities of an effective mathematics teacher, respect for students' culture and background, and a constructivist approach to teaching. Teaching practices include discussing student performance and intervention during meetings, implementing culturally relevant approaches, technology, varied activities, and peer mentoring and coaching. Further, it is concluded that teachers’ belief, which influences teaching practices, is shaped by different environmental factors. It is recommended that IP mathematics teachers continue to participate in personal and professional development activities and strengthen collaboration and reflection.

Asia is widely recognized for its grouper aquaculture. China (65%), Taiwan (17%), and Indonesia (11%) together account for 93% of global grouper production. This study recorded 48 species, and 16 hybrids were used in Asian aquaculture. The conservation status of cultured grouper species is 67% least concern, 17% data deficient, 10% vulnerable, and 2% critically endangered, endangered, and near threatened. Most Asian countries face issues such as (1) lack of hatcheries, (2) poor seed stock, (3) poor broodstock quality, (4) lack of financial and technical support, (5) trash fish and accessibility to fish pellets, (6) poor water quality, (7) diseases, and (8) capture-based aquaculture. These issues, combined with overfishing, contribute to a decline in grouper productivity and their wild population. The decline has alarmed experts and conservationists looking into the causes and potential remedies to this problem. Some management strategies mentioned in this paper include: (1) closed season during spawning aggregation, (2) establishing more marine protected areas (MPAs), particularly the no-take marine reserve, (3) non-consumptive utilization of groupers (eco-tourism) and (4) establishing more full-cycle grouper aquaculture. The results of this study suggest that implementing these strategies could be an effective means of addressing the issue of grouper production and that additional research is required to determine the most effective method of addressing this problem. The findings of this study have significant implications for the development and sustainability of grouper aquaculture and highlight the need for further research in this area.