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Village-Level Solid Waste Management in Lahug, Cebu City, Philippines
Village-Level Solid Waste Management in Lahug, Cebu City, Philippines
Abstract
There are a lot of human activities that contribute to waste generation. These
waste materials if failed to be disposed in the proper manner and in the proper
place create a serious problem to humans and threat to nature. Solid Waste
Management plays a big role on the preservation of life and nature. Managing
wastes has become a problem especially in highly urbanized areas. Philippines
is considered as the tiger economy of Asia for its fast growth and development.
This advancement comes together with problems of solid waste management.
Republic Act 9003 of the Philippines addresses different issues regarding Solid
Waste Management. It mandates Local Government Units to implement policies
to promote proper solid waste management. This study is concerned on the
SWM of Barangay Lahug, Cebu City. It examines the ordinances and
implementation enforced by the local government unit (LGU) and the status of
practices and compliance the residents in the barangay make regarding solid
waste management. It will also investigate the municipal solid waste
management in a barangay level. In conducting this study, interview
questionnaires were answered by 107 household residents and 21
business/commercial establishments’ respondents. An interview with the Lahug
LGU representative was held. The survey was conducted to gather information
on the knowledge and practices respondents have on solid waste management.
This paper concludes that solid waste management in Barangay Lahug
implements solid waste management through enforcing Cebu City Ordinance
No. 2031 known as Solid Waste Segregation. The awareness of the residents
and business establishments in the barangay about solid waste management is
high. The practices and compliance of residents indicates the knowledge and
training they have acquired. Solid waste management is a human obligation to
fulfill. The inefficiency and failure to sustain proper solid waste management is a
societal, environmental, economical, and political issue.
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An official peer-reviewed journal published by SAMAR STATE
CDRJ Vol 3 Issue 1 (2015)
Population and economic growth are generation of the Philippines in 2012 was
the results of development or modernization. 106 million tones which is expected to
To cater the increasing population, more double in 2025 (DOST, 2012). Local
establishments and institutions are built to government units (LGUs) are responsible for
meet the demands of the people. The high managing solid wastes. The Philippines has
consumption of the people is simultaneous 71 provinces, 116 cities, 1,502
to economic development but lefts the municipalities, and 41,392 barangays.
environmental development behind. Rapid
increase of population, urbanization, social The status of Solid Waste
and economic progress result to mass Management (SWM) is a critical to set what
production of waste. Therefore these should be done by the government and
developments may cause much private sectors for better results and better
environmental pollution and waste which can policy making. Solid waste management
affect the sound environment. The solid contributes to the progress in economic,
wastes have become a major consequence social and public health of one‟s community
of development, modernization and and country. Solid waste management
urbanization. The solid waste affects the keeps business to take place, attracting
natural environment and is a serious threat investors to trust the country and community
as these materials remain unless removed, in the success of their ventures. It keeps the
burned or washed away (Anand, community clean and the people disciplined.
2010). Impacts on problems concerning SWM avoids chaos between individuals with
health and setting of the people will arise regards to each other‟s‟ waste disposal. The
without proper management and planning. health of the citizens should be prioritized.
According to Mustaq (2010), eradicating risk The most important resource the country has
of community health and protecting the is human resource, without people working,
locale are the significant endeavors of Solid the country cannot generate income. The
Waste Management (SWM). Solid waste is children whose health is most delicate at a
a waste a person considers to dispose. young age can also be affected with solid
Managing waste is one of the most waste management. With this, the
expensive public service the government researchers found the need and urge to
offers. Collecting, transporting, treating and study solid waste management.
