https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12852/609 2026-04-07T00:21:56Z https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12852/2730 Does democracy work in the Philippines? Drilon, Rex D. With lucid and alarming candor, the author cites unconscious habits and attitudes, as well as powerful social forces, that resist the growth of democracy here. He reveals the immaturity of our people in many significant ways and feels that democracy doesn’t work in the Philippines because it can’t. However, he says that if our people and institutions are honest enough to recognize and admit the serious shortcomings, then there might be hope. Otherwise, he views, with characteristic mordancy, that the deepening shadows of authoritarianism will continue to lengthen. Evolution as an engine of change, rather than armed revolution, might be the way out, provided our society can wake up and be resilient to transform its present undemocratic spirit. To the question—Does democracy work in the Philippines?— the answer could well be yes and no, probably more no than yes. Or a better answer might be, superficially yes. And very seriously, no. If the question were phrased differently—“Can democracy work here?” — the answer would have to deal with the ability and power of the people to make it work. That ability and that power are shaped and limited by the framework of the prevailing institutions. Therefore, the answer in essence could well be the same, “Democracy doesn’t work here because it can’t.” It can’t, because of the character of the framework. Journal article This article appeared in an offprint of the journal Historical Bulletin, with the title "Philippine Democracy Reexamined" 1962-12-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12852/2484 Diversity of prokaryotic microbiota in Iloilo River, Iloilo Province, Philippines through partial 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis Raso, Joy Gayares; Equiña, Diadem Pearl S.; Viente, Ma. Trina Anne A.; Alfaras, Mary Lucille Anne E. Rivers are vital components of the biosphere and an excellent habitat for many of the Earth’s organisms. The prime focus of this study is the Iloilo River located in the City of Iloilo, Panay Island, Philippines. It is classified as Class C body of water. In spite of the unique abundance of biodiversity in Iloilo River, the quality of water in the area has been severely affected by rapid industrialization and urbanization. This study focused on the characterization of bacterial microbiota in the river using 16S rRNA sequencing. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing eighteen bacterial family and 19 species were taxonomically identified and classified across the sampling sites. At the family level Microbacteriacea accounted for the most abundant family (8.41%) belonging to the phylum Actinomycetota followed by Flavobacteriaceae (6.34%) under the phylum Bacteroidetes. On the species level the two most dominant species across all sites were Marichromatium gracile (3.62%) and Candidatus aquiluna rubra (3.42%). Most of the identified bacteria were novel and recognized as important human and aquatic pathogens; hence, provide evidence that Iloilo River harbors bacterial population, which might pose health and environmental risks to humans and aquatic lives. There was low microbial diversity index across all sites. Analyses of the selected physicochemical parameters such as temperature, turbidity, salinity and total suspended solids (TSS) pH and dissolved oxygen (DO), indicate that the values were within the national standard limit for Class C Water Body Classification. Journal article 2023-02-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12852/2200 The Port of Iloilo: Its role in the development of Western Visayas Sonza, Demy P. The story of Iloilo as a port of entry officially started on 29 September 1855 when, by royal order of the Queen of Spain, it was opened to international trade. But the port had already been used for interisland commerce and for trade with some Asian countries for centuries. It had also been a shipbuilding center for a long time. When the Spaniards came in the 16th century, they discovered that Arevalo (now a district of Iloilo City) had a shipyard for the building of galleys and frigates. In 1587 Thomas Cavendish, a British privateer and the third circumnavigator of the globe, plundered the Spanish galleon "Sta. Ana" off Southern California, crossed the Pacific Ocean to the Philippines, and attacked the Arevalo shipyard where the galleon "Santiago" was being constructed. Cavendish was driven off by the Spanish and Ilonggo defenders of Arevalo, but his sneak visit meant that the port of Iloilo was already known to the British in 1587. And not only to the British. The Dutch also knew the importance of Iloilo as a port and they attacked it a number of times: in 1609, 1614, and 1616. These attacks and the frequent raids by the Muslims from Mindanao and Sulu forced the Spanish authorities to transfer the provincial capital from Arevalo to Iloilo (some five kilometers to the east) where they built a fort near the mouth of the Iloilo River. The fort provided military protection to the natural harbor of Iloilo which was formed by the narrow but deep Iloilo Strait and the winding, navigable Iloilo River. The harbor was also shielded from strong winds and high waves by the island-plateau of Guimaras. The port was capable of accommodating a good number of ships of moderate size. Because of the large volume of agricultural and manufactured goods that it handled, the port of Iloilo became, by the 19th century, "the most notable in the Visayas and to it converged ships from all the provinces of the colony in search of rice and other products. Journal article 1985-12-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12852/2199 History and legend in Western Visayan place-names Sonza, Demy P. Philippine place-names have not yet been well-studied. By place-names we mean the names of the various subdivisions of the country such as regions, provinces, cities, municipalities, municipal districts, barangays, sitios, and streets; and the names of geographic features such as seas, lakes, rivers, creeks, bays, mountains, hills and valleys. Considering that there are thousands of named places in Western Visayas what has been done so far in the matter of studying place-names is very little indeed. Moreover, no systematic investigation has been made to find out what history is and what legend is in the origins of Philippine place-names. I would like to attempt, after a very tentative and cursory survey, to show that Western Visayan place-names have elements both of history and legend. Furthermore, I wish to prove that the study of place-names is important in the writing and in the understanding and appreciation of local history. Journal article 1984-01-01T00:00:00Z