Peer-reviewed international research papers published open-access with EOI assignment and global indexing across engineering, computer science, environmental science, social sciences, and more.
The study examined the effectiveness of peer tutoring on reading comprehension among the Grade e learners in Indigenous communities under the SBs program in Nuro Central Elementary School, Upi, Maguindanao del Norte. Using a pretest and post-test randomized control group design, the study involved 44 respondents, divided into a control and experimental group. A validated reading comprehension test questionnaire covering main idea, topic sentence, synonyms, antonyms, verbs and linking words was administered before and after the intervention. Descriptive statistics and paired sample t-test were used to analyzed the data. Result revealed that during the pretest, most of the learners demonstrated moderate reading comprehension, with a considerable number performing at the low level. After implementing peer tutoring, no learner remained in the lowest performance category, and higher level scores increase significantly. The paired sample t-test and the post-test scores, indicating that peer tutoring significantly improved learner’s reading comprehension. The findings support the effectiveness of peer-assisted learning strategies and highlight their potential as a low-cost, scalable intervention to address literacy gaps in resource-limited and culturally diverse educational settings.
Keywords: Peer Tutoring, Reading Comprehension, 5Bs Program, Indigenous Learners, Learning Recovery, Elementary Education
The study looks at Artificial Intelligence (AI) on cost and time overrun in fintech industry in North-Central Nigeria. Over time, AI has become increasingly important, leading fintech companies to largely rely on it. However, studies have shown that Opay, Moniepoint, and Paystack are underperforming given the cost and time overruns in North Central, Nigeria's fintech industry. It used cross sectional design with 357 as its sample size. The finding revealed that AI (ROB = 0.2-.07) has insignificant effect on cost and time overrun in fintech industry. While (DAM = 0.2+0.42; 0.2+0.09 and 0.2+0.14) has positive effect. Hence it was recommended that In North-Central Nigeria, fintech companies ought to effortlessly incorporate AI solutions into the pre-existing ecosystem of financial services and technological infrastructure.
Coastal communities in the Municipality of Glan, Sarangani Province face increasing risks from climate-related hazards such as flooding and storm surges, making the identification of safe and sustainable relocation areas more important than ever. This study used Geographic Information System (GIS)-based suitability analysis to determine potential climate-resilient resettlement sites for households that may be displaced from vulnerable coastal areas.
Spatial data on elevation, slope, land cover, road accessibility, and access to schools and health facilities were collected, processed, and standardized using QGIS. These factors were then combined through a weighted overlay analysis to produce a suitability map showing areas with different levels of potential for resettlement. To improve the reliability of the findings, official flood susceptibility and storm surge hazard maps from HazardHunterPH were used as reference datasets to validate the identified suitable locations.
The results revealed that the most suitable resettlement sites are generally located in the inland areas of Glan. These locations have higher elevations, gentler slopes, more favorable land cover, and better access to essential services, while also being less exposed to flooding and storm surge hazards. In contrast, coastal areas were found to be less suitable because of their greater vulnerability to these climate-related risks.
Overall, the study highlights the effectiveness of GIS as a decision-support tool for climate-resilient resettlement planning. By combining spatial analysis with hazard information, the approach provides local government units with a practical and evidence-based method for identifying safer and more sustainable relocation sites for at-risk coastal communities.
The changes in land use and land cover (LULC) show that the interaction among anthropogenic or human activities and natural processes impact environmental sustainability and land resource management. In this study, the researchers analyzed the spatio-temporal changes in LULC in the Municipality of Lambunao, Province of Iloilo, Philippines, by using the official Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) LULC polygon datasets for 2015 and 2020 as reference. It involved the application of Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques in ArcGIS 10.1 to determine the area, percentage distribution, and changes in LULC classifications.
Within the period considered in this study, the researchers observed that Brush/Shrubs is the dominant land cover, which has recorded the largest increase in area. It was also observed that there is an increase of area covered by Closed Forest, Grassland, Built-up Areas, Inland Water, Perennial Crops, and Open/Barren Land. On the other hand, Annual Crop showed the greatest decrease of area. Open Forest was also observed to have decreased, but just a slight one. Regardless of it being an increase or a decrease, these changes indicate that both anthropogenic or human activities and natural processes shaped the municipality's landscape between 2015 and 2020.
