Negros Oriental State University

Children's drawings provide a unique view on their developing conceptualization of death, showing nuanced cognitive and emotional responses. This study mainly sought to explore the developmental processes underlying elementary schoolchildren's conceptualizations of death. Using qualitative multiple case study design, the researchers examined 65 drawings from 65 schoolchildren (Grades 2, 4, and 6) in one elementary school in the Philippines, which allowed them to analyze the children's unique conceptualizations and experiences of death across three grade levels. The researchers applied Tamm and Granqvist's (1995) category approach, which was based on Piaget's theory, together with participatory visual analysis. Results revealed that biological concepts of death appear to be the most visually pronounced for younger children (Grade 2), while older children (Grades 4 and 6) begin to incorporate more nuanced depictions (psychological, and metaphysical concepts) of death and dying. Similarly, psychological themes deepen with age. Younger children express sorrow in concrete ways (crying figures, sad faces), while older children begin to portray more abstract emotional states such as loneliness, void, or existential sadness. Metaphysical concepts become more elaborate and symbolically rich as children mature. Therefore, as children become older, their concepts of death change, which is due to their cognitive development.

In an increasingly commoditized tourism industry, the Filipino Brand of Service Excellence (FBSE) highlights how indigenous Filipino values can drive customer satisfaction. This study examined guests’ perceptions of the implementation of the FBSE in terms of Filipino Core Values or 7Ms, namely: maka-Diyos, makatao, makakalikasan, makabansa, masayahin, may Bayanihan, and may pag-asa, within the hospitality industry in Dumaguete City and examined how these values relate to customer satisfaction. The study is descriptive-correlational in design, using an adapted survey questionnaire administered to 385 participants of selected accommodation facilities. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. Results reveal a high level of implementation of FBSE with a mean of 2.90 and a high level of overall guest satisfaction with a 2.78 mean. While Guest satisfaction remained high, it varied significantly by age, nationality, type of traveler, type of establishment, and frequency of visit, except for sex. The statistical analysis also showed a strong positive relationship with 0.85 Spearman’s results between implementing the Filipino Core Values and Guest Satisfaction. The high level of guest satisfaction indicates that the current FBSE practices directly match or exceed guests’ expectations of accommodation facilities. The study concludes that accommodation facilities in Dumaguete City demonstrate a highly commendable and consistent implementation of FBSE, which corresponds to an equally high and almost uniform level of guest satisfaction. These results may serve as a basis for crafting an enhancement program to provide training to FBSE implementers in Dumaguete City.

This study assessed sustainable green practices implemented by resort establishments in Negros Oriental, Philippines, focusing on energy management, waste management, water conservation, and environmental conservation. A quantitative descriptive-correlational design was employed with 383 respondents, comprising 183 resort guests and 200 employees. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire adapted from Moise et al. (2021), which was pre-tested with 32 customers and obtained a Cronbach’s alpha of .966. Frequency, percentage, weighted mean, standard deviation, Spearman’s rho, and chi-square tests were used for data analysis. The findings showed that both guests and employees strongly agreed that resorts implemented green practices across all four dimensions. Environmental conservation and waste management received the highest assessments, while selected technology-intensive practices, including solar energy systems, rainwater collection, and sensor-based controls, received comparatively lower assessments. No significant relationships were found between the examined guest and employee characteristics and perceptions of resort green practices. The findings indicated that sustainable practices were more closely associated with institutional and operational systems than with individual respondent characteristics. The study concluded that resorts had established a strong foundation for sustainable operations but needed continued improvement in technological adoption, resource monitoring, and employee participation. The findings provided practical direction for strengthening sustainable resort management in Negros Oriental.

The accelerating digital transformation of higher education has intensified the need for sustainable and equitable Information and Communication Technology (ICT) integration among faculty members. This study examined the challenges and opportunities of ICT integration among faculty members at Negros Oriental State University Main Campus 1. Anchored on the Technology Acceptance Model, Diffusion of Innovations Theory, Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, TPACK Framework, DigCompEdu Framework, and the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping, the study investigated faculty ICT profile variables, integration challenges, coping strategies, professional development needs, proposed ICT innovations, and innovation readiness in a rapidly evolving digital educational environment. A cross-sectional quantitative research design employing descriptive-correlational and predictive approaches was utilized. Data were gathered through a validated researcher-made survey questionnaire administered to faculty respondents selected using stratified random sampling. Descriptive statistics, Pearson Product-Moment Correlation, and multiple regression analysis were employed to analyze the data at the 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that faculty members generally demonstrated proficient digital skill levels, particularly in multimedia presentation, online assessment, and Learning Management System utilization. However, moderate limitations were observed in cybersecurity competence and learning analytics interpretation. ICT integration challenges were frequently encountered, particularly insufficient technological resources, inadequate technical skills, and workload-related time constraints. Among coping strategies, self-paced online learning and low-technology adaptation emerged as the most effective mechanisms employed by faculty members. Results further indicated substantial professional development needs in artificial intelligence integration, cybersecurity, hybrid learning systems, and data analytics. Inferential analyses demonstrated that ICT profile variables, encountered challenges, and coping strategies significantly predicted innovation readiness and perceived teaching productivity. Multiple regression analysis revealed that digital skill proficiency and peer mentoring served as strong positive predictors, while internet connectivity challenges and insufficient technological resources negatively affected innovation readiness and teaching productivity. The study concludes that although faculty members exhibit positive adaptability and moderate digital competence, sustainable ICT integration remains constrained by infrastructural, technical, and institutional limitations. Strengthening institutional support systems, expanding professional development initiatives, and investing in equitable digital infrastructure are therefore essential to advancing innovation readiness and fostering resilient, technology-enhanced higher education environments.

The direct product of a family of JJ-algebras is defined by taking the Cartesian product of all the members of the family with the component-wise operation. In this paper, we investigate and characterize the direct product of JJ-subalgebras, JJ-ideals, and (normal) JJ-filters.