The study explored the challenges and issues in teaching and learning continuity of public higher education in the Philippines as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study employed the exploratory mixed-method triangulation design and analyzed the data gathered from 3, 989 respondents composed of students and faculty members. It was found out that during school lockdowns, the teachers made adjustments in teaching and learning designs guided by the policies implemented by the institution. Most of the students had difficulty complying with the learning activities and requirements due to limited or no internet connectivity. Emerging themes were identified from the qualitative responses to include the trajectory for flexible learning delivery, the role of technology, the teaching and learning environment, and the prioritization of safety and security. Scenario analysis provided the contextual basis for strategic actions amid and beyond the pandemic. To ensure teaching and learning continuity, it is concluded that higher education institutions have to migrate to flexible teaching and learning modality recalibrate the curriculum, capacitate the faculty, upgrade the infrastructure, implement a strategic plan and assess all aspects of the plan.

Prolonged implementation of lockdowns during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic has resulted in older adults living alone in social isolation. The purpose of the study was to describe the meaning of the experience of Filipino older adults, who are living alone and using social media technologies during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Eight participants who met the inclusion criteria were interviewed using the snowball selection technique. Transcribed interviews were read while also listening to the recorded interviews and highlighting significant words, phrases, and statements. An iterative process of analysis using van Manen's phenomenological approach identified thematic structures and categories revealing life‐worlds of corporeality, relationality, temporality, spatiality, and materiality. The five general essences of flourishing, communicating, struggling, journeying and empowering, described the meaning of living alone and using social media technologies among older adults during the pandemic. The experience was expressed as “flourishing despite struggling to communicate, while journeying and empowering oneself and others.” Older adults in isolation struggled to communicate with others however, with social technologies opportunities were opened for them in securing needed food, safety and security, maintaining their health, and their social connectedness. Despite the physical isolation and living arrangements during the pandemic, the use of social media technologies sustained older persons' well‐being.

This study aims to discover the sociocultural factors affecting the disease dispersion pattern of the COVID-19 in the Philippines. This is an ecological study where the unit of observation is the cases of COVID-19 in the country. The cases compared was defined in various ways to create an explanation of the dispersion pattern of COVID-19 in the country. Data was taken from the official reports of the Philippine Department of Health as of March 13, 2020, on the 52 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country. Data gathered from the reports were age, sex, existing diseases, acquisition (local or international), proximity to carrier and health status. Results revealed that older male Filipinos are at higher risk of acquiring COVID-19 with prognosis defined by certain culturally-related diseases. The dispersion of the disease in the country is further compounded by the sociocultural context the Filipinos are in.

The Late Life Success Theory assumes that people go through a process of development, wherein these certain feats highlight the different ages. These highlights form the stages that people go through similarly as they pass through life but the experience behind is unique to each of them. This study aimed to create a list of life stages people go through based on their individual perception of development and achievement so as to allow for identification of stages towards a satisfying late life. This study used narrative research design where the researcher gathered documents about the life story of famous individuals who are respected and recognized for their contribution in their various fields through their published biographies. The biography included the experiences of the subject beyond 60 years old. The researcher then recorded their life experiences and collected information about the background of these stories. Thereafter, the stories were analyzed. The researchers then “restorying” them into a context that makes sense. The following stages have been identified: Stage1-Overcoming a Misfortune Beginning Life; Stage 2-Teenage as the Constructive Passage to Adult Life; Stage 3-Becoming Part of the Adult World; Stage 4-Expanding Influence and Commitment; Stage 5-Leaving a Legacy. Looking into the lives of famous individuals, a certain pattern of similar experiences has been created. They went through a process of development towards the end of life wherein there are certain challenges which highlighted the different stages. These are to be experienced and faced positively. Once successfully handled, these are considered milestones of success which lead towards the full exploration and understanding of the human lives.

Background: The purpose of the study was to explore the HEARTS (Health, Experience of Abuse, Resilience, Technology, and Safety) in a community sample of older adults (60 years and above) in the Philippines – one of the top ten countries in Asia with the fastest growth rate of the older adult population. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was utilized in collecting data using standardized questionnaires such as PROMIS, CD-RISC, EASI. The study was able to engaged a total of 161 older adults who voluntarily joined the study. Results: Findings show that among the different health indicators (i.e., physical function, anxiety, depression, fatigue, sleep disturbance, ability to participate in roles and activities, pain interference, and pain intensity), only sleep disturbance was significantly correlated with the experience of abuse. Only anxiety and fatigue were significantly correlated with resilience. Resilience was found to have a significant moderating effect between the relationship of experience of abuse and two health indicators (i.e., anxiety and pain interference). Technology use was significantly correlated with the ability to participate in social activities, pain intensity, and resilience. Our results also show that technology use had a significant mediating effect between resilience and anxiety (a health indicator). Conclusion: The results provide preliminary evidence on the protective effect of resilience on the experience of abuse and selected health outcomes among older adults in the Philippines. Resilience in older adults varies across demographic factors, and suspicions of elderly abuse exist in the community. Technology-use among older adults should be included in the framework in addressing older persons' welfare as it serves to provide communication means or entertainment purposes. Studying the health outcomes, resilience, abuse, and technology use among older adults provides a framework on how older adults should be treated and how intervention programs should be addressed.