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

In this study, I looked at how single Filipina mothers working as domestic workers in Singapore maintain their familial ties, especially with their children. This study goes beyond just recording the challenges and approaches single Filipina migrant mothers use in maintaining family relationships from afar; it also aims to reflect their perspectives and hopes for amplifying their voices.

My findings showed that while the experiences of my participants share some common themes with other overseas mothers, they also face distinctive challenges. They balance being the main breadwinner and primary caregiver, feel a strong need to work abroad while being solely responsible for their children, and manage caregiving from a distance through female relatives. They also deal with working in a foreign country without the emotional and financial support of a partner. Additionally, I found that their paid caregiving work in Singapore and their unpaid caregiving in the Philippines are not mutually exclusive but rather interconnected activities. Ultimately, this article strives to make my interlocutors’ voices heard and attempts to contribute towards achieving justice in knowledge representation.

My research is significant for three reasons, mainly within the field of sociology of gender and global inequalities. First, I explore how single Filipino mothers manage family life from abroad to float unique narratives that are often overlooked in the literature on transnational mothering by Filipina migrants. Although Filipino single mothers appear in various studies, their specific experiences have not been the focus. Second, I apply standpoint theory to the lives of single Filipina migrant mothers. This theory suggests that one’s social position influences one’s worldview and that unique experiences in these positions can shape knowledge. Third, I employ Filipino indigenous methodologies: pakikilahok and pakikipagkwentuhan. These methods are deeply rooted in Filipino culture and emphasize participatory research. Beyond centering a segment of Filipino experience, the findings of my study are applicable and relevant globally, especially in comparative migration studies.

Author: Athena Charanne R. Presto (Department of Sociology, College of Social Sciences and Philosophy, University of the Philippines Diliman)

Read the full paper: https://doi.org/10.1177/00207152251319744

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