SUCCESSFUL STRATEGIES TO GENERATE COMMUNITY

INVOLVEMENT IN SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT:

THREE CASE STUDIES IN THE PHILIPPINES

By

Agueda C. Mosqueda

A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements

for the Degree of Master of Arts
Department of Sociology and Equity Studies in Education
Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
of the University of Toronto

©Copyright by Agueda C. Mosqueda 2008

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 Successful Strategies to Generate Community Involvement in Solid
Waste Management: Three Case Studies in the Philippines

Master of Arts
2008
Agueda C. Mosqueda
Department of Sociology and Equity Studies in Education
University of Toronto

Abstract

This thesis presents three success stories in solid waste management in the Philippines

which focused on approaches toward community participation. Two cases highlighted the local

government efforts in the conversion of the open garbage dumpsites into a waste processing zone

i.e. the Controlled Waste Disposal Facility in Payatas, Quezon City, Metro Manila, and the Eco-

Waste Processing Center in Los Banos, Laguna. The other case was an information, education

and communication-based project of the author in Barangay Masili, City of Calamba, also in

Laguna, with emphasis on community consciousness in solid waste segregation for a cleaner

environment.

Solid waste is one of the country's major issues confronting the community and the local

government units. The legislation of RA 9003, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act in

2001, addressed this phenomenon by calling for the involvement of all sectors, primarily the local

authorities together with the community. This research examines the commonality and

uniqueness of the strategies employed to encourage people's mobilization in managing solid

waste. It was found that participation starts from a deepening awareness of people about the

problems affecting them, getting involved, and becoming responsive when they understand its

potential benefits. Participation is deeply anchored in political mobilization where leaders take

the initiative and the will to make a difference in the community. Strong advocacy in the

furtherance of community awareness and consciousness in relevant programs together with the

stakeholders' partnership and networking play a very important role.

ii
 Acknowledgment

My gratefUl thanks to God's inspiring words which says: "Trust in the Lord with all your

heart and do not rely on your own insights; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make

straight your path (Proverbs 3:5-6)." It serves as my guide in everything I do. This

achievement is wholeheartedly dedicated to God's gifts to me ~ my husband, Archie, for his love,

thoughtfulness and understanding; and our only child, Abigail Anne, whose sweetness and

giggles revive my strength whenever I feel tired. My dear parents, brothers, and sisters in the

Philippines for their unending love, concern and support which keep me determined and inspired

to move forward.

I would like to extend my sincere gratitude and profound appreciation to the following

persons who shared their valuable support and encouragement to make this research work a

reality.

The members of my Thesis Committee, Drs. Margrit Eichler and Njoki Wane for their

intellectual advice and feedback, time and effort shared to me, to make my research work more

substantive and meaningful. Also to Dr. David Livingstone for his candid insights and

challenging comments in my research proposal.

OISE-UofT staff, especially Kristine Pearson for her kindness in facilitating the required

documents prior to the conduct of my research work; Ruth Rogers for the reminders and

assistance in accomplishing the necessary forms to submit my thesis on time; the University

Graduate Study Scholarship Committee for the financial grant which I consider a great

opportunity for me to pursue higher education and accomplish my research work; and my friends

at UofT "Ate's" Celia Correa and Lynn Romero, Maya Soriano, Liwliwa Torres, Cathy Jeffrey,

Akena Francis Adyanga, and those I was not able to mention, for the encouraging words that

motivated me to persist with my graduate study programme.

iii
 The officials and staff of the Municipality of Quezon City particularly the Environmental

Protection and Waste Management Department headed by Ms. F. Rentoy, Municipality of Los

Banos, and the Barangay Council of Masili for allowing me to have access to the available

information, reports and publications in their respective offices.

My brethren in the church, Pastor Belle Obsanga, "Ate" Yolly Herrera, Bro. Dindo and

Sis. Ruth Malihan for their concern and constant prayers.

For the sisterly treatment of "Ate" Minda Loberiano and Tina Mendoza who used to

offer assistance for my family as we go through the challenges of living in Canada, they really

make us feel that we are part of their 'real' family; and my friend, Cathy Sandy, for her kindness

and constant words of encouragement, that with God's grace through prayers, my wish can come

true for "God is good, all the time".

Finally, my former colleagues at PCARRD-Philippines, who constantly send me

messages of trust that I can do this research work with ease and confidence.

To all of you, thank you very much!!!

IV
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION 1

A Glance of the Research Setting: Philippines 2

Overview of the Solid Waste Situation in the Philippines 5
Philippine Legislative Policies in Solid Waste
Management (SWM) 6
Community and Community Participation 9
Strategies Toward Community Mobilization 11
Statement of the Problem 15
Methodology 17

CHAPTER II CASE STUDY 1: TRANSFORMATION OF

PAYATAS DUMPSITE INTO A CONTROLLED
WASTE DISPOSAL FACILITY 19

Metro Manila and Its Solid Waste Scenario 19

The Tragedy in Payatas Garbage Dumpsite 22
Transformation of Payatas Garbage Dumpsite into a
Controlled Disposal Facility 23
Approaches Employed for Community Involvement 31
Barriers in the Implementation of the SWM Program 35
Controlled Waste Disposal Facility's Progress
in Payatas Community 37
Lessons Learned 39

CHAPTER III CASE STUDY 2: CONVERSION OF LOS

BANOS DUMPSITE INTO AN ECO-WASTE
PROCESSING ZONE 41

The Town of Los Banos, Laguna 42

Solid Waste Condition of Los Banos: Issues and Challenges 45
From Open Dumpsite to an Eco-Waste Processing Zone 47
Approaches Toward Social Participation and Mobilization
in SWM 53
Networking and Partnership among the Stakeholders 57
Barriers Encountered in the Implementation
of the SWM Program 58
Environmental and Socio-Economic Benefits 60
Lessons Learned 62

v
CHAPTER IV CASE STUDY 3: COMMUNITY CONSCIOUSNESS
IN SOLID WASTE SEGREGATION FOR A CLEANER
ENVIRONMENT IN MASILI 65

Gardening Utilizing Recyclables: My Own

Home Project 66
Conceptualization and Proposition of the Project
in Barangay Masili 67
The Profile of Barangay Masili, Calamba, Laguna 68
Methodology Framework for Project Initiation
in the Community 70
Pilot Project Context: Community Consciousness in Solid
Waste Segregation for a Cleaner Environment in Masili 72
Project Accomplishments 77
Lessons Learned 80

CHAPTER V SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATIONS 81

Summary 82
Conclusion 86
Recommendations 94
Suggested Directions for Further Study 100

REFERENCES 101

APPENDICES 107

VI
 LIST OF FIGURES

Page

Figure 1 Map of the Philippines 3

2 Map of the Research Sites 4

(NCR/Manila, Los Banos & Calamba)

3 Aerial Maps of Barangay Payatas 21

4 Vicinity Map of Los Banos Incorporating 44

the Science Community

5 Vicinity Map of Barangay Masili

(A coastal community) 69

6 Integrative Components of the Project 75

vn
 LIST OF APPENDICES

Page

Appendix 1 Payatas open dumpsite before the tragic 108

garbage erosion (years 2000 and earlier)

2 Payatas today as Quezon City's central

Controlled Waste Disposal Facility 109

3 Handicrafts training with recyclable waste

by volunteers in Quezon City for interested
individuals/groups in the community and
sample products 111

4 Advocacy and social marketing initiatives

of the Municipal Government of Quezon
City toward community participation 112

5 List of the Los Banos Science Community

member-agencies 113

6 Los Banos dumpsite prior to its conversion

into an Eco-Waste Processing Zone (years
2002 and earlier) 114

7 The then Los Banos open dumpsite now

an Eco-Waste Processing Center 116

8 Some initiatives and strategies of the

Municipal Government of Los Banos
toward community involvement in SWM 118

9 Vegetable seed/seedlings propagation using

recyclable materials and compost from
biodegradables at the author's home front yard 119

10 Selected photo documentation of the actual

process of coordinating and conducting the
pilot project in Barangay Masili in 2005 120

11 The ongoing snap hydroponics pilot project of

the Barangay Council in Masili derived from the
author's proj ect in 2005. 122

vin
 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Solid waste refers to garbage or trash composed of materials (biodegradable

and non-biodegradable) that are considered to have no value and are discarded by

individuals, households, commercial establishments/private enterprises, and

institutions such as schools, hospitals, government and non-government offices.

Solid waste management (SWM) is becoming a complex issue in most developing

countries due to the growing urban population and industrialization. According to

the World Bank (2001), this issue is greatly affected by the country's development.

This implies that solid waste distribution is indicative of the degree of urbanization.

It is also a sign of how citizens' lifestyle changes.

The Municipal Government in the Philippines as the main channel in

managing the disposal of solid waste, finds it difficult to address this task due to

limited dump and landfill sites. Because of this, some municipalities experience

garbage accumulation along streets and public places, besides open and heavily

filled dumpsites within the community's vicinity. This scenario has resulted in

mounting public concerns about the hazardous effects of waste on human health and

well-being. The improvements in technology and recycling schemes are often not

sufficient to counter the voluminous solid waste production, obsolescence of

1
existing facilities, and shortage of dumpsites. These are further affected by

insufficient resources to support SWM programs and initiatives.

A Glance of the Research Setting: Philippines

The Philippines is a tropical agriculture-based country with 7,107 islands

subdivided into three geographic groups ~ Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. It has a

total area of 300,000 square kilometers (km2) with land and water components of

298,170 km2 and 1,830 km2, respectively.

Its population in 2007 (National Statistics Office, 2008) has increased to 88.6

million people from 85.0 million in 2005. The annual growth rate is 2.3%. Of this

populace, 58% are women and 42% men. A big number of people live in a small

land area, which becomes even more crowded with the continuous increase in

population every year.

Luzon is the largest island in the country where Metro Manila or the National

Capital Region (NCR) and the Province of Laguna are located. Figure 1 shows the

map of the Philippines indicating NCR and Laguna. Quezon City, the largest

populated area in Metro Manila, and Laguna (specifically the towns of Los Banos

and Calamba) are the focal sites of this research on community participation on

SWM. Figure 2 presents the proximity of the research sites.

2
Figure 1. Map of the Philippines.
 LEGENDS:
• • BATANGAS
cAvrre
LAGUNA
NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION
QUEZON
mm* RIZAL

SIANO/

TAOAYT/

Figure 2. Map of the Research Sites (NCR/Manila, Los Bafios, & Calamba).

4
Overview of the Solid Waste Situation in the Philippines

The emergence of industrialization and rapid population growth brought

congestion in communities, particularly in the urban areas with the massive

in-migration of people from the provinces looking for better economic

opportunities. This scenario consequently heightened the problem of improper

waste disposal which contributes to the emergence of illnesses due to health hazards

from waste, pollution, extreme floods particularly during rainy season.

The Philippines generates about 10,000 million metric tons of solid waste per

year and only 12% of the waste is recycled and reused. The single most dominant

issue is the inadequacy of disposal facilities. Presently, open dumping is still the

most common waste disposal method used as controlled dumpsites and sanitary

landfills are very limited. Solid waste is an environmental problem that has reached

critical proportions in the country. Due to a growing population, rapidly increasing

consumption, and urbanization, solid waste generated is estimated at 19,700 metric

tons per day. Projection shows that waste generation will increase by 47% or 28,875

metric tons per day by 2010 (National Solid Waste Management Commission,

2002).

The SWM experience in the Philippines as the focus of this study can be

barely described as earth-friendly. Conventionally, in rural communities, people

resort to burning and backyard dumping. In urban and urbanizing areas, garbage is

collected by trucks from the waste generators and disposed in designated dumpsites

5
and landfill areas. Metro Manila in particular, being the country's central megacity

with a huge population of 10.3 million inhabitants living within 686 km (Institute

for Local Self-Reliance, 2000) has an enormous collection of solid waste. Dump

and landfill sites have almost reached their full capacity. Uncollected garbage on

sidewalks and vacant lots has become a common sight around the capital. This

problem is compounded by the emergence of chronic diseases and tragic situations

of floods and soil erosion in times of natural disasters. Evidently, the simple collect-

and-dispose method of SWM is not a sustainable and environment friendly approach

(Lapid, 1995).

Philippine Legislative Policies in Solid Waste Management

Solid waste is a serious problem which highly contributes to the increasing

pollution levels and health hazards in the country. This condition has caught the

attention of the Philippine Government which resolved to strengthen its legislative

agenda and enforce policies as well as local ordinances to involve communities in

environmental programs concerning SWM.

It took years for the Philippine Government to come up with a

comprehensive and integrated SWM law. Most of the legislation that has been

passed addresses just an aspect of the solid waste issue. The first legislation passed

was the Anti-dumping Law in 1938. It prohibited the dumping of refuse waste

matter or other substances into bodies of water (Philippines Environmental Monitor,

6
2001: p. 18). Following this, were the Garbage Disposal Law and Sanitation Code

in 1975. These provided general orders for garbage disposal with specifications for

landfill site, identification and screening processes of municipal solid waste disposal

facilities. The Marine Pollution Control Decree of 1976 and the Toxic Substances

and Hazardous and Nuclear Waste Control Act of 1990 focused on more specific

issues. The implementation of the Local Government Code of 1991 with its

Implementing Rules and Regulations addressed matters of waste collection and

disposal, decentralizing the responsibility to the local government units.

Republic Act (RA) 8749 or the Clean Air Act of 1999, and RA 9003 or the

Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 were landmark laws on SWM

which were aimed to provide effective reforms that will protect the environment and

its inhabitants. RA 8749 was the first in the world to impose a nationwide ban on

incineration. It provides a comprehensive air pollution management program

(World Bank, 2001). According to environmentalist groups such as the Greenpeace,

who rallied for its approval, RA 8749 is an environmental milestone (Manila

Bulletin, 1999). This Act promotes the use of "state-of-the-art, environmentally

sound, and safe non-burn technologies" for the disposal of residual and medical

wastes. It includes a statement mandating the city and municipal governments to

encourage recycling and composting.

RA 9003 strengthened policy directives that counter the country's dilemma

on solid waste. According to the Philippine Legislators Committee on Policy and

7
Development (2002), it is the most comprehensive piece of legislation that details

the policies and provisions of managing waste from the municipalities down to the

community level. It calls for the creation of the National Solid Waste Management

Commission as a central body governing all aspects of SWM comprising

representatives from the government, the private sector, and non-government

organizations (NGOs). This Committee is mandated to formulate a national SWM

framework that emphasizes community-based approaches in waste reduction. It

promotes the idea of waste as a resource and diverts at least a quarter of the waste

generated through recycling, reuse, and composting with the participation of the

community as well as the private sector. RA 9003 also gives specific provisions for

existing and future solid waste disposal facilities. Open dumps are to be converted

to controlled disposal site or sanitary landfills. This Act emphasized control of the

"generation, storage, collection, transfer and transport, processing, and disposal" of

solid waste in a fashion that is in accordance to societal and economic needs, while

at the same time bring in compliance with environmental standards and principles

(Philippine Legislators Committee on Policy and Development, 2002).

Relative to community participation, policy directives and ordinances are

being put in place tapping the active leadership of the local government officials.

