CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION
1. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
With the rising prices of commodities, the prevailing issue in our communities is the expensive cost of
household items such as cooking oil, which serves as a lubricant and overall a must-have item in the kitchen our lifestyle
and cuisine directly revolves around the consumption of foods fried in cooking oil, but with the recent time’s inflation has
taken a toll on everyone’s pockets making usually cheap items more inaccessible for our unprivileged citizens in the
marginalized sector, prices go up but wages don’t the average cost of cooking oil back in 2020 was 51.5 PHP per liter and
in 2022 it costs 139.8 PHP per liter according to the Department of Agriculture, Because of the way oil spreads, even a
small quantity can cause a lot of harm. It is estimated that between 50 - 90 million liters of waste cooking oil are produced
each year and if this is not disposed of correctly the effects of oil pollution on the environment could be quite devastating.
The Environmental Protection Act 1990 places a Duty of Care on every industry to ensure "that all reasonable steps are
taken to look after any waste you have and prevent its illegal disposal by others", this includes waste cooking oils and fats,
by creating more sustainable ways to prevent these we foster a greener community, both economically and
environmentally friendly.
Taking those into consideration, in response to this issue, this research provides a solution and substitute to
the traditional cooking oil making it much more affordable through the use of Gumamela flowers (Hibiscus) as an
alternative.

2. IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY

This study aims to make cooking oil accessible for everyone in our community, inflation is a prevalent issue
for as long as we can remember in all aspects of life every way to cut cost is a great way to help in our day-to-day habits,
and cooking is an integral part of our lifestyle, but the high cost of ordinary cooking oil has become a burden for every
family’s budget and through this alternative cooking oil we can save money effectively, and which Gumamela flowers
(Hibiscus) are an incredible choice for substituting palm, vegetables, or nuts when it comes to cooking oil, Gumamela or
Hibiscus is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae. It has played roles in traditional consumption
since ancient times such as cooking and has several medical uses having potential in skincare as a poultice, the use of
fresh or dried herbs that are mashed, crushed, or pounded - often heated (boiled in water to soften and heat the herb) and
applied directly to the skin. Gumamela oil is also used for aromatherapy purposes and is regarded to have medicinal
values. Making this type of oil can be done with a few utensils usually found in most kitchens. An extract from the flower
functions as an anti-solar agent by absorbing ultraviolet radiation. Gumamela’s flower, leaves, and roots are used as
herbal medicine, it’s an all-way in utilization. Its common medicinal characteristics are expectorant, diuretic, emollient,
anti-infectious, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antipyretic, anodyne, and refrigerant it’s a very versatile plant that’s safe
for consumption and use, by turning it into cooking oil we can eliminate the problem of cost because hibiscus is an
abundant plant in our communities and resources such as this won’t be a problem for an individual to forage for or grow
themselves.
Furthermore, as discussed traditional cooking oil is one of the most commonly reported types of water
pollution and causes nearly a quarter of all pollution incidents. Careless disposal of oil into drainage systems, onto land, or
to watercourses is not only an offense but can be harmful to river birds, fish, and other wildlife, it’s very toxic and non-
biodegradable, this cooking oil alternative made from Gumamela flowers is not only safe for animals and humans but also
the environment because it’s biodegradable and when it comes to production the factories making traditional cooking oil
is an overlooking threat for our ecosystem because it’s extremely energy inefficient but would also produce toxic fumes
harming nearby communities and wildlife, by normalizing the use of alternative cooking oil from Gumamela flowers we
can contribute in eliminating the threat of industrial pollution and the expensive cost of traditional cooking oil ultimately
creating a more sustainable community for families all around the country and would help protect and provide benefits for
not only humans, but also all living creatures in our environment ultimately forming a symbiotic relationship providing
everyone a healthier, safer and greener habitat.
 3. DEFINITION OF TERMS
Gumamela- the scientific name is Hibiscus, it’s a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae. The genus
is quite large, comprising several hundred species that are native to warm-temperate, subtropical, and tropical regions
throughout the world. Member species are renowned for their large, showy flowers and those species are commonly
known simply as "hibiscus", or less widely known as rose mallow.
Malvaceae- or the mallows, is a family of flowering plants estimated to contain 244 genera with 4225 known species.
Well-known members of economic importance include okra, cotton, cacao, and durian.
Cuisine- a style or method of cooking, especially as characteristic of a particular country, region, or establishment.
Cooking Oil- is a plant, animal, or synthetic liquid fat used in frying, baking, and other types of cooking. It is also used in
food preparation and flavoring not involving heat, such as salad dressings and bread dips, and may be called edible oil.
Inflation-  is the rate of increase in prices over a given period of time. Inflation is typically a broad measure, such as the
overall increase in prices or the increase in the cost of living in a country.
Pollution- is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse change. Pollution can take
the form of any substance or energy. Pollutants, the components of pollution, can be either foreign substances/energies or
naturally occurring contaminants.
Habitat- the natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organisms.
Symbiotic- is any type of close and long-term biological interaction between two different biological organisms, be it
mutualistic, commensalism, or parasitic. The organisms, each termed a symbiont, must be of different species