Zamboanga State College of Marine Sciences and Technology (ZSCMST) is a state college in Zamboanga City, Philippines. It is the only school in Western Mindanao that offers courses in marine studies and fisheries. It is located at the heart of Zamboanga City, alongside Fort Pilar Shrine..
Ensuring the sustainability of swimming crab (Portunus spp.) capture fisheries requires adaptive governance frameworks that are grounded in robust monitoring systems and inclusive co-management practices. This study comparatively examines crab fisheries in Japan and the Philippines using the Social-Ecological Systems framework, integrating field interviews, catch data, and policy reviews across six coastal communities: Taytay (Palawan), Batad (Iloilo), and Hadji Panglima Tahil (Jolo, Sulu) in the Philippines, and Ehime, Hiroshima, and Yamaguchi in Japan. Key governance contrasts emerge: Japan employs cooperative-based enforcement and longstanding stock enhancement programs but relies on species-aggregated monitoring amidst declining Gazami (P. trituberculatus) catches. The Philippines, meanwhile, demonstrates localized co-management success in Taytay yet struggles with weak enforcement and data gaps elsewhere. Monitoring capacity varies significantly—Taytay maintains detailed local records, while Japan lacks species-specific data despite formal systems. Stakeholder roles, gear types, and bait usage reflect ecological and institutional conditions, shaping fishing effort and compliance. Despite shared challenges—including the absence of Total Allowable Catch limits and fragmented data systems—both countries offer valuable lessons. Cross-country learning and adaptive, resilience-based governance models may enhance the sustainability of small-scale crab fisheries across tropical and temperate coastal contexts.
As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into language learning, it offers conveniences like real-time feedback, yet ethical concerns such as data privacy and bias have surfaced. Despite its prevalence, a gap remains in understanding how learners navigate this dual experience. This exploratory study aims to examine the perceived conveniences learners experience through artificial intelligence, while investigating the ethical concerns influencing their engagement. Understanding this is significant for balancing innovation with ethical integrity. The study was conducted across three regions in the Philippines, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Luzon, and Western Visayas, to capture geographically diverse perspectives. Through purposive sampling, eighteen higher education students actively using artificial intelligence in their language studies participated in one-on-one, semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Beyond pedagogical strengths, findings revealed that students value efficiency and vocabulary support but worry about accuracy and privacy. Crucially, they view artificial intelligence as a tool that cannot replace the empathy and cultural nuance of human teachers. Findings will inform educators, developers, and policymakers on prioritizing transparency and adopting a hybrid approach to language learning.
Plastic pollution is a major environmental threat, particularly in the Philippines-one of the world's top contributors to marine plastic waste. This study investigates the type, abundance and distribution of macroplastics in Suyac Island, Negros Occidental, Philippines. Using line transects and purposive random sampling, plastic debris was collected from four zones: Tourist, Pristine, Community, and Channel. Macroplastic litter was categorized by type, size, and color, and the abundance and density (items/m(2)), as well as the Clean Coast Index (CCI), were determined for each station. Results indicated that fishing nets and ropes (24%) and food packaging (17%) were the most prevalent litter types. Plastic debris ranged in size, with spatial variation in macroplastic occurrence among sampling areas. Tourist areas have the highest macroplastics for smaller sizes (0.5-1.00 cm and 1.01-10.00 cm), whereas larger size categories (10.01-20.00 cm and >20.00 cm) were more dominant in the Community and Pristine areas. The most predominant colors of macroplastics documented are white (20%), green (17%), black (15%) and multicolored (14%). The highest macroplastic density was observed in the Community Area (0.22 +/- 0.01 items/m & sup2;), whereas the lowest density occurred in the Tourist Area (0.02 +/- 0.02 items/m & sup2;). CCI results rated the Tourist Area as "very clean" and other zones as "clean beaches". Overall, the findings underscore the importance of effective waste management, strengthened plastic policies, and active community participation in mitigating plastic pollution in mangrove ecosystems. These results provide baseline information for policymakers and stakeholders addressing marine plastic pollution and promoting environmental conservation.
This paper examines the differences in teaching chemistry to adolescent and adult learners, highlighting how cognitive development, motivation, prior experiences, and learning preferences influence instructional strategies. Adolescent learners benefit from structured guidance, scaffolding, and engaging activities, while adult learners prefer self-directed, practical, and problem-centered approaches. By applying theories of cognitive development, andragogy, motivation, and blended learning, chemistry educators can design effective learning experiences that promote scientific literacy, academic achievement, and lifelong learning.
Protein hydrolysates as a feed supplement have been reported to enhance the growth of beneficial gut bacteria and improve the host’s animal intestinal balance. Thus, this study evaluates the prebiotic effects of hydrolyzed squid by-products in black tiger shrimp, Penaeus monodon, diet. A 50-day feeding trial was conducted following a 4 × 2 factorial experiment in a completely randomized design. The juvenile P. monodon were fed plant-based diet (without fishmeal) supplemented with graded levels of 0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0
