Engaging Communities in Looc, Lapulapu City in Solid Waste
Management Planning and Implementation: A Learning ExampleEmma
Irene M. Mende, MForSt., RPF Engr. Andres E. Muego, Msc., C.E.,
EnvP. Rey O. Nunez, RPFMaster of Science in Environmental
Management -University of Southern Philippines Foundation Inc.,
(MSEM-USPF)
INTRODUCTION This project is under the auspices of SEAUEMA,
which is a collaborative effort between the Canadian International
Development Agency (CIDA) and Asian Institute of Technology (AIT)
Primarily, aside from the growing problem of solid wastes, RA 9003
inspired the conceptualization and implementation of this
project.
INTRODUCTION Specifically, this was borne out of the premise
that: a) solid waste problem requires a concerted effort between
the local government unit and the waste producers such as the
households, industries, etc. ; b) waste issues and problems are
seemingly unique to every area and thus it is best to do address
them locally;
INTRODUCTIONc) there is better community cooperation if members
of the larger community are involved in planning and implementation
Hence, the conceptualization and implementation of this
project.
OBJECTIVESGeneral Provide a learning experience to looc,
Lapulapu City barangay government officials and its constituents
particularly purok leaders and women health workers in solid waste
management planning and implementation.
OBJECTIVESSpecific Facilitate drafting of 5-year solid waste
management plan in Looc, Lapulapu City, Philippines; and Document
approaches and processes in solid waste management planning and
implementation.
The Project Area its location, area and purok distribution Brgy.
Looc is an urban Brgy. that lies at the center of the City (Figure
1 and 2). It has a land area of 104.30 ha It has five sitios and 16
puroks with its own political boundary and elected community
leaders
site
PROJECT SITE
Fig. 2. LOCATION OF THE PROJECT AREA
Profile of the area Looc is classified as urban/ commercial area
as per approved CLUP of Lapulapu City Population count in 2006 was
12,401 distributed in 2082 households with an average of 5 persons
per household Population density is 119 persons per ha
Project Implementation and Documented Learning Experiences PHASE
1- SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLANNING 1. Social Preparation a)
Establishing relationships with different actors entry to LGU and
larger community were done simultaneously b) Re-activating the
Brgy. Solid Waste Management Committee
PHASE 1 SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLANNINGESTABLISHING
RELATIONSHIPS WITH DIFFERENT ACTORS
REFLECT What are the implications ? What went wrong?
JAR team went to exposure trip cum planning
REFLECT What are the implications? What went wrong?
JAR team went to exposure trip cum planning
- Initially suspicious OBSERVE - the process took What was the
reaction longer than of the Brgy . officials expected because
election was approaching
PLAN How to establish relationship with Brgy . Council
JAR team meeting cum planning on approaches and strategies
Most pressing issues obtained through consultations and visits
in community
OBSERVE What were the most pressing issues in the community
PLAN How to establish relationship with larger community
members
JAR team mee cum planning o approaches an strategies
ACT Courtesy visit to local brgy . officials and explained to
them the project
- Sent letter of introduction - Courtesy visit to Brgy. Captain
- Dinner meeting with Brgy , Council members - JAR team attendance
in monthly Council meetings
ACT Held community consultations in 16 puroks
- Series of community consultations which served as preplanning
also
Output 1 and 3 Community entry and community consultations cum
pre -planning activities
Continuation social preparation Entry at the Brgy. LGU level
How, when and what happened? Why? - The 1st three months was
considered a courtship or trust-building stage. This was done
through letters and attendance in council meetings. - JAR team
introduced the project as an initiative that would facilitate the
Brgy in performing its mandate in RA 9003 and not as a research
project - JAR team experienced difficulty /resistance
Continuation social preparation Entry to larger community -
started on 2nd month. - Series of community consultations were done
to identify problems and issues on solid waste management including
information on waste service needs of the community
Community Consultation Meetings
Waste burning
Some of the waste related issues
Uncollected wastes
Clogging of canals
Continuation social preparation- During community consultations
the JAR team explained the purpose of the project and sought their
cooperation in solid waste management planning and implementation.
- Community consultations became venue also for solid waste
management campaign
Project Implementation and Documented Learning Experiences-
Waste Characterization and HH surveyREFLECT Based on the
information obtained , what should be the next step?