This primarily consists of the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural

Resources for the national program and the local government units for community-

oriented projects and activities. Other stakeholders like NGOs, civil society, the

8
academic, and international institutions are also concerned with consensus building

to carry out broad educational processes and approaches through all possible

channels to boost and uplift people's awareness, consciousness and participation at

the level of community, individual households, and industries. National policies and

directives are translated into municipal local ordinances. The inputs and roles of

these stakeholders are vital components of the total SWM system. Waste

management as a task is the collective responsibility of the majority of the sectors of

society, primarily the community.

Community and Community Participation

A community can be described as an aggregation of groups, which vary in

social class, economic status, often in political or religious affiliation, and also in

outlook and opinion. It is basically a social system within bounded territory, having

people with different needs and interests, and who also interact with each other.

With this description, it is quite difficult for the people in the community people to

spontaneously unite for a common purpose. Nevertheless, they can get involved in

community activities should they be aware that such would benefit them in the end.

This reflects an "affective community attachment" which means that people

participate because they have feel a "sense of belongingness" in their place of

residence (Liu et al., 1998: pp. 432-450).

9
 According to Pfaff (1996), community is a source of group solidarity and has

the potential in mobilizing for collective action. Such solidarity, as stressed by

Goodsell (2000: pp. 357-375), sustains a community's collective power achieved

through the mutual promise of shared commitment to act in concert, and is

continually created and recreated through the union of commitment and action. In

connection with the above notions, Poplin (1979), identified crucial variables that

describe a community, such as the number of actors, awareness, goals and recipients

of action. Without community action, there is no development and the best way to

build it is to encourage people's participation in community programs/projects and

activities (Beggs et al., 1996: pp. 407-426).

The quest for unity and participation of the people in certain community

programs would initially be dependent on the approaches used by the local leaders.

Participation of people in the institutions and systems which govern their lives, is a

basic human right and an essential element of development. In a participative

model, people are mobilized to plan, and make decisions in partnership with the

government and other entities in finding solutions to social and economic issues

facing the community (United Nations Development Programme, 1990). Anchored

on this context, community participation in SWM requires that people get involved

in the activity at their own initiative; that they are aware of and understand its

benefit to them; thereby, make it part of their everyday practices. They need to

clearly understand the reason for their involvement.

10
Strategies Toward Community Mobilization

Mobilization is a process in which community members become aware of a

problem, identify it as a high priority for community action, and decide to take

action (Thompson and Perschuk, 1992). According to Ferrer (1991) as cited by

Deomampo-Cerezo (2005), community mobilization is an important part of any

community development program for people to become more productive,

responsive, and form into self-reliant groups. It is a process which involves the

active participation of the community in various stages of development work from

planning to implementation, even monitoring and evaluation that lead to people 's

empowerment.

As stipulated in the Philippine Local Government Code of 1991, the mandate

of people empowerment means that the local government units should involve all

sectors in the community in various development activities. This includes the

NGOs, people's organizations - the voluntary civic community groups, and other

sectors in society; making them aware that they constitute the truly legitimate and

relevant force in the community (Department of Interior and Local Government,

2000).

Deomampo-Cerezo (2005) further stated that community mobilization

strategy and process must be relevant and practical in the local community context.

People are more likely to get involved when decisions and a tions are based on

11
complete information on issues, problems, and other relevant concerns of the

community. There is a general agreement that community mobilization strategies,

tools, and techniques address a wide range of challenges and issues in many types of

communities. Since community differs from one another, there is no one set of

"conditions," "processes," or facts that define sure success. Some of the mobilization

strategies employed in community development and social changes are as follows:

• Advocacy. An important component of mobilization for policy support and

resources is advocacy. Mckee (1992: p. 13) defined advocacy as the

organization of information into an argument to be communicated through

various interpersonal and media channels. This is to gain political and social

leadership acceptance and prepare a society for a particular development

program. As the term implies, it is a persuasive communication for or against an

issue or concern. One of the goals of advocacy is empowerment, which

increases the capacity to define and analyze one's problems and needs.

Valdecanas (1989) stated that advocacy must be directed towards people's

decision-making power and aimed against policy makers to make them aware of

the needs and problems of the community. Thus, the main purpose of advocacy

is to generate support for a project in terms of funding allocation or some

commitment of resources. It focuses on various actors such as political leaders,

legislators, planners, and administrators in various sectors, media, organizations,

and NGOs which create a positive environment for program and service

12
 delivery. According to Rose (1995: pp. 32-41), activities pertaining to advocacy

are planning with the community; dialogue with the people through assemblies;

distribution of leaflets, posters, signage displays, etc. These activities will

empower people making them realize that they can do something using their own

initiatives (Deomampo-Cerezo, 2005).

• Information, education and Communication (IEC). This is a common reference

to the communication component of development programs. IEC shows the

importance of the threefold concern of communication — information delivery,

training and human resource development, awareness and motivational

communication concerns. Valdez (2002) stated that the main aim of IEC is to

spread knowledge and encourage participation of the community.

• Volunteerism. Long range and short-term volunteerism in a community include

many factors: number of service projects completed, level of private support for

the different sectors, and meaningful fora in which to express appreciation for

volunteers. All of these factors are vital and will help achieve success if a final

ingredient of community's culture is added. Success will require inculcation of

an ethic of giving and sharing as a way of life (Civic Index, 1993). This needs

strong advocacy and a persuasive communication approach for people to realize

issues concerning their community. In return, this will initiate volunteerism and

participation among the people which are the key elements in development

programs.

13
• Networking and Collaboration. Community mobilization is based on

partnership. Networking adds success to mobilization efforts by identifying and

collaborating with relevant partners who can contribute to the program.

Community mobilization programs are directly related to the networking efforts

of the community representatives. According to Giarchi (2001: pp. 63-71),

access to and use of networks is also a strategy and a key element toward

community mobilization. These networks comprise institutions and community

organizations which indicate their interest to collaborate and become partners in

the implementation of a development program or project. Sharp (2001) contends

that the value of community networks and their qualitative aspects of interaction

structures are associated with the capacity for local action.

Alagcan (2006) indicated that collaboration and partnership are good

vehicles for building effective community development processes and structures.

Collaboration, to be successful, must be based on the commitment and

involvement of prominent leaders in the community. Support of high-level,

visible leaders brings credibility to the collaboration effort and is an essential

aspect of the success of the endeavor. On the other hand, partnership as viewed

by Lumbo (2001), can be achieved when organizations with similar vision and

philosophy, pool their resources together, and jointly work for a common goal.

They also agreed to share the risk and results of the partnership. This is

supported by Ohja (1999), who stated that partnership is an arrangement in

14
which two or more parties work cooperatively to attain a common goal, though

they have independent mandates and functions. It is based on the idea that

partnership presupposes a union of interests and a blurring of boundaries

(Arcadio, 2003). This reflects that none of the partners can perfectly function

like the other with the same interests. It is a requirement in balancing the diverse

intent of business, environment, community, and other sectors of society.

Statement of the Problem

Waste generation in the different regions of the country reflects the degree

of urbanization. In cities where the standard of living is high, there is usually a

huge amount of waste generated and collected, but with limited space for safe

disposal, ecological threats and health risks are also high. These pose challenges

to the roles of the government sectors as the lead actors engaged in SWM - the

Department of Environment and Natural Resources, local government units

especially the Barangay Councils, together with the NGOs, and the small private

enterprises (i.e. junkshops and scavengers). Following the same policies and

guidelines under RA 9003, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, these

channels employ various strategies and programs involving communities.

It is on this premise that this research intends to focus on analyzing the

evolving strategies that encourage community involvement in SWM; find out the

uniqueness and commonalities of the approaches employed; and the

15
sustainability of community participation. This study explores what has been

done in the past, based on relevant literature, and identifies approaches and

initiatives that work in the urban and urbanizing communities based on

Philippine experiences. It also includes my own contribution in managing

household wastes - as a mother, community member, educator, and civil servant.

My study mainly employs conducting secondary data analysis of historical and

existing literature and documents, personal and practical SWM experiences in

selected areas of the Philippines. From these reviews, conclusions are drawn

about the importance of community participation in SWM. Hence, my research

seeks to answer the following specific questions:

1. How did the government initiate the SWM program in three selected

communities?

2. Who are the major stakeholders in SWM and their respective roles?

3. What SWM approaches have led to community involvement?

4. What barriers hinder the implementation of SWM program in

communities?

5. What are the lessons learned from the three case studies?

6. What are the recommendations to promote and enhance community

participation in SWM as well as potential areas for further research?

16
Methodology

Selection of the study sites was based on population density and location

improvements. In particular, this study presented two success stories of

transforming an open garbage dumpsites into a controlled waste processing zone,

and my experience in initiating and conducting SWM-related project in a

community.

The first case was in Quezon City, which has the highest population in Metro

Manila, the capital of the Philippines. The particular focus in the Quezon City case

was the historical transformation of the Payatas garbage dumpsite into a facility for

controlled waste disposal. This conversion started in November 2000 and by 2004,

the Controlled Waste Disposal Facility of Payatas was fully operationalized.

The second case was Los Banos in Laguna, which is 64 kilometers away

from Manila. It is an urbanizing town known as the "Science and Nature City,"

where the University of the Philippines Los Banos campus and a number of local

and international research and development institutions are located. The specific

focus of the discussion is the conversion of the town's open dumpsite situated at the

foot of Mt. Makiling into an Eco-Waste Processing Zone with active involvement of

the community. The operation of this waste processing center was started in 2004.

The last case was my own experience in initiating and coordinating a SWM-

related project in Barangay (or village) Masili, Calamba City, an adjacent town to

17
Los Banos and also located in Laguna. Masili is a coastal community, which has

been the pilot site of my project on SWM in 2005.

The study centers on solid waste generated by residents and households in

the selected communities. The following methods were used: 1) Most data were

taken from public documents on SWM, i.e., historical and existing records both

published and unpublished, which include books, annual and program/project

accomplishment reports, journal articles, newspaper clippings and internet search,

among other documentations available from the Municipalities of Quezon City and

Los Banos as well as library research at the University of the Philippines campuses

in Los Banos and Diliman, Quezon City; 2) textual analysis of the pertinent

literature and studies obtained from the above sources; 3) learning from personal

experiences as a volunteer and a demonstrator guided by the "learning by doing"

principle; and 4) reflection on the sociological implications of SWM in the context

of being a mofher/homekeeper, community member, educator, and government

researcher/civil servant from 1988 to 2006 in a national agricultural council for

research and development in the Philippines.

Generally, the discussion and analysis of the research findings are

descriptive in nature adapting the interpretive mode of qualitative research.

Moreover, the analysis highlighted lessons learned from literature reviews, case

studies, and my own experience.

18
 CHAPTER II

CASE STUDY 1: TRANSFORMATION OF PAYATAS

DUMPSITE INTO A CONTROLLED WASTE DISPOSAL FACILITY
"For most cases, garbage crisis is limited to its collection. As long as the mounds of garbage are
removed, it is a problem out of sight and out of mind".
— Asian Development Bank, 2004

Solid waste generation is one of the major environmental issues, which has

risen significantly in highly urbanized and industrialized areas. Metropolitan cities

in developing countries like the Philippines relentlessly encounter solid waste

consequences such as uncollected garbage, inadequate and inappropriate disposal

facilities, and flooding. Floods occurred during typhoons when soil eroded with

much garbage in overflowing water from rivers and canals that run through the low-

level communities.

As Asian Development Bank (2004) stresses, "For most cases, garbage crisis

is limited only to its collection. It is a problem out of sight and out of mind". Thus,

it becomes a never-ending struggle for the national and local government units

against uncontrolled and voluminous waste.

Metro Manila and Its Solid Waste Scenario

Metro Manila, as the center for trade and commerce of the Philippines,

consists of 17 cities/municipalities with a total population of 11.6 million (National

Statistics Office, 2008). In 2003, its population ranked as the second largest

19
population in the country despite being the smallest region with respect to its land

area.

Quezon City is the largest among the 17 municipalities in Metro Manila. It

has a total land area of 16,112.25 hectares or 161 km with 2.7 million population at

an annual growth rate of 1.92% (National Statistics Office, 2008). About 5% of the

city's land is covered by Barangay Payatas. The barangay has 774 hectares of land

area occupied by 200,000 people or 40,000 households. Figure 3 shows the aerial

maps of Barangay Payatas. Within the barangay is the main solid waste dumpsite

which has been in existence for more than three decades and caters to the 2.5

million residents of the city (National Statistics Office, 2005). It is one of the

primary garbage dumping sites of Metro Manila since 1973.

SWM in this megacity has been a big issue to its government as a

consequence of continuous "progress." Specifically, population expansion together

with the changing lifestyle of people, rapid urbanization and commercialization

contributed much to the increasing environmental problem. Metro Manila has the

highest waste generation in the island of Luzon estimated at 1.8 million tons a year

of which 74% came from the households, i.e., about 1,220 tons a day (National Solid

Waste Management Commission, 2000). With this, the government is spending

about Philippine Peso (PhP) 3.8 million a year (estimated at CAD $95,000 @ $1:

PhP40) to manage its solid waste reduction categorized into recyclables,

biodegradables, residuals, and other forms. The total annual spending of Manila

20
 T
•>•.. • * > " •

&S>

Figure 3. Areal Maps of Barangay Payatas.

•J- 4

*£*'"

J«V' «•-

. •Skf^i

Source : Metropolitan Manila, Philippines, 2007.

21
alone for garbage collection amounted to PhP10.5 million (CAD $262,500) at

PhP 1,500 per ton of garbage. If recyclables and biodegradable are segregated at

source and not disposed in dumpsites, about 95% of the budget or nearly PhP3.6

billion per year were expected to be saved. Thus, there was a great need for

systematic SWM (Asian Development Bank, undated).

Harsh environmental degradation and health risks from inappropriate and

mismanaged garbage disposal practices have become visible and alarming.

Dumpsites had been seen as the solution for all the waste generated in Metro Manila.

However, the dumpsites posed risks and problems. They generated potentially toxic

liquids called "leachate" contaminating surface and groundwater, which are sources

of drinking water. Furthermore, the burning of waste from dumpsites spread fumes

of toxins into the air. This scenario described the mountainous garbage within the

Payatas community since 1973 until early 2000. The critically unstable mountain of

waste had also been predicted to possibly cause a deadly garbage slide (Asian

Development Bank, 2004).

The Tragedy in Payatas Garbage Dumpsite

The Payatas tragedy in Quezon City in July 2000 was an 'eye opener' to the

emerging demand of addressing solid waste problem. It highlighted the severity of

Metro Manila's garbage crisis. Hundreds of homes were buried and people, mostly

scavengers, were killed when the Payatas garbage pile collapsed after a weekend of

22
heavy rains. This catastrophic garbage slide killed 229 scavengers and injured more

than hundreds of people (Rentoy, 2005). The incident significantly brought to the

Philippine Government's attention on the issue of improper disposal of solid waste.

Appendix 1 shows the mountainous garbage in the Payatas open dumpsite prior to

the tragic incident of erosion.

Under pressure from civil society groups and community organizations

dissatisfied with improper landfill and open dump management, (Philippine

Environment Monitor, 2001), President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ratified a new

National Solid Waste Management Bill in 2001. This policy set high standards for

the country's Integrated Sustainable Waste Management emphasizing the

importance of policy makers' awareness of contextual factors in devising and

initiating workable environmental policies focusing on SWM.

