Ecological

Governance:
Viable Strategies in Solving
the Solid Waste Problems
of Los Baños, Laguna

Mayor Caesar P. Perez

Municipality of Los Baños, Laguna
Los Baños, Laguna

• Located 63 km south of
Manila

• Lying between the shore of

Laguna de Bay and Mt.
Makiling

• Where science and nature

exist in harmony
Land Area

• Total land area

5,650 ha
• 42% UPLB (tax
free)
• 22% military
reservation &
other
government
organizations
• 36% taxable
 The Los Baños Solid Waste Problems

 Citizens solely dependent on government for garbage management

 Accumulated dumped wastes for more than 20 years
 Non-enforcement of local ordinances
 24-hr smoke emission from burning combustible wastes
 Increasing population and business establishments
 Limited funds for procurement of equipment and machines
 Non-availability of Sanitary Landfill
 Indiscriminate use of non-biodegradable packaging materials plastics
and composite packaging)
The Los Baños Open Dumpsite in 2001
• Indiscriminate dumping inside
the dumpsite

• Unsegregated wastes in the

dumpsite

• Continuous emission of
hazardous smoke from
spontaneous combustion of
garbage

• Breeding ground for flies, rats

and other pests

• Mountain of garbage along

adjoining creek
The Los Baños Dumpsite in 2001

• Dumped garbage congesting road and

entrance to the open dumpsite

• Alternate route to Jamboree Site difficult for

motorists to pass by due to waste congestion
and toxic smoke

• Health perils to waste pickers and workers

The Los Baños Dumpsite in 2001

• Started more than 20 years ago

• 33-35 tons of mixed wastes

generated daily

• 24-hr burning of combustible,

non-biodegradable materials
like plastic
The Los Baños Dumpsite in 2001

• Smoke rising above the open

dumpsite and spreading over
neighboring barangays
Waste Generators of Los Baños

 Total households: 17, 030

 Total population: 92, 071
 14 barangays
 2 public markets
 Approximately 2,500 commercial establishments
  Use of technical, social
and political means to find
alternative solution to
STRATEGIES Sanitary Landfill

 Local technology
employed

SOCIAL POLITICAL TECHNICAL  Social preparation and

empowerment of the citizen

 Political will to ensure

proper enforcement,
incentives, penalties
among others
  Aim at instilling
discipline to the people in
SOCIAL managing our wastes

 Focus on community-
STRATEGIES wide participation

 Citizen’s responsibility in
keeping Los Baños clean
and green
Organized Technical Working
Group from the LBSCFI
 Los Baños Science Community
Foundation Inc. (LBSCFI) is
composed of 22 public and
private research and development
institutions located in Los Banos

 Technical Working Group

composed of members from
LBSCFI
 Participatory Problem
Identification and Solving

 Encouraging citizen’s
Participation in problem
solving through
dialogues and meetings

 Meetings are
conducted in different
venues, even in the
open dumpsite to push
for the program to solve
the problem on garbage
 Organizing the Stakeholders

 For effective enforcement and

monitoring of Municipal Ordinance on
Anti-littering and Solid Waste
Management (SWM), Stakeholders
were consulted and organized such as
Los Baños Science Community Foundation,
LBSCFI
Inc.

 Barangay or Village officials are

important leaders in the implementation,
enforcement and monitoring of the
SWM program

Barangay Officials
 Organizing the Stakeholders

Business establishments Homeowners and Religious

resort owners organizations
Organizing the Stakeholders

Junkshops, gasoline stations, repair shops, hospitals,

schools, markets, funeral parlors, computer shops
 Organizing the Stakeholders

 Under RA 9003 (Phil law on solid

waste management) waste picking are
not allowed unless recognized by the
local government.

 Waste pickers were organized and

recognized to one group, they were
provided with Identification Cards,
uniform and tribike

Los Baños solid waste organizations

Massive Information, Education
and Communication Campaigns
• Prior to the implementation of the municipal
ordinance on proper waste management,
massive information, education and
communication campaign was conducted

• Info caravan on wheels (motorcade)

• House-to-house distribution of flyers by the

municipal health workers, nutrition workers and
scholars making sure that every household was
informed and has signed in a paper that they
have received and understood the SWM
Program

• Signages are displayed and public address

system echoing the SWM program on thickly
populated areas
  Aim to eliminate remnants

TECHNICAL of open dumpsite by

implementing waste
segregation and recycling of
STRATEGIES non-biodegradable waste
into usable form using local
and appropriate technology
 Waste Segregation Program

 Mandatory segregation
biodegradable and non-
biodegradable) at
households, commercial
establishments and public
market

Solid wastes are segregated into biodegradable

and non-biodegradable wastes.
 Waste Segregation Program

Second and
Monday-Friday Fourth Sunday
Saturday

8-9 p.m. 8-9 p.m.

