Republic of the Philippines

Tarlac State University

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ACCOUNTANCY
Tarlac City, Tarlac
Tel. No. (045) 611-0082; Fax No. (045) 982-0110
Re-Accredited Level 2 by the Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities of the
Philippines (AACCUP), Inc.

MARKET ACCEPTABILITY OF WATER HYACINTHS AS ALTERNATIVE

HANDCRAFTED GOODS

A Research Study Presented to the

Faculty of College of Business and Accountancy

Tarlac State University

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Subject

Marketing Research

Submitted by:
Carreon, John Ian V.
Cruz, Meryll Jade B.
Dela Cruz, Justin Aldous D.
Gumban, Hanna Jane V.
Maniti, Dhaisy Marie B.
Martelino, Brilliant Vallerie R.
Yalung, Jean Paul Chancey I.

Submitted to:
Prof. Hazel T. Maborrang, PhD, LPT
 February 2023
INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Water hyacinths (Eichhornia Crassipes), more commonly known as water lilies in the

Philippines, is a variety of freshwater plants that originated from South Africa and has been

regarded as the world’s “most troublesome” aquatic plant. But prior to this, it has been widely

propagated as a water ornament. Today, several countries face the enormous task of controlling

the alarming increase of water lilies that form vast blankets covering lakes, rivers and ponds,

which in turn cause problems for fishing, water transport and biodiversity (“CARAGA

Livelihood Programs spurred by Villar SIPAG and Agata Mining,” 2015).

The plant forms large floating mats which cover the entire water surface within a short

period. When allowed to propagate, it quickly colonizes the water mass causing detrimental

effects, including loss of fishing grounds, occlusion of water ways for navigation, interference

with hydroelectric power generating plants, and providing a habitat for breeding of agents of

malaria and bilharzia, as well as suppression of other useful aquatic life (Mathur, 2007; Jayan

and Sathyanathan, 2012).

The plant reproduces by means of runners or stolons, which eventually form daughter

plants; and when this decay, the process leads to depletion of dissolved oxygen in the water,

often killing fish and other aquatic organisms (Coles and Kabatereine, 2008). Several means

such as spraying with herbicides, and occasional desilting of the water bodies in which they grow

have been tried to control its rapid growth and spread, but these have not yielded any meaningful

result due to its varied adaptive strategies for survival (Bindu and Ramasamy, 2005).

Deemed as one of the most damaging aquatic plants in the world, the water hyacinth has

severely infested Philippine waters and its nearby communities with its rapid rate of
proliferation. It can flower throughout the year and releases more than 3,000 seeds per year. With

this extraordinary rate of production, the Water Hyacinth species outnumber other aquatic

species in the vicinity, threatening the stability of fresh water and its biological diversity.

Furthermore, its leaves and pads can reduce light and oxygen, which causes phytoplanktons to

significantly decrease in number, affecting the photosynthetic cycle and endangering fish species

(ecoingenuity, 2019).

Water hyacinths are an invasive plant species that can take over the entire surface of a

body of water if left unchecked. They can be a nuisance since they allow disease-spreading

vector species of mosquitoes to breed freely in the static waters. The plants’ decomposition

results in a foul odor, decreases the clarity of water, and depletes the level of dissolved oxygen in

the water, making it unsuitable for human use (Quismorio, 2021).

Water hyacinth often clogs waterways due to its rapid reproduction and propagation rate.

The dense mats disrupt socioeconomic and subsistence activities (ship and boat navigation,

restricted access to water for recreation, fisheries, and tourism) if waterways are blocked or water

pipes clogged (Ndimele et al., 2011, Patel, 2012). The floating mats may limit access to

breeding, nursery and feeding grounds for some economically important fish species

(Villamagna and Murphy, 2010).

Moreover, the water hyacinth weed negatively affects the activities of the people with

direct and indirect dependence on the infested water bodies ecosystem (Ayalew et al., 2020). The

hazards impact differs across livelihoods context and effective hazard impact assessment must be

in consideration of livelihoods analysis (Lawrence et al., 2007). Therefore, local livelihood

change analysis is vital to capture the impact of hazards on affected households (Lawrence et al.,

2007; Vaitla et al., 2012).

