Philippine Merchant Marine Academy

This study aims to analyse the effectiveness of community empowerment through entrepreneurship training and guidance in improving the entrepreneurial competence and economic self-sufficiency of individuals living in Karawang Regency. The research methodology uses a mixed-method approach characterised by a sequential explanatory design. Quantitative data were collected through a pretest-posttest design with entrepreneurship training participants across various CLCs, while qualitative data were collected through interviews, observations, and documentation. Quantitative analysis was conducted using paired t-tests, N-Gain assessments, and effect size calculations (Cohen’s d), while the qualitative study followed Miles and Huberman’s interactive model. The analysis showed a statistically significant increase across all dimensions of entrepreneurial ability, including managerial, conceptual, interpersonal, decision-making, and time management competencies. The participants’ average scores increased from the low category in the pretest to the exceptional category in the posttest. The N-Gain value is high (≥0.86), and the effect size indicates a substantial impact (Cohen's d > 0.80), suggesting the model’s significant effectiveness. Qualitative findings reinforce the importance of participatory engagement and continuous guidance in promoting greater business autonomy, improved decision-making capacity, and the sustainability of entrepreneurial efforts. Collectively, these findings prove that the combination of systematic training and entrepreneurial mentoring is an effective and sustainable paradigm for community empowerment.

Research shows that the Philippines shows massive indications of extreme climate vulnerability (ND-GAIN Index, 2024; IPCC, 2022). Recent research shows (IMF, 2020) that the climate impact is exacerbated by resource-extracting environmental crimes like unregulated logging, illegal mining, and pillaging of natural resources. These crimes produce a collapse of ecosystems, weaken our natural defenses against the climate, and impact the climate-vulnerable more than the rest of the world. These include the Indigenous, farming, and coastal communities and peoples (Global Witness, 2023). Corporations are still under-implementing climate adaptation actions, even though there is strategic alignment with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) frameworks. These climate actions still neglect the systemic causes of vulnerability, stemming from environmental degradation and supply chain exploitation (UNEP, 2021). Effective adaptation research shows the need for policy on the inequities causing precarity.

Maritime systems are becoming increasingly automated, creating a need for highly skilled engineers in marine automation with strong knowledge of control engineering, instrumentation, and ways to run automated systems. The inadequacy of traditional teaching techniques to offer sufficient interactivity, accessibility, and uniformity needed for learning in a technologically complex world has resulted in a need for new forms of delivering instruction. This study aimed to produce, implement, evaluate a web-based instructional package that would improve teaching of Basic Control Engineering (BCE) through use of an Internet-based package (IPMAC) at the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy. The IPMAC system was developed using PHP and MySQL, and had interactive lecture presentations, visualisations of control systems, automated assessment and feedback, and an ability to monitor progress, all from one web-based application. A descriptive evaluative research methodology was developed to assess the usability, effectiveness and satisfaction of use by Engineering students at the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy, faculty members, and IT professionals through a structured survey. Based on the answers provided by participants, all participants agreed that using this system was useful in providing support for their lesson plans and keeping students engaged throughout the learning process. Participants also indicated they better comprehended the concept of automation and that they could successfully teach students both the benefit of automated systems as well as the effectiveness of using automated systems when teaching students through assessments/tests.

This study assessed the levels of financial literacy and economic empowerment among Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel to inform the development of a tailored Financial Autonomy Training Course. A mixed-methods research design using concurrent triangulation was employed. Quantitative data were collected through a structured survey administered to 400 PCG personnel, including officers, non-officers, and non-uniformed personnel. Qualitative data were gathered through key informant interviews with selected PCG leaders and personnel. Results showed that respondents generally demonstrated high to extremely high levels of financial literacy and economic empowerment. Among the financial literacy dimensions, debt management obtained the highest rating, whereas investing received the lowest rating, indicating limited practical knowledge and participation in investment activities. In terms of economic empowerment, job security and job satisfaction received very high ratings, while work–life balance and purchasing power, although rated high, reflected existing financial and occupational pressures. Qualitative findings indicated that financial literacy initiatives within the PCG were limited, fragmented, and primarily focused on retirement preparation rather than continuous financial capability development. Participants also identified financial stress, limited discretionary income, operational demands, and the absence of a structured financial education program as key challenges. In conclusion, while personnel demonstrated generally positive levels of financial literacy and economic empowerment, gaps remained in investment literacy, long-term financial planning, financial stress management, and institutional support. The findings supported the institutionalization of a tailored Financial Autonomy Training Course to strengthen the financial capability and well-being of PCG personnel.

This study examines the determinants of social enterprise sustainability in Java by analyzing the roles of intellectual capital, entrepreneurial orientation, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) implementation, innovation capability, and organizational performance. Social enterprises in emerging economies increasingly face challenges in maintaining long-term sustainability due to resource limitations, institutional uncertainty, and dynamic social demands. Although previous studies have explored intellectual capital, entrepreneurial orientation, ESG practices, and innovation capability separately, limited empirical research has integrated these variables into a comprehensive sustainability model within the context of social enterprises in emerging economies, particularly Indonesia. Therefore, this study seeks to address this gap by developing and testing an integrated model of social enterprise sustainability. This research adopts a quantitative approach using Structural Equation Modeling–Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS). Data were collected from 200 owners and managers of social enterprises operating across six provinces on Java Island. The findings reveal that entrepreneurial orientation has a strong and significant effect on innovation capability (β = 0.699, p < 0.001), while ESG implementation significantly influences social enterprise performance (β = 0.402, p < 0.001). Intellectual capital and entrepreneurial orientation significantly contribute to innovation capability, whereas ESG implementation directly improves organizational performance and sustainability. Furthermore, innovation capability acts as a crucial mediating variable that strengthens the relationship between strategic organizational resources and sustainability outcomes. Social enterprise performance also demonstrates a significant mediating role in achieving long-term sustainability. These findings highlight the importance of innovation-driven strategies, knowledge-based resources, and ESG-oriented governance in strengthening the resilience and sustainability of social enterprises. This study contributes to the development of sustainability and social entrepreneurship literature while providing practical implications for managers and policymakers in building a more sustainable social enterprise ecosystem in emerging economies.