Partido State University

This study examines Bombon, Camarines Sur, in comparison with Intramuros and the Old Kiyyangan Village (OKV), to track long-term interaction and community practice from the seventeenth to the nineteenth centuries. Ceramic distributions, stratigraphic sequences, and mortuary data from Bombon are analyzed alongside imported-ware datasets from Intramuros and OKV to identify differences in colonial engagement, exchange, and local decision making. Bombon shows a peak in imported ceramics in the late precolonial period, followed by reduced participation during the Spanish period, contrasting with Intramuros’ full integration into colonial exchange and OKV’s locally controlled expansion of trade during early Spanish intrusions. Mortuary evidence at Bombon indicates continuity in community practice across precolonial and colonial phases, with selective adoption of Christian forms. Using a Transitional Nodal Network Model, the study frames the three sites as nodes with distinct historical trajectories shaped by shifting political, economic, and religious contexts. The comparison highlights how communities across the Philippines navigated Spanish colonial structures through varying forms of incorporation, negotiation, and internal cohesion.

The growing popularity of agritourism highlights the need for a unified, global definition to ensure clarity and consistency. Until recently, the lack of such a definition hindered marketing, outreach and international collaboration. To address this, the Global Agritourism Network (GAN) formed a working group to conceptualize agritourism. A clear, shared definition is important to tell agritourism apart from other types of rural tourism and to identify what 'real' agritourism is, particularly as some activities may be purely commercial or diverting from the main goals of this agricultural enterprise. GAN's definition includes four key components: agriculture diversification activity, agriculture-tourism intersection, authentic experiences, and showcasing resources. This paper presents 17 national examples from across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania to illustrate how they fit within GAN's agritourism definition. These national examples highlight diversities in agritourism and its regional adaptations, offering in-depth insights into agriculture and tourism worldwide. The cross-national approach enhances global understanding of agritourism and supports comparative insights across disciplines and policy contexts. Broader impacts on rural development and education may emerge over time, however, the primary focus of this study lies in validating and contextualizing the GAN agritourism definition across national settings. As the GAN's definition has gained social legitimacy, further case studies are needed to develop an impact assessment framework that strengthens agritourism's role in marketing, rural development, and sustainable tourism efforts worldwide. Die wachsende Bedeutung des Agritourismus zeigt, wie wichtig eine globale Definition f & uuml;r mehr Klarheit und Einheitlichkeit ist. Bis vor Kurzem erschwerte das Fehlen einer solchen Definition das Marketing, die & Ouml;ffentlichkeitsarbeit sowie die internationale Zusammenarbeit. Um dem entgegenzuwirken, initiierte das Global Agritourism Network (GAN) eine Arbeitsgruppe zur Konzeptualisierung des Begriffs und zur Erarbeitung einer globalen Definition. Diese GAN-Definition ist unerl & auml;sslich, um Agritourismus von anderen Formen des l & auml;ndlichen Tourismus abzugrenzen. Sie hilft, klarzustellen, was als ,echter' Agrotourismus definiert ist - insbesondere, da einige Aktivit & auml;ten rein kommerziell ausgerichtet sein oder von den urspr & uuml;nglichen Zielen landwirtschaftlicher Betriebe abweichen k & ouml;nnen. Die GAN-Definition hat vier zentrale Elemente, n & auml;mlich: landwirtschaftliche Diversifizierung, Zusammenspiel von Landwirtschaft und Tourismus, authentische Erlebnisse sowie zur Schau stellen von Ressourcen. Dieser Beitrag zeigt anhand von 17 nationalen Fallbeispielen aus Afrika, Amerika, Asien, Europa und Ozeanien, wie diese in die GAN-Definition des Agritourismus eingeordnet werden k & ouml;nnen. Die Fallsbeispiele veranschaulichen die Vielfalt und regionalen Anpassungen des Agritourismus und bieten wertvolle Einblicke in die Landwirtschaft und den Tourismus weltweit. Diese l & auml;nder & uuml;bergreifende Betrachtungst & auml;rkt das globale Verst & auml;ndnis und erleichtert disziplin- und kontext & uuml;bergreifende Vergleiche. Langfristig k & ouml;nnen sich daraus bedeutende Impulse f & uuml;r die l & auml;ndliche Entwicklung und Bildung ergeben. Der Fokus dieses Beitrages liegt jedoch auf der empirischen & Uuml;berpr & uuml;fung und praxisnahen Veranschaulichung der GAN-Definition anhand der nationalen Gegebenheiten. Angesichts der zunehmenden gesellschaftlichen Anerkennung der GAN-Definition ist ein Bewertungsmodell zu entwickeln, das im Marketing, in der l & auml;ndlichen Entwicklung und in den globalen Nachhaltigkeitsstrategien eingesetzt werden kann.

