Tourism creates jobs and helps the economy. A sub-sector of tourism is the transportation industry. In Kapatagan, Digos City, Philippines, which is technically part of the Mt. Apo National Park, tourists love to visit because of several tourist spots, including, of course, the majestic Mt. Apo, the highest mountain in the Philippines. However, tourism was badly hit because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This qualitative study aimed to describe the tales of Tricab drivers in Kapatagan amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. We employed (...) a phenomenological qualitative design. Ten Tricab drivers willingly participated in the Key Informant Interview. Results have shown the following themes regarding their struggles: dealing with government protocols, loss of income, and conflict with colorum drivers. As to their coping strategies, they could find other sources of income, borrow from loan sharks, increase fare rates, and self-promote. They also shared their viewpoints. The themes that emerged were being flexible and offering optimum quality service. The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected the tourism industry, and this has trickled down to other sub-sectors, particularly in transportation. Despite the challenges, the Tricab drivers were able to find ways to deal with the declining livelihood opportunities and gained worthy insights. (shrink)

The knowledge of future doctors about a person is not limited to biomedical natural science, it also presupposes a humanitarian dimension and spiritual fulfillment, therefore ethical issues are inseparable from any type of medical activity. This article points to the relevance of the study of bioethics, which appears as a practical philosophy of life and as a value orientation of future doctors.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, most schools in the Philippines, especially in Mindanao were forced to shift the mode of curriculum instruction from face-to-face, to Radio-Based Instruction and Television-Based Instruction, among others. This mode of delivery posed challenges to teachers who are handling technical subjects which need to have hands on instruction. For students under the Science, Technology, and Engineering Program, academic writing is a skill they need to master. They are required investigatory projects, essays, etc. However, students’ writing deficiencies (...) are evident. The purpose of this classroom action research was to determine if there is an improvement in their writing quality when peer editing is applied. There were 20 students participating in the peer editing activity and in the key informant interviews. Findings showed that the most common writing problems or errors of the students were capitalization, punctuation, subject-verb agreement, tenses, irrelevant materials, order, vocabulary use, and run-on sentences with the latter as the most predominant. Results showed that, after applying peer editing, errors significantly decreased. Findings further showed that not only the technical aspect was enhanced but also the personal, and social dimensions were addressed during the peer editing activity. Students who got bored due to lockdowns have found something worthwhile to do. This in turn, enhances their self-esteem as well as their empathy and sense of respect to their classmates. It can be argued that peer editing as intervention strategy was able to improve not only the writing quality of students but also their humanity. (shrink)

Japan possesses a comparable prowess and know-how in medical technology and clinical practice as developed Western nations. Yet, in comparison to these nations, the implementation of the procedure known commonly as Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis in Japan is strikingly limited. This article considers what factors account for this small scale of PGD application. It argues that whilst the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology serves, as many point out, as the gatekeeper to PGD domestically, their conservative stance on the matter of (...) who can avail themselves of this procedure is determined by parts of the disability and feminist groups. To illustrate this, the article draws attention to the interactions of the JSOG with such groups over their proposed expansion of PGD to couples with heritable conditions that have early life onset. (shrink)

In this study, we assessed the age of women with primary amenorrhea associa ted wi th disorders o f sex development at the time of full disclosure, examined the appropriateness of FD based on their subjective views, and investigated inhibitory factors and ethical issues of FD. The corresponding narratives from interview data of 19 women aged 25 years or older were classified. The patients were divided into two groups according to whether they considered the timing of FD to be appropriate (...) or late. The appropriate group included nine individuals with ages at FD of 18.3 ± 2.29 years, whereas the late group comprised 10 individuals with ages at FD of 25.2 ± 5.77 years. The number of years between diagnosis and FD was significantly higher in the late group than in the appropriate group. The preference of parents and pediatricians was often the reason for delayed FD. Many patients showed confusion in their gender identity at the time of FD. These findings highlight the importance of FD and the need for careful and continuous support. (shrink)