The spatial information generated from this study will provide baseline data to support environmental monitoring, sustainable land use planning, natural resource management, and updating of the local development plan of Lambunao. The study also proved the importance of GIS-based spatio-temporal analysis in providing evidence-based information for environmental planning and policy formulation.
This study aimed to, first, investigate the common pronunciation errors committed in the Department of English, Department in Faculty of Linguistics and Humanities, Savannakhet University in the academic year 2021-2022; second to find out the reasons of producing mispronounced segments among University students when speaking; third to offer possible solutions that may help English Department in Faculty of Linguistics and Humanities students overcome pronunciation difficulties. The sample was 30 students selected randomly. Also, ten teachers were part of the sample in which they were given a close-ended questionnaire. A descriptive method was used to carry out the study. For gathering data, a close-ended questionnaire and a test were used. Data were analyzed using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science). The study concluded that EFL learners mispronounce certain phonemes that are in a mismatch with word orthography and consonant cluster. Moreover, vowels were mispronounced by students. The strongest factors that contribute to this problem, according to this study, were due to learners' mother tongue interference, and other causative factors such as limited language exposure. The study recommends that teaching should focus more on pronunciation along with preparing suitable material. Keywords: English, pronunciation errors, pronunciation teaching, learners, EFL, Savannakhet University
Natural hazards, including floods, landslides, earthquakes, and tsunamis, pose ongoing threats to communities, infrastructure, and sustainable development in the Philippines. This research examines the role of hazard mapping in supporting disaster-resilient land use planning in Sultan Kudarat Province. Employing a descriptive research design, the study utilized secondary data from government agencies, such as hazard maps, land use plans, geological and hydrological data, and relevant literature. Hazard maps were systematically analyzed and compared with existing land-use patterns to identify hazard-prone and vulnerable areas and to assess their implications for planning and development. The results indicate that Sultan Kudarat is exposed to multiple natural hazards, with flooding, rain-induced landslides, and earthquake-induced ground shaking constituting the primary threats. Flood-prone areas are concentrated in low-lying communities and river floodplains, while landslide hazards are prevalent in mountainous municipalities with steep slopes. Ground shaking presents a province-wide risk due to the region's tectonic configuration within the Pacific Ring of Fire. The study further reveals that vulnerability is exacerbated by rapid urban expansion, settlements in hazard-prone areas, and insufficient integration of hazard information into development planning. The analysis demonstrates that hazard mapping serves as an effective decision-support tool for identifying safe development zones, regulating land use, strengthening zoning policies, guiding infrastructure planning, and enhancing disaster preparedness. Integrating hazard maps into Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUPs) and other local planning instruments can substantially reduce disaster risks while promoting sustainable and resilient community development. The study recommends the continuous updating of hazard maps, strict enforcement of hazard-informed land-use policies, and enhanced collaboration among local government agencies to strengthen disaster risk reduction and climate resilience in Sultan Kudarat.
This study evaluated the implementation, benefits, and operational challenges of Geographic Information System (GIS) technology in zoning verification and development control in Panabo City. Integrating staff survey data (n=15) with 2023–2025 administrative records, findings show high recognition of GIS benefits for decision-making transparency (μ=3.87), yet direct software operation remains low at 33.3%. Severe infrastructure barriers—including network lag (μ=4.27), hardware deficits (μ=4.07), inter-office database mismatches (μ=4.00), and low confidence in outdated spatial layers (μ=2.67)—hinder efficiency. Consequently, despite a 48.6% rise in clearance applications, processing times remained static at 12 days, driving a 204.9% backlog surge by 2025. Unrecorded GIS tracking in official logs further highlights the absence of institutionalized spatial workflows. Key recommendations include establishing a centralized enterprise database, upgrading IT infrastructure, updating spatial layers, and expanding staff capacity building.
