Rooted in the growing discourse on the applications of cultural ecosystem services in attaining sustainable development, this study evaluates artists' sense of place from environmental aesthetic experiences as an approach to natural resources conservation planning in Masbate City, the Philippines. Given that sense of place strengthens environmental values and influences support for conservation, this research investigates how artists' perceptions shaped by environmental aesthetics can inform conservation efforts, not only through their art, but also their potential roles as key actors in conservation planning. This study specifically aimed to 1) explain artists' sense of place, 2) examine how environmental aesthetics contribute to making a place aesthetically remarkable, 3) assess environmental factors influencing artists' sense of place, 4) analyze the relationship between artists' sense of place and involvement in conservation, and 5) explore institutional arrangements for integrating artists' sense of place from environmental aesthetic experiences into natural resources conservation planning.

Using a mixed methods approach, findings reveal that artists possess a strong sense of place grounded in Masbate City's natural environment, which inspires not only their artistic expression but also their participation in community and cultural endeavors, especially local festivals. Elements of environmental aesthetics, particularly diversity and richness, visual interest and exploration, and spatial characteristics, are significantly associated with local aesthetically remarkable natural sites. Notably, a pattern emerged, wherein more accessible natural sites were significantly associated with at least one element, while those less accessible showed no significant associations, indicating an accessibility distinction in shaping artists' aesthetic experiences. In terms of environmental factors influencing artists' sense of place, only the Bantigue Coast showed a significant influence. However, despite being the origin of Masbate City's main cultural asset, the Lapay Bantigue folk dance, it was found to diminish place attachment instead. Nevertheless, sites such as Masbate Social Park and Bugsayon Marine Sanctuary were suggestively linked to place identity and dependence. Meanwhile, unregulated land use change was significantly identified as a major threat to local artists' sense of place. Furthermore, artists' place identity. attachment, and dependence were significantly associated with their support for conservation to protect their artist identity, for using their art for conservation, and for using conservation to protect sites that inspire their art. Lastly, the study underscores how local government autonomy and cultural policies can facilitate institutional arrangements that include and empower artists in conservation planning.

This study advocates for natural resources conservation grounded in place-based and cultural values. It recommends enhancing access to aesthetically remarkable natural sites without causing ecological harm, protecting key habitats, promoting art-based biodiversity education, and recognizing natural sites with cultural value in land use plans. It also emphasizes the need for multi-agency collaboration, institutionalized artist participation, and integration of environmental aesthetics into local planning instruments, ensuring that conservation strategies are both ecologically sound and culturally resonant. This research contributes empirical insights into creative place-making and affirms the value of integrating environmental aesthetics and cultural perspectives into natural resources conservation.

This study focuses on the community participation in the Solid Waste Management Program (SWMP) of Barangay 658 in Intramuros, Manila and its benefits derived from it. Based on theoretical and conceptual discussions, this paper examines an integral part of the community participation associated with the implementation of Republic Act No. 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000. Moreover, this paper details the innovative actions taken by the community of the chosen Barangay in partnership and cooperation among different stakeholders in Intramuros, Manila.

From the current policies in the SWMP in the national level to the local versions in the LGUs, there is a need to amend such policies to incorporate the current trends in the SWMP and technological advances that cater to the same. There is also a need to amend the provisions of the law governing the establishment of the Intramuros Administration, and the alignment of the roles it should have with the City Government of Manila. These two institutions must work together for the success of the SWMP of the barangays inside Intramuros. Otherwise, there will only be lapses in the implementation which will only result in the eventual failure of the SWMP. In order to be effective, efficient, and innovative in the implementation of the SWMP, there is a greater need for the stakeholders to be involved in all aspects of the SWMP. From the crafting of the policies, concretization of the programs to be implemented, and the actual implementation of the SWMP, all stakeholders must be involved in every stage of implementation in order for the SWMP to be realistic and responsive.

Over the past thirty years, coastal land reclamation projects (CLRPs) have shaped the urban landscape of Metro Manila, particularly in the cities of Manila, Pasay, and Parañaque. Despite their growing prevalence, local research on CLRPs remains limited, especially regarding their implications for real estate planning and development. This study addresses that gap through a thematic analysis of CLRPs built from 1990 to 2020. It evaluates their impacts on three interrelated dimensions: local economic development, community well-being, and governance.

Findings show that CLRPs have stimulated urban economic activity by facilitating the development of commercial, residential, and institutional spaces, driven by public-private partnerships. These developments helped boost local economies and state revenues, but disproportionately served higher-income populations. While framed as engines of modernization, CLRPs have also triggered adverse consequences, such as the displacement of coastal communities and the loss of traditional livelihoods. These outcomes highlight the disconnect between the narrative of inclusive development and the lived realities on the ground.