No collection
Non- except market
Biodegradable
biodegradable wastes
wastes
wastes

Garbage collection schedule

 Waste Segregation Program

Truck collecting residuals

Truck collecting biodegradable wastes
 Waste Segregation Program

 Pilot project in barangay

Tadlac where cluster of
houses shares a composting
drum for biodegradable
wastes

Composting in residential areas

Waste Segregation Program

 Resort owner doing and

sharing on-site composting
and waste segregation

Composting in resorts
The Los Baños EcoWaste Processing
Center (EWPC)

 1.1 ha open dumpsite

converted into Eco-Waste
Processing Center starting
June 14, 2004
 Facilities in Eco-Waste Processing Center

 228 sq m composting
pen measuring 1m x 8 m x
0.5 m per pen

 Low cost, leachate

collecting pond preventing
underground water
pollution

Static concrete composting pens

Composting at EWPC
 Facilities in Eco-Waste Processing Center

 Improved design to reduce

odor

 made of light, available

materials (wood, bamboo and
plastic screen)

Crib-type composting pens

Composting at EWPC
 Shredding of biodegradable wastes in
preparation to composting
Unload Apply coir dust Sort manually prior
to shredding

Shredded biowaste Shred

Composting process
Compost
 Macro and Micro Nutrient Analysis

Results of Analysis
Analyte Value
Total Nitrogen (%) 2.77
Total Phosporous (% P205) 0.81
Total Potassium (%K20) 1.70
Total Calcium (%) 0.39
Total Magnesium (%) 0.05
Total Iron (%) 0.43
Total Zinc (%) 0.01
Total Copper (%) 0.005
Total Manganese (%) 0.01
Moisture Content (%) 48.02
pH 8.4
Organic Carbon (%) 23.14
 Compost Utilization

The Local Government provides free compost to local cutflower producers

  Implementation of
POLITICAL the law through
participatory and
STRATEGIES transparent
accountability
 Creating a Solid Waste
Management Board (RA 9003 Sec.12)

 Municipal Solid Waste

Management Board is the policy
making body which recommends
measures and safeguard against
pollution and preservation of the
environment
Formulation of the 10-Year SWM Plan

 covers 2005-2014

Aims to arrest environmental ills of

the dumpsite through:
- improvement of the Eco-
Waste Processing Center
- sustainable community-
wide SWM Plan adoption
and transfer to other
communities
Promulgating Municipal Ordinances
and Memorandum Order

 Municipal Ordinance
2001-08 institutionalizing
proper Solid Waste
Management

 Memorandum Order No.

CPP-04-203 Pagpapataw
ng Kasong Administratibo
laban sa mga Opisyales ng
Barangay na Di Tumutupad
at Di Nagpapatupad ng RA
9003 at ang Pambayang
Kautusan Blg. 2001-08
 Deployment of Enforcers

Task Force Kalinisan

Deputized Volunteer Enforcers

Enforcers are deployed for effective, efficient and sustainable enforcement of

the Municipal Ordinance on proper waste management
Barangay Officials showing their support to
Local Chief Executive on SWM Program

 with barangay
officials using the local
cable television,
soliciting the citizens’
support on SWM
 Addressing Residual Wastes

• consultative meeting with the

manufacturers of plastic and composite
packaging with emphasis on their moral
responsibility and accountability in
recovery of wastes arising from their
products

Dialogue with the Plastic Industry Association

(Sept. 24, 2004)
Addressing Residual Wastes

 Aim to reduce
film plastic
wastes disposed
to landfill

Recovery scheme for plastics

Addressing Residual Wastes

Initial Sample

Materials and furniture produced from plastic wastes

Addressing Residual Wastes

Tables from plastic wastes

Addressing Residual Wastes

Painted tables from plastic wastes used in Day Care Centers

Addressing Residual Wastes
Promotion on use of bayong (native woven
bags) as alternative container
 Launching the “Balik Bayong” Campaign,
March 18, 2006

