UNIVERSITY OF THE CORDILLERAS

Gov. Pack Road, Baguio City

AWARENESS OF ECOLOGICAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT ACT AMONG
HOUSEHOLDS IN ENGINEERS' HILL BARANGAY


A research paper submitted in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for


National Service Training Program- Civic Welfare Training
Service 2


Researchers:
Basbas, Rio
Benicta, Kimberly Rose
Boyongan, Joyce
Castillo, Sarah May
Coplat, Jayma
Humilde, Hazel
Hombrebueno, Shinkae
Lorenzana, Justin
Masanque, Christopher
Maspil Jr., Murphy
Nadiahan, Justina (Secretary)
Nepomuceno, Isaiah (Leader)
Pascual, Lhealyn
Pasigon, Jean
Vergara, Vincent (Assistant leader)
Vidal, Charlene
Yangag, Isaac
Zabala, Jan Carla

Adviser:
Mr. Zandro Umangay Ico

November 2011
I. INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
At the present time, one of the problems of our country is
the disposal of solid waste products. In partnership with the
central government, local government units try to solve this
problem in every feasible way they can. In the City of Baguio
for example, Republic Act 9003, which pertains to the management
of waste products is being vigorously implemented.
This RA, more commonly known as the Ecological Solid Waste
Management Act, aims to reduce if not to eliminate the
unnecessary garbage clobbering the country's Summer Capital.
It also seeks to mold the residents of Baguio to become more
responsible in their duty of proper waste disposal, especially
by the way of garbage segregation in every household.
Segregation comes by the separation of waste materials that are
biodegradable and non-biodegradable.
The city government issued guidelines for the revival and
enactment of the No segregation, No collection policy starting
on Sept. 12, 2011 due to the Irisan trash slide last August
where the retaining wall of the dumpsite collapsed, killing 3
people (Agreda, 2011). The officials concluded that the open
dumpsite is too large to contain the garbage, and that the city
has to look for long-term measures, such as constructing an
engineered sanitary landfill or renting a larger dumpsite from
other towns. Mayor Mauricio Domogan advised the populace to be
responsible in their households on teaching the benefits of
waste segregation, and comply with the garbage separation drive
and contribute to the solution of the city's garbage crisis.
Last Jctober 12, 2011 the mayor issued Administrative Jrder
No. 132, Series of 2011 entitled Intensifying the Collection of
Garbage Fees and Providing the Guidelines for the Barangay Based
Collection System Pursuant to Section 32, Chapter VII of Tax
Jrdinance No. 2001-001 as amended by Tax Jrdinance 2003-03.
(Bayan, 2011). This ordinance act is in accordance with RA 9003.
The AJ's goal is to collect the needed resources for the
implementation, monitoring and realization of the City's 10-Year
Eco-Solid Waste Management Plan (ESWMP), which similarly
highlights the function of the Barangays consistent with Section
6 of Rule VI of RA 9003.Since it is integrated to the local
legislative actions approved by the Sangguniang Panlungsod of
the City of Baguio, it is compulsory for every household to pay
around P20.00 for the local government to accumulate enough
resources for the Solid Waste Management Program.
We, the researchers are focused on Engineers' Hill Barangay
to confirm whether the residents of said local unit are
segregating their solid waste and abiding to the instruction of
the city government concerning the management of the solid
waste, which includes the scheduled disposal of waste.
This is one of the steps and procedures commenced by the
government to gradually resolve the critical garbage condition
of the City. However, without the cooperation and support of
other sectors and the public, it would take a little longer for
the city to totally address this matter. It is every citizen's
duty to do his part in solving a nationwide problem and concern.
Hence, let us all do our simple part of segregating our wastes
and be a part of the solution, rather than the problem.
B. Statement of the Problem
The purpose of the study is to determine if the residence
of Engineers hill is aware of the Ecological Solid Waste
Management Act and abiding with it.
C. Statement of the Hypothesis
Awareness of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act
positively influences Engineers Hill Barangay Households.

II. METHODS AND PROCEDURES
The researchers made use of personal in-home survey method
and descriptive research method in determining the degree of
awareness of the residents of Engineers' Hill Barangay on the
Ecological Solid Waste Management Act. A total of 60 household
respondents have been given close-ended questionnaires (see
Appendix A) consisting of ten questions that suffice the data
for the extent of the research.
The researchers chose to utilize this method since it will
be easier on the part of the researchers and to the respondents'
who will be able to accomplish the questionnaire in 3-4 minutes,
consuming less time, but gathering more data.
The study roughly covered a period of one and a half
months, or 6 Sundays, including the data gathering, uploading
and encoding of the research report.
The actual data gathering has been done on November 13,
2011, whereby the researchers administered the questionnaires to
households within the vicinity of Engineer's Hill Barangay.
The researchers have been divided into three groups and
personally oversee the questionnaires in every three houses to
ensure the validity and variability of response concerning the
issue of garbage disposal.
Since the research problems of the study are descriptive in
nature, descriptive statistics like weighted mean, percentage,
rank, and frequency distribution was used to treat the data.
Weighted Mean. This tool was used to determine the average
response of the households in the items of the questionnaires.

