Humanities, Society, and Community

Food as Destination: Cultural Delicacies as Motivating Factor for Tourists to Travel

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0700

What makes a destination iconic has something to do with the unique experience of the tourist, whether seeking novelty or popularity in new places. This study aimed to gain a thorough understanding of tourists’ motivating factors in choosing cultural delicacies as the basis of their travel destination. This utilized a quantitative research design using a descriptive approach. Data were gathered from 376 res9pondents using snowball sampling, and the results were analyzed using frequency distribution, weighted mean, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The majority of the respondents are female (62%), aged 30 years and below (79.8%), and from Manila (25.5%). The findings revealed that tourists are concerned about cultural delicacies’ characteristics in taste, freshness of ingredients, and visual appearance, all labeled as "very important." In terms of the importance of cultural delicacies, the respondents perceived them as "very important", while in terms of the factors affecting the tourists’ motivation, the three primary influencing factors are price, health concerns, and religion. All respondents, despite their gender, age, and location, have a similar assessment of these characteristics as motivating factors for them to travel. Price is an important consideration when choosing delicacies, followed by health and religion. The respondents have similar assessments of the significant difference between the importance of cultural delicacies and their profile. However, age differences are significant. The study shows that acknowledging budget-friendly, healthy, and religious dietary choices in a delicacy is an important consideration for tourists when they travel. They are increasingly exposed to motivators, leading to satisfaction and loyalty. The study has limitations, generalizing the food characteristics and identifying pull factors for tourists to travel. Hence, future studies are recommended to specify a particular delicacy associated with the identified destination and to explore the impact of cultural delicacies to attract tourists that are sustainable, thereby promoting the destination brand in the Philippines.

The Influence of Technological Determinism through Social Media on Farmers' Adoption of Agricultural Innovations

Mariewentty Clarmel Ruhunlela, Mariko Rizkiansyah — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0700

The agricultural sector has entered the era of Industrial Revolution 4.0, marked by the integration of internet-based technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT) devices and precision farming tools into agricultural practices. This transition offers significant opportunities to enhance community creativity and engagement. This study focuses on Saparua Island in Central Maluku Regency, examining how farmers perceive technological determinism through social media and its impact on agricultural productivity. A qualitative approach was used, employing reception analysis with an encoding-decoding model. Twenty-five respondents were categorized into three positions: dominant, negotiated, and oppositional. The findings reveal diverse public responses to the program "The Future of Farming," which was presented in six segments. The dominant position reflects a positive reception, with participants viewing technology as a beneficial innovation that increases agricultural output, especially for island farmers. Respondents in the negotiated position exhibit mixed reactions, recognizing potential benefits while expressing concerns about the scale of anticipated changes. In the oppositional position, participants resist technological integration, favouring traditional farming methods due to a strong attachment to conventional practices. This study highlights the varied perspectives on technological advancements in agriculture and underscores the importance of addressing these viewpoints to promote a balanced development approach.

Perceived Benefits of Training and Development: Employees’ Perspectives in a Primary Cooperative in the Philippines

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0700

The importance of training and development in today's competitive corporate environment is widely recognized as a necessary investment in human capital, as it is believed to enhance employee performance, increase engagement, and promote organizational agility. This study evaluated the perceived benefits of training and development in a primary cooperative in the Philippines. This study employed a descriptive-quantitative research design to assess the perceptions of 113 employees regarding the benefits of training and development, using an adopted survey questionnaire prepared in Google Forms. The distribution of questionnaires to the target respondents was conducted via electronic mail and Messenger. The data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, weighted mean, and ANOVA. The study confirmed that the cooperative's employees are predominantly young, with a slightly higher proportion of male employees, and a workforce primarily composed of rank-and-file staff who are just starting their careers at the cooperative. Regarding the benefits of training and development, employees perceived its positive impact across all dimensions, which include goal achievement, collaboration and communication, level of quality and efficiency, and personal and professional attributes. Moreover, the study revealed that there are no significant differences in the perceived benefits of training and development when employees are grouped according to their profile. Finally, the researchers proposed strategies to enhance further the perceived benefits of training and development in the primary cooperative subject. This study can serve as a valuable reference for human resource managers in designing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating training and development programs provided to employees.

