Evaluation of Peoples Awarenesss and Adoption on Solid Waste Managemnet in San Juan, Southern Leyte

Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
It is hereby declared the policy of the state to adopt a systematic, comprehensive and ecological solid waste management program which shall ensure the proper segregation, collection, transport, storage, treatment and disposal of solid waste through the formulation and adoption of the best environmental practice in ecological waste management. (R.A. 9003, Sec. 2, d.)
Preparation and implementation of waste management programs shall be required of all provinces, cities and municipalities. A provision of existing plans affecting the development, use and protection of air, water or natural resources shall be considered. (Presidential Decree 1152, Sec. 43, d.)
Strength the integration of ecological solid waste management and resource conservation and recovery topics into the academic curricula of formal and non-formal education in order to promote environmental awareness and action among the citizenry. (R.A. 9003, Sec. 2, j)
The state shall protect and advance the right of the people to a balance and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature. The state also recognizes the principles that “polluters must pay”. Finally, the state recognizes that a clean and healthy environment is for the good of all and should therefore be the concern of all. (R.A. 8749, Sec.2)
People have always preferred to settle along bodies of water because these provide them with food, livelihood, transportation, and entertainment. Companies have also built their factories, offices, and trading warehouses along rivers, lakes, and bays because these provide easy access to transportation and free dumping place for industrial effluents. The influx of people and industries near these bodies of water has given rise to extreme pollution, and clogging, and to the obstruction of the water. The abused and misused waterways have exacted their own revenge on their abusers: they swell up during downpours, drowning people and destroying homes and crops and infrastructure; they emit sickening stench and harmful gases; and they harbor germs and vermin that make people very sick, even die. (Clogged and Reeking Creek: Who is to Blame? Casimiro B. Juarez Jr., et. Al)
Solid waste over the past thirty years, has remained the most visible, and silently dangerous, environmental problem in the country. The indiscriminate throwing of garbage contaminates our waters, with clogged drains open for insect breeding which brings about diseases targeting our children. (Managing Solid Waste in the Philippines: The Dirty Business) Observe improper management of solid waste creates health problems such as typhoid, dysentery, cholera, paratyphoid and dengue fever. (Pfeffer, 1992) Littering of solid waste or the practice of throwing waste on the unpaved streets, roadways, and vacant lands lead to the breeding of rats with their attendant flies carrying bubonic plague. (Tchobanoglous, et. al. 1993)
Solid wastes are washed out on the coast in obvious and visible form which is if not properly treated could further fuse threats to lives of the people residing nearby. The improper solid waste disposal is one of the major factors / causes of water pollution - which is a growing health threat among the nations. These solid wastes generated from the most populated areas.
Public bus terminals and public markets are one of the major generators and contributors of solid waste materials threatening the coastal resources.
This study focuses on the evaluation of the constraints of ecological solid waste management program in public bus terminals and public markets in the municipality of Sogod, Southern Leyte which is located in its coastal areas.

Statement of the Problem
The main aim of the study is to evaluate the Solid Waste Management awareness in the Coastal Public Market and Bus Terminal of Sogod, Southern Leyte. In order to facilitate the evaluation, there are objectives that need to consider such as:
1. to identify the Solid Waste Management ordinances implemented in the coastal public market and public bus terminal of Sogod, Southern Leyte;
2. to assess the level of Solid Waste Management awareness and adaptation of the Solid Waste Management players ( Law/Policy makers, Law enforcers, establishment, vehicles and passengers) in Sogod, Southern Leyte;
3. to evaluate the identified canal waterways from public bus terminal and public market of Sogod, Southern Leyte that flow to its coastal waters;
4. to formulate suggestions to improve awareness and adaptation of solid waste management program in Sogod, Southern Leyte.

Statement of Hypotheses
HO1: There is significance in the ordinances implemented in coastal public markets and public bus terminals of Sogod, Southern Leyte.
HO2: There is a significant correlation among Solid Waste Management key players in terms of awareness and adaptation of Solid Waste Management Program.
HO3: there is a significant volume of solid wastes thrown in the identified canal waterways from public bus terminal and public market of Sogod, Southern Leyte that flow to its coastal waters.

Significance of the Study This study will be a significant attempt in promoting the adaptation of a systematic, comprehensive and ecological solid waste management program which shall ensure the proper segregation, collection, transport, storage, treatment and disposal of solid waste through the formulation and implementation of ordinances and adoption of the best environmental practice in ecological waste management in coastal public market and public bus terminal of Sogod, Southern Leyte. This study aims to increase awareness and adaptation of solid waste management program in order to prevent damage on the coastal waters of Sogod, Southern Leyte.
The output of this research will provide recommendations and suggestions on how to improve the awareness and adaptation solid waste management program in the coastal municipality of Sogod, Southern Leyte. And importantly, this research will educate people in the proper ecological solid waste management fulfilling its responsibility to the environment and community.

Research Paradigm

Scope and Limitation
The study focuses on the evaluation of ecological solid waste management program in all coastal public market and bus terminal in Southern Leyte. Solid waste here refers to the solid waste that is under government responsibility. It evaluates specifically, into the solid waste coming from the coastal public market and bus terminal in Southern Leyte, namely; San Juan, Saint Bernard, Sogod, Lilo-an, Padre Burgos, and Maasin, the ordinances and its implementation in each municipality.