Transformation of Payatas Garbarge Dumpsite into a Controlled Disposal

Facility

In view of the dumpsite disaster in Payatas and the pressing issue of solid

waste particularly in Quezon City, SWM became a priority concern of the city

government. Accordingly, Hon. Feliciano SB. Belmonte Jr., City Mayor, stated that

"a more efficient garbage collection and disposal system has to be established with

economically sound procedures" (Rentoy, 2005). This was to mitigate the adverse

23
environmental, health, and economic impacts of improper waste management

(Rentoy, 2008).

The tragedy of the trash slide in Payatas temporarily closed the dumpsite

with plans of transforming it into a sanitary landfill. However, its closure led to a

garbage collection crisis with waste left uncollected throughout the metropolis. In

November 2000, Payatas was reopened to serve as a transfer station of garbage. It

was fully converted and operated as a Controlled Waste Disposal Facility of Quezon

City in January 2004 (Sabater, 2006). Appendix 2 presents today's developments in

the Payatas Waste Facility.

Enforcement of Relevant Municipal Policies and Ordinances in Waste Management.

Administratively, RA 9003 or the "Ecological Solid Waste Management

Act" provides the legal backbone for systematic, comprehensive, and sound

ecological solid waste advocacy and management (Congress of the Philippines,

2000). This law viewed waste as a resource that can be recovered by following and

putting into practice the 3R principles: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.

While the extent of recycling through local government initiatives has been

limited, the process of recycling from the point of waste segregation to the stage of

transforming useful waste into another marketable product i.e. an income source,

makes it extensive. This necessitates coordinative work with the community and the

private sector. The scavengers play vital roles in this activity. Through this

24
approach, it is estimated that about 10% of the total waste generated can be recycled.

With RA 9003, higher amounts of waste are recycled and a 25% waste reduction

over a 5-year period is expected.

The transformation of Payatas into a controlled disposal facility led to the

formulation and adoption of many relevant policies under the supervision of the

Quezon City administration. Guided by the national government laws and

ordinances at the local level, the City imposed several garbage collection policies,

which are listed below:

• Garbage from all households including subdivisions1 shall be collected twice a

week. Any requests for additional days of collection shall be borne by the

homeowners through city-accredited private haulers.

• The collection schedule in high refuse generating residential areas identified by

the Environmental Protection and Waste Management Department shall depend

on the volume of waste generated, which means that these areas may be served

daily/ twice/ or three times a week.

• Waste generated by commercial and business establishments shall be collected

by city-contracted haulers only when they are along the route of collection. No

special collections shall be carried out by city-contracted haulers.

1
Subdivisions refer to "gated residential communities" with controlled entrances for pedestrians,
bicycles, and automobiles, and sometimes having a closed perimeter offences. They usually consist
of small residential streets including various amenities like a park, sports area, etc. They are situated
within certain portion of the barangay or village of which homeowners are generally well-off.

25
• Only the domestic waste2 of industrial establishments and hospitals along the

route of collection shall be collected by city-contracted haulers.

• Industries and hospitals shall seek the services of a waste treatment company

duly accredited by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for

the collection, cleaning, and disposal of toxic, hazardous, and hospital infectious

waste.

• Construction and demolition debris shall not be collected by city-contracted

haulers.

To date, Quezon City has already enacted 17 ordinances on SWM which

according to the Metro Manila Development Authority is the highest among all local

government units in Manila. Moreover, recent ordinances on SWM were enacted by

the City as a showcase of its make-over. Among the latest ordinances passed by the

municipality include:

• Ordinance SP-1711, S-2006: Regulating the operation of junkshops in Quezon

City and imposing a penalty for violation;

• Ordinance SP-1506, S-2005: Amending Ordinance No. 6305, prohibiting the

throwing of any kind of garbage, waste matters, or refuse in any drainage outlets

such as rivers, creeks, or any tributaries in Quezon City;

2
Domestic waste includes segregated garbage which is commonly collected from households
(biodegradables and non-biodegradables) such as plastics, scrap metals, papers, food leftovers, etc.

26
• Ordinance SP-1530, S-2005: Mandating residents, owners, and operators of

institutions and establishments to clean their own surroundings including canals,

streets, or roads in their immediate premises to make Quezon City a cleaner and

healthier place to live in and providing penalties for violation;

• Ordinance SP-1501, S-2005: Requiring subdivision developers and/or

subdivision owners in Quezon City to provide sufficient space for the installation

of composting facilities to accommodate the disposal of recyclables or

biodegradable waste generated by homeowners and providing for penalties and

administrative sanctions for violation;

• Ordinance SP-1323, S-2003: Adopting guidelines and procedures for a unified

approach in managing solid waste;

• Ordinance SP-1203, S-2002: Granting incentives to barangays practicing best

SWM; and

• Ordinance SP-1191, S-2002: Providing incentives to all barangays utilizing their

own trucks for solid waste collection service in their respective areas (Rentoy,

2008).

Stakeholders' Partnership and Collaboration for the Operation of the Payatas

Controlled Waste Disposal Facility

Under the supervision of the City Mayor, Payatas gradual transformation into

a disposal facility was achieved. Through the cooperation of a number of

27
organizations, which collaborated in achieving the goal for the conversion of

Payatas, efficient and effective planning strategies were defined. Among the

organizations which contributed to the Payatas initiatives were:

• Isabela P. Mercado Environmental Services, Inc., a private contractor signed up

by the Environment Protection and Waste Management Department of the

Municipality of Quezon City to collect the city's garbage;

• Payatas Operations Group, a workforce of 200 persons headed by former

Philippine Army Colonel Hadji Jameel Jaymalin, who provided control of the

operations done within the vicinity of the Payatas dumpsite (Rentoy, 2005); and

• NGOs such as the Homeless People's Federation Philippines, Vincentian

Missionaries for Social Development Foundation, Inc., and Star of Hope

Philippines.

The Municipal Government of Quezon City designated its Environment

Protection and Waste Management Department to implement the city's SWM

program. It consisted of 93 contractual personnel who implemented the monitoring

system of waste disposal in Payatas facility. Together with other contractors

working in tandem with the said Department, the facility was maintained and

developed. Mercado Environmental Services and other private contractors had

about a hundred trucks, each with a crew of two paleros (garbage haulers), driver,

and sweep coordinator, rolling into their designated dispatching area in Barangay

Payatas. Each truck was issued a Work Assignment Ticket and preceded to their

28
assigned routes picking and collecting all the garbage from shops, offices,

households, and other establishments. The collection process took an average of

three to four hours. Three mopping-up operations were conducted at almost four-

hour intervals. Mobile monitors roamed the community and reported via radiophone

to the Mercado Environmental Services Supervisor the uncollected garbage within

the district. In response, the Supervisor directed designated trucks to collect the

garbage in the next mopping-up operation or re-routed a truck to the spotted place to

pick up the garbage and unload the hauls in the disposal area of the facility.

The Operations Group supervised the conversion and eventual operation of

the Payatas Controlled Waste Facility. The process of transformation involved a

number of measures to restructure, upgrade, and optimize the utilization of the

dumpsite to invigorate the place and mitigate the environmental impact of its

operations. These included slope stabilization, greening of the slopes, drainage

system improvement, and leachate collection and recirculation. The slope of dumps

in Payatas, which used to be dangerously steep at 60-70 degrees angle, had been

reduced to a more stable 23-25 degrees through side-cutting and terracing. This

prevented garbage slide and surface run-off, thus averting water seepage and

leachate generation. The re-profiled slopes used soil cover to avoid erosion and

make it more stable. Greening of the slope was achieved by providing vegetative

cover on the slope. Vetiver, a plant species with an extensive root system was used

to cover the slope since it is capable of anchoring tightly in the soil and to further

29
stabilize it. This was an adoption of a study conducted by the University of the

Philippines Los Banos and the University of Singapore on the use vetiver grass for

greening purposes. Separate drains were constructed to enhance the drainage system

of waste facility. This ensured that rainwater was adequately collected especially

during heavy downpours; otherwise water would penetrate on the ground, and cause

erosion and slides. In addition, open canals and ditches were also constructed along

the periphery of the dumpsite to allow greater volumes of surface water runoff. It is

regularly dredge to ensure free flow of water. On the other hand, leachate was

collected through a drain conveyed to a pumping station and re-circulate above the

ground via sprinkler system to water the vetiver grass and other growing plant

species on the mulched dumps (Rentoy, 2005).

Other NGOs played key roles in social responsibility to provide livelihood

programs to the families living in Payatas. The people (scavengers in particular),

whose source of livelihood is derived from the trash, were provided with seminar-

workshops on income generation from recyclable materials through the NGOs

assistance. On the other hand, more than 300 families, specifically those residing

along the danger zone, had been relocated temporarily with the aid of the Municipal

Government.

30
Approaches Employed for Community Involvement

Community-based initiatives involved waste segregation at source, recycling,

and composting. The barangay leaders and NGOs directly working with the people

in the community aligned their respective programs with the execution and advocacy

of an effective and efficient implementation of SWM (Asian Development Bank,

2004).

In relation to the above, the Local Government of Quezon City created and

implemented various SWM-related programs and projects involving the community

and other stakeholders (Municipal Government of Quezon City Flyer, undated).

These were:

• Solid Waste Reduction

Simot Basura sa Barangay (Waste Picking in the Village). It was

created under the Executive Order No. 24 which declared that every last Sunday

of the month is the "Simot Basura sa Barangay Day" (Community Waste

Picking during Barangay Day). It was introduced to get rid of bulky waste such

as earth mounds, tree cuttings/trimmings that were usually mixed with regular

household waste. It also included securing and preventing the city's waterways

from incoming solid waste indiscriminately thrown of into them.

Sinop Basura sa Barangay (Village Solid Waste Reduction). This was a

community-based SWM program, which aimed to reduce the volume of solid

waste at the point of generation. It specifically supports the implementation of

31
 "separate collection" or the "no segregation, no collection" scheme in the

barangay. Garbage segregation is done at the household level, otherwise

unsegregated waste will not be collected which result to an increasing risk of a

"mess of garbage" at certain households. In conjunction with this activity, was

the implementation of the Sweepers Brigade — a program that deployed

sweepers toward a litter-free street. It employed 260 street sweepers, which

concentrated on maintaining clean roads, gutter repainting, and grass cutting as

integral parts of their daily operations.

Door-to-Door Collection System, This is a system of waste collection

applied to places within Quezon City that were not accessible to big collection

trucks. Community leaders were assigned and provided with pushcarts for

house-to-house garbage collection. Garbage collected was later transferred to

trucks stationed in the main road.

• Livelihood from Solid Waste

Kalat Mo, Kabuhayan Ko (Your Garbage, My Livelihood). Launched

during Quezon City's Foundation Day in 2006, this project encouraged and

taught barangay constituents to make profitable handicrafts out of the waste they

usually discard. The city government with volunteer NGO representatives and

small business owners, provided training to interested individuals and groups

from various communities in the city. Appendix 3 shows the training on

handicrafts' making from recycled waste conducted by the volunteers of Quezon

32
 City for the community, and some sample products such as wall decor, flower

vase, tissue holder, fan, among others.

Organization and Shift Schedule of Scavengers at the Controlled Waste

Disposal Facility. From various communities aside from Payatas, there were

about a thousand scavengers who depended on garbage as their source of income.

With the Payatas Operations Group and the barangay leaders, they were

organized into seven subgroups of scavengers on a rotating schedule (shifting) for

picking recyclables and reusable materials from the solid waste. These scavengers

had the option to either sell collected garbage to junkshops of their choice or to

recycle them into another item for sale in the market.

• Advocacy and Social Marketing

The Solid Waste Market. The city government, in coordination with the

private sector, identified strategic avenues to promote and showcase recycling of

traditional and non-traditional waste. Booths and stalls were set up in various

malls in the city. Every first Friday and Saturday of the month, these

promotional tours were conducted in super malls and on the 4th Friday of the

month, it was held in specific city locations. Items that can be redeemed

comprise: papers, plastics, metals, aluminum cans, bottles, junk electronics,

used ink and toner cartridges, lead acid batteries, juice packs, used oil, etc.

Massive IEC Campaign. To enhance community awareness and

consciousness on the need, importance, and benefits of SWM, consultations,

33
seminars, training workshops on proper solid waste segregation, recycling and

management were conducted within barangays, schools, and business

establishments. These included the distribution of information and educational

materials like flyers, posters, and pamphlets mostly written in Tagalog (national

dialect). Special events such as the Earth Day and Environment Month

Celebrations were held with speakers from the national and international

institutions engaged in environmental programs, participated in by the private

sector, NGOs, community leader representatives, among other concerned groups.

Bawas Basura (Waste Reduction) Mascots. The Quezon City-

Environment Protection and Waste Management Department introduced the

"Bawas Basura Mascots". They are individuals who wear masks and costumes

which symbolize SWM-related meanings to capture people's attention and

interest. Names given to the mascots were based on SWM terms in Tagalog,

i.e., "Tintin Kutingting (Reuse)", "Christina Compostina (Compost)," and

"Dodong Masinop (Recycle)" which were also printed in their costumes. These

Mascots promote solid waste reduction, segregation and recycling intended for

the youth and children as an early awareness campaign on the proper

management of solid waste. They usually visited malls, city events and

festivities, and school programs. Likewise, big posters with the slogan "Maliliit

na Basura, Ibulsa Pansamantala" (placing small garbage into one's pocket for the

meantime to avoid litter) were posted in different strategic areas where people

34
 normally pass and stay. This served as a reminder for people not to litter, and

eventually became a habit for them. Community volunteers took part in

disseminating reading materials to households and business establishments, as

well as in posting the posters.

Zero Litter 2010. In February 2008, the city government initiated the

Zero Litter 2010 Program, which aims to educate the public on the shared

responsibility of maintaining cleanliness in the city. This IEC campaign focuses

on instilling discipline among the residents, business operators and owners with

respect to their concern and conscious effort toward SWM. Along with this was

the Junkshop Standardization Project that incorporated an informal sector

(junkshops) into the SWM program of the city by providing environmental

standards for the sector to follow (Rentoy, 2008).

Appendix 3 illustrates the advocacy and social marketing initiatives of the

Municipal Government in collaboration with various organizations, community

leaders and volunteers.

Barriers in the Implementation of the SWM Program

Problems of community involvement had arisen at different levels from

enforcement of the regulations to the implementation of relevant programs that

needs shared support (physical, technical, financial, etc.) from concerned

institutions. Despite the efforts of the legislators/policy makers together with the

35
national and local government leaders as well as NGOs, there is a continuing

dilemma on enhancing community participation in managing their own generated

waste. It is because of the obvious increase of population due to in-migration,

especially in Metro Manila. Hence, there is a need for a sustained campaign to

orient people towards SWM and to enhance their awareness of the various SWM

policies and programs in their communities in order to get them involved. This has

to be complemented with resources from involved institutions primarily the local

government units, which has a limited budget. In addition, these institutions have

their respective mandates, objectives, and programs, SWM is one of those priority

projects they are supporting .

According to Rentoy (2008), the low level of public awareness on SWM was

a critical consideration in the goal of gaining community participation.

Considering the huge and increasing population of Quezon City with a very small

land area, it was difficult for the city government to encourage people's involvement

in the SWM program. People tended to rely on local leaders. Awareness and

consciousness build up really took time before people constantly participated.

People were focused more on earning a living rather than managing their waste.

Monitoring the violators was a shared responsibility of the local government and the

community. Generally, the local leaders composed of the Barangay Captain and

Councilors take the lead in monitoring the non-compliance of the SWM ordinances.