Keywords:
GIS, Zoning Control, Local Governance, Operational Efficiency, Panabo City
Pengelolaan potensi lingkungan desa memerlukan peran aktif masyarakat, pemerintah desa, dan Badan Usaha Milik Desa (BUMDes). Pengabdian ini bertujuan mengoptimalkan peran BUMDes dalam pengelolaan potensi lingkungan di Desa Sukosari Lor, Kabupaten Bondowoso. Kegiatan menggunakan pendekatan Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) melalui identifikasi aset, perencanaan, pelaksanaan, dan evaluasi. Program meliputi pembuatan pot dari galon bekas, penghijauan, ikon SEJUPAN berbasis ecobrick, plakat penunjuk arah, dan neon box. Hasil kegiatan menunjukkan peningkatan kualitas lingkungan, pemanfaatan limbah plastik, serta penguatan identitas desa melalui keterlibatan aktif BUMDes dan masyarakat.
Poverty alleviation remains a central development priority in rural Rwanda, and Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA) have emerged as a widely promoted mechanism for expanding financial inclusion among the rural poor. Yet the extent to which the internal financial management of these groups translates into measurable household welfare gains remains insufficiently documented at the district level. This study assessed the influence of project financial management practices, specifically budgeting practices, financial accountability, financial reporting, and loan management, on household poverty alleviation among beneficiaries of the Peer-to-Peer VSLA Project in Ngororero District, Rwanda. The study was grounded in the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework, Financial Intermediation Theory, and Project Management Theory (the Triple Constraint Model). A cross-sectional research design employing a mixed-methods approach was adopted. Data were collected from 120 randomly sampled VSLA members and 6 purposively selected key informants using structured questionnaires, interview guides, and document review, out of a combined target population of 1,206. Reliability testing on the research instrument yielded a Cronbach's Alpha of 0.812 across 15 items, with construct-level coefficients ranging from 0.75 to 0.85, while content validity was established through expert review and pilot testing. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression in SPSS at α = 0.05. The results rejected all four null hypotheses: budgeting practices (r = 0.542, B = 0.224, β = 0.218, p = 0.000), financial accountability (r = 0.618, B = 0.298, β = 0.284, p = 0.000), financial reporting (r = 0.489, B = 0.145, β = 0.151, p = 0.003), and loan management practices (r = 0.654, B = 0.362, β = 0.345, p = 0.000). The combined model explained 59.0% of the variance in household poverty alleviation (R = 0.768, R² = 0.590, Adjusted R² = 0.576, F(4, 115) = 41.358, p = 0.000), with loan management as the strongest individual predictor. Descriptively, 85.8% of respondents reported increased household income, 79.1% reported improved affordability of basic needs, and 63.4% reported improved living conditions attributable to VSLA participation, although weaknesses in participatory budgeting, member oversight of leadership decisions, record-keeping, and the productive use of loans persisted. The study concludes that project financial management practices are substantive, statistically significant drivers of household poverty alleviation within VSLA structures, even as specific governance gaps constrain their full poverty-reduction potential in Ngororero District.
Keywords: Village Savings and Loan Associations, Project financial management, Budgeting practices, Financial accountability, Financial reporting, Loan management, Poverty alleviation, Ngororero District, Rwanda.
The study on Heavy Metals Concentration in crude oil polluted soils have been carried out at Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa state, Nigeria with the aim of assessing the level of pollution by metals like Pb, cd, Ni, vanadium and As including and some soil physical properties like the soil pH, electrical conductivity and permeability. Soil samples were taken at depths 0.0m,-0.3m, 1m, 2m and 3m and laboratory tests were done. The pollution index analysis were calculated for their concentration Factor (CF) and PLI. The mean values of both the metals and physical properties were also compared with permissible standards such as WHO, NRCS and others. Results from these analyses indicates that the though, the soils are impacted by crude oil; the pollution level stands between low to moderately polluted. Again, that the mean values of the metals and the physical properties were found to be lower than the permissible standards. The study concluded that, despite the low pollution level, soil remediation process should be carried out in the area to prevent ground water seepage and Bio-accumulation by plants.
Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision VMMC) has long been practiced in Zambia for cultural, religious, and medical reasons. More recently, it has been integrated into national Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) prevention strategies by the Ministry of Health (MoH), given its proven efficacy of reducing HIV transmission among heterosexual partners by about 60%. This study investigated factors influencing VMMC uptake in the Mwami community, Chipata district, focusing on males aged 15–29 years.
Using an exploratory, cross-sectional mixed-methods design, the study employed simple random sampling. The research team collected quantitative data from 303 males’ aged 18–29 using self-administered questionnaires and gathered qualitative insights through Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). The survey examined demographics, knowledge, perceived benefits and risks, and willingness to undergo VMMC. FGDs provided deeper understanding of community perceptions, misinformation, and cultural influences.
