The Partido State University, or simply referred to as PSU or ParSU, is a research regional state higher education institution in Partido Area (Fourth Congressional District) at the province of Camarines Sur, Philippines. It is an ISO 9001:2015 certified public 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.
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.
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 evaluates the effectiveness of a climate change and disaster risk reduction (DRR) education extension program implemented among senior high school students in Tinambac, Camarines Sur, Philippines. Using a quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test design complemented by a client satisfaction survey, data were collected from 468 participants across multiple schools. Statistical analysis revealed a significant improvement in knowledge scores following the intervention (t-test, p < 0.001), with a large effect size (Cohen’s d > 0.80), d is approximately 1.42, indicating substantial learning gains attributable to the intervention. Satisfaction ratings were consistently high across domains, particularly in quality of delivery (M = 4.37) and relevance (M = 4.26). However, perceived benefits and long-term impact scored relatively lower (M = 4.13), suggesting a gap between knowledge acquisition and behavioral application. Findings demonstrate that interactive, context-specific climate education effectively enhances cognitive outcomes but requires sustained engagement mechanisms to achieve long-term resilience. The study contributes to the growing body of literature on education-based climate adaptation strategies and provides policy-relevant insights aligned with the Sendai Framework and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).