Usually, the Councilors are assigned a sub-village to take care of with volunteers

36
from the community. They conduct meetings with the people to solicit suggestions

and encourage their participation to comply with the ordinances. Often, there are

women who speak about their household members' unintentional negligence to

comply with the proper management of solid waste and the reasons why they do so.

This helps the local leaders and the people to settle the problems at the community

level, and become aware of the degree of non-compliance. For Metro Manila with

its big and rising population, violators also increase. Monitoring helped instill

discipline and reinforced awareness concerning the consequences of non-compliance

of solid waste ordinances. The city government also concentrated on strengthening

the operation of the Payatas Waste Facility and promoting the benefits of SWM to

the people by enhancing its EIC campaign.

Controlled Waste Disposal Facility's Progress in Payatas Community

The new Payatas is now considered as a successful outcome of the city's

struggle for SWM. All the initiatives of waste diversion have already shown

measurable effect on the volume of trash that ends up at Payatas. In 2005, it had a

daily waste uptake of 1,214 tons, which was almost 50 percent less compared with

that of 2004 with 2,358 tons per day. As the pile of waste deteriorates, it produces

methane gas, which the city learned to utilize. The Payatas Facility now has a power

generator using the methane gas exuded from waste.

37
 Based on the study conducted by the Philippine National Oil Company-

Exploration Corporation in 2002, the former dumpsite can produce sufficient gas in

the next 10 years. It can generate 1 megawatt that is enough to provide a

considerable amount of power for the Payatas community. As a result, a pilot

methane gas power plant was built at the dumpsite in 2003 to capture the methane

gas from the biodegradation of waste via surface and underground pipelines. This

was fed into the 100-kilowatt engine generator set that converts the gas into

electrical power. In 2004, the Facility was able to light methane-powered Christmas

lights all-night long throughout the holiday season. Through the electric facility,

people residing in the community can do their laundry and ironing for free. This is

also considered a breakthrough in the management of Payatas dumpsite.

Future plans are now being laid out to maximize the full potentials of the

dumpsite for the benefit of the community. In particular, the 1 megawatt gas-to-

power project is currently being evaluated by international monitoring agencies to

determine its qualification for a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project.

This certified project aims to reduce the emission of greenhouse gas which can be a

potential community development fund raising by selling its carbon credits to

industrialized countries that need reduction of their greenhouse gas.

Under the Kyoto Protocol, industrialized and developed nations agreed to

reduce their collective greenhouse gas emission by at least 5 percent from 2008 to

2012. To achieve the targets, the Protocol created flexibility mechanism such as

38
CDM embodying the concept that mitigation activities could be translated into

instruments called carbon credits that can be traded between countries to obtain the

quantified emission limitations and reduction commitments (Australian Department

of Foreign and Trade, 2006). Waste management projects, especially those that deal

with the production of methane from biodegradation of organic waste, are eligible as

CDM project (Rentoy, 2005).

Lessons Learned

To achieve a systematic waste disposal system through community

participation, strong leadership, political will, and the integration of a variety of

creative and innovative strategies were observed to be of great importance in

initiating SWM Program. However, the focus on strong leadership creates the

question on the sustainability of the program. Thus, the need for a highly involved

constituency would guarantee sustainability.

Most of the strategies implemented by the Municipal Government include

interventions that strengthen the knowledge and awareness of the people in the

community about the benefits of managing solid waste, including the notion of

"garbage as a resource" which means income source or "money generator". The

scheduled redeemable recyclable waste at various malls in Quezon City, provision of

training workshop for handicraft making from recyclables, for interested individuals

and groups in the community, implementation of a "Sweepers' Brigade" which

39
provides employment to a number of people in the community who serve as street

sweepers, and the organization of scavengers by sub-groups on a shifting schedule

for picking recyclable and reusable waste within the Payatas Controlled Waste

Disposal Facility are valuable initiatives for income/money generation. This in

effect encourages community participation for these strategies only need people's

effort, interest, time with very little or without any cost at all.

The inculcation of environmental ethics among community members, most

especially the youth, is an essential step to alleviate environmental issues of

mismanaged solid waste.

40
 CHAPTER III

CASE STUDY 2: CONVERSION OF LOS BANOS

DUMPSITE INTO AN ECO-WASTE PROCESSING ZONE

"Garbage problem is not a sole responsibility of the government; the citizens must do their share
on proper waste disposal. Everyone is enjoined into becoming a disciplined citizen by practicing
waste segregation, composting, re-use and recycling. No amount of high technology and financial
capability can solve the garbage problem without discipline, as it is the road to community and
nation's progress."
—Perez, Science & Technology Week Forum, 2006

SWM is a concern of every municipality and city in most parts of the

Philippines. Since the 1980s, Los Banos, one of the towns in the province of

Laguna, faced problems and challenges on how to reduce waste in its locality. The

foot of Mt. Makiling Forest Reserve was the site of an open garbage dumpsite that

affected people's health, especially of those in nearby communities. It likewise

created environmental problems due to the pollution it created. The conversion of

this open dumpsite into an eco-waste processing zone was a struggle among its

stakeholders. A stakeholder is any person, community, group, or institution having

interest in a development program, project or activity and its outcome (Qualman,

1997). It includes both the intended beneficiaries and intermediaries, and those

involved in the decision-making process. These are people and groups which

collaborate and become partners having commitment in the sharing of their

resources toward a more expedient delivery of services and outputs (Mosqueda,

1999).

41
 In Los Banos, the participation, collaboration and educational campaigns of

the local government, the science community, and the people themselves to instill

knowledge and awareness allowed the SWM program to succeed and become a

model for other communities in the country. The program focused on the idea that

waste management is the responsibility of all sectors of society and requires

discipline among the citizenry (Perez, 2006).

The Town of Los Banos, Laguna

The Municipality of Los Banos, Laguna (under Region IV) is situated

between the shore of Laguna de Bay and the legendary Mt. Makiling, 63 km south

of Manila. It has a total land area of 5,650 hectares, 42% of which is covered by the

University of the Philippines Los Banos and 22% military reservation and other

government organizations. The rest are commercial, agricultural, and residential

areas from which the municipality derives income for the implementation of its

priority programs.

The town comprised 14 barangays and 83 'sitios' (sub-villages) with a

population of 92,071 composed of 17,030 households. It has two public markets

and approximately 2,500 commercial establishments based on 2004 demographic

data (Municipal Profile of Los Banos, 2004). From a backwoods town, home to a

number of agriculture-based research and development institutions, Los Banos has

evolved from a Special University Zone in 1979 (Letter of Instruction No. 883) to an

42
Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences Community in 1982 (Executive Order No.

784). In year 2000, it was proclaimed as a "Special Science and Nature City" by

virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 349 (Los Baiios Science Community Post

2000: pp. 1 & 5).

Helping the municipality in its SWM program is the Los Banos Science

Community. This Science Community was established in 1984 and reconstituted

into a Foundation in 2001. It is a unique organization consisting of public and

private institutions with diverse yet complementary strengths in the fields of the

sciences, arts, business, and social services. It envisions and commits to effectively

cooperate towards the creation of a model community by addressing priority needs

of the Los Baiios community and similar environs through creativity and innovation.

This is anchored in its vision of building a prosperous, environmentally-

conscious, scientifically-oriented, humane, and united community, living in harmony

with nature (Los Baiios Science Community Post 2001: p. 1). The Los Baiios

Science Community Foundation, Incorporated constitutes 22 national and

international research and development agencies, most of which are located within

the University campus. They have sectoral programs on education, livelihood and

environment. Figure 4 presents the vicinity map of Los Baiios incorporating the

member-agencies of the Science Community (Appendix 5).

In 1994, Los Banos received an award as one of the top 10 "Cleanest Town

in the Philippines" (Los Baiios Science Community Post 2001: p. 5). It also gained

43
 TO BAY
TO MANILA

• DOST-IV • IRRI
• BPI-LBNCRDC • PMLRICE /
• PCAMRD * UPLB
• PCARRD • SEARCA
• PARRFI * ERDB Q
• FPRDI 7
• Municipal • UPLBFI
Government
of Los Banos 0 LBP
+ DA-LBFFRS * LWD
T LBCF
* LLDA UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
COLLEGE OF FORESTRY
FOREST RESERVE

MT. UAKIUNG

Source: Los Banos Science Community Brochure, 2000.

Figure 4. Vicinity Map of Los Banos Incorporating the Science Community.

44
national recognition as Science and Nature City with collaborative and

complementary support from the member-institutions of the Foundation. Los Banos

continues to champion the cause of eco-tourism, green business and enterprise

development. It vows to advocate continually for ecological governance that

capitalizes on SWM.

Solid Waste Condition of Los Banos: Issues and Challenges

From the total land area of Los Banos, 64% is utilized for military and forest

(Mt. Makiling) reservations. This evidently contributed to a pressing problem of

limited space for sanitary landfills of the town's voluminous garbage. The daily

volume of 33-35 tons per day of unsegregated solid waste was mainly attributed to

the municipality's expanding population and increasing number of business

establishments. The accumulated waste from more than 20 years of use since the

1980s in the open dumpsite was aggravated by continuous waste disposal from

nearby towns, non-participation in waste segregation of the citizenry, and their

reliance solely to the local government units in solving this crisis. The absence of a

functional system of waste reduction, recycling, and disposal without enforcement of

local ordinances posed challenges to government leaders in the locality (Perez,

2006).

45
 According to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (1998),

open dumpsites are considered as the only form of solid waste disposal facility that

is affordable to the LGUs. However, this is based on simple financial calculations,

neglecting the direct and indirect costs associated with continuing and rising

environmental degradation, which impacts upon public health and the safety of the

population as a whole. This includes the effects of smoke, dust and persistent foul

odors on air and water quality; the presence of insects and vermin, the potential

vectors that spread diseases and allergies; and the overall impact on the environment

(people's habitat and source of food), among others. Based on the environmental

risk assessment project final report of the University of the Philippines Los Banos

(Alcantara, 2005: pp. 1-5), prior to 2001 most households in Los Banos dumped

their waste into creeks, waterways, canals and street corners, resulting in massive

breeding grounds for pathogens, parasites, and disease vectors. Small businesses

located in heavily populated areas also indiscriminately disposed of waste, such as

non-biodegradable materials, plastics and composite packaging into creeks.

Likewise, commercial and medical centers dumped potentially hazardous wastes.

People handling them, particularly the waste pickers/scavengers, were

predominantly exposed to pollution and experienced a high exposure to health

hazards. The 24-hour smoke emission from burning combustible waste was a

common complaint of nearby communities. These were the major social and health

problems brought about by the persistent and risky waste disposal system of the

46
open dumpsites ~ an 'eyesore' for Los Bafios known as a city where science

embraces nature. Appendix 6 shows the Los Banos garbage dumpsite before its

conversion into an eco-waste processing zone.

Recognizing the above issues and challenges, the Municipal Government of

Los Bafios, Science Community Foundation, and the Barangay Council, jointly

searched for a suitable site to process community waste.

From Open Dumpsite to an Eco-Waste Processing Zone

An open dumpsite is a disposal area where solid waste are indiscriminately

thrown without proper planning and consideration for environmental and health

standards (Alcantara, 2005: p.3). In municipalities with hilly areas, dumpsites are

typically located along the slopes of creeks, like in the town of Los Banos, which is

situated at the foot of a Forest Reserve. The threats to environmental security,

public health and safety of communities and their economic activities, have to be

addressed in collaboration with the local government and the people in the locality.

A safe and secured SWM facility is needed to protect the health of the community

and to support the economic development of the municipality.

47
Enforcement of Policies and Local Ordinances in SWM

RA 9003 of 2000 imposes mandatory segregation and recycling of solid

waste at the barangay level, and sets the deadline for the closure of dumpsites to

make way for the establishment of fully operational sanitary landfills. Segregation

at source is not widely practiced in communities, as recycling and recovery are

conducted in almost all communities on an informal and limited scale.

Under the said Act, it is stipulated that the local government is responsible

for collecting non-recyclable materials and special waste, while the barangay units

are given the task of collecting and segregating the biodegradable waste that can be

composted and reused. From this provision, the Municipality of Los Banos issued a

series of Municipal Ordinances and Memorandum Orders down to the community

level through the Barangay Council for strict compliance (compiled policies and

ordinances on SWM, as of 2008). These are as follows:

• Ordinance No. 2004-363, Declaration of "Pista ng Kapaligiran" (Environmental

Festivity) in Los Banos every 2nd Saturday of September;

• Ordinance No. 2001-07, Establishment of Task Force Kalinisan (Clean) which

designates groups to oversee the cleanliness of specific area that include river

ways, and impose penalty to violators;

• Ordinance No. 2004-338, Creation of SWM Board with Memorandum Order for

the creation of the Barangay Ecological SWM Committee. This appoints

48
 Deputized Volunteer Enforcers and Task Force 'Kalinisan' (Clean), and the

formulation of a 10-year SWM Plan;

• Ordinance No. 2001-08 and Memorandum Order No. CPP-04-203,

Institutionalizing proper SWM (supported with an Order imposing

administrative case on any person. This includes the barangay officials who

violate rules under RA 9003 and this ordinance; and

• Ordinance No. 2008-752, Prohibiting the use of plastic bags on dry goods and

regulating their utilization on wet goods and prohibiting the use of styrofoam in

the Municipality, imposing penalties for non-compliance and violations.

The 'Birth' of the Ecological Waste Processing Center

The implementation of RA 9003 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations

has brought a major shift from garbage disposal to an ecological SWM. The

enactment of this law in 2000 coincided with the new leadership and administration

of the Municipality of Los Banos as a result of the local election in the same year.

The town's priority program has been set toward environmental protection and

rehabilitation that capitalized on SWM. In 2001, through the initiative and

leadership of the Municipal Mayor, with the technical assistance of the Los Banos

Science Community Foundation Inc., the plan to convert the dumpsite into an Eco-

3
An administrative case is a written complaint by an individual, group or sector of society against a
person who violates a certain law or rule. This is a "sue" issued by the court to a person who
committed an offensive activity/harassment to the other individual.

49
Waste Processing Center was planned. This primarily addressed the environmental

ills caused by the uncontrolled and voluminous waste disposal in the dumpsite.

After a series of meetings, consultations, and dialogues with concerned

stakeholders that comprised the member-institutions of the Science Community,

the Barangay Councils and representatives of the different government and non-

government organizations, the municipal government finally crafted the town-wide

SWM Plan that highlighted the Waste Processing Center. It subscribed to the

principle that waste management is the responsibility of all rather than only the

government's and a few other sectors. It is an integral concern of environmental

protection, health, sanitation, employment, business, education, and other general

public welfare agenda.

As indicated in the 10-year plan of the Municipality, the goal was to

ultimately reduce and recycle waste into usable forms with the participation of the

community (Municipality Government of Los Banos, 2004). Through eco-

governance, Los Banos was envisioned to be one of the cleanest and healthiest

municipalities with a highly empowered and responsible citizenry. The Eco-Waste

Processing Center specifically aimed to implement soil and water conservation

measures for slope stabilization, acquire an upgraded facility for composting, come

up with a sanitary disposal system for residuals, and re-vegetate the center into an

ecological park. With these, the center has become the showcase of an integrated

50
SWM program in the municipality with the creation of the Municipal Environment

and Natural Resources Office responsible for its promotion and implementation.