 On the other hand, the profusion of water hyacinths may be put to use in a variety of

ways to make them more beneficial. For instance, water hyacinth fibers are used to make paper

and rope. It is utilized as pig, duck, and fish feed in several regions of Asia. Furthermore, water

hyacinths are employed as fertilizers and help purify water for drinking or for liquid sewage

system effluent. The plant is most frequently used in the Philippines to make furniture, mats, and

baskets.

The products made from water hyacinth fiber have the advantage of the fiber tough and

durable properties, which could last up to 3-5 years. It could be weaved into any form which is

suitable to change according to the market trend. Currently, water hyacinth fiber has been

applied to create various products such as coaster, slippers, basket, hat, fruit tray, furniture,

handbag, and women purse. Tough yet flexible is known to be key properties of water hyacinth

stem, which is the main material used to produce water hyacinth fiber. Thanks to those

properties, water hyacinth fiber could be weaved into any form desired, with 3D weaving

technique. Natural water hyacinth fiber come in beautiful golden-brown color, yet both natural

and chemical dyes can be added to create even more colorful artifacts. Water hyacinth fiber is

also biodegradable. With a proper coating and care, water hyacinth products could live up to 3-5

years of use, however, water hyacinth fiber could be naturally disposed within a few months as

well. Nowadays water hyacinth is used for decorative purposes and it plays main role in hand

craft products like handbags, wallets, flower pots, fashion accessories, mats etc. Many creative

and decorative home furnishing products are manufactured from water hyacinth stem (Rajan et

al., 2022).

The products derived from water hyacinth plants have good market potential. They not

only have domestic market in the region but also can fetch good foreign exchange. Developing
and encouraging such ventures also aids in reducing unemployment. The products have good

popularity in exhibition stalls. Moreover, the economics of the products can be increased as these

can be produced by the unemployed women folk of the family in their leisure time. In the present

day context, when the agricultural community at large is facing the challenges of climate

challenge and global warming, such ecofriendly and bio- degradable products can contribute to

sustainable agriculture. They can also play a significant role in utilization of natural and human

resources for a better and safer tomorrow (Bhattacharjee et al., 2015).

This research will cover the ecology of water hyacinths in general and the impacts of

their invasion on particular barangays. In order to limit the spread of its detrimental effects on

people and the environment, this would encourage the sustainable management of water hyacinth

and promote going green by turning the aquatic plant into alternative handcrafted goods, which

will also be the central subject of analysis of market opportunities. Furthermore, this study will

conduct a more detailed evaluation of how specific barangays affected by the water hyacinth

infestation deal with and manage the problem, which would foster resilience and lead to longer-

lasting solutions to the problems with water hyacinth control and management.
Research Objectives

The goal of this study is to minimize the environmental threat posed by the proliferation

of water hyacinths by turning them into recycled and handcrafted goods that can be sold in the

market and benefit the selected barangays in Tarlac City who are negatively impacted by it.

 To assess the market potential and capability of water hyacinths as recycled and

handcrafted products and use them as a means of effecting environmental change.

 To find out what customers and retailers think and expect of handicrafts’ quality, design,

and marketing strategies.

 To measure the effectiveness of water hyacinth as a resourceful material.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This section of the study presents the research design, research respondents, research

locale, instruments and techniques, and data gathering procedure.

Research Design

The study will utilize a qualitative methodology in assessing the market acceptability of

water hyacinths as alternative handcrafted goods. The researchers will use a qualitative research

approach to collect primary data, specifically a combination of a questionnaire and an interview.

 Qualitative research methodology enables researchers to explore social and behavioral

issues related to public health that are not achievable with quantitative methods (plants, 2021).

Qualitative method will be used in gathering and tabulating data. In order to evaluate and

investigate people’s opinions and convictions regarding recycling water lilies, the researchers

will be able to use this method to examine the data they have collected from the respondents.

This will give them accurate and reliable data that will assist them with the study they are

conducting.

Research Respondents

Each barangay will have ten (10) respondents for the study, for a total of thirty (30)

respondents. The Tarlac City barangays that are selected are Balibago, Banaba, and Culipat.

Research Locale

The study will be conducted in Tarlac City, in which the selected barangays are located.

The chosen respondents will be given questionnaires and interviewed in their homes or any other

location close by of their choosing.

Instruments and Techniques

The researchers will use a combination of a questionnaire and an interview as their study

tools to evaluate the market acceptability of water hyacinths as alternative handcrafted goods.