Ethical approaches and the right development framework are critical in water use and conservation. Water as a resource is not unlimited. Darryl Macer et al. point to the necessity of understanding the basics of water, uses of water, water resource availability, and conflict. Water is a very precious resource that in the future can be a source of tension due to unabated urbanization. In the Kaliwa Dam Project in the Philippines, the Dumagat Tribe is at the heart of the issue. (...) If the right policies are not in place, progress can have a severe impact on communities. Water has become a commodity because urbanization has resulted in massive water use in big cities that do not have their own source. This means that urban centers need to get their water from somewhere else resulting in social discord and disputes pertaining to water rights. In addressing the issue of water supply and use, this paper examines the role of policy, efficient infrastructure, and good governance. (shrink)

The sudden shift of the mode of instruction of many schools from the conduct of face-to-face classes to online classes because of Covid-19 pandemic has brought different challenges not only to the students but to the teachers as well. To be able to prepare their teachers for this new trend, Cor Jesu College has provided avenues for the teachers to be oriented on how to manage online learning modalities such as google classroom, zoom and other social media platforms to provide (...) relevant and meaningful learning to the students. This paper focuses on the perspective of students on the online instructional competence of their teachers. Results revealed that some students experienced unfavorable learning situations due to problems of internet connectivity, content and work overload, time constraints in submitting tasks and the monotonous mode of delivery. However, most of them acknowledged the competence of teachers in handling online classes by manifesting passion, flexibility, mastery of content knowledge and ICT integration. They also felt the compassion and consideration of their teachers to their varied circumstances. This paper highlights the need for additional training for teachers to create more interactive and collaborative learning approaches to maximize students’ learning experiences in the new normal. (shrink)

Every civilization has its own worldview that determines its approaches towards subjects such as human beings, nature and God. Most modern humans have tried to control all nature as property. Nature, therefore, was considered as the booty, which should have been used entirely. Now, the modern perspective has revealed problems including emerging and dangerous diseases, resistant bacteria, and extinction of many animals, global warming, climate change; air, sound and light pollution, and so on. The problem is that human beings cannot (...) continue these attitudes as a viable survival strategy. In this paper, using conceptual analysis, we try to explain the epistemic gap regarding the positions of humankind and nature which happened after modernism and then present the image which Ibn ‘Arabī, a traditional sage and philosopher depicted for the integrated world. He developed a comprehensive perspective of the world, considering it as a manifestation of an Existence. He considered humans as the God’s vice-regent who must manage the earth and keep the creatures as God's representative. (shrink)

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a lot of chaos throughout the world. Its devastating indirect and direct consequences spare no one. This paper explores the struggles of sidewalk vendors in the Southern Philippines during the COVID-19 pandemic. It seeks their coping ways and insights about their experiences during the crisis. We employed a descriptive phenomenological research design. Ten sidewalk vendors participated in the semistructured key informant interview. The findings revealed three themes for their struggles. These are incapability of earning, helplessness, (...) and loss of income. For their coping mechanisms, small trading, gain assistance, and monetary loans were the identified themes. For their insights, two themes emerged- hopefulness and frugality. Sidewalk vendors were left with no choice but to stop selling temporarily because of the virus's threat. Even if their livelihood is in jeopardy, they became resilient and continued to find a living. (shrink)

2010 was the United Nations International Year of Biodiversity, which was followed by the Decade on Biodiversity that ended in 2020. However, the decline in biodiversity continues unabated at genetic, species, taxa and ecosystem levels. In February 2021, The Economics of Biodiversity: The Dasgupta Review was published by the UK Treasury. Like the WWF’s report from more than a decade ago, it urges moving beyond GDP and valuing and managing natural capital as one would for any other portfolio. Further recommendations (...) include restructuring food production and consumption patterns, and institutional changes in education and finance systems. The Dasgupta Review says many of the right things, but will it be instrumental in affecting the required change? The Dasgupta Review ends with a call for ecological and environmental education within all stages of education. This paper recommends that ‘ecology’ education be imbibed with the principles of bioethics and makes some initial suggestions of what this could include at different levels of education. (shrink)

Abducting children for sexual exploitation and trafficking them to other nations is happening since a long time ago. After being trafficked and experiencing extreme difficult situations of life, these victims are often unacceptable by their families and other society members. The community make them experience stigma, blame, bias, loneliness, shame, loss of identity along with unrecognized socioeconomic and citizen status. The paper will provide a structural debate on the ethical perspectives on whether or not a sexually trafficked person should return (...) to the society they belong. Moreover, the religion Islam has a strong obligation in viewing all mankind with an equal right to exercise. To conclude, multiple attainable recommendations could be implemented to support trafficked victims in a society. (shrink)