Operationalization of the Eco-Waste Processing Center Through Science and

Technology

It was in 2004 when the Waste Processing Center started its operation. To

initially finance the plan, solicitation of cash and in-kind contributions from various

sources was conducted to augment the 20% budget allocation from the

municipality's income (Municipality of Los Banos, 2004). A team of experts from

the university, the private sector, NGOs and other volunteers together with the

municipal mayor convened to share and complement their knowledge, skills, and

experiences for the center.

The ecological waste processing zone occupies 1.1 ha. The center showcases

the use of low-cost designs and construction of disposal and recycling facilities and

equipment using reusable materials like scrap metal, wood, etc. It utilizes about

1,000 m2 for facilities such as a shredding area for biodegradable waste, composting

bins, storage for recyclables, a pressing machine, and a multi-purpose hall. The

remaining space is used as an experimental site for the production of ornamental

plants using the produced compost. The composting system includes a leachate-

collecting pond preventing the contamination of underground water. This system

51
has been improved using the elevated crib-type composting pen of light materials

such as wood, bamboo, and plastic screen.

The center concentrates on the collection and transport of waste, static

concrete composting method of biodegradable waste, fabrication/upgrading of

equipment for shredding of biodegradables, and adoption of soil and water

conservation measures for slope stabilization (Agricultural Waste Processing and

Management Committee, 2003). The former garbage dumpsite became a "mini"

eco-park with flowering plants and ornamental trees such as champaca, ilang-ilang,

neem, lapnis, palm, mulberry and others. For composting, carbonaceous organic

materials such as coco coir dust (powder coconut husk) are used as bulking agents to

improve soil physical characteristics such as lowering moisture content, favoring

aeration, and enhancing soil biological properties. Compost slowly releases

nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium and can provide high sources of

carbon. The center also processes (washed, dried, melted, and molded) polyethylene

and polypropylene plastics into mini tables and chairs. The products are utilized in

the municipal's day care centers.

Appendix 7 presents the progress of the Los Banos Eco-Waste Processing

Center from its origin as garbage dumpsite, which is now a showcase of SWM

programs and community practices.

52
Approaches Toward Social Participation and Mobilization on SWM

As stressed by Perez (2006), SWM is not solely the responsibility of the

municipal government but everybody's concern. Every sector of society is equally

responsible in protecting the environment and sharing the task of keeping Los Banos

clean and healthy. A community-wide focus and participation is very crucial for

success. It relies heavily on the value of discipline among the constituents in

managing the municipal solid waste. A number of approaches have been employed

by the municipal government to encourage and strengthen people's participation and

motivation toward SWM with the establishment and operation of the Eco-Waste

Processing Center.

Experiencing and realizing the real problem on solid waste. The Municipal

Mayor decided to set up an office within a Multi-Purpose Hall at the dumpsite.

Most of the meetings with the different sectors and organizations from the early

stages of the project were conducted in the open dumpsite. As a policy, the

Municipal Mayor does not allow wearing of masks or covering of the face (nose and

mouth) in the dumpsite/center for people to feel the consequences of ignoring and

neglecting our garbage (Perez, 2006).

"Pista ng Kapaligiran " (Environmental Festivity). The first year of this

festivity in 2004, was held in the dumpsite. This is an annual event which highlights

the collection of e (electronic) junk i.e., old computers, printers, ink cartridges, etc.;

showcases innovative products from waste contributed by the Department of

53
Education and the civic and community organizations; as well as cultural parades

and shows of the Science Foundation member-institutions and other organizations

on the theme of SWM and environmental protection/preservation. Some of the

activities are part of competitions for the cleanest barangay, and lantern-making

from recyclable waste materials. Entries for the lantern-making contest out of

recyclables are selected on the basis of the following criteria: ingenuity or

originality that also includes uniqueness, number of participants from the

community involved, and the attached meaning/relevance to the environmental

theme. Cash awards and plaques of recognition are given by the municipal and

provincial governments.

Participatory problem identification and problem solving. This involves the

conduct of dialogues, meetings, consultations, and organizing stakeholders into

clusters for efficient and systematic collection of garbage and identification of

common problems and relevant strategies for community mobilization on SWM.

Clusters include the Science Community Foundation, barangay officials, business

establishments, homeowners, resorts, religious organizations, markets, junkshops,

funerals, schools, computer shops, etc.

Organization of pedestrians and 'bicycled' scavengers into Los Banos Solid

Waste Pickers now called the "Association of Recyclers and Traders. " Scavengers

were organized and trained by the Philippine Society for the Study of Nature. After

their training, they were provided with an identification card, a uniform, and seed

54
money for pedicabs (a manually-operated, 3-wheel bicycle-type) used in collecting

and managing the recyclables for sale to junkshops, where the recycling company

buys the bulk of recyclable materials. Waste pickers without IDs are not permitted

to collect garbage, and violators are being penalized. With their successful

organization and systematic generation of income from waste, some of them were

able to acquire a motorcycle and/or tricycle for their own junkshop. Moreover, the

local government unit's launching of the 'buy-back plastic" scheme augmented the

income of the members of the Organization. Early in 2008, their group transformed

itself into an "Association of Recyclers and Traders", aimed at empowering its

members by taking the initiative and leading the community in separating plastics as

non-biodegradable waste for collection, and promoting the use of woven indigenous

baskets called "bayong" instead of plastic bags.

Massive IEC campaign. The local government embarked on a house-to-

house distribution of leaflets on SWM. The members of the Barangay Nutrition

Scholars, Barangay Health Workers, and the municipal scholars are utilized for this

activity. The IEC materials include 3-fold flyers on SWM specifically pertaining to

science and technology, clean environment for a healthy and better community, and

composting at home. The flyers were written in layperson's language (Tagalog).

They were easy to read, have simple instructions and pictures highlighting the SWM

motto of Los Bafios which states "Dapat Walang Kalat, Hiwalay Na, ' Yan ang Los

Bafios" (No litter.! Segregate. That's Los Bafios).

55
 Strict policy implementation on collection and transport of waste with the

constituents. To ensure that only biodegradable waste and a few selected, non-

biodegradables are transported to the Waste Processing Center, the municipal

government set a schedule of collection and disposal site for each kind of waste

which has to be strictly followed, Constituents are required to bring out the

biodegradable waste between 8-9 in the evening from Monday to Friday. Non-

biodegradable waste are brought out every second and fourth Saturdays of the month

at 8-9 in the evening. No collection of waste is done on Sundays. Branches of trees

are dumped in a separate site for composting. The Los Banos Science Community

Post, the quarterly newsletter of the Science Foundation, regularly features the

events, accomplishments, issues, new policies and ordinances on the SWM program.

Municipal Ordinances and Memorandum Orders including flyers, posters and other

announcements are posted in bulletin boards of the municipality and the barangay

halls. The provincial newsletter, "The Laguna Score" also publishes news about the

provincial SWM program occasionally featuring the municipal's activities.

Without exceptions, violators are penalized with a whole day community

service like cleaning/waste picking along the streets, market, creeks, etc. and/or a

fine of PhP 300 which was increased to PhP 500 this year. This information is also

included in the flyers distributed to each household.

Appendix 8 demonstrates some of the initiatives and strategies that

encouraged community interest and involvement in SWM programs and practices.

56
Networking and Partnership among the Stakeholders

Through the leadership of the Municipal Government of Los Banos, the

conversion of the open dumpsite into an Eco-Waste Processing Center was

implemented with the support of different stakeholders. The Los Banos Science

Community Foundation, Inc. supported the continuing research and development on

waste conversion and utilization. NGOs, private enterprises like commercial centers,

junkshops, and most importantly the people in the community helped in

communication campaigns and implementation of the program in the municipality.

A Technical Working Group from the Foundation, which included the local council,

was created. Various committees and working groups were initially mobilized to

formulate a management and rehabilitation plan, and provide relevant technologies,

training, expert's advice, and other resources to the center. The SWM Board at the

municipal level, local government unit staff, and volunteer institutions also provided

technical assistance and administrative services.

Consequently, the Center inspired many local and international visitors from

different organizations engaged in SWM. The Municipality of Los Banos

continuously receives requests and invitations to share the town's experience in

transforming the dumpsite into an eco-waste processing center. These further

inspired and improved the municipality's capability to operate and manage the

Center, and to receive grants and donations from various sources for its

enhancement. The local government promotes the institutionalization of partnership

57
among municipalities through a Memorandum of Agreement for the implementation

of the GO-FAR Project (Good Governance Practices-Facility for Adoption and

Replication). Likewise, collaboration with the Department of Education includes

the incorporation of an environmental protection course in the curricula of

elementary and high schools, and at the college level.

Collaborative linkages with foreign and local partners included the following:

The Australian Embassy Manila and Asian Terminals, Inc. for clean-up tools; HMR

Envirocycle, Philippines as buyer of electronic waste; Australian Agency for

International Development funding for the Philippine Council for Agriculture,

Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development—coordinated "Resource

Recovery Project in Selected Barangays"; Handy 4-in-l Company for discounted

procurement of shredder chopper; Philippine Society for the Study of Nature with

financial grant from the Australian Embassy Manila through the World Bank-

organized New Initiatives Competition for "Organizing the Los Banos Solid Waste

Pickers Project".

Barriers Encountered in the Implementation of the SWM Program

The local government units recognized that SWM has to be people-oriented

in order to succeed. No amount of technology is worthwhile if the citizens lack

discipline and knowledge to guide them in social decision-making (Perez, 2006).

58
These were the core problems prior and during the implementation of the SWM

program in Los Baiios.

It is evident that in any development undertaking, funding, resistance to

change, and political criticisms are often present. The establishment of an Eco-

Waste Processing Center in Los Banos was not exempted from such problems as

these took much time, attention, and effort especially during the course of the

project. In the initial stage of the Center's operation, allegations of dumping waste

into the creek which placed Laguna de Bay (a lake that surrounds the towns of Los

Banos and Calamba) at risk, became an issue raised by one of the Municipal

Councilors of Los Banos against the Mayor (Philippine Star, 2005). It was an

alleged negligence of a Government Official, as public servant, over his territorial

program i.e., highly relevant to SWM. Considering that the program operation was

in its preliminary phase at that time, not all concerns of people can be readily

responded to. However, political issues like the above case, cannot be avoided,

which may create distrust of people to the local official, and eventually lessen their

interest to participate in the implementation of the SWM-related programs. On the

other hand, should action be immediately taken on the issue together with the

affected groups/households in the community, it would not be a big problem.

Perez (2006) emphasized that local ecological governance, which relates the

environment in all levels of decision-making and action through a democratic

process, together with political will, transparency, participation, and accountability

59
will make a difference. The local government embarked on a massive education

campaign, utilized science-based solutions, and created strong institutional

arrangements to support and counter the public waste disposal problem.

Though funding is a perennial problem in most development program, it did

not seriously impede the implementation of the SWM program. Without available

land suitable for sanitary landfills, the only alternative was to convert the open

dumpsite into an eco-friendly waste processing zone. The collection of necessary

information to address problems like the lack of appropriate land to set up the

landfills is crucial. With a limited budget but with a good pool of experts and strong

political leadership by the Mayor, the SWM proposal was proven feasible. The

initial funding for the Center's operation was solicited from private enterprises,

commercial establishments, homeowners in subdivisions, and other voluntary donors

to augment the 20% budget of the municipality's income for priority programs.

Other factors related to this were the need for flexibility in landscaping and

designing, and the manufacture of facilities and equipment. The manufactured

equipment in the Center utilized only local resources, and employed technologies

provided by the Science Foundation.

Environmental and Socio-Economic Benefits

With the conversion and operation of the Eco-Waste Processing Center

through community and stakeholders' involvement, waste collection was reduced to

60
about 70%, i.e., from 4 truckloads of mixed garbage to 1/4 truckload of

biodegradables daily, and a reduction of 3-4 truckloads of non-biodegradables every

2 weeks. This was over the 25% annual waste minimization targeted by the

municipality. This evidently diminished the amount of pollutants into the adjacent

creek, waterways, and groundwater that run through Laguna de Bay. More

importantly, garbage reduction helped decreased the negative effects of pollution on

the health of the residents.

Economically, the former open dumpsite became an avenue for waste pickers

to augment their income from recyclable waste. The development of appropriate,

low-cost waste processing equipment using available scrap materials like grinder

and shredder-chopper were utilized in public markets and in other areas outside the

town. Fabricated chairs and tables from plastic waste materials were distributed to

the day care centers. In addition, there was an observed increase in the use of

"bayong" (native woven bag) as alternative packaging for bread and other market

products. This resulted in higher income for small-scale producers of this item.

The production of compost provided an additional source of valuable soil

improvement that enhance soil fertility and other properties. This helped reduce the

use of chemicals while increasing farm productivity.

The experience of Los Banos in SWM has contributed significantly in

protecting the local natural resources and augmenting people's income in the

community. Political initiatives boosted the image of Los Banos as science and

61
nature city, and motivated public participation and self-discipline among the people

to keep the town clean and green. All these efforts made Los Banos a model

municipality.

Lessons Learned

It is said, "creativity originates from one's need." This is true in the case of

Los Banos. A support team with common interests and concerns for the

environment ensured the sustainability of the SWM program. The municipality was

able to organize a small group of volunteers, with diverse field of expertise, as part

of the technical working team, to assist in the formulation and implementation of

plans and programs.

Nurturing community values and preserving the environment are motivating

forces in the implementation and enforcement of SWM program. In order to

encourage and sustain participation in the community-based program, one strategy is

to organize the participants and stakeholders into sectoral groups, and maintain good

governance with transparency and a sense of responsibility and accountability.

Social preparation towards developing discipline among the citizenry is essential.

The process may have been slow and tedious, but it brought about consistent

interaction and sustainable positive values on waste management. Orienting people

to become more aware and conscious of the proper management of solid waste as

part of their everyday life, would really take time. Efforts to come up with an

62
innovative approach from the local government leaders together with other

stakeholders to sustain community involvement are much needed. This is in

consideration of the fact that population and in-migration increases as

industrialization and economic development continuously grow. Such obviously

add up to the volume of waste generated that has to be controlled and managed.

One of the strong pillars of the Waste Processing Center in Los Banos is the

role of local government leaders, particularly the Municipal Mayor and the barangay

officials. They serve as driving forces in realizing the vision of a clean and green

town. Leadership by example ensures effective and efficient ecological governance.

In essence, the local government demonstrates a serious concern in addressing the

garbage phenomenon with bold efforts like apprehending and penalizing citizens for

non-compliance of municipal ordinances pertaining to SWM; forging strong

partnership with stakeholders through participatory analysis and joint project

implementation; convening consultations with business manufacturers and private

enterprises to jointly find solutions to the mounting volume of waste; promoting

research and development on processing biodegradable and non-biodegradable

waste using available local materials; regularly updating constituents on new

developments on the program; and most importantly, the hands-on training

workshops and the organization of waste pickers (originally the scavengers) to

promote IEC in the locality, and prove that garbage can be a resource - a source of

income and livelihood.

63
 The Mayor's initiative and strict policy of not allowing people to wear masks

and/or cover their face while in the open dumpsite, is a simple but unique strategy.

