Rafflesia mixta Barcelona, Manting, Arbolonio, Caballero & Pelser is described as a new species from the Caraga Region of northeastern Mindanao, Philippines. In their general morphology, the flowers of this species most closely resemble those of R. mira, but they are different in details of the perigone warts and processes, disk color, and relative size of the diaphragm opening. This discovery brings the total number of Philippine Rafflesia species to twelve, of which four are found on the island of Mindanao.

Studies of human forms using traditional methods only show minimal variations. However, advances in image analysis and statistics have resulted to highly quantitative descriptions of detailed variations. To be able to describe detailed variations and to understand the human face of tribes practicing consanguineous marriages like the Sama-Banguingui tribe, landmark-based geometric morphometrics was used. Selected purebreed individuals (25 males and 21 females) of the tribe participated in the study. Face images were landmarked using the 28 anatomical landmarks defined in this study. Relative warps scores generated were used for the analysis of shape variations. Visualization of variations was done using histograms and boxplots. Results showed minor differences in the shapes of the whole face in RW2 and RW3 but not in RW1, RW4, RW5 and RW6 where variations observed were not significantly different. The similarity in the facial characters within and between sexes observed in this study could be attributed to common ancestry and possibly due to consanguinity. This study have shown that the tools of geometric morphometrics can be used for detailed quantification of variations in shapes of morphological structures. 

Abstract. Jamera JKAM, Manting MME, Dapar MLG. 2020. Ritual plants used by the Manobo tribe of Surigao del Sur, Philippines. Asian J Ethnobiol 3: 41-50. Manobo tribe is culturally rich in traditional practices, medicinal uses, diversity, and traditional knowledge based on their community plant resources. They dwell in hinterlands and mountainous regions in the southern part of the Philippines and live an intricate life dependent on agriculture and forest plants. Traditional ecological knowledge and beliefs of indigenous peoples play an essential role in the conservation of biodiversity. This study seeks to investigate the use of ritual plants of the Manobo tribe in Hinapuyan, Carmen and Cabangahan, Cantilan, Surigao del Sur and to identify the availability of ritual plants being used. Plant information with the local name, plant parts used, methods of preparation, ritual uses, and Cultural Importance Index (CI) were quantified. This study documented a total of 12 traditional rituals associated with ritual plants. The five identified plant species are being used in tribal rituals belonging to four different families, namely Arecaceae, Piperaceae, Poaceae, and Solanaceae. Arecaceae includes two species, while one species represented each of the rest of the families. Ritual plants with the highest CI were Areca catechu L., Piper betle L., and Nicotiana tabacum L. Manobo ritual plants have a symbolic meaning and rational function. This study is the first documentation of ritual plants presenting traditional ecological knowledge and cultural beliefs that must be saved to maintain biological diversity. The tribe cultivated some ritual plants within the village in addition to their wild plant collection. These ritual plants are conserved and protected by the Manobo community. More investigations are recommended on the ritual plants used among diverse ethnolinguistic groups in the Philippines and other countries.

Background Antibiotic resistance is one of the 21st century's most challenging clinical and public health issues. However, this health issue remains underreported in the Philippines. Aim This study examined Filipinos' knowledge, attitude, and awareness regarding antibiotic use and resistance and the associated predictive variables of antibiotic resistance. Methods A cross‐sectional design and Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines were used in this study. Convenience sampling of 3767 participants completed the Eurobarometer survey on antibiotic resistance from October 2021 to February 2022. χ2 and regression analysis were used to analyze the data. Results Most participants were familiar with the popular types of available antibiotics. Males and healthcare workers had a higher percentage of correct responses on antibiotic resistance knowledge. Participants had moderate to high knowledge levels of antibiotic resistance. Age, educational attainment, profession, antibiotic use in the previous year, and household members taking antibiotics were significant predictors of the level of knowledge of antibiotic resistance. There was a significant difference in participants' sex, age, and educational attainment in their attitudes toward acquisition, hygienic practices, and the role of health professionals in antibiotic resistance. Conclusion Government agencies and policymakers should consider the identified predictors when establishing policies on antibiotic resistance. This will ensure that antibiotic use is safe and effective.

Abstract-Variations in the patterns of asymmetry in coconut leaf beetle Brontispa longissima metasternum from ten (10) populations in Northern Mindanao, Philippines were evaluated using the landmark-based advanced geometric morphometrics Symmetry and Asymmetry in Geometric Data (SAGE) version 1.04 tool. Coconut leaf beetle has been infesting the country. However, primary information to the pest's ability to develop traits efficiently is still to be investigated. B. longissima metasternum was digitized and analyzed using Procrustes Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Results have shown absence of fluctuating asymmetry between sexes and locations. Conversely, directional asymmetry and individual shape variation is evident for male and female samples in all sites. IndexTerms-Brontispa longissima, asymmetry, metasternum, procrustes ANOVA.