ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The author of this paper would like to extend her heartfelt gratitude and sincere appreciation to the following people who in such many ways contributed a lot to the success and improvement of this study.

Thanks to her parents, Mama Remy and Papa Arnold for the financial support and for being always there to encourage the author to pursue this study. To her siblings, Ate Che che, Kuya Arnold and Reynold for their unending support, love, care and understanding made this paper also successful.

Thanks to her honourable thesis adviser, Dr. Sonnie A. Vedra for the enlightenment, time and understanding the results of the study making it clearer and organized and for the bone-sucking pieces of advice for the author to be more motivated throughout the duration of this paper, for trustfully letting the author borrow his GPS and for always reminding that time is no longer our friend during the conduct of the study.

Thanks to her honourable panel members, Prof. Magdalena D. Dulay and Prof. Maria Alma D. Quiao for the criticism, suggestions, shared ideas, and guidance for the format of the paper and for the constructive means of developing her academic career.

Thanks to the officials and residents of Brgys. Kamelon and Aluna, and to the Initao MPDO, who had contributed much in the completion of this paper.

Thanks to Fronteras Printing for their satisfying and excellent services for the printing of this paper.

Thanks to the MSU Naawan faculty and staff, headed by Chancellor Proserpina G. Roxas and to the MSU Naawan Research Department, headed by Dr. Elnor C. Roa and Ma’am Amy for the analyses of water quality, Dr. Gil J. Lumasag for trustfully letting the author to borrow the field sampling equipment where laboratory works were conducted.

To Sarah and her family, Fred, Jo Ann, Jepoy, Hared, Adrian, Alfrancis, Memeng, Shingkai, Kriza, Pikot and other colleagues, friends, and students of MSU Naawan, for the assistance shared throughout the duration