Table A:
Profile of the Respondents

AGE:
Class limit Frequency Percentage
14-25 19 38
26-37 10 20
38-49 8 16
50-61 8 16
62-74 5 10

Total: 50 100

Gender: Frequency Percentage
Male 22 38.6
Female 35 61.4

Total: 57 100

Civil status: Frequency Percentage
Single 25 55.6
Married 20 44.4

Total 45 100.0

Jccupation: Frequency Percentage
architect 1 3.7
barangay kagawad 1 3.7
businessman/ business woman 4 14.8
government employee 2 7.4
house wife 4 14.8
housekeeper 1 3.7
laborer 1 3.7
laundry staff 2 7.4
real estate agent 1 3.7
saleslady 1 3.7
store owner 1 3.7
student 8 29.6

Total: 27 100

1.) Are you aware of the Solid Waste Management Act being
implemented in Baguio City.
Yes: 56 Percentage 100
No: 0


0
Total: 56 100
No Answer: 0
2.) Does your barangay implement the Solid Waste
Management Act.

Yes: 55 Percentage 100
No: 0


0
Total: 55 100
No Answer: 1
3.) Is there an assigned location where the garbage is
collected.

Yes: 53 Percentage 94.6
No: 3


5.4
Total: 56 100
No Answer: 0
4.) Is the collection of garbage regular.
Yes: 17 Percentage 32.1
No: 36


67.9
Total: 53 100
No Answer: 3
5.) Are there waste segregators assigned in the barangay.
Yes: 40 Percentage 71.4
No: 16


28.6
Total: 56 100
No Answer: 0
6.) Does the barangay provide any waste segregating bins.
Yes: 24 Percentage 43.6
No: 31


56.4
Total: 55 100
No Answer: 1
7.) Do you segregate your garbage.
Yes: 55 Percentage 98.2
No: 1


1.8
Total: 56 100
No Answer: 0
8.) Are you aware of the schedule of garbage disposal.
Yes: 47 Percentage 87.0
No: 7


13.0
Total: 54 100
No Answer: 2
9.) Are there problems in the collection of garbage.
Yes: 29 Percentage 52.7
No: 26


47.3
Total: 55 100
No Answer: 1
10.) Does the management of solid waste improve the cleanliness
of your barangay.
Yes: 43 Percentage 79.6
No: 11


20.4
Total: 54 100
No Answer: 2

Conclusion:
The residents that were interviewed at Engineers' Hill
Barangay were aware of the Solid Waste Management Act being
implemented in the barangay.
However, disposal problems are unavoidable and are still
rampant in the barangay. Some residents complained of their
hard-headed neighbors who choose to mix their biodegradable and
non-biodegradable wastes together, which affects the other
residents. Garbage collectors refuse to collect unsegregated
trash which compels the barangay officials to send home the
offender to segregate his/her trash. There were also complaints
about the absence of trash bins that isolate bios and non-
bios. Furthermore, most of the complaints were about the
inconvenience and the irregularity of the schedule of garbage
collection (Thursday, 6am to 3pm). The residents were required
to wait, literally, for the garbage truck to arrive to check if
the wastes are properly segregated. This is very inconvenient
for the residents who have to wait for nine hours for the truck
to arrive. Sometimes, the collectors are late, but there are
also times that they do not collect at all.

Recommendations:
The Ecological Solid Waste Management Act is an integral
part of the societal structure which will benefit not only the
residents in a certain locality, but the locality itself. The
government of Baguio City applies this RA to all its barangays
to sustain its reputation as a premier tourist destination in
the country and to revive its status as the cleanest and
greenest city of the Philippines.
There are Acts and Jrdinances concerning waste management
that provide for the efficiency and wellbeing of the people.
However, to achieve the ideals of these laws, it is not enough
to simply know the law. It is not about knowing the law. It is
about applying it. In this particular topic, the awareness drive
should be followed by proper implementation and application.
Some residents suggested that the barangay should add
another collection day per week. However, this proposal will be
wasted if there will be no group effort between the local
government units, its constituents and the local garbage
collectors. Cooperation will help avoid the inconveniences that
result from the lack of awareness and proper implementation.
Unless such cooperation is achieved, we are making ourselves
victims of our ignorance and noncompliance that we impose on
ourselves.
It is not the job of the collectors to segregate. It is not
the task of the residents to coordinate with the collectors. It
is not the responsibility of the barangay to collect the
garbage. The point is that everyone should do the task assigned
to him. Residents segregate; officials organize; collectors
collect. The responsibility given to each one is the task that
each one has to do.
Ignorance of the law excuses no one. But simply having the
knowledge of it is inadequate. It is very important that we
APPLY the laws that govern us. It will benefit not only us, but
also the generations to come. For when we follow these laws, we
achieve harmony, unity and well-being. We have to do what we
have to do in order to do what we want to do.

Reference:
Agreda, J.M. (2011, September 4). Environment chief to LGUs:
Abide by solid waste law. $:389,7, 1. Retrieved November
17, 2011 from http://www.sunstar.com.ph/baguio/local-
news/2011/09/04/environment-chief-lgus-abide-solid-waste-
law-177258
Bayan, N. (2011, November 3). Bayan: AJ No. 132 on garbage fees.
Sunstar, 1. Retrieved November 17, 2011 from
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/baguio/opinion/2011/11/03/bayan-
ao-no-132-garbage-fees-188474.


APPENDIX A
(QUESTIJNNAIRE)










Please fill out the needed information:

Name (optional):________________________________________
Age: _______
Gender: ___M ___F
Occupation:____________________
Civil Status: _____________

Check the box that corresponds to the answer of your choice. YES NO
1.) Are you aware of the Solid Waste Management Act being
implemented in Baguio City.

2.) Does your barangay implement the Solid Waste Management
Act.

3.) Is there an assigned location where the garbage is
collected.

4.) Is the collection of garbage regular.
5.) Are there waste segregators assigned in the barangay.
6.) Does the barangay provide any waste segregating bins.
7.) Do you segregate your garbage.
8.) Are you aware of the schedule of garbage disposal.
9.) Are there problems in the collection of garbage.
10.) Does the management of solid waste improve the
cleanliness of your barangay.

If you have any questions or suggestions to your barangay concerning
management, disposal and collection of garbage, please write them at the
back of this paper. Thank you!