- Weight and volume per capita waste computed classifying high,
medium and low-income waste production - Socio-economic information
including household waste management practices
JAR team meeting to discuss the next steps: waste
characterization survey and survey on household waste management
practices
OBSERVE What were relevant information obtained
PLAN How to go about waste characterization and survey on gender
role on waste management
- Met with EcoGov team and undertake planning to draft
questionnaire and reach consensus on approaches
Data tabulation and analysis and initial discussions
ACT Conducted the waste characterization study and survey on
gender role on waste management
- Waste characterization conducted ahead of survey. Community
members were used tapped waste collectors while Barangay Health
Workers were tapped as enumerators
Output 2 Undertaking waste characterization study and survey on
household waste management practices
Project Implementation and Documented Learning Experiences2.
Waste Characterization and Survey on Household Waste Management
Practices Some of the highlights : - Community members were tapped
as waste collectors, 14 collectors, 2 men and 12 women - Brgy.
Health Workers (all women) were tapped as enumerators to conduct
survey (socio-economic and household waste management
practices)
Continuation waste characterizationTable 1. Current Waste
Generation of Households in Looc, Lapulapu City, 2006 Income Level
Waste Production (kg.) Daily waste Generated (kg./day)waste
produced per household (kg./hh/day)
Per Capita (kg/day)
Low Middle High Total
14908.59 16254.9 16414.76 47578.25
496.95 541.83 547.16 1585.94
0.9 1.33 1.96
0.18 0.27 0.39
* Classification was not based at the national level but rather
determined by JAR team only
Continuation Highlights of the survey Socio-economic Profile -
Respondents were mostly males and were non-degree holders - Ages of
most respondents ranged from 3060 - Most of the respondents annual
HH income was less than 100 thousand
ContinuationHH solid waste management- Almost all respondents
believed that segregation is a good practice but when asked if they
practice it, only few (30%) said yes. - Burning was highly
practiced in the area. - More female members were involved in waste
segregation - More women were still involved in waste disposal than
men but latters participation improved in this activity. The same
with waste segregation, individual family members involvement in
waste disposal has gender consideration.
Available solid waste mgt. support - Waste collection but
irregular
Re-activating the BSWMCREFLECT Is it high time to engage the
BSWMC in strategic planning and initial drafting of BSWM plan?
- JAR team reflecting re : engaging the BSWMC and larger
community in planning and drafting of BSWM plan
OBSERVE How did the BSWMC accept the reactivation of committee
as driven by project
PLAN How to strongly pushed re -activation of Brgy . Solid Waste
Management Committee
- Continuous follow -up in council meetings regarding re
-activation of BSWM committee
- Observed the BSWM Committee members dyanamics
ACT Set meetings for the BSWMC
- BSWM committee meeting conducted
Output 2 Re-activating the BSWM Committee
Continuation Re-activating3. Reactivating the BSWMC BSWMC which
is composed of representatives from different sectors did not
function since its creation; hence reactivated Reactivation took
longer than expected because of some political differences within
the council Several meeting postponements
Strategic planning and initial drafting of the SWMPREFLECT What
needs to be done further to come up with realistic plan?
- Reflecting on NEXT STEPS
- BSWMC, the Brgy. Captain and community working together
OBSERVE Did the participants actively participate
PLAN How to go about strategic planning and partial drafting of
BSWM plan?
- JAR team prepared forthe strategic planning partial drafting
of BSWM plan
ACT Conducted the strategic planning and partial drafting of
BSWM plan with greater community participation
- BWM Committee and purok leaders involved in strategic planning
and partiall drafting of BSWM plan
Output 5 Solid waste management planning and initial drafting of
the solid waste management plan
Continuation strategic planning4. Strategic planning and initial
drafting of the BSWM plan Results of the survey and waste
characterization were presented for validation during strategic
planning and initial drafting of the plan. Data were used as input
in planning Participants were mostly women.
Strategic planning
Continuation strategic planninga). Vision We envision a
progressive community whose residents respect God above all,
demonstrate self-discipline and live in a clean surroundings
through proper management of waste b). Mission We will work
together in educating the community on proper waste management and
find resources to achieve our vision c). Goals To implement the
Barangay Solid Waste Management Plan for a clean and healthy
environment To manage solid waste problems in the barangay by
focusing on reduction, reuse, recycling and recovery of waste
materials generated from households
Drafting of the BSWM Plan- The BSWMC reviewed the drafted plan -
The JAR team and other USP-MSEM faculty reviewed the planOBSERVE Is
the plan substantive? Are there other things to improve? REFLECT
What preparations to make for the BSWM plan to be adopted ?
The JAR team discussed as to how to proceed with completing the
draft
PLAN How to go about finishing the drafting of the plan ?
