University of Iloilo

The research addressed persistent challenges in Philippine science education, specifically complex concepts in Immunology, particularly low achievement and learning loss following the COVID-19 pandemic, by integrating the educational anime Hataraku Saibō (Cells at Work!) into classroom instruction. This study aimed to determine whether anime-assisted instruction improves students’ performance compared with traditional teaching methods. A quasi-experimental design was used involving 60 students, divided into an experimental group (n = 30) and a control group (n = 30). Results showed that both groups improved after instruction; however, the anime-assisted group achieved significantly higher post-test scores than the control group (p = 0.048), with a medium effect size, as measured by Cohen’s d. Qualitative findings revealed increased engagement, improved conceptual understanding, and enhanced motivation. The study concludes that anime-assisted instruction can effectively enhance student performance and interest in immunology, suggesting its potential value as a supplementary teaching strategy in science education and supporting the integration of entertainment media into formal curricula to foster more engaging and meaningful learning experiences.

This study explores employee satisfaction with the Human Resource Management Information System (HRMIS) implemented at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Iloilo Province. Employing a descriptive research design and a census of 320 employees, the research assessed satisfaction across four dimensions: system usability, efficiency and accuracy, support and training, and overall impact. Data were gathered through a validated Likert-scale survey and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Findings revealed neutral satisfaction levels across all domains, with mean scores ranging from 3.05 to 3.11, indicating a functional yet under-optimized system. Variability in responses suggests disparities in digital literacy, infrastructure access, and training adequacy. These results align with the Technology Acceptance Model (Venkatesh & Davis, 2000), which emphasizes perceived usefulness and ease of use as key determinants of user satisfaction. The study recommends enhancing user-centered design, standardizing HR workflows, expanding training programs, and institutionalizing feedback mechanisms. By addressing these areas, DENR Iloilo can elevate HRMIS from a basic administrative platform to a strategic tool for public sector innovation and employee empowerment.

This paper presents an adaptive tuning framework for Unscented Kalman Filtering (UKF) in Inertial Measurement Unit–Global Navigation Satellite System (IMU–GNSS) vehicle localization using Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) across simulation and on-road validation. In the first stage, the PSO-tuned UKF is evaluated in the CARLA 0.9.14 simulator with a Tesla Model 3 under various maneuvers and environments. PSO jointly optimizes the scaling parameters α,β,κ and noise covariances Q and R. Simulation results show that the PSO-tuned UKF reduces root-mean-square error (RMSE) to 0.50 m, an 82.14% improvement over a manually tuned UKF and a substantial mitigation of IMU-only drift, while maintaining 1.35 ms update time at 100 Hz. In the second stage, an instrumented vehicle with automotive-grade IMU, GPS, and wheel-speed sensing provides logs for offline replay, PSO re-tuning on field data, and embedded deployment, yielding hypothetical on-road RMSE of 0.72 m versus 1.18 m for manual tuning. This two-stage framework bridges CARLA-based optimization and real-time IMU–GPS localization in on-road environments with statistically validated performance.

Technology plays a crucial role in enhancing teaching and learning processes in the 21st century. However, in public secondary schools in Northern Iloilo, teachers often face limited ICT resources, insufficient training opportunities, and a reliance on traditional teaching methods, hindering the full integration of technology into classroom instruction. This study assessed the technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge levels of Araling Panlipunan (Social Studies) teachers in selected secondary schools in Northern Iloilo during the academic year 2023-2024. Using a descriptive quantitative research design, the study involved 85 purposively selected teacher respondents. Frequency counts, percentages, means, and standard deviations were used for descriptive analysis. At the same time, the Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests were employed to determine significant differences in TPACK levels across groups. The results showed that teachers generally had a "High" level of technological knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, content knowledge, technological pedagogical knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, technological content knowledge, and technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge, with no significant differences based on sex or educational attainment. However, a significant difference in technological knowledge was found based on years of service. To address this, targeted professional development programs should be implemented, offering technology integration workshops for experienced teachers and foundational training for newer teachers. This approach, along with fostering a collaborative learning environment, would help enhance teachers' technological pedagogical content knowledge and improve their effectiveness in using technology in the classroom.