At Baybayin Public Market At Batong Malake Public Market

Environmental Benefits

 Significant waste reduction

 Reduced pollution

 Clean Air
 Economic Benefits

 Additional income to authorized waste pickers (Chap. 6 Sec. 48 Par. 7)

 Equipment from scrap materials

 Compacted slab plastics wastes made into day-care center tables
and corrugated roofing material
 Use of “bayong” as container instead of plastic bags increased
income of small-scale producers
 Compost to improve crop production and reduce chemical fertilizer
usage
 Social Benefits

 Improved peoples’ awareness in proper handling of wastes

 Reduced health risk of the people living near and within the
radius of smog of the dumpsite
 EWPC as an inspiration to the people of Los Banos and to
other LGUs
 Looking Forward

At Local Level:

Further Refinement of Residual Waste Technology (R&D)

 Utilization of methane gas from solid wastes (bio-gas)

 Other possible use of plastic wastes

 Looking Forward
At National Level:
 Policy initiative about manufacturers’ responsibility
on environmental pollution
• lessen the use of non-biodegradable
• packaging materials
• produce packaging materials that are
• biodegradable or recyclable to prevent waste
• accumulation
• recovery scheme of plastic wastes arising from
• the different products
 Concerned Government Agencies shall perform their
mandated tasks
Important Discussion Points from RA 9003

Section 5: The commission shall undertake

the following activities:

f. Develop a model provincial, city and municipal

solid waste management plan that will establish
prototype of the content and format which the
LGUs may use in meeting the requirements of
the SWM framework
Important Discussion Points from RA 9003

Section 7: The National Ecology Center:

a.Facilitate training and education in integrated

ecological solid waste management

d. Provide and facilitate expert assistance in

pilot modeling of solid waste management
facilities
Important Discussion Points from RA 9003

Section 8: Role of the Department (DENR)

e. The department shall provide technical and

other capability building assistance and
support to the LGUs in the development
and implementation of local solid waste
management plans and programs
Important Discussion Points from RA 9003

Section 29: Non-environmentally

acceptable products
Within one (1) year from the affectivity of this Act,
the commission shall prepare a list of
non-environmentally acceptable products that shall
be prohibited according to a schedule that shall be
prepared by the Commission

The commission shall find alternative environmentally

acceptable products
Important Discussion Points from RA 9003

Section 30 Prohibition on the use of

Non-environmentally acceptable products
No person owning, operating or conducting a commercial
establishment shall sell or convey at retail or posses
with the intent to sell or convey at retail any products
that are placed, wrapped or packaged in or on
packaging which is not environmentally acceptable
packaging

The commission shall determine a phase-out period

after proper consultation
 The Los Baños Dumpsite:
Then and Now

Then… …Now
 The Los Baños Dumpsite:
Then and Now

Then… …Now
 The Los Baños Dumpsite:
Then and Now

Then… …Now
 The Los Baños Dumpsite:
Then and Now

Then… …Now
 The Los Baños Dumpsite:
Then and Now

Then… …Now
 Points to Ponder

Garbage problem is not sole responsibility of the

government; the citizens must do their share on
proper waste disposal.

Everyone is enjoined into becoming a disciplined

citizens by practicing waste segregation,
composting, re-use and recycling .
 Points to Ponder

No amount of high technology

and financial capability can solve
the garbage problem without
DISCIPLINE

DISCIPLINE is the road to

community and nation progress
 Acknowledgments

Working toward making Los

Baños a better, cleaner, and
healthier science and nature
city:
 LBSCFI
 LGU of Los Baños
 People of Los Baños
For comments or suggestions,
please submit to:

Mayor Caesar P. Perez

Office of the Mayor
Municipality of Los Banos
Municipal Hall, Los Banos, Laguna
lgu_losbanos@yahoo.com
Telephone: +49 5360050

Dr. Luis Rey I. Velasco

President, LBSCFI and
Chancellor, UPLB
Dr. Patricio S. Faylon
Exec. Director,PCARRD and
Consultant, LGU
Ecological
Governance:
Viable Strategies in Solving
the Solid Waste Problems
of Los Baños, Laguna
(2001-2006)

Thank you!