disposing waste that doesn‟t harm the
environment came to be a problem because The city of Cebu is a notable urban
of the increasing of waste production levels city in the Philippines; out of its 80
as the outcome of urbanization and growth barangays 50 are considered as urban
in economic. The countries that face the making only 30 barangays rural (World
worst scenarios of managing wastes are the Bank, 2001). There are two (2) systems of
ones developing because their revenue to waste management in Cebu City, the
enforce is limited (Mustaq, 2010). Municipal Solid Waste Management system
that covers some industrial, commercial and
In the Philippines, developing and residential solid wastes excluding the
implementing SWM is an obligation vested hazardous ones and Hazardous Wastes
under LGUs such as provinces, cities, Management which covers hazardous and
municipalities and barangay (World Bank, hospital care waste (Policy and Regulations
2001). Philippines as a developing country Cebu, 2009). Lahug is the study area which
has a growing number of advancing cities is one of the biggest and highly urbanized
which constitutes to its global barangay in Cebu City. Barangay Lahug
competitiveness. Different establishments, has a total population of 36,648, land area of
amount of inhabitants and source of income 443 hectares and 7,259 number of
generate solid wastes. The annual waste households. When it comes to commercial
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An official peer-reviewed journal published by SAMAR STATE
CDRJ Vol 3 Issue 1 (2015)
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establishments and institutions, and Non- management involves a lot of people who
Hazardous industrial process and carry out different duties to aid in sustaining
agricultural wastes, and sewage waste. hygienic and secured surroundings for
Second are the Industrial waste which is a people so that there will be protection to the
mixture of different components from an welfare of the populace and environment.
industrial operation and lastly the Hazardous However, effective solid waste management
waste which poses as great harm to the in many countries is still a test to the
environment and human health. governments, particularly to unindustrialized
ones (Othchere et al., 2014). Eradicating risk
European Environment Agency of community health and protecting the
(2013) found out that the progress of a surroundings of the community are the
country can be accessed through its significant purposes of SWM (Mustaq,
municipal waste management. Municipal 2010).
Waste partakes a big part on the fulfillment
of a Solid Waste Management since it takes Visuanathan et al., (as cited in
up almost 75% of the waste being Chiemchairisi et al., 2007) said that the
generated. composition of solid waste in some Asian
Countries are highly biodegradable and
There are six (6) main components of mainly composed of organic materials which
solid waste management ,(Nemerow, 2009) can easily be broken down. In addition, large
stated that Solid Waste Management is the communities such as cities have developed
organized management of actions that strong foundation for more efficient
attend to the accumulation, separating municipal solid waste management while the
sources, depository, removal, transport, small and average-sized areas are still
treatment (including recycling), operation struggling to the challenge of limited funds
and dumping of solid wastes. Moreover, and technology, absence of awareness
Asase et. al, (as cited in Othchere et al., concerning environmental issues, efficiency
2014), also stated that the production of of implementing policies and regulations,
waste, composition of waste, accumulation and not enough cooperation (Xue et al.,
and transportation of waste, and waste 2012).
process and riddance are the essential
features of the system of SWM. In 2011, Linden et al., (as cited in Othchere et
World Bank (cited in Zurbrugg, 2002) stated al, 2014) mentioned that there are ten (10)
plenty of local governments in the common challenges to solid waste
Philippines are applying a unified system of management in Asia. These are: unsuitable
waste management which includes treatment, insufficient administration, illegal
reducing, recycling, composting and re-using disposal, financial problems, shortage of
wastes. human power, lack of political support, lack
of policy making, policy problems, rapid
Mustaq (2010) mentioned that waste generation, no information
managing waste is one of the most dissemination to the mass and inadequate
expensive public service the government land areas to become landfills. Furthermore,
offers. Collecting, transporting, treating and according to Atienza (2008), for the past
disposing waste that doesn‟t harm the seven decades, several policies have
environment came to be a problem because already been implemented by the Philippine
of the increasing of waste production levels Government to address the dangers of
as the outcome of urbanization and growth SWM. But problems regarding different
in economic. The countries who face the issues continued to resurface, several
worst scenarios of managing wastes are the factors such as lack of command and
ones developing because their revenue to ineffective monitoring contributed to the
enforce is limited. Consequently, waste
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An official peer-reviewed journal published by SAMAR STATE
CDRJ Vol 3 Issue 1 (2015)
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for solid waste management. The and 81 years old as the oldest. In addition,
commercial/business establishment the educational background of the
interview guide has 16 questions inquiring respondents as seen in the above table,
about solid waste management. A different 7% were graduates in elementary level, 5%
set of questions were made for the barangay were undergraduates in high school, 68%
LGU representative. were high school graduates, 5% were able
to enroll their selves to college and were
The gathering of data was conducted not able to finish and there are 15% of the
upon approval of the submitted letter of respondents who are graduates in college
intent by the researchers to the barangay with a degree of accountancy, education,
captain of Lahug. The researchers find and computer science and among others.
