An Environmental Assessment of Solid Waste

Management in Barangay Caniogan, City of Malolos,

Bulacan
Miguel Christian B. Miranda
Industrial Engineering Department
Bulacan State University, City of Malolos, Bulacan
Email: miguelchristianmiranda@gmail.com

Abstract. In the Philippines, waste management has become a major problem. It can be
observed in most of the barangays in every municipality and it is because of the lenient or
mild implementation of proper waste disposal and of course, the lack of self-discipline of
every individual. The lack of resources, especially when it comes to advanced technologies,
greatly affects the support in waste management activities. With this context, the researcher
conducted an environmental assessment in the Barangay Caniogan, City of Malolos,
Bulacan which is populated with 6,220 people. In the said barangay, garbage disposal and
segregation of wastes are the two main problems. The researcher used a random sampling
to 80 respondents from different households. Based on the gathered data by the researcher,
it is evident that the lack of knowledge regarding solid waste management and proper waste
disposal greatly affects the environment. It is recommended that more seminars or activities
must be conducted by the barangay officials regarding environmental topics to solve
environmental issues and problems. It is also recommended that barangay officials must
find a different location of the waste disposal area because it is presently located beside a
creek that causes some of the garbages falling into the waters that causes water pollution.

Keywords: solid waste, proper disposal, garbage, awareness

1. INTRODUCTION the useless, unwanted, and discarded material

According to Conserve Energy Future, the process of
treating solid wastes and offers variety of solutions
for recycling items that do not belong to trash is
called waste management. It also refers to how
garbage can be turned into a valuable resource and it
is one of the things that every household in a
community needs.
resulting from day to day activities in the community.
Solid waste management, as they defined, is the
discipline associated with the control of generation,
storage, collection, transfer, processing and disposal
of solid waste. According to Weiner and Matthews
(2003), disposal of solid wastes is defined as
placement of the waste so that it no longer impacts
society or the environment.

In the Philippines, waste management has become a
major problem. It can be observed in most of the
barangays in every municipality and it is because of
the lenient or mild implementation of proper waste
disposal and of course, the lack of self-discipline of
every individual. The lack of resources, especially
when it comes to advanced technologies, greatly
affects the support in waste management activities.
The significant increase of waste generated in urban
cities were caused by the rapid population growth,
urbanization, and modernization in the country and
this condition has resulted to both environmental and
health problems because of the inability of both local
and national governments in implementing proper
waste management due to lack of financial, human
and technical resources (Kojima and Michida, 2011).

According to Aldrin Plaza in a report of Inquirer,
there were about 35,000 tons of municipal solid
wastes generated by the Philippines daily, and more
than 8,600 tons per day in Metro Manila alone. Plaza
gave it a point that the 2000 Ecological Solid Waste
Management Act had been given efforts to address
the challenge.
In waste management of every barangay or
municipality, one of the main components is the solid
waste. Mishra et al. (2014) stated that solid waste is
1
With this context, the researcher conducted an
environmental assessment in the Barangay Caniogan,
City of Malolos, Bulacan. The said barangay is
populated with 6,220 people consisting of all ages
and different statuses in the community.
Through the use of knowledge in Environmental
Engineering, this study has been possible.
Environmental Engineering, as defined by
ScienceDaily, is the application of science and
engineering principles to improve the environment
(air, water, and/or land resources), to provide
healthful water, air, and land for human habitation
and for other organisms, and to remediate polluted
sites.
1.1 Problem Statement
The Philippines is still facing major problems in
garbage disposal despite the passage of the
Ecological Solid Waste Management Act or the RA
9003. This law has provisions for the solid waste
reduction and the avoidance through methods like
recycling and composting. The lack of action in
garbage contributes to the negative effects
experienced not just by the environment but mainly
by people. The mismanagement of wastes has serious
environmental consequences like ground and water
contamination, flooding, air pollution, and the spread
of diseases.
In Barangay Caniogan, these problems are not new.
Instead these problems presently exist in the
community.
Figure 1 Front view of the garbage disposal site in
Brgy. Caniogan
Figure 2 Wastes inside the garbage disposal site in
Brgy. Caniogan
2
Figure 3 Back view of the garbage disposal site in
Brgy. Caniogan
Though the barangay has its own garbage disposal
site, it is evident that there is no proper waste
segregation. This lack of action contributes to the
stress experienced by the municipal garbage
collectors.
It can also be seen in figure 4 that the wastes fall
down to the creek which also contributes to the water
pollution. The officials are aware of this issue but are
planning to relocate the site because the said site is
privately owned.
Through the interview conducted by the researcher to
the incumbent barangay chairwoman, it is known that
every household has waste segregation and the
garbage is collected almost every day. Though there
is a proper collection of waste in every household,
the wastes which are disposed in the garbage site are
not properly segregated.
1.2 Objective of the Study
The main purpose of this study is to perform an
environmental assessment and analysis to help the
Barangay Caniogan in solid waste management and
proper waste disposal. The following supports the
main objective of the study:
 To determine the main problems on the
barangay’s solid waste management
 To ascertain the proper approaches to solve
municipal solid waste problems
 To determine how much of the population of
the barangay are aware of the waste
management of their community
 To document the features of the barangay’s
solid waste management structure, operation
systems and treatment methods to give
awareness to the community
1.3 Rationale of the Study
The environmental awareness alone is a major factor
in helping the community to build a better, cleaner,
and healthier environment. This study would not only
give awareness but would assess and analyze the
problems in the Barangay Caniogan, City of Malolos
and would give recommendations, through the help
of Environmental Engineering, on how to solve the
problems in waste management that the barangay is
facing. Such problems involve improper waste
disposal, and the burning and dumping of waste in
unauthorized areas. In line with the study’s
objectives, the following stakeholders will benefit
from this study:
The barangay officials. With this study, the officials
would have a wider sense of responsibility regarding
the environmental issues which are commonly
neglected by every local government units. This
study will help them to desire in achieving a cleaner
barangay.
The people living in Brgy. Caniogan. The people
would have awareness with the environmental
problems their barangay is facing. And with this
awareness, the people would have a deeper concern
in helping the whole community through
environmental activities. This awareness and concern
would lead to a healthier environment.
The environment itself. The environment is the
largest stakeholder of this study because a small
community can greatly affect the whole environment.
With the positive results in conducting this study, it
would be passed on to these different stakeholders.
1.4 Scope and Limitation
The study focused only on solid waste management
and proper waste disposal and the effects of these
activities in Barangay Caniogan, City of Malolos,
Bulacan. The researcher conducted a random survey
to 80 respondents (at most 3 in every household) in
the barangay. This study is conducted during the 1st
semester of the academic year 2018-2019.
2. RELATED STUDIES
Shimada and Pagunsan (2012) stated in their study
that solid waste management tends to be more
complex and costly which can aggravate the threat in
the environment and health of the human civilization
globally. To attain sustainability in a more globalized
society, comprehensive assessment over the issue is
needed.
The Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, when
enacted, caused the higher education institutions
(CHED or the Commission on Higher Education)
and state universities and colleges (SUCs) to
incorporate ecological waste management in the
school system (Gequinto, 2016). In the study
conducted by Gequinto, solid waste management
practices are implemented to a great extent. Such
practices include waste collection which got the
highest composite mean. While waste recycling and
waste treatment obtained the lowest composite mean.
According to Dela Corte (2005) cited by Nery et al.
(2015), the objectives of solid waste management are
to control, collect, utilize, process, and dispose solid
wasted in the most economical way consistent with
national legislations and ordinances. Municipal Solid
Waste is composed of both biodegradable and non-
biodegradable domestic wastes from households.
Such wastes include paper, plastic, scrap metals,
organic and non-organic matter, glass, and rubber
materials. Solid waste generation in the Philippines
especially in urban areas became alarming because of
the limited areas wherein this type of waste could be
safely disposed.
3
Valkenburg et al. (2008), as also cited by Nery et al.
(2015), stated that waste is generated by and from
different sectors like domestic, commercial,
Industrial and others. The wastes from these sources
are highly heterogeneous in nature and have variable
physical characteristics and the heterogeneity of the
generated waste is a major setback in its utilization as
a raw material.
In the study conducted by Gador (2009) in 72
barangays and 78 micro, small, and medium
enterprise/industries of the three districts of Davao
City, the result of the survey used revealed that the
top five (5) wastes generated were plastics, paper,
food and kitchen wastes, and metals. Also, less than 5
tons of organic and inorganic wastes were generated
weekly. In disposal treatment technologies,
segregation/sorting, dumping at dumpsites,
composting, selling, reuse and recycling were used.
In overall analysis and conclusion, the technical,
financial, and organizational & management factors
were involved in the solid waste management
practices in Davao City.
The study of Moya (2013) in 1,740 key informants in
Catbalogan City, Samar showed that the average
resident waste generated per day was 0.66 kilogram
and an estimated 77.24 tons of solid waste are
generated per day. The 69% of the waste composition
in the city were organic matter or composed of
kitchen/food waste followed by plastics. It is
recommended in the study that the local government
of should seriously undertake material resource
recovery and recycling programs and that the local
government unit should also provide technical
facilities, intensive awareness campaign and strict
implementation of RA 9003 or the Ecological Solid
Waste Management Act.
3. METHODOLOGY
3.1 Conceptual Framework
The conceptual framework is shown in
figure 4.
3.2 Data Collection and Sampling Method
To meet the researcher’s objectives of the
study, a survey was created to determine if the
citizens are aware of the environmental activities in
the barangay and how they would rate the present
problems the barangay is facing.
Barangay Caniogan, City of Malolos,
Bulacan has a total population of 6,220 as of
November 2018. The researcher used a random
sampling to 80 respondents from different
households (at most 3 from every household) to
answer the questionnaires.
4
 INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

START

Observation Environmental problems

Preliminary assessment
Related Literature and in the barangay especially
Studies in solid waste
management
Survey Data gathering The awareness of the
Interview citizens about SWM in the
barangay and their actions
regarding proper disposal

Tables Data analysis Results showed that more

Figures and discussions of the citizens haven’t
heard or educated about
SWM

Recommendations
Comparative Analysis The officials of Barangay
Caniogan must educate
well the citizens about
SWM
END

Figure 5 Conceptual Framework

3.3 Data Analysis Of the 100 citizen respondents, Table 1

shows the number of citizens who already heard
The researcher gathered data to satisfy the about solid waste management and Table 2 shows
desire to support the study. The survey questionnaire where they heard about it.
that was given to random citizens of Barangay
Caniogan consists of ten (10) questions. The first and
second question aimed to identify if they have heard Table 1: No. of respondents who heard about Solid
and been educated about solid waste management. Waste Management
The third to fifth question aimed to determine what TABLE 1
type of solid wastes comes out from their household
and what type of container do they collect waste Frequency %
followed by the number of times the waste container Heard 31 38.75%
is emptied. The sixth question aimed to identify on
where they usually put away collected wastes. The Not heard 49 61.25%
seventh and eighth question determined if the waste
disposal method is a problem in their neighborhood
and how do they evaluate the state of solid waste Table 2: Ways how they heard about SWM for those
collection in their area. The last two questions were who answered “yes” in the questionnaire
to determine if they know if there is a waste
management center in the barangay and if they are TABLE 2
satisfied with the waste management processes of the Frequency %
barangay.
Over radio 2 2.5%
Over TV 7 8.75%

4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION In public

16 20%
meeting
At this part of the study, the gathered data In school 40 50%
are shown through tables and graphs.
Poster 5 6.25%
5
Table 1 and 2 shows that more than half of the
citizens still do not heard about Solid Waste Table 6: No. of times the waste container is emptied
management. And for those who heard about it, the
TABLE 6
school was the place they were educated about it.
Frequency %
Once/day 8 10%
Table 3: No. of respondents who have been educated Once/two
27 33.75%
by the council on proper waste disposal days
TABLE 3 Once/three
25 31.25%
days
Frequency %
Once a
Educated on 20 25%
week
proper waste 35 43.75%
disposal Table 6 shows that most of their waste containers are
Not educated emptied once every two days and once every three
on proper 45 56.35% days.
waste disposal

Table 3 shows that there are still more citizens who

are not educated about proper waste disposal. Table 7: Places where they usually put away
collected wastes
TABLE 7
Table 4: Type of solid waste that comes out of their Frequency %
household In the
12 15%
TABLE 4 public bin
Frequency % By the
19 23.75%
creek
Paper and
77 96.25% By the
carton 41 51.25%
street side
Plastics 80 100%
No answer 8 10%
Food
78 97.5%
waste
Table 7 shows that most of them placed their
Tins/cans 9 11.25% collected wastes on the street sides so that garbage
collectors would easily pick them up.
Fiber bags 1 1.25%

Table 4 shows that it is obvious that the use of

plastics is already part of the daily lives of the Table 8: No. of respondents who think that waste
citizens. The plastics, which reach many years to be disposal method is a problem in their neighborhood
decomposed, were the main cause of pollution in the
environment.
TABLE 8
Frequency %
Problem 39 48.75%
Table 5: Type of container where they collect waste Not a
41 51.25%
problem
TABLE 5
Frequency % Table 8 reveals that 51.25% of the respondents think
Carton 26 32.5% that waste disposal method is not a problem in their
neighborhood.
Waste bin 66 82.5%
Plastic
72 90%
bag
Table 9: Respondents evaluate the state of solid
Table 5 reveals that plastic bags are still the type of waste collection in their area
container that they used to collect waste. TABLE 9
Frequency %
6
 Good 31 38.75%
It is also recommended that the barangay officials
Fair 35 43.75% must find a different location of the waste disposal
area because it is presently located beside a creek and
Not good 12 15% with this case, some of the garbage were falling in
Don’t have 2 2.5% the waters that causes water pollution.

Most of the respondents evaluated their solid waste

collection as “good” and “fair” 6. CONCLUSION

Based on the gathered data by the researcher, it is

evident that the lack of knowledge regarding solid
Table 10: No. of respondents who know if there is a waste management and proper waste disposal greatly
waste management center in their barangay affects the environment. Also, with the lack of
TABLE 10 seminars and activities about environmental issues,
the citizens of Barangay Caniogan especially the
Frequency % officials neglect the issues that arise when it comes to
Know 76 95% wastes or garbage. It can be seen on the barangay’s
waste disposal site wherein it is located beside a
Do not creek and there is no barrier or fencing that would
4 5%
know prevent the garbage from falling. The researcher
concluded that the awareness, which can be given
Most of the respondents know that there is a waste through regular seminars and environmental
management center in their barangay activities, would greatly help the community in
building a cleaner and healthier environment.

Table 11: No. of respondents who are satisfied with ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

the waste management processes of Caniogan
TABLE 11
Frequency % G. Rodriguez, for her continuous support to this
Satisfied 68 85%
Not
12 15%
satisfied
85% of the respondents were satisfied with the waste
management processes of Caniogan and 5% were not.
5. RECOMMENDATION
With the results, it can be recommended that more
seminars or activities must be conducted by the
barangay officials regarding environmental topics to
solve environmental issues and problems. More
citizens have not been educated on Solid Waste
Management and proper waste disposal. Hence, the
people will have knowledge and concern that will
push them to cooperate in the barangay’s vision of a
cleaner community. It is also recommended that the
use of plastics must be eliminated or at least lessen
because it greatly contributes to the different
pollution the environment is facing. With the
seminars and activities that must be conducted, the
citizens would also be educated on how to segregate
garbage according to classifications which of those
garbage are biodegradable, non-biodegradable,
recyclable, and reusable.
7
The researcher would like to express his
sincere gratitude to his subject instructor, Engr. Dyan
study. Her expertise in the field and for her
patience, motivation, enthusiasm, and immense
knowledge are much appreciated. Her guidance
helped us a lot with the research and writing of this
study.
Also, the researcher would like to thank the
Barangay Chairwoman, Hon. Priscilla Mateo, for
giving a time in answering questions through
interview. Gratitude is also expressed to the citizens
of Barangay Caniogan who answered the
questionnaires.
For his family who is always there and
believes in everything he does, thank you so much.
To God be the glory!
REFERENCES
Gador, R. V. (2009). Solid Waste Management
Practices of Davao City. Southeastern
Philippines Journal of Research and
Development.
Gequinto, A. C. (2016). Retrieved from
http://www.apjmr.com/wp-
content/uploads/2016/11/APJMR-
2017.5.1.01.pdf
Kojima, & Michida. (2011). Review of the Waste
Management System in the Philippines:
Initiatives to Promote Waste Segregation
and Recycling through Good Governance.
Retrieved 2018, from Academia:
https://www.academia.edu/8737670/Review
_of_the_waste_management_system_in_the
_Philippines
Mishra, A., Mishra, S., & Tiwari, A. (2014, January).
Solid Waste Management - Case Study.
Retrieved 2018, from ResearchGate:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/26
2523386_SOLID_WASTE_MANAGEMEN
T_-CASE_STUDY
Moya, V. L. (2013). Practices, Systems and Issues on
Solid Waste Management in Catbalogan
City, Philippines. The Countryside
Development Research Journal, 31-42.
Nery, J. R. (2015, October). Thesis Solid Waste.
Retrieved 2018, from Scribd:
https://www.scribd.com/document/3565408
19/Thesis-Solid-Waste
Pagunsan, J., & Shimada, K. (2012, September).
Efficiency Evaluation of Philippines Waste
Management Sector: A Two Stage Approach.
Retrieved 2018, from ResearchGate:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/24
2343111_Efficiency_Evaluation_of_Philipp
ines_Waste_Management_Sector_A_Two_S
tage_Approach
Remo, A. R. (2017). Addressing waste management
woes in cities. Philippine Daily Inquirer.
What is Waste Management? (n.d.). Retrieved 2018,
from Conserve Energy Future:
https://www.conserve-energy-
future.com/waste-management-and-waste-
disposal-methods.php

8
 BULACAN STATE UNIVERSITY
City of Malolos, Bulacan
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

Rubric for the Assessment of the Study

AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN

BARANGAY CANIOGAN, CITY OF MALOLOS, BULACAN

Miguel Christian B. Miranda

BSIE 4B

1 2 3 4 5 Rating
DOCUMENTATION
The information
The information
Organization
of Materials

was very
The information The information The information was organized
organized and
collected was collected was was somewhat and contained in
contained in
not relevant. not organized. organized. recognizable
recognizable
sections.
sections.
The study The study
The study The study
Presentation of

The study was contained little contained

contained contained more
Material

contrary to graphics and graphics and

graphics and graphics and
established paragraphs that paragraphs that
paragraphs that paragraphs that
guidelines/ were not were not
were correctly were correctly
format. correctly correctly
formatted. formatted.
formatted. formatted.
The study is
The study The study
The study well written and
Grammar and Clarity

communicates communicates
effectively ideas are well
The study is ideas ideas
communicates developed and
poorly written adequately. The adequately. The
ideas. The explained.
and confusing. study contains study contains
writing is Sentences and
Ideas are not some some
grammatically paragraphs are
communicated grammatical grammatical
correct, but grammatically
effectively. errors. Many errors. Some
some sections correct. Uses
sections lack sections lack
lack clarity. subheadings
clarity. clarity.
appropriately.
SUB-TOTAL

9
 1 2 3 4 5 Rating
FEASIBILITY
The abstract is
The abstract has well organized
The abstract is
The abstract is The abstract an and has a tight
Abstract

somewhat
not appropriate lacks focus or organizational and cohesive
focused or has
to the contains major structure and the focus that is
minor drifts in
document. drifts in focus. focus is clear integrated
the focus.
throughout. throughout the
document.

Provides Provides clearly

Assumptions

Provides
Provides no inappropriate or Provides few appropriate
adequate
assumption to insufficient assumptions to assumptions to
assumptions to
support position assumptions to support position support
support position
support position position.

Identifies
The
appropriate
methodologies Identifies
methodologies
described are appropriate
The and research Identifies
Methodology

either not suited methodologies

methodologies techniques but appropriate
to the study. The and research
described are many details are methodologies
methodology is techniques but
either poorly missing or and research
under- some details are
suited to study. vague. The techniques.
developed missing or
methodology is
and/or is not vague.
largely
feasible.
incomplete.
Provides
Supporting

Provides Provides clearly

Evidence

Provides no Provides little inappropriate or

adequate appropriate
evidence to evidence to insufficient
evidence to evidence to
support position support position evidence to
support position support position
support position
The results
The results
The results clearly align
discussed are
The statistics section is with study
The results consistent with
used are somewhat hypotheses and
section is under hypotheses and
inappropriate to developed. the data analytic
developed. the data analytic
test study Results section plan. Tables are
Results section plan. Tables are
Results and Discussion

hypotheses. Or, is incomplete in well integrated

is incomplete in somewhat
results are that tables are and discussed in
that tables are integrated and
discussed somewhat the section.
not integrated or discussed in the
incorrectly or integrated, or Controls and
preliminary section.
inappropriately. preliminary preliminary
analyses and Adequate
There is not a analyses and analyses are
statistical justification of
good statistical well explained
controls are not preliminary
correspondence controls are not and justified.
justified. analyses and
between the justified. The statistical
Results are not statistical
tables and the Results are results are
described controls. The
written sometimes discussed in a
accurately. statistical results
document. described sophisticated
are discussed
accurately. and accurate
adequately.
way.
SUB-TOTAL

10
 1 2 3 4 5 Rating
Provides a
Adequately
The integration sophisticated
integrates the
of the findings integration of
findings within
within the the findings
the extant
Integration and Analysis
The integration extant literature within the
literature.
No integration of the findings is complete but extant literature.
Addresses how
of the findings within the not convincing Clarifies how
the findings
within the extant literature enough to prove the findings
prove the
extant literature. is superficial or the feasibility of prove the
feasibility of the
Fails to attend incomplete to the study. feasibility of the
study. Attends
to issues of prove the Poorly justifies study. Addresses
to issues of
feasibility. feasibility of the the strengths, strengths,
strengths,
study. weaknesses, and weaknesses, and
weaknesses, and
limitations of limitations of
limitations of
the current the current
the current
study. study accurately
study.
and insightfully.

The manuscript
References and Citations

has several
instances of Properly cited.
Properly and
improper use of May have a few
The manuscript The manuscript explicitly cited.
citations. instances in
has no lacks proper Reference list
Contains several which proper
citations. citations. matches
statements citations are
citations
without missing.
appropriately
citing.

SUB-TOTAL

TOTAL

Evaluated By:

Dyan G. Rodriguez, PIE, ASEAN Engr.

11