The cartographic land classification mapping on agri-livestock practices in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao, Philippines, was studied. It focuses on species classification, farming systems, and local conditions through photo documentation and cartographic mapping. Using the phenomenological, ethnographic, and anecdotal recording in Barangays Casinglot, Mohon, Sta. Ana, Sta. Cruz and Rosario were identified as the locale of the study. The results revealed that livestock raising, such as cattle, swine, goats, and poultry, supports food security, income generation, and sustainable consumption and was identified and classified. However, issues like water scarcity, limited space, and poor sanitation affect productivity and animal welfare. The revisitation of the livestock infrastructure, support services, and policy planning to promote the well-being and quality of life (QuaL).
The study on Heavy Metals Concentration in crude oil polluted soils have been carried out at Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa state, Nigeria with the aim of assessing the level of pollution by metals like Pb, cd, Ni, vanadium and As including and some soil physical properties like the soil pH, electrical conductivity and permeability. Soil samples were taken at depths 0.0m,-0.3m, 1m, 2m and 3m and laboratory tests were done. The pollution index analysis were calculated for their concentration Factor (CF) and PLI. The mean values of both the metals and physical properties were also compared with permissible standards such as WHO, NRCS and others. Results from these analyses indicates that the though, the soils are impacted by crude oil; the pollution level stands between low to moderately polluted. Again, that the mean values of the metals and the physical properties were found to be lower than the permissible standards. The study concluded that, despite the low pollution level, soil remediation process should be carried out in the area to prevent ground water seepage and Bio-accumulation by plants.
The increasing penetration of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems into conventional power grids has introduced significant challenges in maintaining grid synchronization, voltage stability, frequency regulation, and overall power quality due to the intermittent nature of solar energy. This study focuses on the development and performance evaluation of a Genetic Algorithm (GA)-based intelligent controller for real-time grid synchronization of solar photovoltaic systems using MATLAB/Simulink. The developed model was implemented on a grid-connected 1.2 MW solar PV system integrated with the existing 5.5 MW Abuloma 1 × 15 MVA, 33/11 kV Injection Substation to investigate the controller's ability to enhance dynamic system performance under varying operating conditions. Conventional synchronization techniques were used as the benchmark for performance comparison. The proposed GA-based intelligent controller was designed to optimize critical synchronization parameters in real time, including synchronization angle, reactive power compensation, voltage regulation, and frequency stability, thereby ensuring reliable and efficient integration of the solar PV system with the utility grid. MATLAB/Simulink was employed to model the grid-connected photovoltaic system, implement the optimization algorithm, and evaluate the controller under different system disturbances, including fluctuating solar irradiance, dynamic load variations, and voltage disturbances. The simulation results demonstrate that the developed GA-based intelligent controller significantly outperformed the conventional control method in all evaluated performance indices.
This article examines the impact of the Sudanese civil war (2023–2025) on freedom of religion and freedom of expression, focusing on the growing tension between Islamic-based legal measures and Sudan’s international human rights obligations. Following the outbreak of conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rap-id Support Forces (RSF), widespread human rights violations, political instability, and the erosion of reforms introduced during Sudan’s democratic transition have significantly restricted civil liberties. The study analyzes how state and non-state actors have relied on blasphemy, apostasy, and morality-based laws to justify limita-tions on religious and expressive freedoms, often targeting journalists, activists, and religious minorities. Using a normative legal approach, the research compares Sudanese laws with international human rights standards, particularly the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and examines reports from hu-man rights organizations alongside selected case studies. The findings indicate that many recent legal and reg-ulatory measures fail to satisfy the principles of legality, necessity, and proportionality required under interna-tional law, thereby creating substantial conflicts between Sudan’s domestic legal framework and its binding international human rights commitments.