- JAR team collated the initiallydrafted BSWM plan
- BSWMC, the Brgy. Captain and community working together
ACT Conducted series of writeshop to complete the plan
- BSWM Committee, purok leaders , BHWorkers, industry
representatives participated in writeshop
Output 5 Drafting of the solid waste management plan
Drafting of the BSWM Plan5. Drafting of the BSWM plan Highlights
of the BSWM plan - The Five-Year Work Plan - Funding options a)
private companies operating in the area b) other personalities 6.
Adopting the BSWM Plan
Adopting the BSWM Plan- The JAR team went over with the plan and
integrated suggestions of the members of the Brgy . CouncilOBSERVE
Are there things needed polishing as per suggestions / comments of
the Brgy. Counci members REFLECT What is the next step
The JAR team discussed with the Brgy. Captain regarding adoption
of plan in the Brgy.
PLAN How to ensure that the BSWM plan will be adopted by the
council?
- JAR team polished the plan inpreparation of its adoption by
the Brgy. Council
ACT Conducted special Brgy, Council session to approve the BSWM
plan
- JAR team provided members of the council copies of the draft
BSWM plan two weeks before the planned session
Output 6 Adoption of the solid waste management plan
Project Implementation and Documented Learning Experiences PHASE
2 SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IMPLEMENTATION - Presentation of the BSWM
Plan to the larger members of the community through general
assembly meeting
Presenting the BSWM plan- The JAR team went over with the plan
and integrated suggestions of the members of the Brgy .
CouncilREFLECT What to do to fully implement the plan ?
The JAR team discussed with the Brgy. Captain regarding
presentation of the plan to the general public
OBSERVE How did the members of the community accept the plan
?
PLAN How to present the plan to the general public ? Who shall
make the presentation ?
- JAR team polished the plan inpreparation of its adoption by
the Brgy. Council
ACT Conducted a general assembly meeting to present the plan to
larger members of the community
- JAR team provided members of the council copies of the draft
BSWM plan two weeks before the planned session
Presentation of the solid waste management plan as initial step
to implementation
What will happen after this???
LESSONS LEARNED:1. The learning-by-doing exercise improved the
capability of the brgy. council and members of the larger community
to undertake planning. 2. Solid waste management becomes a priority
project of the Brgy because of the implementation of this JAR
initiative. 3. Social preparation is a crucial step in solid waste
management planning and implementation. 4. A project that is seen
to address an important need generates community support. Also,
planning at the purok level would improve community participation
and cooperation.
LESSONS LEARNED:5. Purok level community consultations provided
members of the larger community an avenue to ventilate issues
affecting them such as waste, health and sanitation. 6. Bringing
the Brgy. Council and members of the community in one venue such as
in pulongpulong promotes cohesiveness which is essential in any
initiative 7. Solid waste management plan provides mechanism to
source out funds from personalities and government officials (e.g.
congressman)
LESSONS LEARNED:8. Providing in-kind or small incentives to
community cooperators was important in keeping their energies high.
The opportunity lost from participating in the activity must be
compensated in other ways. 9. Rule of thumb is never bypass local
officials otherwise your project can not move forward. Hence, the
JAR team exercised patience in dealing with council members. 10.
barangay ownership of the plan must be emphasized to encourage
council and community support
LESSONS LEARNED:11. Utilizing Women Barangay Health Workers as
enumerators proved useful as they have better understanding of the
area and thus can provide better explanation re: context of the
information gathered. 12. Other provisions of RA 9003 such as MRF
is impossible to comply at least for Looc, Lapulapu City because of
space limitation.
LIMITATIONS:1. Poor timing in project implementation.2. Election
fever. Election season affected the project implementation.
Courtship with the Brgy. took longer than expected. There were
several postponements of activities because of the election. The
project was thought of a disguise so that the Governor who is a
political enemy of the Mayor can obtain entry in the community
through its small gatherings.
LIMITATIONS:3. There was also initial resistance of the brgy.
council because (a) they lack the technical knowledge in solid
waste management planning and (b) they have no funding. 4.
Availability of council members. Some council members are full time
employees also thus, there were difficulties in ascertaining their
availability.
RECOMMENDATIONS: The formulation of the SWMP has been completed,
there is a need to test its applicability in the community and see
how it works with the financial support from private companies and
the city government of Lapu-lapu City. Brgy. Council or at least
some of the members should be trained to be equipped with the
capability to source out funds not just by mere preparation of a
resolution or solicitation letter