Aim: The aim of this study is to reveal the convergence of public health ethics, institutional, collective, and individual ethics obligation during the COVID-19 pandemic and give some explanations with online media reports. Method: The study method is qualitative content analysis; this method was chosen as it would suit best the purpose of the study. The Turkish Medical Association, Turkish Public Health Association, and online newspaper articles and videos have been scanned using keywords. After that, related online reports and interviews (...) have been classified and analyzed according to the context in between May 22, 2020 and November 16, 2020. No official ethical permission was obtained as the study was conducted through open access internet news sites. Results: The COVID-19 scientific committee and the Ministry of Health has suggested a new way of normal life called controlled social life for all places in Turkey. In the frame of these recommendations, with the Google research engine, many articles of online media including some announcements of medical and legal associations, interviews, and calls made by the authorities were selected and analyzed. These articles and interviews containing each problem and pieces of information provided for the common understandings of the society were selected and evaluated at three topics individual, collective and state and institutional responsibility and obligations. Conclusion: Although the warnings of associations, health authorities, and scientists are mostly about personal-civil responsibility, some occurring practices have caused violations. In addition, the level of education, perception capacity, and habits that include existing social-cultural and religious rituals have prevented people from adapting to this new style of life, in other words, controlled social life. Therefore, besides the original national culture and customs, universal ethical responsibilities and obligations should teach starting from primary school and should consist of whole life understanding as a higher perspective. (shrink)

The COVID-19 global health crisis has affected numerous lives, jobs, and properties. The virus is infectious and deadly, and the most vulnerable are the poor and the elderly. Due to its contagious nature, businesses were forced to shut down causing tremendous damage to many workers. The municipality of Burauen in Leyte as well as its neighboring towns are not exempt from the virus wrath. People perished and many lost their livelihood, disabling them if not limiting their purchasing capacity for food (...) and sustenance. The Eastern Visayas State University Burauen Campus is primarily an agricultural school. With the existence and persistence of COVID-19, such campus rose to the challenge by elevating its food production with the hope of providing food security not only in the town where it is located but also to neighboring municipalities. This paper will delve into the problems and challenges the school faced, and likewise its methods and strategies to hurdle the difficulties it handled to help provide cheap but healthy agricultural products for the people. (shrink)

“Transgender” is the historically adopted appellation as “hijra” in Bangladesh. From the ancient period till the 1980s their identity remained a great question mark and they were a forgotten cohort of the society often discriminated and marginalized. Many years of dedicated work, research and advocacy efforts from different actors like NGO, CBOs, Human Rights & Advocacy Networks and other national and international public and private sectors active engagement to fight for the rights of transgender ultimately brought some changes in their (...) societal and legal identity as humans. Government of Bangladesh allowed and approved the proposal from the Ministry of Social Welfare to give transgender a social identity and status quo as “Third Gender” in Government issued documents. However, when this COVID-19 global pandemic appeared in the country their existence became more challenging and vulnerable too. The livelihood of this community to earn their living became more difficult, the lockdown made them homebound which was difficult for them for longer when they are used to staying outside most of the time either on the streets or in the park, garden, market, or railway and bus station. They were unable to go for their health care needs, testing and diagnosis of STI, other disease including COVID-19 which was supported earlier by the NGO and community organization who also stopped their fieldwork activities during this high-risk lockdown period. It is high time to investigate and find out the facts and findings of the transgender community to reveal and advocate for their access to humanely important basic needs like health care and hygiene, testing facility, food, social safety net and other needs to be ensured and secured during this essential social distancing and lockdown period, so that they don’t become the victim of this COVID-19 exposure and vulnerability. There health care, hygiene, social safety are essentially and equally important like all other citizens of society to keep them safe, well-fed and infection free in this COVID-19 distressing reality. (shrink)