This served as an "eye opener" for constituents to feel the reality of having

mountainous garbage. Converting the open dumpsite into an eco-friendly waste

processing zone made the municipal government easier for community to

participate. The Mayor himself started to hold his office within the dumpsite from

the initial stage of transforming it into a Waste Processing Zone until its full

operation. The strategy of using recyclable materials in the manufacture of the

necessary facilities and equipment of the Center became effective and efficient as

funding has not been a big problem to this municipality.

Income generation and livelihood opportunities from the SWM programs

implemented have great impact on community participation. The innovative

approaches of the municipal government to demonstrate that there could be an

income from garbage, such as the launching of competitions for the cleanest

barangay, and the most attractive and meaningful lantern made of recyclable waste

materials; organizing scavengers into an association of recyclers and traders with

initial support from the municipal government for their "pedicabs", uniforms, etc.;

showcasing of entrepreneurial and livelihood sources from garbage in the Waste

Processing Center; and the strict implementation of policies and ordinances without

exception of penalties on violators; contributed to its success - making Los Banos, a

model town for other communities.

64
 CHAPTER IV

CASE STUDY 3: COMMUNITY CONSCIOUSNESS IN SOLID

WASTE SEGREGATION FOR A CLEANER ENVIRONMENT IN MASILI

"Unity and commitment among leaders and constituents are strong foundation toward
participation in any development endeavor. These can only be realized when they have common
understanding of the problems on hand and agreed to collaboratively act, knowing the benefits in
the end. With cooperative, responsive, persevering and open-minded citizenry, progress has a
space toward reality."
-Mosqueda, 2004

A participatory approach towards a unified community objective of

development is an ideal exercise for its constituents. This provides an opportunity

for people to take part in the planning and decision making process in any

community project or activity which affect them. The essence of shared

responsibility and collaborative efforts among the constituents with their community

leaders are vital factors. Unity and commitment are strong foundations toward

participation in any development undertaking (Mosqueda, 2004). These can only be

realized if there is a common understanding of the problem at hand among the

citizenry, and if they agreed to act collaboratively. With their cooperation,

responsiveness, perseverance and open-mindedness, a progressive community will

become a reality.

It is within the above premise that this case study presents personal

experiences working with the people in a specific community in coordination with

its local government and other local leaders for a pilot project on SWM. This arose

from my own experience of home gardening and composting utilizing recyclable

65
waste. It was also an avenue for me to directly observe and learn how to work with

the community.

Gardening Utilizing Recyclables: My Own Home Project

I was a resident of Los Bafios, formerly a Senior Science Research Specialist

at the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research

and Development; and also a member of its SWM Brigade and Media Services until

the year 2006. My exposure to proper SWM, witnessing the early years of

operation of the Eco-Waste Processing Center of Los Bafios, stimulated me to adapt

what I have learned, at home. 'Learning by doing' is one of the important values I

can share with my family, being a mother and homekeeper. This, I can also

contribute as an educator and a government servant to my neighbors and the

community as a whole. I was encouraged to do home gardening in keeping with the

legacy of my grandmother who taught us some of the indigenous methods of

recycling and composting, which are now being revived in the country through the

SWM program.

In 2003, I started solid waste segregation and utilized recyclables (plastics,

cans, used basins, styrofoam, scrap wood, bamboo and metal) for container

gardening, given the small space at our front yard. With the help of my husband,

we used the vacant lot beside our home owned by my brother, to plant bananas and

66
vegetables while keeping a space for composting. The land was 120 m2 sufficient

for these purposes.

A number of vegetable crops such as lettuce, onions, eggplants, tomatos, and

carrots were planted in used containers and hung on the fence. Styrofoam fruit

boxes were used to grow seedlings, which were later transferred to bigger containers

and hung or arranged in layers on bamboo or scrap metal stands. Food leftovers,

dried leaves, animal manure, and trichoderma (a low-cost, naturally processed

solution available at the University of the Philippines Los Banos for easy

decomposition of biodegradables and odor reduction) were placed in covered

composting pits, and watered every other day. For more than a month, we were able

to get two sacks of compost which we used as fertilizer. A number of our neighbors

and passers-by begun to ask about our home gardening, especially when we had our

initial harvest. They developed an interest to learn and replicate the method in their

own home yard. Photos of seedlings grown in recycled materials fertilized with

compost in my home front yard are shown in Appendix 9.

Conceptualization and Proposition of the Project in Barangay Masili

It was in 2004 that I conceptualized the project on SWM as my fieldwork on

Environmental Communication at the Institute of Development Communication in

the University of the Philippines Los Banos. I met with one of the Barangay

Councilors of Masili, who was also the Chair of the Urban Poor Livelihood and

67
Environment Committees in the community. I had learned from him that Masili

received an award as the cleanest and most beautiful barangay in Calamba City from

2001 to 2003. The Barangay Council, during that time, envisioned to achieve the

"Hall of Fame Award" (i.e., 5 consecutive years of receiving the annual award) for

Masili and make it a model for other barangays. I also learned of the Council's plan

to develop a proposal toward this end. Hence, I was able to discuss and propose to

pilot test my own project in their community.

The Profile of Barangay Masili, Calamba, Laguna

Masili is one of the 54 barangays of Calamba City, Province of Laguna.

The barangay is located within the boundary of Calamba and Los Banos, comprising

6 "sitios" (sub-villages). The total land area is 32.1 hectares, divided into 26.1

hectares as residential, 4 hectares for commercial establishments and the remaining 2

hectares for quarrying. It has two soil types, loam covering 80% of the barangay

and the rest as tidal fresh type, 20% (Barangay Profile, 2001). As of 2007, this

coastal community had a population of 3,361 comprising 715 households. Fifty-two

percent were female and 48% male (Report of the Barangay, 2007: p. 12). Figure 5

illustrates the vicinity map of Barangy Masili.

This barangay is generally characterized as a coastal community for which

fishing from the Laguna de Bay is the main source of income. Fish cages were

constructed in the lake for livelihood and subsistence. However, the increasing

68
Source: People's Institute for Local Governance Advocacy and Research, 2002.

Figure 5. Vicinity Map of Barangay Masili (a coastal community).

69
population, continuing in-migration, and existence of industrial establishments in

Masili, contributed greatly to water pollution, particularly in the Laguna Lake, due

to improper waste disposal (People's Institute for Local Governance Advocacy and

Research, 2002).

Based on the project study of the Institute of Community Education of the

University of the Philippines Los Banos (Cruz et. al., 2003), the majority of the

residents along the coastal areas are migrants. Many of them squat within 12.5 m

distance from the lakeshore which is considered a danger zone because of the advent

of high tides. Some residents constructed their houses in narrow vacant lots along

the railroad owned by the Philippine National Railways. Such migration or

residential squatting not only increased the population in the community, but

consequently resulted in sanitation and waste disposal problems, due to the

congestion of houses within the same territorial bounds, near the lake and railroad.

Among the six 'smW of Masili, sub-village 6 had the highest population living

along the lakeshore. It experiences the most depressed situation, due to minimal

access to water sources and lack of sanitation practices, which make the people

susceptible to various illnesses.

Methodology Framework for Project Initiation in the Community

In early 2005, I started to coordinate my project through the Barangay

Councilor for Urban Poor Livelihood and Environment as my main contact person, I

70
met with the Barangay Council officials to discuss the activity process for the

project. A visual inspection of the community and informal group meetings were

undertaken where I got some basic information about the community, and a list of

possible key informants and community-based groups/organizations to work with.

This information provided me with insights and a better understanding of the

situation in the community.

Benchmark information was taken from the view of the constituents, with

regard to current environment-related issues and problems. Project plans were

identified and prioritized to address them, based on the urgency and importance as

perceived by the people in the community. A very simple and easily understandable

questionnaire in Tagalog was developed for respondents who were randomly

selected from among the residents in sub-village 6. The age bracket of the

respondents ranged from 21 to 65 years old with the assumption that these ages can

better understand the importance of maintaining the safety of the environment for

the benefit the community.

As a result of the actual survey conducted in sub-village 6, it was revealed

that there were a number of issues and problems confronting the people in the

community. These were reviewed by the people themselves to determine which

among the array of problems at hand had to be addressed first, that would

consequently solve other problems. A comprehensive analysis was done through a

consultative process and action planning. The problems were ranked by the

71
respondents according to urgency and importance. Solid waste disposal and

mismanaged waste were highlighted as the main issues. This coincided with

conflicting culture of people who migrated in Masili from the different

areas/communities with their own and different values and practices. This resulted

in negligence and lack of cooperation in community activities which would benefit

them. In addition, a related problem on people's lack of knowledge about policies

and ordinances concerning the environment particularly on proper management of

solid waste was identified.

Pilot Project Context: Community Consciousness in Solid Waste Segregation

for a Cleaner Environment in Masili

Given the dilemma of the barangay on improper and mismanaged solid waste

disposal, as attested by the people in the community of Masili, the pilot project on

enhancing their consciousness in solid waste segregation for a cleaner environment

was very timely. Though the project had a duration of only 6 months, it had been

acceptable and gained interest to the community and the barangay leaders. The

context of the project was initially presented to the Barangay Council. The

components of the project were integrative in nature, aimed at long-term

implementation and benefits to the community. The Council had the option to select

which components they wanted to support and implement, in consideration of the

72
needs and interests of the community, which form part of the survey I conducted in

the locality.

Vision and Objectives. The project envisioned to build a community with

responsive and action-oriented constituents who work together in a sustainable

manner toward a cleaner, greener, and productive environment for a healthy,

pleasant, and model place to live. It generally aimed to promote consciousness and

mobilization of people on environmental concern focusing on solid waste

segregation. Its specific objectives were as follows:

a. To identify strategies that would enhance people's awareness of the

importance of SWM to them and the community as a whole;

b. To appreciate the value of the 4Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle, and resell)

principles in managing solid waste and put them into practice;

c. To encourage people in the community as local government partners in

strengthening programs on $WM;

d. To identify and collaborate with other stakeholders within and outside of the

community, i.e., government or NGO for possible productive projects and

income source from waste; and

e. To sustain the constituents' interest, initiative, and participation to

community programs on SWM, which consequently would benefit them and

the community in general.

73
 Components of the Project. Following the municipal policies and barangay

ordinances on SWM, the project's integrative components (Figure 6) focused on

solid waste segregation. The project incorporated the 4Rs principles (originally 3Rs,

however the proponent added another R for "resell" of recyclable waste) of SWM

together with the following aspects: households' segregation of waste; community

garbage collection, productive and/or income generation from waste -- composting,

home/sub-village gardening or community nursery, sanitary landfill, small-scale

enterprises from useful waste, and establishment of a centralized barangay junkshop

by sub-village or at one strategic location accessible to the people in the community.

IEC Campaign. Based on the result of the survey, the respondents ranked

IEC as an effective strategy for them to increase their awareness and interest in any

related program concerning SWM. In particular, the majority of them preferred

access to simple, concise, and easily understandable reading materials, which they

can post in their home. In line with this, I was able to design a sample three-fold

flyer written in Tagalog that included illustrations on SWM, particularly the proper

solid waste segregation and composting method at the household level. This flyer

was presented to the Barangay Council for consideration and further improvements,

and with their consent copies were disseminated to some members of the community

to get feedback on the content.

According to the respondents, the flyer was generally acceptable and was a

good source of information, which they can readily apply in their everyday life i.e.,

74
 Community Consciousness
and Participation

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Figure 6. Integrative Components of the Project.

75
"learning-by-doing". They were also interested to participate in relevant seminars

and training courses, which they consider as avenues for them to directly ask and

clarify things of interest to them. This would benefit them further if it included trial

demonstrations or hands-on methods.

To assess whether or not there would be high participation of community

members for the seminar, I volunteered to conduct training on composting in

coordination with the Committee Chair on Urban Poor and Livelihood. The

members of MABUHAI (an organization of mostly women in the community) were

invited. I also provided food that could be easily cooked by the members prior to

the training. The training included brief demonstration on composting, using

biodegrables like food leftovers, dried leaves and the trichoderma solution. From

MABUHAI's 47 active members, 42 attended the training.

Fortunately, during the pilot testing of some of the components of the

project, two "pedicabs" were initially provided by the Council for which funds were

solicited from outside donors. These pedicabs were used by the Barangay Council

assigned staff in picking recyclable and saleable waste from far-off sub-villages

within the barangay. Barangay Masili has no existing junkshop in its locality.

Scavengers in Masili usually sell the recyclable waste in its neighboring community.

Hence, it would have been advantageous for the Council to centrally operate its own

junkshop for the community. In addition, one of the Councilors of Masili offered his

vacant lot as a demonstration site for community vegetable gardening and nursery

76
utilizing recyclables as well as for a composting area. Manpower services were

provided by women volunteers of MABUHAI and college students from Colegio de

San Juan de Letran, who did community service in the area as part of the school

curriculum. Every year, the council accepts students conducting community work in

the locality for a period of 3 months (half-day schedule every Saturday) normally

composed of 25-30 people. During that time, these students were tapped to provide

community service on SWM-related projects in the barangay.

Project Accomplishments

Within the period of 6 months, the community was able to establish

demonstration plots for the centralized community composting and nursery (selected

vegetable crops' seeds/seedlings which I personally requested from the Bureau of

Plant Industry in Los Banos). Interested households were given seeds/seedlings for

their own back/front yard container gardening as well as home composting applying

the learnings they gained from the seminar they attended. Three among the eight

Councilors of the barangay and 7 women from 42 MABUHAI participants started

their own home gardening and composting utilizing recyclable materials.

Posters and flyers on SWM were reproduced and distributed to the

constituents of the community. The promotion of a clean and green program was

led by a Councilor in his/her designated sub-village with strict adherence to the

municipal policies and barangay ordinances on SWM.

77
 The overall SWM plan of the Barangay Council of Masili, which was part of

its 5-year Development Plan include the components of the project I originally

conceptualized and proposed for Masili. These are as follows: sustained

recognition as the "Cleanest and Most Beautiful Barangay in Calamba City"

focusing on solid waste segregation; transfer of the community nursery and

composting to a strategic location with wider space and accessible to the people in

the community to be managed by Barangay Council; establishment of a Council-

managed junkshop, given that there was none within the barangay; yearly training of

those interested in home vegetable gardening, composting, and waste recycling for

possible income generation; and organizing community groups for a "one vegetable,

one Purok" (sub-village) project. This is basically planting one vegetable crop in

one specific sub-village in the community utilizing recyclable materials, which is a

unique strategy for barangay beautification. For instance, sub-village 1 to plant

tomato, and sub-village 2, eggplant, either container gardening or home backyard

plots. Constituents among themselves would select a vegetable crop for their sub-

village. This project can be rated in recognizing the cleanest, greenest and most

beautiful barangay (Masili, as a barangay having 6 sub-villages) on the basis of

highest rate of waste reduction, utilization of recyclable waste, and number of

households participating. In the long run, each sub-village may want to trade-in or

sell their harvests with its neighboring sub-village or outside the barangay. This

may pave the way toward a community self-reliant vegetable crop production.

