Research

As the national university, we champion and support innovative research that addresses the country’s most pressing challenges.

13 Nov 2025

Evidence shows that during the Pleistocene, Luzon—long thought to lack native large mammalian carnivores—was home to a sizeable predator

Fossils are preserved remains or traces of ancient organisms, often turned to rock. Body fossils include parts like shells, teeth,...

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12 Nov 2025

Some communities in Los Baños, Laguna still face challenges in accessing safe and clean drinking water

Due to rising costs or the inaccessibility of commercial water, many rural communities rely on artesian well (“poso”) water as...

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11 Nov 2025

Walkability in urban cities should also consider the varying accessibility needs of people of all ages

Cities are meant to be places where people can easily access everything they need within a short walk or bike...

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24 Oct 2025

A new approach to volunteerism encourages schools to treat volunteer activities as long-term commitments

This research explored the motivations of students as a basis for deeper and more meaningful engagement among educational institutions in...

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23 Oct 2025

Gay and bisexual teachers in rural schools need clear policies that protect LGBT educators

This research explored the experiences of gay and bisexual teachers working in rural schools in the Philippines. It involved interviews...

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22 Oct 2025

Fishing communities in Taliptip, Bulakan face risks from natural hazards and the New Manila International Airport project

The New Manila International Airport (NMIA), currently under construction in Taliptip, Bulakan along the shores of Manila Bay, is intended...

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21 Oct 2025

Advanced optical correlation and interferometry techniques can enhance our understanding of earthquake hazards

In the Philippines, studying earthquakes usually involves using techniques like interferometry, global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), waveform modeling, and field...

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17 Oct 2025

Researchers build a portable, low-cost reflectance sensor for crop health monitoring

Precision agriculture is improving agricultural processes. Various sensors have been developed, such as spectral reflectance and transmittance sensors, multispectral canopy...

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16 Oct 2025

There is a deep connection between a person’s belief and the evidence that supports it

This paper presents a way to define and test whether someone is justified in holding a belief, using an example...

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15 Oct 2025

Neurosurgery residents outperform ChatGPT in answering board examination-like questions

Large language models such as ChatGPT have been used in different fields of medical education. This study aimed to review...

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13 Oct 2025

Those who start smoking at a younger age are likely to become more frequent and heavier smokers later in life

Understanding the relationship between age at smoking initiation and later smoking intensity is crucial for assessing future health consequences of...

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08 Oct 2025

Study finds significant gaps in menstrual hygiene management across six global cities, including Manila

The study “Exploring the Availability and Accessibility of Menstrual Friendly Public Toilets (MFPTs) in Urban Spaces” examines public toilet facilities...

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Research

Fossils are preserved remains or traces of ancient organisms, often turned to rock. Body fossils include parts like shells, teeth, or bones, while trace fossils (ichnofossils), such as footprints or burrows, reveal how ancient creatures lived and behaved. Trace fossils can even hint at the presence of animals we haven’t discovered yet through their bones or teeth.

We examined bite marks on a fossilized deer (Rusa sp.) shinbone (tibia) we discovered from a Pleistocene (2.6 million–11,000 years ago) river channel in northwestern La Union (Bacnotan-Balaoan), Luzon, Philippines. Other fossils found include bones and teeth of the Luzon tamaraw (Bubalus sp.), a wild boar tusk (Sus sp.), and a crocodile tooth.

Our analysis suggests a large carnivore made the bite marks. While consistent with crocodile feeding, some gnawing-like marks point to a mammalian carnivore, such as a big cat or wild dog. This possibility is fascinating, given the lack of body fossils or extant native species of these predators on Luzon Island.

Unlike Luzon, which has always been isolated, Palawan has yielded tiger fossils and may have been connected to Borneo and Sundaland during periods of low sea levels. Smaller carnivores like civets and leopard cats are likely more recent arrivals or were introduced by humans.

This study underscores how much we still have to learn about the prehistoric biodiversity of Luzon and the Philippines, knowledge that is increasingly important in light of modern biodiversity and climate crises. It shows the potential for further discoveries given the underexplored fossil record of Luzon and the Philippines, which can contribute to understanding the prehistoric biodiversity of the region and the broader dynamics of insular evolution and biogeography. This study also highlights the utility of examining trace fossils to infer other faunal members that body fossils may not represent.

Authors: Meyrick U. Tablizoa (Nannoworks Laboratory, National Institute of Geological Sciences, College of Science, University of the Philippines Diliman), Rebekka Volmer (Ateneo de Manila University, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Quezon City | Senckenberg Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseum Frankfurt, “The Role of Culture in Early Expansions of Humans” (ROCEEH)), Allan Gil S. Fernando (Nannoworks Laboratory, National Institute of Geological Sciences, College of Science, University of the Philippines Diliman), and Juan C. Rofes (School of Archaeology, University of the Philippines Diliman | Archéozoologie, Archéobotanique : Sociétés, Pratiques et Environnements (AASPE, UMR 7209), CNRS/MNHN | National Museum of the Philippines)

Read the full paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0753396923000642?via%3Dihub