Publications

HIV-positive gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM) experience sexual stigma, HIV-related stigma and isolation that can function as barriers to accessing information related to HIV. Little is known about how these men utilize and use technology to overcome these barriers. This study sought to explore technology use and identify key technological concerns of this population through a survey among 119 HIV-positive MSM. This survey was part of a formative assessment undertaken at the initial stage of the development an information and communications technology (ICT) resource and peer-support web-app for HIV-positive MSM in Southeast Asia. In this assessment, we found that HIV-positive MSM lack access to HIV-related support and resources. In particular, we observed that younger MSM (<30) and those diagnosed with HIV within the last year were less likely to report having friends living with HIV compared to older MSM and those without a recent HIV-diagnosis, respectively. These men expressed a need for ICT services that afford opportunities for social connection and resource sharing as well as information related to legal and health care resources. These findings illustrate the capability deprivations experienced by HIV-positive men. Using Amartya Sen’s capability approach we argue that developing an ICT resource can begin to address the deprivations and information deficiencies of HIV-positive MSM by enhancing peer support and increasing access to HIV-related information and resources.

Some digital materials which are documentary of specific forms of social transgression comprise an apparent “market niche” for piracy. “Scandals” as unique commodities in the Philippines’s informal market for pirated disks are quite distinct from other digital entertainment, being originally candid/unstaged or “stolen”/taken without their subject’s knowledge and usually made to non-professional standards/equipment. Enterprisingly put on the market by pirate-entrepreneurs because of apparent consumer-audience interest in the content, such unique “reality” goods became conveniently available through networks of digital piracy outlets. In the context of consumption of pirated goods, the article reads “scandals” as expressive of everyday critique and resistance. The niche market for “scandals” functions as alternative media as these digital goods inherently evade government and (formal) corporate control as sources of news and entertainment. Indicators of the significance of “scandal” in the informal economy and the meaningful convergence between its piracy and consumer-audience demand are examined ethnographically: their translation into commodities through packaging, the range of sites for consumers to access “scandals,” pirate-entrepreneurs’ sales strategies and standards, and how the market behavior of these “scandals” apparently responded to the unfolding of the social scandals in real time as current events—events that themselves were influenced by the popular circulation and piracy of these commodities. Three cases that took place between 2005–2009—“Hello Garci,” the “Kat/Kho sex scandals,” and the “Maguindanao massacre” DVD—serve as diverse examples, each with their own issues of authenticity, morality, and social effects consequent to piracy and consumption.

This randomized, controlled trial examined the effects of canned pineapple consumption on immunomodulation, nutritional status, and physical health of ninety-eight (98) school children with mean age of . The study participants were divided into three groups: Group A (33) includes subjects who were not given canned pineapple, Group B (33) includes those who were given 140 g, and Group C (32) includes those given 280 g of canned pineapple for nine weeks. Each major group was further divided into two groups: normal (N) and underweight (U) based on 2007 WHO Growth Reference Standards. Sociodemographic, anthropometric, physical examination, dietary intake, hemoglobin level, and immunological data were analyzed. Results showed a decrease in incidence of viral and bacterial infections for both Group B and Group C (normal and underweight) after canned pineapple consumption. Granulocyte production increased by 0.77–26.61% for normal weight subjects and 14.95–34.55% for underweight. CD16+56 count augmented by 20.44–22.13% for normal weight and 3.57–15.89% for underweight subjects. Thus, intake of both one can (140 g) and two cans (280 g) of canned pineapple may shorten the duration and incidence of infection and may increase the production of granulocytes and CD16+56, but intake of two cans (280 g) demonstrated higher granulocyte and CD16+56 production. This trial is registered with Philippine Health Research Registry: PHRR140826-000225.

One way of generally classifying natural fiber-reinforced plastic (NFRP) composites is according to the type of polymeric resin used as matrix. The thermoplastic-based NFRP composites are presently obtaining a continually expanding range of applications; however, the major portion of the NFRP market is still comprised of biofiber reinforced thermoset-based composites. Thermoset matrix systems dominate the composites industry because they are more reactive and easier to impregnate with fillers. They also play an important role in the industry due to their high flexibility for tailoring desired ultimate properties. Various thermosetting resins have been utilized in the manufacture of composites for their excellent chemical stability, which allows the possibility of long-term applications such as pipes and chemical tank linings. They are also suitable for high temperature applications such as insulators. However, thermosetting resins are brittle at room temperature and have low fracture toughness- hence the necessity for reinforcements such as fibers.