An Explanatory Sequential Study on Adverse Childhood Experiences and Parental Readiness of Fur Parents

Christian Bandola, Rosie Mae B. De Vera — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0700

This study investigated the relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and parental readiness among fur parents—individuals who consider their pets as children, forming deep emotional bonds and assuming caregiving roles akin to traditional parenting. An explanatory sequential design was employed, combining quantitative data with qualitative insights. Participants were adults aged 18 or older who identified as fur parents and had chosen not to have biological children. The ACE-Q and READI-SF instruments were utilized to assess ACE exposure and parental readiness. The READI-SF is a 17-item measure assessing readiness to engage in parenting roles, with higher scores indicating greater readiness. An a priori power analysis suggested a sample size of 115 participants; however, due to the niche nature of the group, 81 participants were recruited. Quantitative analysis revealed a weak positive correlation between ACE scores and parental readiness (r = 0.17), which was not statistically significant (p = 0.14). The average ACE score was 0.36 (SD = 0.34), indicating low exposure to adverse experiences, while the average READI-SF score was 3.87 (SD = 0.42), reflecting a moderate level of parental readiness. These findings suggest that, within this sample, a history of adverse childhood experiences does not significantly impact an individual's readiness to assume parenting roles. This may be attributed to the limited sample size or conceptual differences between ACEs and readiness for parental involvement. In the qualitative phase, four key themes emerged: (1) Parental Priorities, revealing factors influencing the choice of fur parenting over biological children; (2) Parental Perspectives, reflecting how past experiences shaped views on parenting; (3) Parental Alternatives, examining outcomes and experiences associated with fur parenting as an alternative to traditional parenting; and (4) Fur Parenting Attachment, illustrating how childhood experiences motivated participants to become better caregivers, not only to their pets but also, potentially, to children in the future. These themes provide context for understanding how fur parents perceive their roles and readiness. Overall, the study underscores the need for further research to identify other potential influences on parental readiness.

Enhancing Client Satisfaction: Utilizing Feedback for Ongoing Improvement Strategies

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0700

This study evaluated client satisfaction with the services provided by the City College of Calamba (CCC), with
a particular focus on the implementation of its Citizens' Charter and compliance with Republic Act No.
11032. Using a descriptive research design with 2,633 respondents, the study measured satisfaction across
eight service quality dimensions, revealing an overall "Very Satisfactory" rating of 94.32%. The highest
scores were in Reliability (95.46%) and Assurance (95.07%), while Costs (90.53%) and Learning
Management System (LMS) support were identified as areas needing improvement. Statistical analysis using
Goodman and Kruskal's Gamma Correlation demonstrated significant relationships between respondents'
awareness of the Citizens' Charter and their satisfaction levels, highlighting the Charter's importance in
enhancing service quality. Based on these findings, the study proposed a Continuous Improvement Plan
(CIP) for FY 2026 focusing on digitization, staff training, and stakeholder engagement. However, the
research had limitations, including reliance on self-reported data, which may introduce response bias, and
its cross-sectional design, which limits causal interpretations. The study's focus on a single institution also
affects the generalizability of results. For future research, longitudinal studies could assess the long-term
impact of the CIP implementation, while qualitative approaches like interviews could provide deeper
insights into satisfaction drivers. Comparative studies with other institutions help identify best practices,
particularly in addressing cost-related concerns and improving digital service delivery. These research
directions would further strengthen CCC's governance framework and enhance service excellence, aligning
with national mandates and stakeholder needs.

LOCAL WISDOM APPROACH IN REGIONAL AUTONOMY AS AN EFFORT TO PREVENT RELIGIOUS CONFLICT IN LOMBOK TENGAH, NUSA TENGGARA BARAT

Dwi Indah Kartika — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0700

Indonesia is an archipelagic country that has a diversity of traditions, languages, religions, cultures, and others. West Nusa Tenggara, one of the provinces in Indonesia also has a diversity of religions, traditions, and cultures. Central Lombok, has quite significant religious diversity, where Muslims are the majority of adherents of Islam among minorities, such as Christians, Catholics, Hindus, Buddhists, and Confucians, as well as adherents of other beliefs. However, the achievement of the tolerance index there over the past five years has been high, ranging from 3.5 - 3.7. Even so, the potential for inter-religious conflict still exists in Central Lombok. The problems of this study: (1) What factors trigger inter-religious disintegration in Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara? (2) How does the current regional autonomy policy in Central Lombok accommodate local wisdom as a preventive strategy for inter-religious conflict? (3) What is an effective approach model in integrating local wisdom into regional autonomy policy to prevent inter-religious conflict in Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara. The purpose of this study is to identify and analyze the factors that trigger inter-religious disintegration in Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, analyze and review the current regional autonomy policy in Central Lombok in accommodating local wisdom as a preventive strategy for religious conflict, and formulate an effective approach model in integrating local wisdom into regional autonomy policy to prevent inter-religious conflict in Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara. Data collection techniques use observation, in-depth interviews, SLR, and documentation. The collected data will be processed using SLR. The objectives of this study are to map the main factors causing inter-religious disintegration there, to compile an in-depth analysis of regional autonomy policies in Central Lombok related to the accommodation of local wisdom, and to recommend a local wisdom-based approach model that can be effectively integrated into regional autonomy policies to prevent inter-religious conflict in Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara.