Extent of compliance of the 23 cities and municipalities in the Province of Cavite to Republic Act 9003 / by Maria Consuelo A. Esplana.

Thesis (Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science) Cavite State University.

Includes bibliographical references.

College of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Natural Resources (CAFENR)

ESPLANA, MARIA CONSUELO ALBANO. Extent of Compliance of the 23 Cities and Municipalities in the Province of Cavite to Republic Act 9003. Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science. Cavite State University, Indang, Cavite. January 2019. Adviser: Dr. Lilibeth P. Novicio.
The study was conducted from January to December 2018 in the Province of Cavite. The main objective of the study was to determine the compliance of all cities and municipalities in Cavite to Republic Act 9003. Specifically, the study aimed to: (1) determine the programs, projects, and actions taken by a city or municipality in Cavite on solid waste management in relation to RA 9003; (2) identify the local ordinances formulated and implemented in relation to RA 9003 policies per city and municipality of Cavite; (3) determine the level of compliance of each city and municipality to RA 9003; and (4) identify the problems of each LGU in managing their solid wastes and their solutions to reduce solid waste generation and disposal.
The framework for Solid Waste Management Appraisal of LGUs as adopted from the Department of Interior and Local Government's Environmental Compliance Audit (ECA 2014) was utilized as a research tool to gather key informant data. It covered the seven stages of the solid waste hierarchy: waste reduction, waste segregation, waste recycling, waste recovery, waste collection, waste treatment and transport, and waste disposal.
The 1st Objective on programs, projects, and actions taken by LGUs on solid waste management based on mandatory policies of RA 9003 was determined. Cities and municipalities have diligently complied with the Act in accomplishing institutional mechanisms, yet only half of the total 23 LGUs have formulated and implemented local policies on establishment of SWM Boards and SWM Barangay Committees. Only Municipality of Carmona had formulated the policy on creation of SWM Plans but all LGUs however, have taken action on creating each of their own SWMPs. In the Comprehensive Waste Management Policies, Municipality of Cavite is the only LGU who have provided local policy on the creation of WACS. On the other hand, all LGUs have enacted on providing their municipalities with the waste characterization study. There were several waste diversion policy formulation plans and waste diversion project plans being hemmed at the present time. Nevertheless, there are LGUs which are putting waste diversion practices in place already as well. The RA 9003 mandate to LGUs on safe closure and rehabilitation of open dumpsites was fully abided by the LGU violators and unsolicited violators of the province.
A total of 15 LGUs have either safe closed and rehabilitated the open dumpsites or on the process of rehabilitation, while others have permission contracts to convert open dumpsites into controlled dumpsites or SLFs with ecology centers. City of Gen. Trias was depicted as the most compliant LGU that has safely closed and rehabilitated its open dumpsite, with the purpose of converting it as an ecology center for the whole LGU in the near future. The mandatory waste segregation at source (SAS) policies were formulated and implemented by 9 LGUs yet only the City of General Trias and Municipality of Carmona commenced SAS practices. The "no segregation, no collection" policy were locally implemented by all LGUs. However, there were only 11 cities and municipalities which X
have been practicing separated waste collection (SC). 14 LGUs have provided their municipalities with transfer stations. Seven LGUs have waste recycling policies while 19 LGUs have established central MRFs and all LGUs have installed MRFs in each barangays. Presence of waste recycling practices can be seen almost in every LGU (17) through buy back centers, waste exchange programs, and markets for recyclable wastes. Waste composting is actually categorized by LGUs as part of their waste reduction policies and action programs. Despite the lack of local policies formulated, most LGUs have provided their municipalities with adequate area for composting and have even encouraged backyard composting to residents. Several LGUs have energy from waste recovery, of which include biogas production while others are converting waste into charcoal briquettes and compost fertilizers. Waste treatment and storage/disposal of household hazardous/special wastes and disposal facilities are still impossible for most LGUs in the province to achieve since only a few have given concern to treat wastes through third party contractors and most LGUS have not given any thought of formulating any policy concerning hazardous and special waste treatment from households.
There was absence of local policies on the establishment of common waste management facilities, also known as ecology centers. However, 6 LGUs have established central waste management facilities, while City of Tagaytay have provided small eco-centers in barangays.
The cities of Imus, Dasmariñas, and Trece Martires are directly dropping collected wastes off their processing facilities for recovery and recycling. These cities have LGU-owned disposal facilities, while the rest of the LGUs are in contract with a third party disposal facility. The incorporation of formulated and implemented local ordinances to actions on programs and projects of LGU and as Objective 2 of this study, brought out the reality that most policies formulated and implemented were actually about penal provisions on anti-littering, followed by establishing institutional mechanisms, and waste recycling programs. Ironically, a number of local policies were also formulated in segregated waste collection pertaining to "no segregation, no collection policy" of the Act, with which only less than half of LGUs have initiated actions to.
Only a few have implemented local policies on mandatory waste segregation at source. Objective 3 of the study has determined the extent of compliance of each city and municipality to RA 9003 resulting to Municipality of Carmona being the most compliant LGU in Cavite Province with a rate of 22 points and Municipality of Amadeo earned the lowest compliance rate with 12 out of the total 32 points. The absence of central waste management facility for further diversions of wastes, lack of household hazardous/special waste treatment facilities, lack of transfer station, littering, safe closure and rehabilitation of dumpsites, and local policy formulation were the factors that affected the latter's weight of compliance level. Problems and issues (Objective 4) of LGUs are mostly based on general implementation of municipal waste management processes, awareness campaigns, and establishment of facilities. Financial costs on solid waste programs such as collection and transport of wastes have become an expensive SWM activity. The fear of some LGUs regarding lack of final waste disposal facility, which may pave ways to illegal waste dumping is now being realized by these LGUs. The need for improving recycling and composting activities and facilities are cited in some LGU SWM facilities. Penal provisions on littering, open burning, and collection of mixed wastes are still additional problems that LGUs cannot find solutions to. Issues on institutional mechanisms regarding weak LGU capacities to carry out SWM activities, lack in strength to institutionalize partnerships between barangay leaders and their stakeholders in building cooperatives for livelihood programs, political conflict, lack of cooperation due to differences of opinion, and personal ambition still reign among the LGUs of Cavite. In addition, there are LGUs which still lack technical expertise in delivering SWM programs through the use of scientific approaches related to hazardous and special wastes.

Submitted to the University Library 02/10/2020 T-8766