Healthy citizens are important for a healthy society. When people are healthy, they can not only enhance their capability to fight different virus outbreaks but also participate in the building of better and healthier societies. However, different forms of sickness as a result of people’s lifestyle are appearing in many countries. Ironically, in a developing country like the Philippines, policies for healthenhancing activities have gained minimal support. This paper will argue that promoting a healthy lifestyle that involves five essential elements (...) – feet, fork, fingers, sleep, and heart – is necessary for a healthy society. This means that people must be physically active, eat pre-dominantly plant-based food, avoid vices such as smoking and too much alcohol, get enough sleep, and establish deep connectivity and reciprocity with their fellow human beings and the rest of creation as exemplified by many indigenous peoples. While some people choose to stay healthy through their conscious choices, many carelessly behave unhealthily. This is where government policies and programs for proactive health and wellness must be crafted and implemented. Instead of focusing much on prescriptive medicine, government should support the promotion of healthy lifestyle as an important modality to ensure that citizens are healthy and have a strong immune system not only to fight a pandemic but more so in preparing them in their vital role to build better and healthier families and communities necessary for a more reliable and healthier society. (shrink)

Religions are human interpretations of the meaning of life and the position of the man in the world, and how human actions and relations should be regulated to protect their harmony; they are not direct words of a god. There is some wisdom in them as well as ideas that may need a reconsideration, which is very human, and the only way to find the truth is to critically examine each teaching based on the current knowledge and understanding and attending (...) to the needs of a rapidly changing society and environment. Unfortunately, most organized religions require a blind acceptance of certain pillars promoted as fundamental ‘beliefs’, implying that critical evaluation is not welcome. This cannot continue as the new generation more and more finds some of these beliefs irrelevant to the issues of the time. Respecting equal rights for men and women, and autonomy over sexual and reproductive choices are examples. Spirituality can be a way out of this state of conflict, and it can have benefits for all people from any religious tradition. (shrink)

The new coronavirus SARS-Cov-2 has disrupted all aspects of medical care around the world. Ophthalmology practices have also been affected by this pandemic all over the world. Due to this pandemic, new regulations were introduced in ophthalmology for patient examinations and surgical practice. Ophthalmologic procedures requiring close examination and physical contact have been reported to pose a high risk for SARSCoV-2 transmission for ophthalmologists. Guidelines on measures to prevent the risk of contamination related to COVID-19 have been published in this (...) regard, and it was stated that all treatments should be stopped, except for emergency situations. The number of patients has been reduced. It was recommended to pay attention to examination rooms and sterilization of instruments and devices. It was recommended to provide personal protective equipment during examinations, to make these examinations as short as possible focusing on diagnosis. Non-urgent procedures were postponed. In addition, breathing shields were placed on biomicroscopes to protect against contamination. In an assessment of the American Society of Retina Specialists, it was reported that a significant percentage of retinal patients were at risk of vision loss and required regular intravitreal injection therapy. At the same time, the age range of this patient group has become one of the special groups because it is included the age range above 65 years of age, which is defined as the age range at higher risk of the COVID-19 epidemic worldwide. Also these patients were found to be the group at risk for higher mortality and morbidity in this epidemic due to the prevalence of other pre-existing systemic diseases. Among these patients in the risky group, there were those who did not want to come to the hospital with their own requests, those whose treatment was disrupted, and therefore also experienced vision loss. The patients were recommended to continue their treatment and their treatments were carried out in order to prevent vision loss, by arranging examination and operating rooms in a way that the patients were least likely to be exposed to contamination. It is important to plan the treatment and follow-up of the patients in a way that minimizes the risk of contamination as much as possible and at the same time considering the situations that require emergency treatment. These are some of the ethical issues I will discuss. (shrink)

This paper is a philosophical inquiry about the state of man during the pandemic. By philosophy, I mean a rational investigation of profound and critical questions that seeks to address fundamental issues pertaining to the meaning of life. This study attempts to understand how the sovereign rule of the state is controlling the population in the midst of the coronavirus crisis. It argues that political power, through fear, has isolated human beings away from each other in the name of public (...) health protocols. State power plays on the vulnerabilities of the people to take advantage of the situation. The state apparatus is exercising full and unprecedented disciplinary measures as an extreme form of bio-power purportedly meant to mitigate the crisis. However, what is not seen is the reality that unjust structures and the unequal situations of individuals in human society have resulted to more hardships on the part of the poor, thereby diminishing their sense of self-worth. The most profound question when it comes to the pandemic, this paper argues, is existential – the reality of death. (shrink)

