Due to COVID-19, remote or distance education has become the norm in the Philippines. Yet even in its second year, remote teaching and learning still face ongoing challenges, as does the need for teachers’ professional development. This paper describes a study that examined teachers’ perspectives on barriers and needs in professional development. The study involved 174 teachers who were teaching online courses in the National Capital Region. The participants completed a survey detailing their professional development frequency, perspectives, barriers, and needs, while eight teachers agreed to participate in a follow-up interview. Results from hierarchical multiple regression analysis have shown that teachers’ pedagogical and information technology skills requirements are influenced primarily by their prior professional development experiences and their need to apply active learning and innovative teaching ideas. Qualitative analyses indicate that teachers’ professional development needs are mostly focused on skills related to online teaching, information technology literacy, and conducting research. In addition, data indicated that barriers to professional development were primarily caused by financial and time constraints and a lack of teacher motivation and logistical support. In summary, for remote education to be sustainable, teachers need ongoing professional development as well as adequate logistical support.

Growing old is frequently linked with various challenges. Hence, it is important to understand how to age successfully. Drawing on the concept that an individual’s quality of life (QOL) is influenced by their demographics, coping strategies, resilience, and social participation, the current study reports on the findings of these variables among older adults in the Western Philippines. A total of 392 volunteer older adults were surveyed. Aside from the demographics such as age, gender, marital status, average monthly income, educational attainment, and health status, the data collected also included the 30-item coping strategies for the elderly, 14-item resilience scale, 12-item social participation scale, and 35-item older people’s QOL scale. Structural equation modeling was used to verify the parallel and serial mediating role of resilience and social participation within the relationship between coping strategies and QOL. Findings show that coping strategies alone are not enough to improve QOL. The only way to improve QOL is through resiliency, as well as the ability to participate in social activities. In essence, the QOL of older adults can be improved by encouraging them to have more social participation, and at the same time, understand how it takes to become resilient.

In the midst of COVID-19, radical change in the work environment further exacerbated the detrimental effects of critical illness in the intensive care unit (ICU). This may be heightened if the patient experiences a lamentable end-of-life experience due to inadequate end-of-life care (EoLC). Anchoring on the theory of bureaucratic caring and the peaceful end-of-life theory, insights can be gained into the motivations and behaviors that support the delivery of palliative care during COVID-19. With this having been having said, the objective of this study was to use a narrative approach to examine the lived experience of 12 nurses who provided EoLC in the COVID-19 ward of several hospitals in the Western Philippines. Participants’ narratives were transcribed, translated and analyzed. Among the themes that have emerged are: establishing a peaceful journey to death, holistic caring for the end of life, venturing into risky encounters in the call of duty, staying close amidst the reshaped work environment, and preparing the family life after a loved one’s departure. The study identified the importance of assisting patients on their journey to a peaceful death, but this journey was also accompanied by a sense of self-preservation and safety for colleagues and families.

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly reshaped nursing education, with the transition to remote learning impacting clinical confidence and competency development among student nurses. As nursing programs shift back to in-person learning, students face challenges in adapting to limited face-to-face clinical exposure, which serves as a critical bridge between theoretical knowledge and hands-on practice. This qualitative study employs descriptive phenomenology to explore the lived experiences of six nursing students—three third-level and three fourth-level—selected based on specific inclusion criteria. Data were gathered through one-on-one semi-structured Zoom interviews, and thematic analysis identified four key themes: (1) ineffective practical learning through virtual platforms, (2) limited face-to-face clinical exposure as a foundation for skill recovery, (3) challenges in transitioning from virtual to actual related learning experiences, and (4) fostering clinical confidence through personal preparation and adaptation. The findings highlight the difficulties students face in regaining hands-on competencies, adjusting to new learning modalities, and managing self-directed learning strategies to compensate for lost clinical immersion. Despite these challenges, limited face-to-face exposure was perceived as a step toward rebuilding clinical confidence, emphasizing the need for adaptable nursing curricula, enhanced simulation strategies, and structured transition programs. The study provides insights for educators, administrators, and policymakers in optimizing clinical education, ensuring students are adequately prepared for the evolving demands of professional nursing practice.

The Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law of 2012 established a framework to promote reproductive health and rights in the Philippines. This study investigates the attitudes and common barriers to family planning among reproductive-age women in Southern Philippines. A quantitative approach was used, with a structured questionnaire administered to 70 women attending prenatal care services in Barangay Lag-asan, Bago City, Negros Occidental. Statistical analysis examined the relationships between attitudes, perceived barriers, and various sociodemographic factors. The findings reveal that the majority of participants maintain positive and optimistic attitudes toward family planning. While factors such as age, religion, family income, education level, duration of marriage, number of pregnancies, and employment status did not significantly influence attitudes, marital status was significantly associated with more favorable perceptions. Additionally, common barriers assessed across emotional, social, and cognitive domains did not significantly differ among the various demographic groups. These results suggest that, overall, positive perceptions prevail, although marital context appears to shape individual attitudes. The insights provided by this study underscore the need for enhanced government initiatives, increased funding, and culturally sensitive educational programs to improve the accessibility and awareness of family planning, ultimately promoting better reproductive and neonatal health outcomes.

This study explores the lived experiences of Clinical Instructors (CIs) in facilitating online Related Learning Experiences (RLE) for nursing students during the 2020–2021 academic year in three higher education institutions (HEIs) in Bacolod City, Philippines. Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine nursing faculty members to understand their motivations, challenges, and adaptations in transitioning from face-to-face to online RLE delivery. Purposive sampling was used to select participants who had prior clinical teaching experience before the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings revealed three major themes: 1) Adapting to Changes in Teaching and Learning, which emphasized the development of new skills, knowledge updates, and emotional adjustments; 2) Challenges in Online RLE, highlighting technical inadequacies, resource limitations, and external constraints such as poor internet connectivity and power interruptions; and 3) Growth and Professional Development, underscoring the instructors’ resilience and professional advancement despite these difficulties. The study concludes that enhancing digital infrastructure and revising the nursing curriculum to incorporate technology-driven pedagogies are essential for improving online RLE delivery. These findings provide practical insights for HEIs and policymakers in strengthening faculty training, digital literacy, and resource accessibility, ensuring the effectiveness of online nursing education in future crises.