This study examines the effect of change management on the organizational resilience of commercial banks in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), operationalizing change management through three dimensions: proactive technology adoption, organizational flexibility in response to rapid technological changes, and active leadership support throughout digital transformation initiatives. Anchored in the Technology Acceptance Model and Dynamic Capabilities Theory, the study adopted a positivist, cross-sectional quantitative research design. A census approach targeted all top-management members across the eighteen commercial banks licensed by the Banque Centrale du Congo, with primary data collected through structured Likert-scale questionnaires. Multiple linear regression was employed to test the hypothesized relationship. The change management construct confirmed satisfactory internal consistency. Descriptive analysis revealed a moderate yet heterogeneous disposition toward change management practices across the sector, with active leadership support recording the highest endorsement and proactive technology adoption remaining the weakest, bordering on neutrality. Regression analysis confirmed that change management exerted a statistically significant positive effect on organizational resilience, recording the highest regression coefficient among the four digital transformation strategy dimensions examined, and the overall model explained a substantial proportion of the variance in organizational resilience. Change management constitutes a meaningful and strategically important driver of organizational resilience in the DRC banking sector, functioning primarily through leadership-guided transformation, organizational flexibility, and proactive digital adoption. Commercial banks are recommended to institutionalize structured change management frameworks, invest in digital leadership capacity development, and cultivate organizational agility as foundational enablers of long-term institutional resilience.
The study of proverbs is a privileged field for linguistic analysis due to their morphological, syntactic, semantic, and cultural richness. As fixed expressions stemming from oral tradition, proverbs reflect the grammatical structures of a language while conveying the values and knowledge of the communities that produce them. In Maniema province, Swahili occupies an important place as a language of communication and the transmission of cultural heritage. After presenting the sociolinguistic context of Maniema and the historical conditions of Swahili's establishment, this study focuses on the morphosyntactic analysis of several Swahili proverbs collected in this region.
The main objective is to highlight the morphological and syntactic characteristics that structure these proverbial statements. The analysis is based on the principles of Bantu language morphosyntax, particularly the canonical Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) structure, the organization into noun phrases and verb phrases, as well as the different types and transformations of the sentence. This approach will demonstrate that proverbs constitute genuine syntactic units whose grammatical organization contributes to the construction of meaning and the transmission of cultural knowledge specific to the Swahili-speaking communities of Maniema.
Keed words : structure, morphologie, syntaxe, parémies, Kiswahili, Maniema
This study examines Swahili paremias used in the Maniema province as condensed discursive forms reflecting social, moral, and religious values. Through an interdisciplinary approach that draws on linguistics, ethnolinguistics, and anthropology, it highlights the role of proverbs in the transmission of knowledge and social regulation. The analysis shows that these expressions, far from being fixed, constitute dynamic tools for interpreting the world and organizing social relations.
Keywords: Analyses, Dynamics, culture, proverbs, Kiswahili, Maniema
The study of this paper is to detect and measure soil nutrients using sensors, and comparing measured nutrients with other nutrients. Therefore, this system can produce better results faster. Automation of soil testing will provide an easy mechanism than the existing testing methods. In this modern world, people prefer to do their work using machines because of the facilitated world of work. Hence, this soil testing with hardware device will reduce the effort of human resources.
Dr. Getachew Moges (MD, OBGYN Specialist), Dr. Merga Negeri (MD, Gyn-oncology Fellow), Dr. Shiferaw-Negash (MD, Gyn-oncologist), Dr. Eyob Dagnew (MD, OBGYN resident)
Background: - The most severe congenital abnormalities, known as NTDs, are brought on by the brain or spinal cord not fully closing between days 26 and 28 of pregnancy. Those who survive are permanently disabled, and infants born with NTD pass away within the first year of their lives. Improved maternal health, preconception care, and folic acid supplements reduce the incidence of NTDs. Early detection of congenital abnormalities during pregnancy may be aided by routine foetal anomaly scanning (1).
Objective: - To identify the associated factors of neural tube defects among pregnant women were terminated or delivered in the three teaching hospitals of Addis Ababa university, 2025.
