Research

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

09 Jan 2026

A venomous box jellyfish previously known from Japan is now documented in Philippine waters and may represent a new species

Box jellyfish stings pose a significant threat to public safety, particularly since some species are known to cause severe injuries...

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08 Jan 2026

Study finds previously unreported height use and increased social behavior in Philippine tarsiers, suggesting behavioral flexibility in fragmented habitats

Sleep and sleep-related behaviors are integral components of primate behavior and ecology, linked to various habitat-specific factors and often modified...

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07 Jan 2026

Senior high school students demonstrate low levels of environmental awareness, particularly in their knowledge of environmental topics

The Philippines, like other countries, is facing environmental challenges. One perpetuating problem is deforestation, which has a severe impact on...

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06 Jan 2026

Low-intensity physical activity through Sheng Zhen Gong supports physical and mental well-being during pregnancy

Maintaining some level of physical activity during normal pregnancy is widely recommended by healthcare providers. However, in many Asian cultures,...

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05 Jan 2026

A functional ingredient using pomace, a byproduct of pineapple processing, was developed as a sustainable approach to waste management

The study aimed to develop a functional ingredient using pomace, a byproduct of pineapple juice processing from selected varieties in...

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30 Dec 2025

UP Diliman, UP Los Baños

Advanced machine learning models now enable reliable prediction of maximum temperatures in Manila and Dagupan City

The extreme rise in temperature and accelerating climate change present significant challenges to sustainability, particularly in urban areas. Climate change...

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29 Dec 2025

UP Diliman, UP Manila

Remote sites benefit the most from primary care interventions with the highest increase in outpatient consultations and the largest decrease in out-of-pocket expenses

Unequal access to health services remains a major problem in the Philippines. Social, economic, and geographic barriers limit people’s access...

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26 Dec 2025

UP Los Baños

To preserve the Ifugao Rice Terraces, it is essential to integrate traditional knowledge with modern techniques

The Ifugao Rice Terraces in the Philippines, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are a living testament to centuries of indigenous...

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23 Dec 2025

UP Diliman

Logistic regression is a reliable model for predicting licensure exam performance of future math teachers

In the Philippines, passing the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) is a crucial step in becoming a professional teacher, but...

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22 Dec 2025

UP Los Baños

Socio-structural explanations can support, rather than undermine, vice epistemology

Epistemic structuralism is a school of thought that says society greatly affects how we gain knowledge and understanding. This can...

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19 Dec 2025

UP Diliman, UP Los Baños

Newly developed algorithms make it easier to predict the long-term behavior of complex biological systems

Understanding how complex biological systems work—like how our bodies process nutrients or how the environment balances carbon—requires accurate models. Biochemical...

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18 Dec 2025

UP Diliman

In a small island community, government shortcomings in post-disaster housing reconstruction and flood adaptation projects have resulted in continued vulnerability

The article examines the material realities of housing reconstruction in Isla Sasa, an island community located in an estuary of...

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Research

Box jellyfish stings pose a significant threat to public safety, particularly since some species are known to cause severe injuries and even death from documented envenomations. In this study, a species called Chironex yamaguchii, which possesses a potent venom, is now documented to be present in Philippine waters. Originally, this species of box jellyfish is known to be located in the waters surrounding Japan. The form and structure of samples collected from various locations around the Philippines were evaluated, and the results point to C. yamaguchii as the species designation. However, molecular analysis showed that by checking specific parts of the jellyfish’s DNA, and by comparing it to Japan’s Chironex samples, subtle differences were noted, indicative of potential new Philippine Chironex species, but this requires further investigation. Correct identification of the species causing jellyfish-attributed envenomations is crucial for drafting policies for conservation and public health concerns.

The morphological and molecular investigations of the box jellyfish samples collected in Philippine waters, as demonstrated in the study, confirmed the presence of the venomous C. yamaguchii. Most jellyfish stings have little to no association with the species of causation. Through this study, and with the clear evidence that C. yamuguchii is present in Philippine waters, awareness can be heightened, especially for those who are at higher risk of envenomations, such as the coastal fishermen, marine researchers, and tourists. Proper identification of the jellyfish can aid in formulating policies that can both protect the species and lessen the cases of envenomations by educating the public in areas where they are most likely to bloom or get translocated.

Authors:

Sheldon Rey Boco (The Philippine Jellyfish Stings Project, Tacloban | School of Environment and Science, Gold Coast Campus, Griffith University | The Philippine Jellyfish Stings Project, Brisbane, Queensland), Christine Gloria Grace Capidos (The Philippine Jellyfish Stings Project, Tacloban | Samar State University | The Philippine Jellyfish Stings Project, Brisbane, Queensland), Raffy Jay Fornillos (DNA Barcoding Laboratory, Institute of Biology, University of the Philippines Diliman), Phuping Sucharitakul (School of Environment and Science, Gold Coast Campus, Griffith University), Jonathan W. Lawley (School of Environment and Science, Gold Coast Campus, Griffith University), Dennis Talacay (The Philippine Jellyfish Stings Project, Tacloban | The Philippine Jellyfish Stings Project, Brisbane, Queensland), Allen G. Collins (National Systematics Lab of NOAA Fisheries, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History), Ian Kendrich Fontanilla (DNA Barcoding Laboratory, Institute of Biology, University of the Philippines Diliman), Joseph Elliz Comendador (National Museum of Natural History of the National Museum of the Philippines) and Facundo Rey M. Ladiao (Biology Department, College of Arts and Sciences, Leyte Normal University)

Read the full paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352485525000246