This study examined the reading comprehension and numeracy skills of Grade III learners in the District of Dueñas, Iloilo, for the 2023-2024 school year, providing a basis for the development of instructional modules. Specifically, it aimed to assess learners' reading comprehension and numeracy performance overall and when categorised by parents’ educational attainment, socio-economic status, availability of educational materials, hours spent on problem-solving, and family environment. Employing a descriptive research design, the study involved randomly selected Grade III learners from the district. Data were collected using a 30-item Enhanced Regional Unified Numeracy Test (ERUNT) and the Comprehensive Rapid Literacy Assessment (CRLA) Tool. Statistical analyses included frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, the Kruskal-Wallis test, and the Mann-Whitney U test, with a significance level of 0.05. Findings revealed a significant relationship between the learners’ level of reading comprehension skills and their performance in numeracy. The results indicated that reading comprehension skills significantly influence numeracy performance, suggesting that efforts to improve learners' comprehension abilities are likely to enhance their numeracy skills as well, given the strong interrelationship between these two variables.

In the Philippines, despite the efforts of the government and various environment-related institutions, many sustainability issues remain unresolved, emphasizing the need to expand and strengthen sustainability awareness and initiatives. In this context, the youth play a vital role in promoting environmentally responsible behaviors that contribute to a more sustainable future. This concurrent cross-sectional mixed-method research examines the sustainable practices of undergraduate biology students, both within the university setting and in their personal lives, along with their awareness, perceptions, and preferred information sources. The study is guided by Social Practice Theory, which explains how sustainable behaviors are shaped by a combination of knowledge and skills (competences), personal values and motivations (meanings), and available resources and infrastructure (materials). Results revealed that most students preferred public transportation and were actively engaged in the University's sustainability activities, challenging previous findings about lower participation in rural areas. A significant factor in their involvement was their biology course, which enhanced their environmental awareness. However, participation was not universal due to varying factors like interest, awareness, and time constraints. The effectiveness of university sustainability efforts was perceived as moderate, and respondents emphasized the need for improved campus cleanliness and waste management. Higher educational levels and gender influenced participation, with female students more involved in solid waste management. The study also revealed students’ preference for the Internet as the primary source of sustainability information, aligning with the general media consumption trends among Filipino youth. The integration of sustainability into the curriculum, as per Philippine RA 9512, has been impactful. The students demonstrated a comprehensive understanding of sustainability, balancing environmental, social, and economic considerations in their conceptualization and practices. This study is the first to comprehensively explore the sustainability-related practices, awareness, perceptions, and information sources of rural Filipino science students, highlighting the role of education in shaping a more sustainable future.

The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected the global economy and efforts toward achieving food security. Fisheries was one of the vulnerable sectors to COVID-19 impacts but available literature on this is limited mostly to accessible areas. Hence, this study focuses on island communities in remote areas in northern Iloilo, Philippines, to understand their unique experiences with access to natural resources, livelihood services and food during the COVID-19 pandemic. Household surveys (n = 520), key-informant interviews (n = 10) and focus group discussions (n = 51) were performed. It was found that 70% of respondents depended on fisheries-related livelihoods, such as fishing and post-harvest activities. The other 30% of respondents depended on contractual jobs, small businesses, remittances from family members, farming, and boat transport services. Generally, remote-island villages had difficulty accessing natural resources as shown by lesser fishing operations (~ 0-20 days month-1), limited access to livelihood inputs (e.g. crude oil and ice), and limited access to markets/ports because of restricted operating hours during the pandemic. Financial hardships and travel restrictions made access to non-fisheries food products (e.g. rice, vegetables, and meat) very difficult. The access to freshwater was also an issue because water supply come from other islands or the mainland. Overall, results showed that the COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected the livelihoods and food security of inhabitants of remote island villages. These findings are valuable for future emergency management measures especially to ensure that no one is left behind.