interview a prescribed number of people in Moreover, most of the respondents are
each of the categories. The household employed with 57% rate, 30% are not
respondents were grouped according to employed, 7% deals with business and 6%
sitio while the Establishments were grouped are among others. Among those who are
according to the street where it is located. employed, 92% are working in private/NGO
The researchers interviewed the and 8% are in the government.
respondents using the questionnaires to be
answered by the owner of the house in each Table 1
household and commercial/business Profile of Household Respondents
establishment representative and asked
voluntary participation from these Variable Value
respondents with written consent. Male-60% 60%
Gender
Data generated from the survey Female-40% 40%
interviews were used to generate graphs Mean Age-44.71 44.71 yrs
and charts by analysis and interpretation. Youngest Age 19 yrs
The data were encoded and decoded in the Age
S.D.- 14.5 yrs
Microsoft Excel 2007 Software in measuring
the percentage of the responses from Oldest Age 81 yrs
household and commercial/business Elementary Graduate 7%
respondents. Descriptive analyses were Highschool Level 5%
performed; tables and graphs were Educational Highschool Graduate 68%
generated to highlight salient findings. Attainment
Simple percentage was calculated to College Level 5%
describe the profile of respondents as to College Graduate 15%
age, gender and educational attainment. All Accountancy 24%
data gathered are based on the answers Education 19%
from the interview, survey and meetings Degree
with sectors who take part in working and Computer Science 10%
Earned
decision-making in the scope of SWM. Criminology 10%
Others 42%
Employed 57%
III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS Unemployed 30%
Source of
3.1 Profile of Household Respondents Income Business 7%
Others 6%
Among the research respondents, Private/NGO 92%
Nature of
40% are female and 60% are males. The Government 8%
Employment
youngest respondent is 19 years of age
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An official peer-reviewed journal published by SAMAR STATE
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Table 2
Ordinance of Cebu City on Solid Waste Management
Year
Ordinance No. and Title
Approved
Section Focused in the Study
2017-Creation of the Cebu City
Solid Waste Management Board Section 2- Mandates Barangay LGU in
(SWMB) making a barangay committee on Solid
Waste Management
1361- No Segregation, No
Section 40- Provides the No Segregation, No
Collection 1990 Collection Policy
Table 3
Performance of Barangay Lahug LGU on Solid Waste Managemet
Particular Practices
Each individual generates 0.5 kilogram of solid waste per
Garbage Generation per day. While, the barangay produces approximately 18,324
Day kilograms per day.
Per Sitio is once a week
Schedule of Collection of
Garbage
4 dump trucks.