This chapter reviews the recent studies on the manufacture of thermoset biocomposites, which may be produced either by using biothermoset matrices or by using biofiber reinforcements. Because natural fibers, though highly eco-friendly, have poor mechanical strength and low stability, the use of thermosetting matrices offer a distinct advantage when it comes to fabricating NFRP composites designed for very long service lifetime applications.

In this study, the degradation behavior of circulating fluidized bed (CFB) fly ash reinforced unsaturated polyester composites at different loadings of 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% CFB fly ash were observed at different temperatures of 30°C, 50°C, and 80°C under acidic environment. The mass uptakes of the samples were recorded at specified time intervals to determine the effects of fly ash content and temperature. Scanning electron microscopy was used to show if there were changes in the microstructure of the samples. Moreover, the glass transition temperature found from the differential scanning calorimetry showed that the types of diffusion behavior that may take place were the Fickian and non-Fickian (Case II). However, the empirical diffusion model used illustrated that only the Fickian diffusion had occurred.

This paper proposes a method for modeling production function of education using a stochastic frontier model with spatial temporal terms. Using a unique dataset that combines school achievement scores with school characteristics from 2005-2008, the efficiency of 4,900 public high schools in the Philippines in converting school inputs into test scores was estimated. Results show that the average inefficiency is at 41% and that there is a significant positive spatial externality in efficiency, which means that efficiency in one school can spill over to its neighbors. The model was found to be robust to various environmental variables included in the estimation. The results of the study will be important to guide policy makers in allocating limited resources to public schools.

Given a multiple time series sharing common autoregressive patterns, we estimate an additive model. The autoregressive component and the individual random effects are estimated by integrating maximum likelihood estimation and best linear unbiased predictions in a backfitting algorithm. The simulation study illustrated that the estimation procedure provides an alternative to the Arellano–Bond generalized method of moments (GMM) estimator of the panel model when T > N and the Arellano–Bond generally diverges. The estimator has high predictive ability. In cases where T ≤ N, the backfitting estimator is at least comparable to Arellano–Bond estimator.

This study examined the different firm-level factors that affect listed Philippine companies’ decision to use derivatives for corporate hedging. Data from annual reports of 74 corporations over a span of five years (2007 to 2011) were gathered, resulting in 329 firm-year observations. Results of random-effects logistic regression showed that, on one hand, firm size and presence of employee stock option plans were significant incentives for firms to use corporate hedging. On the other hand, liquidity and the existence of growth opportunities were negative influences on derivatives usage. These results may be consistent with the reality that the Philippine derivatives market is underdeveloped relative to the rest of Asia. Only large and financially sophisticated firms, such as those that can develop stock option plans, are more likely to utilize corporate hedging techniques. The negative effect of liquidity further supports this assertion. Philippine firms in the sample would rather use liquidity than derivatives as a way of anticipating potential cash flow volatility. Philippine firms may prefer to use financial buffer, rather than financially sophisticated tools such as derivatives. The study exposed that only large or financially savvy corporations are more likely to take advantage of the benefits of hedging. Philippine regulatory agencies and market participants must work harder to make corporate hedging an alternative that all corporations can take advantage of.

This article examines the challenges elderly Filipinos face today. Based on 15 in-depth interviews, I characterize how senior citizens, especially women, aspire to play a productive role in their families in spite of their physical frailties and financial limitations. Contrary to the continuity approach in sociology of aging, this article argues that the elderly wish to redeem their independence— not to pursue an individualized identity but to fulfil obligations to their family. The article also aims to add more nuances to the political economy and dependency accounts of aging by illustrating the different ways the elderly negotiate their roles and aspirations in their current life phase.

Titled Hay, Naku! 2013: Pagsusuma ng Isang Peryodista, the book is authored by Danilo Araña Arao. It is a collection of essays he wrote for Pinoy Weekly in 2013. The articles are divided into 11 chapters on language, propaganda, media, history, elections, law, culture, politics, education, tragedy and mass action. An e-book version is available at http://flipreads.com/hay-naku-2013.