Methods: - From January 2025 G.C. to June 2025 G.C., a case control study was used as the research design, and the study population consisted of all pregnant women who gave birth or abort either spontaneous or induced within the study region were included. Two groups—the case group and the control group—will be formed from these women. Women who have foetuses or abortions with NTDs are the case groups. Women with foetuses or abortus free of NTDs are in the control groups. 381 people made up the sample, and the case to control ratio was 1:2. SPSS version 25 data management and further statistical analysis were used to enter, clean, and analyse the collected data after it had been verified for accuracy, consistency, completeness, and missing values. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate the correlates of NTDs. All tests were two-sided, and a p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Result: - The odds of having a newborn with NTD were significantly higher among women who used charcoal (AOR = 4.5; 95% CI: 1.76–11.38) and kerosene (AOR = 4.8; 95% CI: 1.62–13.97) as primary cooking fuels compared to those who used electricity. Not taking folic supplements during pregnancy was associated with a 2.3-fold increased risk of NTD (AOR = 2.3; 95% CI: 1.04–4.99). Women who did not consume pulse-based foods had 4.5 times higher odds of NTD (AOR = 4.5; 95% CI: 1.55–13.21). Additionally, a family history of NTD was linked with a 2.3-fold increased risk (AOR = 2.3; 95% CI: 1.33–11.42), and exposure to chemical substances during pregnancy raised the odds by 3.6 times (AOR = 3.6; 95% CI: 2.43–30.21).
Conclusion: Use of unsafe cooking fuels, poor maternal nutrition, family history of NTD, and chemical exposure during pregnancy were significantly associated with increased risk of neural tube defects. Interventions promoting clean energy, folic acid supplementation, dietary diversity, and environmental safety are critical to reducing the burden of NTDs.
Keyword: - Neural tube defect, pregnant women, Addis Ababa University.
An ectopic or extrauterine pregnancy is one in which the blastocyst implants somewhere other than the endometrial lining of the uterine cavity. A 30-year-old GIII P-I (alive, via cesarean section delivery) A-I (spontaneous) mother whose gestational age is 36 + 6 weeks from a 17 + 3-week ultrasound, was referred from a peripheral hospital. She was presented with decreased fetal movement and an exacerbation of abdominal pain of three days duration. An exploratory laparotomy procedure was done for the diagnosis of abdominal pregnancy.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative technology capable of enhancing evidence-based planning, improving decision-making, and supporting sustainable urban development. As local governments increasingly adopt digital technologies, understanding their organizational readiness for AI implementation has become essential to ensure effective, ethical, and responsible integration into planning processes. This study assesses the readiness of Davao City for AI-assisted development planning, focusing on the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO). Specifically, it examines the City's preparedness in terms of technological infrastructure, organizational competence, governance, institutional support, data availability, and human resource competencies necessary for AI adoption. The study employs a descriptive mixed-methods case study using survey questionnaires and key informant interviews involving planning officers, GIS specialists, ICT personnel, and other technical staff. Quantitative data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequency, percentage, weighted mean, and standard deviation, while qualitative responses will be examined through thematic analysis. The findings are expected to provide evidence-based recommendations that will assist policymakers in strengthening institutional capacity, developing AI governance strategies, and preparing Davao City for the responsible adoption of Artificial Intelligence in development planning. Ultimately, the study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on AI readiness, digital governance, and sustainable local development in the Philippine context.
Abstract
This study assessed the effectiveness of environmental and social safeguards in improving ecosystem and livelihood outcomes in the World Bank-funded Rwangingo-Karangazi Irrigation Scheme in Rwanda. Specifically, it identified the safeguards implemented, evaluated their environmental and socio-economic outcomes, and examined the relationship between safeguards implementation and project performance. A cross-sectional mixed-methods design was employed, involving a census survey of 129 Project Affected Persons (PAPs), 12 key informant interviews, field observations, and document review. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression, while qualitative data were analysed thematically. Findings revealed that the scheme operates under a comprehensive safeguards framework aligned with the World Bank Environmental and Social Framework, with high community awareness (mean = 3.63). Environmental and Social Management Plan compliance significantly predicted ecosystem outcomes (R² = 0.595, p < 0.001), whereas grievance redress mechanisms, stakeholder participation, and institutional capacity explained 66.7% of the variation in livelihood outcomes (R² = 0.667, p < 0.001), with stakeholder participation emerging as the strongest predictor. Ecosystem and livelihood outcomes were strongly positively correlated (r = 0.711, p < 0.001). The study concludes that effective safeguards implementation enhances environmental sustainability and socio-economic well-being and recommends strengthened monitoring, catchment rehabilitation, timely grievance resolution, farmer capacity building, and institutional coordination.