The questionnaire, which is a researcher made, includes the profile of the respondents to gather
their demographic information. On the other hand, the interview will be used to identify the

opinions and sentiments of the respondents about water lilies and what they think about using

them as an alternative to handcrafted goods on the market.

Data Gathering Procedure

Once the instrument has been validated, the researchers will notify the selected

respondents about the study’s objective and verify that they meet the requirements after gaining

permission. The questionnaire will then be constructed by the researchers as well as the

interview guide. The respondents will be given a questionnaire to know about their demographic

profile, such as age and gender. After the questionnaire, they will participate in a 30- to 45-

minute in-person interview that will follow the respondents’ narration and create questions based

on their comments on that narration in order to allow for subject growth and investigation and to

guarantee accurate and thorough qualitative data. By conducting interviews with the respondents,

the researchers will learn more about their general backgrounds, any problems they encountered,

and their thoughts and opinions. The probes will target crucial topics that include the assessment

about the market acceptability of water hyacinths as alternative handcrafted goods. The data will

be assessed, interpreted, and analyzed after speaking with the respondents in an interview.
 Tarlac State University

College of Business and Accountancy

Romulo Blvd., San Vicente, Tarlac City

QUESTIONNAIRE

Dear Respondent,

We are students from the Tarlac State University, under the Bachelor of Science in

Business Administration Major in Marketing Management program, and as part of a course

requirement for the subject Marketing Research, we are working on a research paper entitled,

“Market Acceptability of Water Hyacinths as Alternative Handcrafted Goods”. May we request

to kindly answer the questions in this questionnaire. The information you provide will enable our

group to attain the purpose of the study. Thank you for your cooperation.

The Researchers

Name of Respondent (optional): ________________________________________

Section 1

The question below relates to personal data. Please check (✔) the appropriate one.
1. Gender:

Male

Female

Others (please specify): ___________________

2. Age:

18-29 years old

30-39 years old

40-49 years old

50-59 years old

60 years old and above

3. Marital Status:

Single

Married

Separated

Widowed

4. Educational Qualification:

Matriculate

Intermediate

Graduate

Post-Graduate
 Others (please specify): ___________________

5. Occupation:

Student

Service

Business

Home Maker

Others (please specify): ___________________

6. Monthly Income:

Up to 10,000 PHP

10,001 to 30,000 PHP

30,001 to 50,000 PHP

50,001 to 100,000 PHP

Section 2

These set of questions are related to Market Acceptability of Water Hyacinths as alternative

handcrafted goods. Please answer the following questions by writing your answers.

1. What do you know about water lilies?

________________________________________________________________________

2. Do you know that there are water lilies in your barangay?

________________________________________________________________________

3. What do you think are the negative effects of water lilies?

 ________________________________________________________________________

3.1 What can you do to lessen its negative impacts?

______________________________________________________________________

4. What do you think about water lilies as a handmade product?

________________________________________________________________________

4.1 What are your thoughts on handcrafted water lily goods as a market opportunity

in terms of:

4.1.1 revenue; and

__________________________________________________________________

4.1.2 employment?

__________________________________________________________________

5. Do people in your community rely on natural resources like water lilies?

_______________________________________________________________________

6. Does your community have any procedures in place for determining how water lilies

affect agricultural activities?

_______________________________________________________________________

7. Do water lilies influence the business initiative of your community?

_______________________________________________________________________

8. Do you pay attention to the news stories on water pollution that are reported?

_______________________________________________________________________

9. Do you concur that water lilies have an influence on agricultural livelihood? Why or why

not?

_______________________________________________________________________
10. Do you agree that water lilies are invasive pests? Why or why not?

_______________________________________________________________________

11. Are you aware that water lilies can be transformed into a proactive environmental

product?

_______________________________________________________________________

12. Personally, do you agree that it is necessary for water lilies to be vehemently controlled?

Why or why not?

_______________________________________________________________________

13. In your perspective, do you think it would be preferable if it were commercially utilized

so that its numbers could be efficiently reduced while also promoting economic

expansion? Why or why not?

_______________________________________________________________________

14. Do you think it would be better for the government to start using water lilies by altering

the way the local residents view the plant and making it a source of livelihood? Why or

why not?

_______________________________________________________________________