Equipment used by the
Barangay LGU
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An official peer-reviewed journal published by SAMAR STATE
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Waste Management necessary acts. This barangay. The barangay LGU in rendering
mandates barangays to make a committee their service in implementing solid waste
on Solid Waste Management. management uses four dump trucks. These
dump trucks are old that oftentimes have
Cebu City Ordinance No. 1361 mechanical malfunction and are under
establishes garbage collection system, repair. The garbage collection of Barangay
imposes charges, and expropriates budget Lahug happens every day but because of
on Solid Waste Management. The ordinance the number of sitios or areas to be catered in
at the same time groups urban barangays of the collection and the travel time required for
Cebu City into 21 zones. Each of the zones a dump site two towns away from the city
are designated with street sweepers, a team makes the current garbage collection of the
of garbage collectors, a garbage truck and a barangay per sitio is collected once a week.
driver, and a public service manager. DOST, (2006) on a study on Solid Waste
Specifically, this is applied to all the Management in Cebu City found out that the
barangays in the city thus failure to follow common problems faced by the barangays
the garbage collection system can be in the city are poor maintenance of
imposed fees. equipments, garbage trucks that are not
suitable for segregating wastes into different
Pursuant to RA 9003, Cebu City compartments according to their kind, and
Ordinance No. 2031 is for the implementing wastes collectors that are not diligently
Source Segregation, giving sanctions and following collection schedule are present.
making a special source for money intended The distance of dump sites and unreliable
to be incentives to those who practice dump trucks are the problems that the
segregation. It intensifies RA 9003 or the barangay LGU of Lahug face in the
ECOSWAM. The ordinance implements the operation of SWM. Because of unavailability
“No Segregation, No Collection Policy”. It of dump trucks, the city is forced to collect
classifies wastes into 5 major groups which the wastes of the barangay thus the
wastes should be segregated according to collection schedule is not followed
its source which are the Biodegradable / accordingly. DOST (2006) found out that
compostable wastes, Non-biodegradable there is a inefficient coordination and linkage
waste, Reusable / Recyclable waste, between the city and the barangays.
Hazardous or special waste and the Bulky Upon the collection of garbage, the
wastes. It presents the hierarchy of Solid garbage collector sees to it that there is
Waste Management where waste segregation before collecting the garbage.
generators should follow in order to reduce Policy and Regulations Cebu (2006) on the
wastes, which involves source reduction, study of the current status of SWM in Cebu
Re-use, Recycle, Composting and Disposal. City showed that implementation of “No
Furthermore the ordinance specifically Segregation, No Collection” Policy is the
provides the designated containers of waste only ordinance implemented by the
according to the waste generated. barangays in the city. Evidently, Lahug LGU
also has the Cebu City Ordinance No. 2031
3.3 Implementation of Solid Waste or the Segregation at Source as the only city
Management by Barangay Lahg ordinance being implemented by the
LGU barangay. Lahug also has a council on SWM
that caters the demands and inquiries of
Barangay Lahug‟s garbage residents on their solid wastes as per
generation per day of an individual is 0.5 mandated by RA 9003. But unlike the
kilogram making the whole barangay provisions of City Ordinance No. 2031,
produce 18, 324 kg of solid waste per day Barangay Lahug residents do not solely
and amounting to approximately 500 tons practice segregation (See Figure 2). There is
per month with the total population of the
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Table 4
Disposal Practices of Respondents
a penalty or fine sanctioned to the offenders. solid waste management. Among the
The representative of the barangay LGU of household respondents, 44% throws
Lahug admitted that even upon the strict garbage to public bins while 56% do not. For
implementation of collection policies, some those household respondents that do not
residents still fail to follow instructions and use public bins, they use waste van, throw it
show no discipline in segregating wastes. in valley, lake-side, river, by the road or
This implicates that there is a weak street, whole in the compound or hang in
enforcement of laws by the barangay LGU. fence. On the other hand, among the
The policy applied in collecting garbage to commercial/business establishments, 48%
barangay residents goes the same to the throws their garbage to public bins and all
business/commercial establishments. the remaining 52% put away their garbage
Furthermore, the initiative of the barangay on waste van.
LGU is conducting seminars to their
constituents in relation to Solid Waste
100% 90% 95% 95%
Management. 76%
80%
20%
0%
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An official peer-reviewed journal published by SAMAR STATE
CDRJ Vol 3 Issue 1 (2015)
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