Objective. As the world continuously grapples with the massive impact of COVID-19 pandemic on all domains of life, higher education institutions (HEIs) are at the forefront of reshaping and redefining their operations, mostly transitioning into online delivery of services where libraries are not exempted. The way libraries around the globe continue to face their mandate of providing knowledge resources merits research attention, especially in the context of the present health crisis. This study aimed at identifying the challenges and strategies of academic libraries during COVID-19 crisis among member schools of NOCEI, a consortium of higher educational institutions in Region IV-A (CALABARZON), Philippines. Methods. Descriptive in nature, the study utilized online survey which was accomplished by 31 head librarians from the said organization. Results. Findings revealed that barriers on transformation from physical collections to digital format, reduced budget cuts and decrease in purchasing and usage of print and physical materials are the top challenges encountered while there was a strong agreement on strategies utilized primarily on the availability of various online library services for clients and assistance through the Ask a Librarian chat service where students have access to librarian’s help in real-time through virtual chat. Conclusions. As a whole, results implicate the need for HEIs to ensure sustainability of library services during and beyond the pandemic, highlighting various measures that would respond to the ever changing landscape of education and knowledge sharing.

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Abstract:This transcendental phenomenology study aimed at describing and understanding the lived experience of eight (8) Special education teachers handling learners with hearing impairment.Specifically, they were private school teachers in the cities of Biñan, Sta. Rosa and San Pedro Laguna, Philippines who were purposively selected using inclusion criteria. Framed with the approach of Moustakas (1994) as cited by Creswell (2007), the researchers carefully analyzed the participants' verbatim accounts which resulted in six (6) themes categorized into textural and structural descriptions. Collectively taken, the essence of the study highlighted the participants' experience in handling hearing-impaired learners which covered engaging them in different activities (Theme 1), customized communication with them (Theme 2), and love and drive to reach out to these individuals (Theme 3). They coped with the challenges they face by clinging to the vital role of assessment tools (Theme 4), highlighting values in teaching (Theme 5) and viewing their profession as a calling of commitment and devotion (Theme 6). The lived experiences of special education teachers with learners diagnosed with hearing impairment may serve as a feedback for special education instructional materials suppliers or developers in improving the contents of their works to better cater the needs of special education teachers in terms of the choice of innovated instructional materials that specifically address the learning needs of students in special education.

The main goal of this descriptive-correlational study was to assess different factors involved towards adoption of e-banking technology among consumers in different provinces in region 3 of the Philippines as a basis for creating network infrastructure andmarketing strategies to help the families or individuals to go e-banking technologies. The results of the analysis showed that the regression model (consisting of technological, organizational, and environmental factors) does not significantly predictthe respondents' perception on e-banking services' reliability, convenience, speed, safetyand security, user-friendliness, cost-effectiveness, error-freeness. Additionally, therespondents considered two of the nine given scenarios as challenges in their adoption of e-banking technologies: (1) their fear about the possible occurrence of electronic crimes and (2) the customers' preference for face-to-face banking. The improvement of Internet connection and the conduct of trainings ororientation regarding e-banking services by banking institutions are recommended by theresearcher in addition to the proposed network infrastructure and marketing strategies to be considered by the bank to be able to educate customers in adopting e-banking technology.