78
 Based on the Report of the Barangay (2007), the "Hall of Fame Award" for

the cleanest barangay was gained by the community. It was also noted that a

number of households continued practicing waste segregation, waste recycling for

home gardening, and composting. However, the community vegetable nursery and

composting in the former pilot site has been discontinued since the Councilor in-

charge has assumed other assignment. Besides, there is a newly elected Barangay

Captain focusing on other priority community development projects which also need

funding support. Nevertheless, the Council supported the training of an agriculture

graduate and a resident of Masili, on snap hydroponics (urban agriculture) conducted

by the University of the Philippines Los Banos. The Council also provided him

with a demonstration lot for gardening (vegetables and flower plants) utilizing all

possible recyclables as well as composting. This is one of the Barangay Council's

community pilot projects. Once, the project becomes fully operational, he will be

the one to train interested individuals and groups in the community on hydroponics,

making use of recyclables and composting from biodegradable waste. The Council

will be responsible in organizing the participants and provide funding for this

training.

Photos of the activities conducted from the time of the coordination to the

implementation of my pilot project in 2005, and the current (2007) demonstration

site of the snap hydroponics pilot project of the barangay are shown in Appendices

10 and 11, respectively.

79
Lesson Learned

Capitalizing on the existing active organization in the barangay was an initial

step toward the implementation of a community development project. The presence

of the organization of women, the MABUHAI, with its active members, made the

pilot project possible. It was evident that women's participation was an essential

element in solid waste segregation, as they are in the forefront of home keeping

chores.

People in the community were inspired to learn and be involved in seminars

and training courses when it included demonstration/hands-on activities with simple

instructions and illustrations. Their enthusiasm was further enhanced when they

immediately applied what they had learned at home. This involvement goes hand-

in-hand with the appropriateness of IEC materials using simple language and terms

used by the community.

The common understanding between the community and the barangay

leaders about the value and benefits of the projects being implemented was also a

very significant element in attaining success. The support and motivation provided

by key leaders in the community contributed in the people's mobilization. However,

community resources (people, leaders, manpower, facilities, and funding) to sustain

the project for long-term benefits are also of important considerations.

80
 CHAPTER V

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The Philippines, like any developing country faces challenges concerning the

environment, particularly in managing the increasing and voluminous generation of

solid waste in its urban and urbanizing cities. Rapid urbanization and economic

growth matched with the increasing population contribute to the country's dilemma

of insufficient collection and inappropriate disposal of the growing piles of garbage

that contaminate water sources, pollute the air, pose risks to human health and the

environment. The advent of natural calamities like typhoons, which bring floods

and soil erosion, add to these problems to the extent that communities are devastated

and people are killed.

The Government, through its policy makers, has passed a series of laws and

policies that were geared toward local environmental governance or Eco-

Governance. The promulgation of the Local Government Code of 1991 stressed the

decentralization of power to the local authorities, including environmental

management. SWM at the municipal and the barangay levels in particular, had been

given priority in terms of the formulation of public ordinances, particularly the

promotion of the 3Rs principles of managing solid waste i.e., reduce, reuse, and

recycle. Through RA 9003, each province, city, or municipality was expected to

provide measures to facilitate the collection, transportation, processing, and disposal

81
of waste within its jurisdiction in coordination with other concerned government

agencies. Specifically, the LGUs through the barangay officials were instructed and

advised to promulgate ordinances to complement and support policies concerning

environmental protection including proper SWM. This also provided people the

knowledge and awareness that waste can be a resource and can be a possible income

source.

The three case studies exemplified the evolutionary struggles of urban and

urbanizing communities in their efforts to counter problems in solid waste. These

showcased success stories emanated from community participation in SWM

programs and projects, which promoted management of waste at the household and

community levels.

Summary

Payatas Controlled Waste Disposal Facility. The first case explored the

experience of the Payatas community in transforming a central dumpsite in Quezon

City into an organized Controlled Waste Disposal Facility. The disastrous trash

slide in this former dumpsite in 2000 that destroyed houses and killed residents

helped the people realize the problem posed by unmanaged solid waste. It was an

'eye opener' for the government to pay attention and give priority to SWM.

In 2004, Payatas started its conversion into a waste facility with an objective

of actively involving the citizenry. Prior to the conversion of the dumpsite,

82
relocation of residents living in the site was initiated by the city government. The

conversion process was sub-contracted to a private entity, which undertook the

necessary developmental, and rehabilitation works. The contractor implemented

various technological remediation measures that included slope stabilization,

greening and benching, methane gas extraction, maintenance of access roads and

waterways in and around the dumpsite as well as the establishment of a composting

and materials recovery facility. These efforts were done in consultation with

academic institutions and several government institutions such as the Department of

Environment and Natural Resources, University of the Philippines, Mapua Institute

of Technology, and the Philippine National Oil Company, among others. The city

government with its barangay leaders enforced massive promotion and strict

implementation of various ordinances to encourage people's involvement in SWM.

Specific programs focused on waste reduction strategies; income generation from

solid waste; and advocacy and social marketing. NGOs on the other hand, organized

the community through seminar-training related to entrepreneurial opportunities

from solid waste.

With the operation of the facility, Quezon City's garbage collection has been

reduced to a very significant volume. This was achieved due to the increased

awareness and interest of the constituents to participate along with the strict

implementation of the policies and ordinances on SWM by authorities.

83
 Los Banos Eco-Waste Processing Center. The story of Los Banos

presented the conversion of the central dumpsite of the town into an eco-friendly

processing center of solid waste. Through the initiative and leadership of the

Municipal Mayor, the center was successfully established and operationalized. The

participation of the members of the Science Community in the transformation

process of the dumpsite played a crucial role as it contributed scientific and

technological expertise in the process. The center served as a demonstration hub for

people on the advantage and benefits of managing solid waste.

The municipal government strictly adhered to the implementation of policies

and ordinances imposing penalties to violators without exceptions. The Mayor

himself established an office and a meeting hall at the dumpsite to accommodate

SWM-related events in the site. In 2004, the Waste Processing Center started to

operate with initial funding from the income of the municipality and solicitation of

in cash and in-kind contributions from various sources. The Los Banos Science

Community team of experts, the private sector, NGOs, and other volunteers

convened to share and complement their knowledge, skills, and experiences for the

center. It piloted the demonstration of low-cost designs and construction of disposal

facilities and equipment using reusable materials. The other part of the site was an

experimental venue for the production of ornamental plants fertilized with the

produced compost. It also showcases a "mini" eco-park with flower plants and

84
ornamental trees, compost production, and sample products from solid waste like

tables and chairs provided to the municipal day care centers.

Presently, the Center concentrates on the collection and transport of waste,

static concrete composting method of biodegradable waste, fabrication/upgrading of

equipment for shredding of biodegradables, and adoption of soil and water

conservation measures for slope stabilization. Based on the premise that SWM is

everybody's responsibility, the municipal government with the local leaders and the

community jointly work in the following programs: Environmental festivity;

participatory problem identification and problem solving; organization of pedestrian

and 'bicycled' scavengers into an association of recyclers and traders; and massive

IEC campaigns.

IEC-Based Pilot Project in Masili. The conduct of the actual field work

through the pilot project in Masili was an exercise of learning and feeling what a

community needs, and not to feed them with what I or anyone wanted for them. The

objective of having a self-reliant community starts from the perceived needs of the

community. With these needs identified, they themselves would thrash out

strategies and make decisions that will eventually benefit them. Such was the goal

of the project, which focused on enhancing community consciousness in solid waste

segregation toward a cleaner environment.

The project was based on my own home gardening and composting project

focusing on solid waste segregation, i.e, the use of recyclable materials. It was

85
conceptualized in 2004 and pilot tested in Masili in 2005 in coordination with the

Barangay Council. The project has integrated components based on the 4Rs

principles of managing solid waste that include "resell" of reusable materials. It

comprised specific projects on vegetable gardening and nursery, composting,

garbage collection and segregation into saleable 'junk', landfill, and residuals.

Specific activities conducted, based on the needs and interests of the people, were

the packaging of an IEC flyer on SWM written in Tagalog; hands-on training on

composting at the household level; and a pilot showcase of community vegetable

gardening/nursery and a composting area. These were the accomplishments during

the implementation of the project in 2005. Based on the 2007 Report of the

Barangay, Masili has achieved its vision of being recognized as the "Hall of Fame

Award" for the cleanest barangay of the City of Calamba. Masili has also

established through the support of the Council, a pilot project on snap hydroponics

utilizing recyclable materials, managed by a trained community resident.

Conclusion

It can be gleaned from the cases presented that evidently, the garbage issue is

primarily rooted in a lack of disposal facility and mismanaged waste, as generated

by extensive economic development, population expansion, and in-migration in

urban and urbanizing areas. The capacity of the local government units to manage

the 'seemingly' unending volume of solid waste in their respective jurisdictions is

86
limited. The enactment of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act 9003 was a

ray of hope for effective reforms in this sector. The government also continuously

invests in people, equipment, and technology to sustainably manage garbage. SWM

is an interrelated system, which combines appropriate technologies and mechanisms

in the generation, collection, processing/storage, transfer/transport, and disposal of

solid waste, designed to produce waste at the lowest possible cost and risk to the

health of the people and their environment (Department of Environment and Natural

Resources, 1998). It is a 'must' that the implementation of the SWM programs

from the municipal to the barangay level are congruent with RA 9003 as the prime

legislative policy. Local government acts as the catalyst for implementing SWM

legislation and serves as main actors in its realization. However, the

comprehensiveness of this Act is not yet fully implemented considering the barriers

of manpower to monitor and evaluate the provisions vis-a-vis the accomplishments

and impact of relevant programs/projects implemented by the communities, the

funding requirements, and time.

In the case studies, there are different approaches employed to encourage and

enhance community participation in SWM from the point of people's awareness to

practices. Community participation comes neither automatically nor spontaneously.

It must be understood as a collective system of different types of behavior, resulting

from different perceptions, representations, and practices. The concept of individual

or collective interest plays a very strong role in people's participation as gleaned

87
from the cases. The commonality of the strategy in these three cases is

predominantly related to political initiatives and mobilization. Massive IEC

campaigns, though not totally similar in the three cases, make a significant

contribution to people's involvement. Innovativeness, creativity, and consideration

of their preferences regardless of the mode of IEC material ~ poster, flyer, pamphlet

or shows -- are of great importance. Funding, as one of the usual constraints, in the

implementation of community development programs like SWM, was not seen as a

problem in these three case studies. Quezon City with the biggest population in

Metro Manila (Philippines capital), is the location for Payatas and the national

legislative and government institutions like the Congress of the Philippines,

Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the University of the

Philippines Diliman campus, among others. Urban areas like Quezon City, have

autonomy how to spend their income, which is much higher than in urbanizing

areas, to implement the municipal identified priority programs. With the enactment

of RA 9003, the Municipal Government of Quezon City fully supported the

conversion of the Payatas open dumpsite into a Controlled Waste Disposal Facility

with the technical assistance and funding support from most of the abovementioned

national agencies.

Los Banos, an urbanizing town, had a very limited government budget and

income, but nevertheless managed to convert the open dumpsite into an eco-friendly

waste processing center. This was made possible through the shared effort and

88
commitment of the Municipal Mayor and his Councilors down to the barangay level,

the Science Community member-institutions, and private establishments in the area.

The creativity and innovativeness to make use of low-cost, mostly recyclable

materials from waste to manufacture the necessary equipment and facilities rather

than buy them for the Center. This happened with the technical assistance of the

Science Community and the manpower services of the volunteer enforcers from the

different barangays. Hence, the Processing Center turned into a reality, not

constrained by funding limitation.

My project in Masili did not entail much of funding as the implementation of

its components depends on the interest and priority needs of the barangay

constituents, the existing community resources (physical, manpower, etc.), and the

available budget of the Barangay Council which is very limited. The presence of

MABUHAI organization of mostly women, who actively participated and

volunteered to work on the project, with one of the Councilors who offered his

vacant lot for trial demonstration, made the project feasible without cost at all. I can

also say that my intense desire to share with the community of Masili my learning

and experience from my own home project, for them to benefit from, also

contributed to making it a reality. Similarly, I myself learned much in dealing and

working with the community of Masili specifically in the context of how people deal

and jointly resolve social problems.

89
 Though it can be seen that SWM programs particularly in Payatas and Los

Banos were successful, it is still a continuing challenge for the local government to

sustain people's participation. Solid waste generation can be reduced but the

absolute amount will continually increase as population and urbanization grow.

On the other end, the uniqueness of the programs and approaches depended

on the nature of the location. Quezon City where Payatas is located is a highly

urbanized area while Los Banos is an urbanizing town, which is the home of the

national and international institutions engaged in science and technology. These

institutions significantly helped in the realization of an eco-friendly solid waste

processing zone. Payatas was under the full control of the city government and a

private-contractor for the technical structure, specifications, and maintenance of the

Waste Disposal Facility. It is evident that given the city's huge population within a

small land area, the facility had to be fully controlled to provide effective and

efficient services. The IEC strategy of solid waste mascots was helpful as the

message could easily be understood and remembered, especially by youth and

children. Demonstrations of recycled products exhibited in malls are commonly

seen, but the buy-back strategy on recyclables is a unique approach. Though

ordinary people (the poor and scavengers) in most developing countries like the

Philippines, seldom visit the malls.

The uniqueness of the Los Banos experience lies in the strong involvement

of all sectors in its locality coupled with the strong political will of the local

90
government. Local leaders and the constituents as main partners in managing solid

waste together with NGOs and private enterprises contributed to the success of the

program. The support of the 22 member-agencies of the Los Banos Science

Community also added to its success. A responsible and strong-willed citizenry who

strongly participated in the local government-initiated activities was definitely an

asset for the program. The local government unit's bottom-up planning approach

toward community needs and aspiration promoted the values of concern,

commitment and cooperation among the people. This started from the local leaders

namely, the Mayor with his Councilors, and the Barangay Captains and Councilors,

who set the examples. People's participation and collective action will only be

possible if the objectives, their roles, and community benefits are clear. In essence,

this requires good governance, which shows the relationship between the local

authorities and the citizens' provided space for public participation in planning and

decision-making process - a reflection of commitment from both parties.

Networking and partnership foster cooperation among stakeholders which was

highly visible in the case of Los Banos. It paved the way towards addressing other,

more pressing, environmental problems beyond solid waste like water pollution,

forest degradation, and water shortages. The establishment of the Los Banos Eco-

Waste Processing Center was the fruit of these networks.

The case of Masili presented more of the participation of women who are in

the forefront of experiencing the deteriorating environment and the effects of

91
urbanization. The MABUHAI organization of women exhibited their sense of civic

responsibility and a desire to improve their living conditions and health situation

through a cleaner environment. This was reflective of the need for better

representation of women, having their ideas listened to and becoming involved in

the planning and decision-making process in community development programs like

SWM. On the other hand, the development of IEC materials for a community like

Masili has to be in agreement with the preference of the people in terms of form,

content, and language. The appropriateness and effectiveness of the communication

strategy were vital factors that persuaded people to participate.

In these three cases, policy directives and ordinances on SWM have been put

in place. The local government units and the Barangay Council are the main

avenues for community participation which highly reflect that there is a great

relationship between the political (i.e. the government) strategies employed and

people's participation, as this can also be seen from the effects of the SWM

programs in the community.

It can be concluded that people's receptiveness and participation are

dependent on their situation and comprehension of the program/project, and the

political leadership. Participation of the constituents is further facilitated by a close

relationships and partnership among the political leaders, NGOs, civic associations,

but above all by the presence of a culture of public knowledge, awareness, and

consciousness. Political discontinuity and lack of a democratic framework bring

92
unsustainable program priority and implementation. Participation can also be seen

as having a genuine social and sociological objective. It implies elements such as

community awareness, education and management, which suggest that there is a

clear understanding of the social scope of action. Hence, community participation is

a sociological process by which people organize themselves and become involved at

the level of a living area or neighborhood, to improve the conditions of daily life in a

conducive and safe living environment. It comprises various degrees of individual or

collective involvement (financial and/or physical contributions, social and/or

political commitment) at different stages.

