First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisor, Dr. May O. Lwin, for her invaluable guidance, patience, and encouragement during every stage of this study. Her support has made every step of my postgraduate journey possible. Thank you to Dr. Shubert Foo and Dr. Kim Hye Kung for their instrumental guidance in making this paper worthy of other people's readership. I would also like to thank my parents, sister, and Jeremy for their unending love and support, not just in my academic pursuits, but in every aspect of my life. Everything I do is possible because of them and I dedicate all my efforts to them. I also extend my appreciation to my friends who have surely made stressful moments less so with their unswerving support and humor. I would also like to acknowledge the invaluable support the University of the Philippines has kindly extended to my study. All the students and faculty members, especially Prof. Ei Narvaez, have made this study possible. And finally, I want to thank the school for the opportunity and for the wonderful and enriching experience I will cherish for life.