Asia Pacific Journal of Multidisciplinary Research

4

Authors: Mae Ann S. Tongol (MAgDev)

– Sugarcane Tops is a bulk crop residue of sugarcane plant which is often left in the field and burnt to speed up land preparation. This tonnage of sugarcane by-product can be utilized but turns to be contributory factor to pollution. This study determined the biomass, nutritional value and total production of sugarcane tops using the top five varieties (VMC 84-524, VMC 84-947, VMC 86-550, PHIL 83-331 and VMC 88-354) by Sugar Regulatory Administration (2013-2014) at 8-9 months. Data gathered in 30 sites around Negros with 3 samples collected in every site. Weight of Sugarcane millable stalk, tops and trash were recorded and analyse using means and percentage. Dried SCT samples were analyse on its nutrient composition. The total production of tops is calculated based on the percent biomass multiplied by the production per crop year. Results revealed that the average biomass of SCT in Negros is 1.817 kgs. of which comprises the following: 70.15% millable stalk, 20.55% sugarcane tops and 9.30% trash. Laboratory analysis shows that SCT has % CP of 7.42, Gross Energy of 4,356.67, % Crude Fiber of 22.54, % Crude Fat of 5.63 and % Ash of 5.48 which is comparable to the nutrient composition of nappier which is commonly feed to ruminant animals. The total sugarcane tops production for the crop year 2013-2014 is about 2,650,659 tons. Based on findings, SCT has a bigger potential in sustaining ruminant production and be able to minimizes the burning in field. Increase ruminant production through crop-livestock integration in Negros will eventually lower importation of meat and dairy products in the country.

6

Authors: Shied Faisah M. Lanterna1 , Fatima Glen S. Rosas 2 , Marian Ecelle B. Delfino 3 , Rufina C. Rosaroso, PhD4

– This is a case study research which featured the journey of a woman in politics. It aimed to describe her beginnings, the challenges she encountered and the initiatives she applied in her plight as a public servant. Interviews were conducted in the conception of Ms. X’s necessary and relevant information on her political career. Ms. X’s life experiences, as well as her character and personality guided her to have a successful political career enhanced with passion, dedication and the genuine desire to serve. Difficulties and complications that came across concerning her major advocacies viz. women, children and tourism did not discourage her choice to still pursue on politics and continue her advocacy towards women empowerment and participation in politics. Her means to stretch out, team up and strengthen women groups alleviate the dilemma and discrimination of women in her Province. The journey of Ms. X in politics entails that issues arising specifically on women inequity can be lessened through programs that intensifies women involvement and participation in enhancing their capabilities in different fields, particularly, in politics.

6

Authors: Agnes F. Montalbo1 , Yolanda P. Evangelista2 , Merlene M. Bernal3

– One gauge of a university’s performance lies in the students’ capacity to finish an academic program according to the prescribed time frame. This is one of the criteria for the Major Final Output (MFO) for the Performance Based Bonus (PBB) given to State, Universities and Colleges (SUCs). As such it is important to explore variables contributing to this major output. One factor lies in the selection process of a student entering in a university. Hence the focus of this study is in the predictive ability of the admission test scores with academic performance as measured by the first year general weighted average (GWA) among 195 Psychology students and 54 Political Science students of the Rizal Technological University-Pasig Campus. The causal-comparative method and correlational method were applied to get the differences between the scores of both courses and the relationship of the variables. The percentage of drop out and retention of students were also explored. The highest frequency of admission test scores for Psychology was 76% and 74% and 74% and 71% was the highest admission test scores for Political Science. The overall drop-out rate for Political Science is 58.2% and the retention rate is 41.8% whereas the drop-out rate for Psychology is 43.4% and the retention rate is 56.6%. Results showed that there is no significant differences between the admission test scores of the Political Science and Psychology students. No differences in their general weighted average were observed. Regression correlation was used to find the predictive value of the admission test scores and results revealed that the admission test score was significant in predicting the academic performance for both courses.