Governance analysis reveals that while the policies of the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) and the Philippine Environmental Impact Statement System (PEISS) introduced regulatory measures, implementation and accountability remain inconsistent. On the other hand, Local Government Units (LGUs) possess autonomy but often lack the foresight and institutional capacity to guide equitable CLRP outcomes. As a result, policy responses have largely been reactive, reinforcing private sector dominance over planning processes.

This study proposes a tri-sectoral approach of examining CLRPs, through the lenses of local economic development, community well-being. and governance. Key recommendations include adopting a national or regional Reclamation and Development Plan (RDP) and integrating planning for CLRPs into the Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUPs) of LGUs, thereby strengthening community engagement. Such reforms can ensure that CLRPs contribute not only to economic growth but also to sustainable and inclusive urban development.

In the past decade, the mobility landscape in Metropolitan Manila has seen significant changes against the backdrop of urbanization. Ambitious transport modernization efforts, coupled with aggressive infrastructure expansion, were pursued to continuously facilitate economic growth within the region. However, movement of people is still undermined by traffic congestion, while public transport is still seen as the inferior trip mode due to user dissatisfaction, primarily on travel time and cost. In response, the Philippine Government has included the improvement of the EDSA Busway as an instrument to promote public transport usage by expanding and extending its reach across Metro Manila, to which this study aims to supplement.

Through a sequential filtering process, the actual sensitivity of working individuals to segments of travel time and travel cost was identified by distinguishing trip mode options according to the level of these attributes. This was done using the Random Forest model to classify the subject respondents according to their revealed mode choice, such as public transport, private car, or private motorcycle. Upon interpretation of the results through Accumulated Local Effect Plots, it was recognized that working individuals put most importance on managing their waiting time. Moreover, the relative importance of the accounted segments of travel time indicates that they perceive a diminishing uncertainty in securing a seat in their chosen trip mode as they travel towards their destination. Meanwhile, total trip monetary cost mostly remains the second most important trip mode attribute, reflecting the inherent elasticity of demand for mobility in Metro Manila.

Private motorcycles emerged as the leading trip mode option for these working individuals when minimizing their travel time while spending at a relatively lower cost. On the other hand, public transport was found to be the most common choice for relatively shorter ranges of travel. However, relatively higher earning individuals were found to gravitate to private cars even for travel activities with a total in-vehicle travel time of less than twenty minutes.

Hence, improving the EDSA Busway system can capitalize on these tendencies of working individuals related to their choice of trip mode in order to encourage public transport usage in Metro Manila. Overall, an integrative approach to public transport planning is necessary to minimize travel time and cost by matching the level of supply to the level of demand in the context of built environment constraints, especially road capacity.

Situating transit facilities, such as terminals and stations, near common places of origin while maintaining their users' waiting and transfer time to within one minute is recommended so that the system would be comparable to the superior attributes of private means of transport. Adding detours from the shortest path while administering a transfer-agnostic fare structure with due consideration of seat turnover is also recommended to increase ridership, maximize utilization of fleet seating capacity, and achieve cost competitiveness with other trip mode options.

The coastal municipality of Plaridel in Quezon Province exhibits strong potential for local ecotourism development as highlighted in various local plans and project proposals. One proposed ecotourism circuit in Barangay Ilosong features several nature- based attractions. However, the absence of dedicated ecotourism and management plans in the municipality leaves these sites in Barangay Ilosong vulnerable to the negative impacts of unregulated and unmonitored visitation. Given these circumstances, the study aims to identify the most appropriate ecotourism management measures for Barangay Ilosong through ecotourism carrying capacity estimation-and the Limits of Acceptable Change (LAC) framework, supplemented by site potential evaluation and local policy analysis.

Findings indicate that Barangay Tlosong has significant potential for ecotourism development. particularly through'the development of an eco-circuit encompassing Mt. Kiling, Kawa Kawa Falls, Himpoporo Falls, and Ilosong Cave. However, visitation must be accompanied by the implementation of appropriate regulatory and management measures to control use levels and minimize environmental impacts. Based on visitation records, the carrying capacities of the selected sites have generally remained within limits, except for Mt. Kiling and the Kawa Kawa Falls, which have already exceeded the ideal number of visitors per recreational period.

The application of the LAC framework highlights that, within the domain of ecotourism development, maintaining desired ecotourism conditions necessitates complementary efforts for environmental preservation and visitor experience management.

Overall, the current regulatory framework of the Municipality of Plaridel is progressively aligning further with the promotion of ecotourism development in Barangay llosong. Nonetheless, the formulation of specific plans, Management Plan, Tourism Development Plan, Solid Waste Management Plan, and Protected Area Management Plan, remains essential to support sustainable ecotourism development.