Research

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

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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16 Dec 2025

The National Greening Program had little effect on forest cover in Central Visayas from 2013 to 2019

This study assessed the effectiveness of reforestation efforts in Central Visayas from 2013 to 2019 using satellite imagery (Landsat 8)...

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16 Dec 2025

Students perceive teachers as more credible and effective when using realistic avatars over cartoonish ones in the metaverse

Teaching in the metaverse presents a dynamic frontier for educational innovation. Avatars, serving as digital representations of teachers, play a...

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Research

Land reclamation has been on the rise in the Philippines due to growing demands for land driven by economic and social development. Reclamation, which involves converting water bodies into land masses, requires careful monitoring. Due to climate change, sea levels continue to rise, and the physical load on reclaimed areas intensifies with an increase in structures and population size. This combination of sea level rise and land subsidence poses a significant threat to reclaimed areas. Reclaimed areas are particularly vulnerable to flood hazards. Development activities such as construction, industrialization, and population growth further contribute to potential land deformation, making it vital to monitor whether these areas are subsiding or uplifting. Early detection of such phenomena is crucial for retrofitting, building improvements, and preventive measures. Monitoring is crucial, especially since many commercial establishments and key infrastructures are located within them.

Conventional land deformation monitoring relies on precise leveling, a method that requires extensive fieldwork, complex logistics, and significant manpower. While effective at small scales, this approach becomes impractical for large reclaimed areas due to the substantial resources required. To address these limitations, this study utilizes RADAR satellite data to collect measurement data across the entire reclaimed area.

The study focuses on the Manila Bay Freeport Zone, the country’s largest reclamation project and the site of the former largest shopping mall in Asia, SM Mall of Asia, and other key establishments in its vicinity. Using the Persistent Scatter Interferometry (PSI) technique, the study detects points on the ground and measures the distance of each point relative to the satellite over three years. Changes in these distances indicate deformations. PSI allows for measurements without the logistical and physical demands of traditional leveling.

Results show that while the majority of the study area is generally stable, certain key infrastructures are experiencing significant subsidence. Notable areas include Seascape beside Sofitel, SM by the Bay, City of Dreams, and Solaire, all of which show signs of subsidence with visible physical manifestations. Overall, the technique effectively detects localized deformation and subsidence in reclaimed areas without requiring prior knowledge of existing ground movement.

Authors:

A. L. Lomibao (Department of Geodetic Engineering, College of Engineering, University of the Philippines Diliman), G. A. Leal (Department of Geodetic Engineering, College of Engineering, University of the Philippines Diliman), Luis Carlos Mabaquiao (Department of Geodetic Engineering, College of Engineering, University of the Philippines Diliman | Training Center for Applied Geodesy and Photogrammetry, University of the Philippines Diliman) and Rosalie B. Reyes (Department of Geodetic Engineering, College of Engineering, University of the Philippines Diliman | Training Center for Applied Geodesy and Photogrammetry, University of the Philippines Diliman)

Read the full paper: https://isprs-archives.copernicus.org/articles/XLVIII-4-W8-2023/335/2024/