Keywords: Environmental and social safeguards; irrigation schemes; ecosystem outcomes; livelihood outcomes; World Bank Environmental and Social Framework; Rwanda
Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao, Philippines, and the transectorized map of the creek and its implications were studied. Phenomenologically, ethnographically, and anecdotally investigated through its geolocation. Transectorization was done to triangulate the recorded information as identified and classified creeks in the area. Ten barangays were identified with nine active creeks that support biodiversity, farming, irrigation, and local livelihoods. These creeks have economic value and proactively support the inhabitants' needs and services. Flooding and erosion tested the integrity of these identified and classified creeks. Topographic terrain forged by the geologic movement. Continuing quarrying, waste management issues, and urban development planning were the challenges. Creeks in the area are an essential geographic factor in the community's survival. A preventive measure on geolocation, health, and wellness issues is at stake. Urgent need for urban planning, sustainable management, and development concerns is crucial to prevent these catastrophic incidences, such as the “big one.” It is understood that every valley, river, plateau, hill, mountain, and ridge has the potential to have a creek and is vulnerable to geologic movement.
This study determined the extent of social media use and its influence on the voting behavior of registered voters in the Municipality of Baleno, Masbate. Specifically, it described the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of age and sex, assessed the extent of social media use and its influence on voting behavior, and developed a proposed action plan to promote responsible social media use among voters. The study employed a descriptive research design involving 314 registered voters from the selected barangays of Baleno, Masbate. Data were gathered through a researcher-made questionnaire and were analyzed using frequency count, percentage, ranking, and weighted mean.
The findings revealed that most respondents belonged to the 18–27 age group, while female respondents slightly outnumbered male respondents. The respondents generally agreed that they used social media to obtain political information, with Facebook identified as the primary source of election-related information. The respondents also agreed that social media influenced their voting behavior by increasing political awareness, helping them compare candidates' platforms, and shaping their evaluation of political candidates. Although respondents acknowledged that social media affected their voting decisions, they also recognized that personal values, family influence, and other sources of information contributed to their electoral choices. Based on these findings, a proposed action plan was developed focusing on strengthening voter education, promoting responsible social media use and media literacy, disseminating verified election information through official platforms, and encouraging future research.
The study concluded that social media had become a significant source of political information and positively influenced voters' political awareness and decision-making. It recommended the immediate implementation of the proposed action plan and strengthened collaboration among the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), local government units, educational institutions, and researchers to promote informed, responsible, and credible electoral participation.
Hardening Windows servers requires more than applying isolated settings: it requires an inventory, a baseline suited to the system’s role, testing, controlled deployment, and verification of the effective state. This article presents a technical roadmap for Windows Server 2016 and 2019, structured around Microsoft security recommendations and the attack-surface-reduction principle described by NIST. The approach combines the Security Compliance Toolkit, Group Policy, PowerShell, Windows Defender Firewall, Microsoft Defender Antivirus, and Advanced Audit Policy. Rather than attributing effectiveness to undocumented vulnerability counts, the study uses verifiable compliance criteria, including preservation of the previous policy, application of the baseline, disabling SMBv1 when no dependency exists, activation of firewall profiles, antimalware protection, and the generation of audit events. The figures document a demonstrative and reproducible implementation; they do not constitute evidence from a production environment. The study concludes that hardening should be managed as a configuration-management cycle that includes compatibility testing, justified exceptions, rollback, and continuous monitoring.
This article presents the development and implementation of a web application for incident and notification management at ENNA-EP, located in the municipality of Soyo. The system was designed to optimize the registration, monitoring, and resolution of operational and administrative failures, replacing manual procedures with an integrated digital solution. The application enables incidents to be recorded and classified by type and severity, automatically sends notifications to those responsible, and allows real-time monitoring until resolution. Additionally, it provides statistical reports and performance indicators that support decision-making and strengthen organizational management efficiency. The development was conducted using the Scrum methodology, with MySQL as the database management system, PHP as the programming language, and CSS for interface styling. Results demonstrate improvements in process agility, information reliability, and internal communication. System evaluation, carried out through a user survey, recorded an 80% acceptance rate, highlighting its suitability to the organization’s needs.
