Journal of Sciences, Technology, and Arts Research : A Scholarly Journal.

Includes bibliographical references.

Diasporic Queer in Classroom: The Resiliency of Filipino Gay Teachers in International Schools -- Impact of High-Performance Work System Practices on Human Resource Outcomes and Organizational Performance in a Philippine Government Bank -- Utilization of Indigenous Plants as an Additive for the Manufacture of Biodegradable Plastics -- Sustainability Programs for the Public Housing Beneficiaries of Quezon City, Philippines -- Correlation between Student Entrance Exam Results and Academic Performance: Case of a College in a Philippine University -- Level of Awareness of Filipinos on Stock Market Investments in Relation to Economic Growth.

[Article Title: Diasporic Queer in Classroom: The Resiliency of Filipino Gay Teachers in International Schools/ Christopher Y. Wright and Philip Ceasar C. Villaflor, p. 2-12]<br/><br/>Abstract: This phenomenological study explored the Filipino gay teachers’ lived experiences in selected international schools overseas, including various roles they played, challenges they met, the mechanisms they applied to cope, and the resilience they embodied as they managed the challenges posed by the school and community. Using the concept of resiliency, alongside Giorgi descriptive phenomenological method, this study captured the meaning structure that gave sense to the whole unique experiences of gay teachers in the diaspora. The findings revealed the patterns and structures of phenomena as lived by the respondents who made necessary mechanisms to survive. The study serves as empirical evidence that centers on the profound extrapolation of experiential accounts of gay teachers as they perform their duties and carry out their responsibilities mandated by their international schools overseas.

[Article Title: Impact of High-Performance Work System Practices on Human Resource Outcomes and Organizational Performance in a Philippine Government Bank/ Roland M. Simbre, p. 13-28]<br/><br/>Abstract: Regardless of whether organizations are in the private or in the public sector, there is a general notion that human resources are critical to keeping organizations effective as well as maintaining a high level of organizational performance. Over the past two decades, a series of empirical works have explored the linkages of High-Performance Work System (HPWS) on employee outcomes and firm performance. HPWS is a set of human resource practices designed to equip employees with skills, information, motivation, and latitude yielding a workforce thought to encourage workforce skill and motivation. The primary purpose of this study is to explore the impact of HPWS on human resource and organizational performance in the Land Bank of the Philippines. Moreover, this study attempts to establish any significant difference in the HPWS, and significant relationships on human resource outcomes and organizational outcome performances. The quantitative method through survey questionnaires and interviews were used from the seventy-five (75) selected rank and file employees of Land Bank in the Philippines. To answer the problems specifically, the following statistical tools were used: Frequency and Percentage, Weighted Mean, T-test for Independent Samples and Pearson Product Moment Correlation (r). Findings showed that significant differences were observed in the HPWS, human resource outcomes and organizational performance as assessed by the rank and file employees and there are significant relationships between high-performance work system practices and human resource outcomes and organizational performance.

[Article Title: Sustainability Programs for the Public Housing Beneficiaries of Quezon City, Philippines/ Roland M. Simbre and Maria Louella P. Sta. Maria, p. 42-49]<br/><br/>Abstract: In the Philippines, the Quezon City Housing and Community Development and Resettlement Department (HCDRD), formerly known as the urban poor affairs, was created to implement socialized housing and resettlement programs for the underprivileged residents and informal settlers in Quezon City and to conduct training programs for urban poor communities. Currently, there are already eight established villages for the poor, known as Bistekville, that are in various stages of development. The need for public housing schemes to meet some basic sustainability parameters has continued to be of concern to housing policy makers, developers, experts, and researchers across the world. Thus, after the resettlement, the local government units of Quezon City implemented programs for the resettled informal settlers. This study assessed the sustainability programs for public housing beneficiaries after their resettlement in Quezon City. Quantitative and qualitative methods were utilized through survey questionnaires, and interviews from the three hundred twenty (320) beneficiaries of the eight (8) resettled Bistikville sites in Quezon City that were randomly selected. To answer and analyze the problems Frequency and Percentage, Weighted Mean, and Z-test was employed. Findings showed that public housing beneficiaries were satisfied with the sustainability programs that include livelihood, integrative, feeding and health, education, and sports development provided to them by their local government unit. Some recommendations to sustain the program are provided in this study.

[Article Title: Correlation between Student Entrance Exam Results and Academic Performance: Case of a College in a Philippine University/ Bernie S. Fabito, Ramon L. Rodriguez, and Annaliza E. Catacutan-Bangit, p. 50-60]<br/><br/>Abstract: This preliminary study was conducted to determine a possible correlation between the entrance exam results of students under the College of Computing and Information Technologies (CCIT) – National University, Manila, Philippines, and their accumulated GWA and the number of units earned. A total of 213 student entrance exam results from 2012 to 2015 were used as data. The entrance exam results were divided into two sections as there was the old and new instrument used. The old instrument consisted of three areas namely, General Information, Mental Alertness, and Comprehension, whereas, the new instrument which was implemented in 2015 includes four areas namely, English, Math, Science, and Aptitude. Simple linear regression and Pearson Correlation using Stata were used to predict whether the academic performance of the students can be predicted through the entrance exam results and whether an association exists between the two variables. The test revealed that both instruments could statistically significantly predict the GWA and units earned by the examinees. The Pearson’s Correlation, however, showed that the new instrument of the entrance exam had a higher correlation about the GWA of the examinees as opposed to the old instrument. It was also observed that in the new instrument, English and Science could statistically significantly predict the GWA of the examinees. Though it is thought that computing is heavy in math and that requires logic, the results showed that math is not a significant predictor for their GWA. Other results and recommendations are discussed in the paper.

Article Title: Level of Awareness of Filipinos on Stock Market Investments in Relation to Economic Growth/ Roland M. Simbre and Ronald C. Barriga, p. 61-68]<br/><br/>Abstract: The increasing importance of financial markets across the world has reinforced the general conviction that finance is an important element of economic growth, in particular—the stock market. Even a country not known for having a sophisticated economy relies on its stock exchange to help business raise capital and give investors opportunities to back new and established enterprises. This study determines the level of awareness of Filipinos on the stock market in relation to economic development. The respondents of the study were the selected 500 employees working in selected business districts in Metro Manila: Makati, Ortigas, and Taguig. The stock investment performance and economic growth performance regarding the Gross Domestic Product of the Philippines were gathered from the website of the World Bank for years 2002 to 2016. For data analysis, Frequency and Percentage, Weighted Mean, and Pearson Product Moment Correlation (r) were employed. Findings show that the respondents are aware of the stock market investments and the possible return of the investment, but moderately aware of the process of investing. This paper provides policy recommendations.