8

Authors: Wang Shuxia

This study aimed to determine the main characteristics of the tourism demands of children and their families in Zhejiang Province; to determine the various influences of children on their family’s tourism decision-making; and try to predict the tourism consumption behavior of children and their families. The author chooses 350 families of children aged 1-14 years old in Zhejiang Province to investigate the behavioral characteristics of children and their families, the demand situation and the related factors that influence family travel decision-making. The children are mainly divided into three age groups of 1-6 years old, 7-9 years old and 10-14 years old. Then the tourist status of children and their families in different age groups is classified and analyzed. The results show that Zhejiang children have an important direct impact on family travel decision-making. Children in different age groups and their families have obvious differences in terms of tourism demand, tourism motivation, travel mode, travel time, travel duration and cost, and tourism focus and so on.

9

Authors: Joker B. Correos (RN, MAN), Bella P. Magnaye (PhD)

The rise of emerging and re-emerging infections poses an additional burden to nurses who are already at risk to some other forms of occupational hazards. As much as we want to raise our preparedness in the eventuality of an outbreak, we simply can’t ignore the perspectives of nurses, who are in the frontlines of this war. This study sought to explore and describe the lived experiences of nurses working in the Emerging Re-emerging Infectious Disease (ERID) Unit of Caraga Regional Hospital. Using Husserl’s descriptive phenomenological approach; in-depth individual semi-structured interviews were done among the six informants meeting the preset criteria. The interviews were transcribed and later analyzed using Colaizzi’s process for phenomenological data analysis. Five major themes emerged namely: (1) “Clash of Feelings”; (2) “Becoming the ERID Unit Nurse”; (3) “Struggling to Make It Through”; (4) “Rising to the Challenge”; and (5) “The Battle Within”. Findings revealed that the nurses are dealing with an array of feelings inside the unit, with fear for their safety at the forefront. The perceived lack of trainings, confusion on the unit’s policy, and uncertainty on the unit’s capability to manage infections, aggravates these fears. Another significant finding unique to this study is the false perception of comfort and relaxedness associated with the ERID unit and its nurses. This misconception, coupled with the perceived lack of support from the management and colleagues lowered the morale of the nurses and their willingness to remain in the unit.

10

Authors: April Rose P. Villaber 1 and Maria Victoria A. Gonzaga2

The implementation of oral examination in tertiary level in most courses is an appropriate tool to determine the students’ ability to communicate ideas in coherent and verbal sentences. This enhances the speakers’ communicative competence and other conversational skills. Oral examination has been implemented in the College Department of Franciscan College of the Immaculate Conception (FCIC) for the midterm and semi-final quarter. Thus, the study determined the level of implementation, the effectiveness of the oral examination to the communication skills, and the difficulties encountered during the implementation in the College Department of Franciscan College of the Immaculate Conception, Baybay City, Leyte, Philippines on the Academic Year 2016-2017. Two separate questionnaires were administered to randomly chosen 21 teachers and 379 college students. The level of the implementation of oral examination was effective to some students, except those who had problems in dealing with the oral examination. There was a significant difference among the level of effectiveness on the implementation of oral examination in terms of communication skills which implied that oral examination was an effective means of enhancing the speaking skills of some students but not on others. Further, there were difficulties encountered by the teachers and students during the implementation of oral examination.

11

Authors: Vida V. Antonio

One of the key components of effective Science education is the conduct of inquiry-based laboratory activities which support and reinforce concepts, theories and laws learned in the classroom. This descriptive-correlational study aimed to describe the Science laboratory interest and preferences of teacher education students and their implications to Science teaching via a questionnaire. Data gathered were analyzed using frequency, percentage, weighted means and t-test for correlated samples. Results showed that students have very high interest in laboratory activities. They revealed in the interview that doing laboratory activities make them work and discover things on their own, enhance their skills, don’t limit their explorations, make them feel excited and very eager, let them discover a lot about things, and create in them a deeper sense of learning whenever they perform. Students generally prefer structured (steps are given) and actual (handson) lab activities using commercial and improvised materials and done collaboratively or by group. Besides strictly observing lab rules and guidelines, students highly prefer separate laboratory rooms per Science subject, a laboratory room with a laboratory assistant and complete with essential features. Teachers who are, above all, personally intelligent, buoyant, fair, approachable, innovative, and who technically facilitate during experiments, give well-planned activities, are organized and orderly are also preferred. Correlation tests showed that students’ grade in Science is not significantly correlated to their interest in laboratory activities but it is significantly correlated to the type of laboratory activities. Students’ interest in laboratory activities is significantly correlated to their laboratory teacher characteristics.