Climate variability continues to reshape ecological systems, influencing the distribution and survival of plant species. This study utilized spatio-temporal modelling to assess the impact of climate variability on the spatial and temporal distribution of Colocasia gigantea in Ogoni Land, Rivers State, Nigeria. Field surveys across Gokana, Khana, Tai, and Eleme Local Government Areas revealed severe local depletion despite uniform macro-climatic conditions. Notably, historic distribution hubs-such as Yeghe, Barako, Nweol, and Bera-now exhibit only sparse traces of the species, while areas like Koroma and Kono show complete absence, rendering current stocks insufficient for household subsistence. Occurrences were georeferenced using WGS84, integrating baseline data with WorldClim bioclimatic variables and future projections under Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5) using an ensemble Species Distribution Model (SDM). Results indicate that C. gigantea thrives in moderately humid zones with annual mean temperatures between 26°C–28°C. Projections under RCP 4.5 indicate a moderate decline in habitat suitability by 2050, particularly in Southern and central communities like Bodo, Yeghe, and Barako, while RCP 8.5 demonstrates severe habitat contraction exceeding 30%. This contraction-compounded by observed baseline scarcity-highlights how micro-environmental dynamics, edaphic stressors, and localized anthropogenic pressures restrict the realized niche of the species beyond macro-climate predictions. Addressing a critical knowledge gap regarding micro-scale habitat constraints in Ogoni Land, this study provides a high-resolution, climate-driven distribution model. The findings underscore the urgent need for community-based adaptation, localized conservation, and climate-smart agricultural practices to revive C. gigantea and safeguard rural food security in the Niger Delta.
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted limitations of reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing, particularly regarding turnaround time and scalability, increasing interest in chest X-ray (CXR) imaging as a rapid and cost-effective complementary screening tool. This study proposes a hybrid diagnostic framework that combines frozen self-supervised transformer-derived visual embeddings with a validation-performance-weighted ensemble of classical machine learning classifiers for three-class CXR classification (COVID-19, NORMAL, and PNEUMONIA). A pretrained DINOv2 Vision Transformer (ViT-B/14) was employed as a fixed feature extractor to generate 768-dimensional embeddings from 256×256 CXR images, eliminating the need for end-to-end backbone training. Logistic Regression, Support Vector Machine, Random Forest, and XGBoost classifiers were independently optimized using Optuna with five-fold cross-validation. Their calibrated probability outputs were integrated through a soft-voting ensemble weighted using a bounded hyperbolic-tangent transformation of five validation metrics: accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and ROC-AUC. On a held-out test set of 785 images, the weighted ensemble achieved 98.22% accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score, with a weighted one-vs-rest ROC-AUC of 99.63%, outperforming all individual models. The results demonstrate that combining frozen self-supervised transformer embeddings with a lightweight, metric-weighted ensemble provides a computationally efficient, interpretable, and highly accurate alternative to conventional end-to-end deep learning approaches for COVID-19 CXR triage.
Soil degradation constitutes a major barrier to agricultural productivity and sustainable livelihoods in Rwanda, particularly in highland regions where steep slopes, intense rainfall, and continuous cultivation intensify soil erosion and fertility loss. This study evaluates farmers’ perceptions of soil degradation and examines how these perceptions influence the adoption of soil conservation practices in Nyamagabe District, Rwanda. A cross-sectional mixed-methods approach was employed, involving 398 smallholder farmers selected through multistage sampling. Quantitative data were collected using structured questionnaires, complemented by key informant interviews and field observations. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted using SPSS. Results indicate that farmers demonstrate a high level of awareness regarding soil degradation, especially concerning soil erosion, declining fertility, and reduced crop productivity. Adoption rates for both physical and biological soil conservation practices were generally high, with agroforestry exhibiting the highest adoption among biological measures and contour bunds among physical interventions. Farmers’ perceptions of soil degradation were positively and significantly correlated with the adoption of soil conservation practices (p < 0.05). Regression analysis identified perceived benefits of soil conservation and awareness of long-term livelihood risks as the strongest predictors of adoption. The study concludes that farmers’ perceptions are essential for advancing sustainable soil management. It is recommended to enhance extension services, increase farmer awareness, and provide financial support for conservation technologies to improve adoption of soil conservation practices and promote agricultural sustainability in erosion-prone areas.
Keywords: farmers’ perceptions; soil degradation; soil conservation practices; sustainable land management; adoption; Rwanda.
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