Definition of Terms For the purpose of the study, the following terms are conceptually and operationally defined. Solid Waste Management
Solid Waste Management key players
Solid Waste Management Program
Bus Terminal - a terminal that serves bus passengers. A station where transport vehicles load and unload goods.( http://www.thefreedictionary.com ). In this study, it refers to the coastal place in Southern Leyte where buses stop to pick up and drop off passengers.
Coastal Areas - an area of land that is affected in various ways by its closeness to the sea together with the area of sea that is affected by being close to human activities on and from the land. (http://www.science-dictionary.com) In this study, it pertains to the areas in the municipalities of Southern Leyte where the land next to the sea; seashore, that are usual to the disposal of solid waste.
Ordinance - An authorative rule: an order, decree or law of municipal body.(The New International Webster’s Dictionary Thesaurus of the English Language).In this study, it refers to the authorative rule or order in the different coastal municipalities in Southern Leyte, about ecological solid waste management.
Public Markets – are markets, in public spaces, where independent merchants can sell their products to the public. Typical products sold at public markets include fresh produce, meats and various other food items and crafted goods. (http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org). In this study, it refers to the coastal municipal markets in Southern Leyte.
Population - the whole number of people in a place or given area. (The New International Webster’s Dictionary Thesaurus of the English Language) In this study, it pertains to the total number of people living in the coastal municipalities of Southern Leyte.
Solid Waste - Solid wastes are any discarded (abandoned or considered waste-like) materials. It can be solid, liquid, and semi-solid or containerized gaseous material. (http://www.dec.ny.gov). In this study, it refers to the unnecessary materials that were being disposed in the seashore of the coastal municipalities in Southern Leyte.

Chapter II
Review of Related of Literature
Republic Act 8749, Sec 2 stated that the “state shall protect and advance the right of the people to a balance and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature. The state also recognizes that a clean and healthy environment is for the good of all and should therefore be the concern of all”. R.A. 9003, Sec. 2, j mandates to “strengthen the integration of ecological solid waste management and resource conservation and recovery topics into the academic curricula of formal and non-formal education in order to promote environmental awareness and action among the citizenry”. In Sec. 49 of Presidential Decree 1152, it states that “dumping or disposal of solid wastes into the sea and any body of water in the Philippines, including shorelines and river banks, where these wastes are likely to be washed into the water is prohibited.” And Sec. 44 states that “Each province, city or municipality shall provide measures to facilitate the collection, transportation, processing and disposal of waste within its jurisdiction in coordination with other government agencies concerned.”
This study intends to evaluate the implementation of the Ecological Solid Waste Management in all coastal Public Markets and Bus Terminals in Southern Leyte; to identify the different ordinances implemented; how these ordinances being implemented; the significant role by numbers and location of trash cans in the implementation ecological solid waste management; and its impacts in the environment as well as in economy.
Finding answers to the following objectives would lead this study to prevent further damages to life as well as the preservation of our natural resources by educating the people in the proper solid waste management fulfilling its responsibility to the environment especially in the coastal municipalities of Southern Leyte.
According to Casimiro B. Juarez Jr., et. Al (2010), people have always preferred to settle along bodies of water because these provide them with food, livelihood, transportation, and entertainment. The continual coming in of people and industries near these bodies of water has given rise to extreme pollution, and clogging, and to the obstruction of the water. Stated in an article “Managing Solid Waste in the Philippines: The Dirty Business” (2007) that the indiscriminate throwing of garbage contaminates our waters, with clogged drains open for insect breeding which brings about diseases targeting our children. According to Pfeffer (1992), observed improper management of solid waste creates health problems such as typhoid, dysentery, cholera, paratyphoid and dengue fever.
Mckenzie (1992) pointed out that on some environmental problems, not enough is known for effective action. In too many cases, a problem has been attacked without concern for its relationship with other problems. This is true since environmental problem could only be solved by examining all interrelated aspects that have bearing on the problem. For example, the plastic littering on the shoreline could not just be solved through routine clean-up in the shoreline area if no further action on the problem is to be taken; the clean-up drive continually be done without actually solving the problem. To solve this kind of environmental problem, the root cause should be addressed.
R.A. 8749, Sec.2 states that “the state shall protect and advance the right of the people to a balance and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature. Finally, the state recognizes that a clean and healthy environment is for the good of all and should therefore be the concern of all.”

The mandates of our existing Environmental Laws; Republic Act 9003, Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000; Republic Act 8749, Philippine Clear Act of 1999; and Presidential Decree 1152, Philippine Environmental Code, are the bases of this study. As part of the curricula of Southern Leyte State University (San Juan), Student should conduct research in their corresponding fields of specializations and interests in order to contribute to the solutions of present issues of the school and the community. This study on “Evaluation of Ecological Solid Waste Management in all Coastal Public Markets and Bus Terminals in Southern Leyte” specifically intends to: identify the different ordinances implemented; how these ordinances being implemented; the significant role by numbers and location of trash cans in the implementation ecological solid waste management; and its impacts in the environment as well as in economy. The coastal Public Markets and Public Bus Terminals which are subjects of this study are: Maasin, Padre Burgos, Sogod, Liloan, Saint Bernard, and San Juan. Mandated on P. D. 1152, Sec. 44 that “Each province, city or municipality shall provide measures to facilitate the collection, transportation, processing and disposal of waste within its jurisdiction in coordination with other government agencies concerned.” This study envisions on contributing to the prevention of further damage to life as well as the protection and conservation of our natural resources, specifically in Southern Leyte. The success of Solid Waste Management programs’ implementations in the coastal municipalities of Southern Leyte would also be the success of the Philippines, our beloved country.