This study assesses immediate storm surge impacts and community responses to Supertyphoon Pepito in Bicol, Philippines, and provides a comprehensive mixed-method analysis of storm surge risk and disaster risk preparedness. Drawing on 7,925 household observations from CBMS and 13 in-depth household narratives, we (1) document Pepito’s localized impacts and community coping rooted in ecological cues, faith, and collective action; (2) forecast hazard, exposure, sensitivity, adaptive capacity, and vulnerability; (3) predict disaster risk preparedness; and (4) evaluate the lived experiences and resilience of the community. Methodologically, we integrate quantitative (PCA logistic regression, Random Forest, XGBoost, SVM, Decision Tree) and qualitative approaches (hermeneutic phenomenology, narrative inquiry, thematic analysis, and anthropology at home). PCA reduced seven domains (housing, utilities, assets, livelihood, education, demography, and environmental vulnerability) into categories used as predictors. Econometric results show significant positive associations between preparedness and housing quality (β = 0.24, p < 0.01), utilities (β ≈ 0.32, p < 0.01), assets and connectivity (β ≈ 0.45, p < 0.001), livelihood (farming β = 0.67; fishing β = 1.28; p < 0.001), and prior calamity exposure (β = 0.22, p < 0.01). Random Forest forecasts rank barangays by susceptibility as follows: Tagas (19.5, Very High), Telegrafo (18.8, High), and Sabang (18.0, High), while XGBoost yields the highest prediction accuracy (0.87–0.93). Qualitative findings emphasize hybrid readiness, where indigenous ecological indicators complement scientific warnings. We introduce three culturally grounded frameworks, ORAGON, ILAWOD, and TANDAYAG, that integrate science, culture, and community values in disaster management. ORAGON embodies Bicolano courage and collective adaptation, ILAWOD promotes a whole-of-community DRRM approach, and TANDAYAG reflects the spiritual belief that “the sea fights the typhoon.” We advocate culturally sensitive DRRM policies that integrate local knowledge with data-driven forecasts to strengthen community collaboration, government accountability, and sustainable environmental stewardship, prioritizing targeted infrastructure, early warning, and livelihood support interventions in high-risk barangays.

This study estimates the economic value of Nag-Aso Lake in Manito, Albay, Philippines, and identifies the socio-economic, behavioral, and infrastructure-related factors influencing households’ willingness to pay (WTP) for its conservation and protection. Anchored in environmental economics, the research applies the Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) within a Random Utility Model (RUM) framework to elicit stated preferences for non-market ecosystem services. Primary data were collected from 443 residents, of whom 397 provided valid monetary bids. Logistic, ordered, and multivariate regression models were employed to examine determinants of WTP, complemented by parametric, truncated, and non-parametric (Turnbull) estimators, as well as a cost–benefit analysis. Results show strong community support, with 85.55

Despite rising income and material abundance, many individuals report declining happiness during Christmas (Pasko), particularly in developing societies. This paper addresses this paradox by proposing the GAMAW–GAPOH Model (Pasko Paradox Model), a culturally grounded economic framework that reconceptualizes festive well-being as a balance between relational capital (GAMAW) and burdens and losses (GAPOH) rather than as an outcome of consumption alone. Departing from neoclassical utility theory, the model formally integrates social presence, cognitive burdens, and accumulated relational loss into a multidimensional utility function. Pasko Utility (PU) is specified as PU=αln⁡(C)+βR-γB-δL, where Cdenotes consumption, Rrelational connectedness, Bcognitive burdens, and Laccumulated relational loss, with parameter restrictions β>αand δ≥γ. To operationalize festive well-being, the study introduces a normalized Pasko Contentment Index (PCI): PCI=R/(R+B+L)×ln⁡(1+C), bounded between 0 and 1. Using 384 individuals from Lagonoy Gulf, Philippines, results show that while consumption increases monotonically across income groups, both PU and PCI peak at middle-income levels and decline sharply at higher income brackets. This decline is driven by weakened relational connectedness and rising work-related burdens and accumulated losses, which outweigh the diminishing marginal utility of increased consumption. Individuals in the highest income group exhibit the lowest PCI despite the highest festive spending. The findings demonstrate that Christmas functions as a relational public good, not a private consumption good. Festive well-being depends primarily on who is present, the weight of adult burdens, and the loss of important relationships, rather than on income or spending alone. The GAMAW–GAPOH Model thus offers a culturally sensitive and analytically rigorous explanation for declining festive happiness amid economic progress.