There appears to be a significant difference between organized religion and spirituality. In this paper I will compare both and explore some impacts of these differences in terms of the way that people of faith have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, how people have been exposed to the virus through religious sites and festivals, and how religious institutions have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented the world with an unprecedented global challenge that has impacted almost everyone. The pandemic has caused major disruptions in systems of work, education, finance and in domestic affairs, affecting nearly every aspect of people’s lives. Besides health and safety, this pandemic also caused havoc in the lives of people, in lockdowns, movement control, school closures, high levels of emotional distress, higher risks of violence and increased food insecurity. Drawing from experiences of some countries around the (...) world, this paper reflects on the said impacts, challenges and future scenarios of this pandemic to individuals, communities, and nations. (shrink)

The COVID-19 crisis has been affecting workers from all walks of life all over the world. While other government agencies in the Philippines made drastic changes in the delivery of services, the government-owned banks continued to provide needed services, for these are very important for the people and the economy. However, the bank employees faced many anxieties and inconveniences, knowing that they had to face clients during the pandemic. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study is to understand the concerns (...) of government bank employees in their job as an essential workforce that safeguards the public's financial needs amid the COVID-19 crisis. It employed a descriptive phenomenological qualitative research design. Ten government bank workers, seven regular and three contractual employees, participated in the semi-structured key informant interview. Results revealed two themes for their struggles: psychological pressures and physical exhaustion. As regards their coping mechanisms, they relied on social support, prayer, and resiliency. Although being public bank servants continued to be a challenge during this pandemic, the informants found ways to serve the clients and remained committed to their banking profession. (shrink)

The COVID-19 pandemic is causing a variety of socioeconomic changes around the world. There is a widespread outbreak of coronavirus in Bangladesh. Due to this terrible situation, various changes are taking place in the context of the people of Bangladesh. In this paper, the social changes caused by coronavirus economically and socially such as food habits, communication system, communication rituals, online education activities, online shopping, unemployment, economical threat, and changes of marriage pattern have been highlighted. This commentary also reveals the (...) challenging issues of Bangladesh due to COVID-19. This commentary reveals the context of how political and social organizations have stood by the helpless people in dealing with coronavirus. Attempts have been made to find out the social impact and challenges of COVID-19 for the Rohingya refugees who came to Bangladesh from Myanmar. Above all, the main goal of this commentary is to highlight the huge changes that have taken place in the socioeconomic condition of Bangladesh due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (shrink)

The elderly population is increasing worldwide. Autonomy is an abstract concept and when it comes to the autonomy of an elderly patient, it becomes more complex. Moreover, there are some cultural traits in some communities that influence the provision of autonomy in older patients. The significance of familial clout in decision making usually overrides the geriatric person’s autonomy. Elderly people mostly prefer the quality of life versus prolonging life, so it is essential to give special consideration to the QOL rather (...) than mortality. However, there are some sociocultural factors which can oblige healthcare providers to give futile medical treatments despite knowing its ineffectiveness. As the medical technology advances, the rank of old increases which leads to more intense competition for scarce resources. Despite scanty resource, the usage of resources on the elderly can influence the care of the other members of the population. Financial scarcity in healthcare organization calls for setting limits on healthcare resources and instituting priorities among healthcare services. However, the concept of age-based rationing may promote inequality towards basic goods and services for the geriatric population. The following strategies: fostering patient empowerment, providing patient care partnership, care counselling, cost-effective analysis, advance directives, and raising awareness can help in promoting high quality and ethical based care in the geriatic population. (shrink)

A novel coronavirus in 2019 took the life of ‘patient zero’ and then millions of others alerting nation states to protect and secure the lives of their citizens. The coronavirus known as SARS-CoV-2 caused the ‘COVID-19’ disease which had governments impose restrictions on the freedom of movement or the right to travel in the form of ‘community quarantines.’ The serious adverse effects of these on the world and national economies moved the governments to loosen the quarantines and implement versions of (...) so-called ‘vaccine passport,’ an international digital health certificate proving COVID-19 vaccination status. One of the uses of the vaccine passport is to expedite the safe and orderly passage of people in airports which extends to other travel terminals, essential and commercial establishments, and facilities. There are ethical concerns, however, such as the inequitable distribution of the scarce supply of vaccines, among others. In this article, I briefly describe the vaccine passport idea, its uses, and ethical concerns, and then apply these concerns in a national context through the pending bills that aim to legitimize a Vaccine Passport System in the Philippines. In the end, I recommend that lawmakers (who represent the moral interest of Filipinos) consider such concerns before they cast their votes. (shrink)