The government approach of presenting to people that garbage can be a

source of income or money in various ways, is a highly motivating force for them to

participate in SWM. It is evident that people need to start from solid waste

segregation for them to identify the reusable/recyclable materials which can either

be sold directly to junkshops, or made into another marketable products such as

flower vases, wall decor, tissue holders, and other creative and useful items, which

may be of higher value. Waste pickers/scavengers also have the opportunity to start

their own small-scale junkshop, though this will require space to store recyclables.

But when a junkshop has been established, it is a definite source of livelihood and

money generation for the scavengers - a turning point for them to become

entrepreneurs.

93
Recommendations

The fundamental areas of concerns to be considered in properly managing

solid waste include a sense of community responsibility; recognizing the value of

waste as a resource; and an entrepreneurial attitude for utilizing its potential for

other uses. The implementation of effective management strategies should be based

on the knowledge, interest and awareness of the community as well as their being

acceptable and understandable in order for people to get involved. This requires

instruments such as ordinances, budget support, public participation, and networking

with other stakeholders. To encourage better and greater community participation in

SWM, specific recommendations are in the following areas of concern:

Imposition of charges on collected solid waste and increased penalties for

violators. With the increasing solid waste generation and the scarcity of available

land for landfill, dealing with solid waste has to be the concern of not only the local

government unit as part of its general service, but a concerted effort with the

involvement of people in the community. The cost of managing solid waste usually

relies on the municipality's limited budget and income. Charges on solid waste

collected which was not segregated and beyond the specified minimum

measure/weight from the households and commercial centers should be imposed.

Along with this, are higher penalties for violators. These strategies will further

caution the people in the community from generating excessive solid waste and pay

more attention on the "don'ts" of SWM. The fees to be collected will augment the

94
local government's expanded coverage of SWM program and support better delivery

of services to its constituents.

Innovative and continuous enhancement oflEC approach in SWM. The

collection of increased user fees and penalty costs for violators may not be a long

term solution to curb waste generation, but it can also be an instrument to contribute

to people's awareness and consciousness about the consequence of their

unsystematic and unconcerned behavior concerning SWM. In order to be effective,

the IEC promotional campaign in terms of reading materials i.e., posters, flyers,

pamphlets, etc. should be in the preferred local language (concise, simple, and easily

understandable terminologies which may include 'catchy' illustrations/instructions).

Innovative approaches other than printed matter (e.g., community fairs or

showcasing of individual/group's creative use of recyclables, "clean and green"

barangay competitions, among others) may be introduced to capture people'

attention and interest to participate in SWM programs and adopt its practices. In

addition to this, inclusion of an ecological SWM as part of the school curriculum at

all levels is a good avenue to further enhance the knowledge and awareness of the

community starting from the youth. This will include students' community services

in the actual phase of learning or hands-on service practicum, which they can apply

at home.

Advocacy in utilizing environmental technology. In relation to IEC

promotion, there should be a paradigm shift from solid wasteful consumption to

95
conscientious utilization of resources, which will have to be instilled among the

youth as they are effective agents of change and essentially are the future

implementers of environmentally sustainable projects. Small-scale enterprises for

products made from recyclables can be promoted initially with trained out-of-school

youth and women groups. This will primarily orient and provide them with the

knowledge and skills to transform solid waste into a usable income generator.

Hence, it will lead them to regard solid waste as a resource with economic value.

However, this has to be advocated and supported by the local government units in its

preliminary stage of testing and implementation. For long-term benefits, the local

government must secure alternative sites for resource recovery facilities. IEC

campaign on ecological SWM should promote the material recovery at the

household level. Marketing of the recyclable materials, on the other hand, must be

fully developed to reduce garbage production in an integrative approach and not on a

'piecemeal' system.

Institutionalizing responsibility in SWM by investing in personnel. The

increasing solid waste generation greatly adds up to the work requirements of the

SWM force. This means investing in SWM personnel from community volunteers

which will provide people with opportunities and benefits in gaining technical skills

and expertise while at the same time improving the quality of SWM services at their

respective localities. Considering the provisions of RA 9003, which considers

garbage as a source of livelihood, the building of material recovery and composting

96
facilities in each barangay is a venue where these people can be employed. With

this institutionalized responsibility, people's participation will be further enhanced,

as they will be part of a responsible and accountable sector to counter solid waste

problems in communities.

Reviewing reforms and monitoring the progress of SWM vis-a-vis RA

9003. This Act was enacted in 2001. It addresses ecological issues of solid waste,

however, there is no single body dedicated to SWM considering that the members of

the National Solid Waste Management Commission constitute the representatives of

the different branches of the government with their own mandates. With the

continuous solid waste generation, the government definitely cannot bear the burden

of this problem, and therefore a concerted effort among the government, the public,

and the private sector has to be strengthened. It demands a strong body, unswayed

by corruption, to rouse participation, and encourage involvement in the

implementation of the reforms.

The development of the Municipal Integrated SWM plan which identifies

strategies to address the pressing problems of solid waste that consequently affects

its constituents in general, need to have a sustainable program that is functionally

implemented in the furtherance of community participation. There is a need to

review the SWM reforms implemented at the municipal down to the community

level as well as to monitor their progress and impact. At the national level, there is

a policy initiative that will hold the manufacturers responsible for products that

97
pollute the environment and contribute to municipal waste. They have to be

encouraged to utilize less harmful materials, products that last longer, are easy to

repair, and recyclable. Preventing waste accumulation is a "low waste approach"

that can be addressed at the national level.

A program on how the local government units can share experiences on

handling solid waste can be done. This will lessen the transaction costs of planning,

strategizing, and searching for possible solutions among the local governments.

Learning from others who are in the same predicament can expedite the process of

finding the most effective and efficient ways to arrest the garbage problem. While

from the local government unit's level, local officials should ensure that an effective

public awareness and education program is in place to support their SWM projects.

Long-term IEC plan must address the need for strong public commitment to

environmental goals. SWM to consciously start from home segregation of solid

waste, recycling, biodegradables for composting, and be supportive of

entrepreneurial activity - i.e., material recovery facilities established within

barangays. Progress of implementation and accomplishments has to be effectively

monitored to avoid waste of time, effort, and finances.

Sustainability focus of SWM practices. Strong political will, advocacy, and

partnership with the people in the community are vital elements for the success of

SWM undertaking. A well-informed and highly involved constituency would

almost guarantee its sustainability. Sustainable programs need to be implemented,

98
which will also promote community participation. The bottom-up approach

involving the grassroots level, from systematic planning to program implementation

and monitoring, would result in intensified program ownership. Hence, a more

effective and highly participated in SWM system will be built, provided that the

local authority is ready to manage and sustain the SWM projects with the resources

needed. The SWM Board of the municipality and each barangay must have a

functional long-term action plan for SWM.

Organizing scavengers into a cooperative program on integrated SWM.

This relates to sustaining people's participation in SWM programs. The municipal

government and the local leaders will initially provide the physical and financial

support for the organization of the scavengers into a cooperative which is geared

toward an entrepreneurial goal, thereby equally benefiting its members. Scavengers

have to be trained concerning the responsibilities, obligations and shared benefits of

a cooperative program. However, they will be given the option to choose what

component of the integrated SWM they would want to get involved in, like waste

picking and segregation, handicrafts production from recyclable waste (one group of

scavengers per product, according to their interest e.g. sections on wall decors, stuff

toys, etc.), hands-on training assistance for new members, among other services

within the cooperative. Through this cooperative, scavengers will learn to be more

responsible and at the same time enhance their skills, knowledge and potential as a

group, and more importantly, earning higher income.

99
 Suggested directions for further study can be focused in the following areas:

• Tapping women and out-of-school youth as lead actors in managing small and

medium enterprises at the community level for the development of products

made from recyclable materials. The economic capacity to generate productive

resources (jobs, income source from garbage) encourages more participation.

Also, women as messengers of social transformation and political modernization

have to be recognized as intermediaries in raising awareness and as managers of

community services for SWM.

• Assessment of SWM policy loopholes vis-a-vis program implementation

focusing on local governance. .This essentially will include the tracking of the

progress of the implementation of the SWM provisions under RA 9003.

• Exploration of possible alternatives toward greater reduction from a continuing

and increasing generation of solid waste from all sources, most especially in

residential areas, in the midst of growing rapid industrialization. This is in

response to the reality that the time will come, when those controlled waste

disposal facilities, and waste processing centers will have reached their full

capacity, and may need to close, or otherwise another place for such facility

needs to be found.

The type of community mobilization strategy on SWM applicable to varied

ecological settings remains with a lot of challenges for future studies.

100
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106
APPENDICES

107
 Appendix 1. Payatas open dumpsite before the tragic garbage erosion
(years 2000 and earlier).

The mountainous garbage in Payatas dumpsite which serve as the source

of income for the scavengers in the community and neighbouring areas.

Source: The Garbage Book-ADB, 2004.

 Appendix 2. Payatas today as Quezon City's central Controlled Waste
Disposal Facility.

^CANTINGOFVETITCRa
GREENHOUSE& PLANTNURSERY

GAS VENTS GAS COLLECTION PIPE

) KW GAS ENGINE GENSET PERIMETER LIGHT FROM LFG

Source: Municipal Government of Quezon City, 2008. Use by permission.

109
 SKIS

• ^1H

A number of junkshops along the road going to the Payatas Controlled Waste Disposal Facility.
The scavengers and the household members sell the recyclable waste in these junkshops.

Source: From the author, photos taken in 2008.

110
 Appendix 3. Handicrafts training with recyclable waste by volunteers in
Quezon City for interested individuals/groups in the community
and sample products.

Training for handicraft making out of recyclable materialsas a possible small-scale income source
in the community conducted by NGO volunteers in coordination with the Municipal Government.

mm?.

Source: Municipal Government of Quezon City, 2008. Use by permission.

Ill
 Appendix 4. Advocacy and social marketing initiatives of the Municipal
Government of Quezon City toward community participation.

A number of booths set up at Quezon City malls (SM/Shoe

Marts) for scheduled redeemable recyclable waste.

Massive IEC campaigns at schools and during City/

community events with the Waste Reduction Mascots.

Source: Municipal Government of Quezon City, 2008. Use by permission.

112
Appendix 5. List of the Los Banos Science Community member-agencies.

1. ARCBC Asean Regional Centre for Biodiversity Conservation

2. BFAR-FFRS Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-Freshwater Fisheries
Research Station
3. BSP Boy Scouts of the Philippines
4. BPI-LBNCRDC Bureau of Plant Industry-Los Banos National Crops Research and
Development Center
5. DOST-Region IV Department of Science and Technology-rV
6. ERDB Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau
7. FPRDI Forest Products Research and Development Institute
8. IRRI International Rice Research Institute
9. LGU(MGLB) Municipal Government of Los Banos
10. LLDA Laguna Lake Development Authority
ll.LSPC-LBC Laguna State Polytechnic College-Los Banos Campus
12. LWD Laguna Water District
13. LBP Land Bank of the Philippines
14. PARRFI Philippine Agriculture and Resources Research Foundation,
Incorporated
15. PCAMRD Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research and
Development
16. PCARRD Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural
Resources Research and Development
17. PhilRice Philippine Rice Research Institute
18. PHSA-DepEd Philippine High School for the Arts-Department of Education
19. SEARCA Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research
in Agriculture
20. UPLB University of the Philippines Los Banos
21.UPLBFI University of the Philippines Los Banos Foundation Incorporated
22. UPOU University of the Philippines Open University

Source: Los Banos Science Community Brochure-DOST/TAPI, 2000.

113
Appendix 6. Los Banos dumpsite prior to its conversion into an Eco-
Waste Processing Zone (years 2002 and earlier).

The mountain of garbage from different sources at the Los Banos open dumpsite at the foot
of Mt. Makiling Forest Reserve area. This site is within 3 Barangays: Timugan, Bambang
and Baybayin (the latter locates the Municipal Hall). Surrounding this dumpsite are
various research and academic institutions.

Source: Municipal Government of Los Banos Photo Files, 2002. Use by permission.

114
 f?

v
- * 4 . J*

*S»T5<daflriMtel

Smoke emission from burning combustible wastes from the rear entrance up to the
location proper of the dumpsite which heavily pollutes and impacts on the environment,
air , water quality, and create risks to human health and other life forms.

Source: Municipal Government of Los Banos Photo Files, 2002. Use by permission.

115
 Appendix 7. The then Los Banos open dumpsite now an Eco-Waste
Processing Center.

The rear entrance and inside view before and after the
dumpsite conversion into an eco- waste processing center.

%&T&-

Source: Municipal Government of Los Banos, Photo Files, 2002 & 2008. Use by permission.

116
 *$vr ""****•
V,

• « ; 1 # 3 w ^ ; , ^

The whole view of the garbage dumpsite then and today's eco-waste processing center.

Source: Municipal Government of Los Banos Photo Files, 2002 & 2008. Use by permission.

117
 Appendix 8. Some initiatives and strategies of the Municipal Government
of Los Banos toward community involvement in SWM.

Meetings and organization of stakeholders mostly held at the dumpsite for people to
see and feel the consequence of voluminous garbage and the need for their participation.

Organization of waste pickers into association of recyclers and

traders provided with ID, uniform, pedicabs and allowance.
Deputation of volunteer enforcers from the
different sectors (residents/homeowners,
NGOs, business establishments, schools,
etc.).

Source: Municipal Government of Los Banos, 2008. Use by permission.

118
Appendix 9. Vegetable seed/seedlings propagation using recyclable materials
and compost from biodegradables at the author's home front
yard.

Utilizing styrofoam, scrap aluminum basin, cans,

plastics and water bottles, with holes underneath.

Source: From the author, photo taken in 2004.

 Appendix 10. Selected photo documentation of the actual process of
coordinating and conducting the pilot project in Barangay
Masili in 2005.

Consultation with the Barangay Council and its Committee Chairs on Urban Poor and Livelihood,
Health and Environment, Education and Public Relations regarding the author's pilot project.

"\V7
.ST-*'

^%|%gf

Conduct of survey about the knowledge of households regarding solid waste

segregation through the MABUHAI organization comprised mostly of women.

AA

\-J

Seminar on solid waste segregation and composting.

Source: From the author, who personally presented the project to the Barangay
Council and conducted the above survey and seminar, photos taken in 2005.

120
 Working to prepare lot for trial demonstrations of community composting and vegetable gardening/nursery
(from cleaning, land/plots preparation to digging of compost pits), with manpower services through MABUHAI
member-women volunteers, and the college students of Colegio de San Juan de Letran conducting community
services in Masili.

m *sr:
*

Source: From the author, who worked with the women volunteers and students in land
preparation for community trial demonstrations, photos taken in 2005.

121
 Appendix 11. The ongoing snap hydroponics pilot project of the Barangay Council
in Masili derived from the author's project in 2005.

Ongoing pilot project of Masili with snap hydroponics utilizing recyclable materials supported by the
Barangay Council, particularly through the training of an agriculturist resident in the community.

Source: From the author, photos taken in 2008.

122