ACADEMIA Letters
BEST PRACTICES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION AND
ENFORCEMENT OF R.A. 9003 (KNOWN AS
ECOLOGICAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT ACT OF
2000) BY THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS (LGUs)
IN CALABARZON
Wilfredo Dalugdog, Laguna State Polytechnic University - Siniloan Campus
Introduction - A greater volume of wastes is brought about by an increased population
(Galarpe, 2017; Ibabao and Casimero, 2008) and rise of more businesses and industries (Reyes
and Furto, 2013). Between 0.30-0.7 kilogram (kg) of waste was generated by a Filipino daily
and the annual waste generation was estimated at 10 million tons in 2000 (World Bank, 2001).
As mentioned by Galarpe (2017), waste generation rate from 10.6 tons in 2012 is projected to
double by 2025.
As stated by Magante and Domingo-Almase (2013), waste and garbage, when disposed
without discipline and not conforming with the rules and regulation, pose a major threat to
health, sanitation, and environmental security. Also, as stated by Atienza (2011), the records
of the National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC) showed that the implementation of R.A. 9003 is behind schedule and there are still lots of open and controlled dumpsites
that operate and only few sanitary landfills (SLF) have been established. In the Philippines,
Galarpe (2017) cited that the continuous use of landfills and dumpsites is prevalent because
of the gaps in the implementation of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000
(Galarpe, 2017).
The LGUs are recognized as the lead implementers of R.A. 9003. In fact, the Ecological
Solid Waste Management Act was approved in 2000 by the former President Gloria Macapagal
Arroyo in response to the critical condition of the solid waste management problem and the
Academia Letters, August 2021
©2021 by the author — Open Access — Distributed under CC BY 4.0
Corresponding Author: Wilfredo Dalugdog, wilfredo.dalugdog@lspu.edu.ph
Citation: Dalugdog, W. (2021). BEST PRACTICES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION AND ENFORCEMENT
OF R.A. 9003 (KNOWN AS ECOLOGICAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT ACT OF 2000) BY THE
LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS (LGUs) IN CALABARZON. Academia Letters, Article 3382.
1
https://doi.org/10.20935/AL3382.
threat it poses to the environment and human health. But, up to now, problems still exist with
regard to its implementation and enforcement. As stated by Sapuay (2014), solid waste management has not been among the top priorities in most LGUs. As pointed out by Paul (2009),
in many LGUs, the enforcement and compliance with R.A. 9003 remains ineffective due to
technical, organizational, and financial shortcomings of government agencies and financially
tasked LGUs to implement the law.
Thus, this study aimed to document the best practices of the Local Government Units
(LGUs) in the implementation and enforcement of R.A. 9003 in CALABARZON. CALABARZON is a collective term in the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and
Quezon. This was known before as Southern Tagalog. The Southern Tagalog ranks second to
the National Capital Region (NCR) with the highest region in terms of waste generation. The
NCR and Southern Tagalog have 23 percent and 13 percent, respectively, of the total waste
generation annually. Annual waste generation is expected to grow 40 percent in the future
(National Solid Waste Management Strategy 2012-2016).
Status of the Implementation and Enforcement of R.A. 9003
Implementation is about putting policies into practice, and it is often the complex process
of planning, organization, coordination and promotion which is necessary in order to achieve
policy objectives, even central, phases in the policy process. It is the implementation phase
that translates policies on paper into actual changes in behavior. Approaches to implementation are therefore of great importance. In general, the involvement of different factors in both
the creation and implementation of policy is the critical factor if policy is to stimulate new
initiatives and to integrate the environment into industrial decision making (Abas and Wee,
2014). However, enforcement is defined as the range of procedures and actions employed by
a State, its competent authorities and agencies to ensure that organizations or persons, potentially failing to comply with environmental laws or regulations, can be brought or returned into
compliance and/or punished through civil, administrative or criminal action (UNEP, 2014).
Based on the personal knowledge of the researcher, there is no single study about the best
practices in the implementation and enforcement of Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 by
the Local Government Units (LGUs) in CALABARZON. There are, however, existing studies about the solid waste management practices in CALABARZON. According to Almazan
and Vargas (2016), the communities’ existing solid waste management practices in Barangay
Bayog, Los Bańos, Laguna are not sustainable. The barangay lacks the necessary policy program to achieve long-term solid waste management in their communities. In terms of waste
segregation and recycling or reusing, the community’s separate recyclable materials from
solid waste and are sold to junk shop collectors. However, burning the recyclable materials
together with the solid waste still exist. The use of eco bags is being practiced by the comAcademia Letters, August 2021
©2021 by the author — Open Access — Distributed under CC BY 4.0
Corresponding Author: Wilfredo Dalugdog, wilfredo.dalugdog@lspu.edu.ph
Citation: Dalugdog, W. (2021). BEST PRACTICES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION AND ENFORCEMENT
OF R.A. 9003 (KNOWN AS ECOLOGICAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT ACT OF 2000) BY THE
LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS (LGUs) IN CALABARZON. Academia Letters, Article 3382.
2
https://doi.org/10.20935/AL3382.
munities when they are shopping or marketing because the municipality prohibits the use of
plastic bags (Almazan & Vargas, 2016).
Ibabao and Casimero, (2008) studied the implementation status of RA 9003 in Boracay
Island. They listed different challenges confronted by stakeholders namely: Education and
Information Campaign; Engineering; Enforcement; Financing/Budgeting; Monitoring and
Evaluation; Coordination among Stakeholders; Cultural Practices; Policies and Ordinances;
and Entrepreneurship. As cited by Atienza (2011), although there are still some issues and
concerns that need to be solved, generally the enactment of the RA 9003 can still be considered as a positive development to address the perennial problems of solid waste management
in the country. Thus, it is worth studying how this act can be properly implemented despite
some “loopholes that need to be mended, provisions that need to be reviewed and revised”
(Atienza, 2011; Sapuay, 2005).
However, Vivar et al, (2015) found that the source of information about Solid Waste Management were heard and learned by the household-respondents through public meetings conducted by the Local Government Unit, others from schools, radio, television and posters.
Likewise, the training acquired by the household-respondents came from the actions, programs and seminars of the LGU.
In the case of Cebu City, with regard to the Policy Implementation of RA 9003, the Cebu
City Government, especially the office of the environmental committee has recognized that
the success of the Solid Waste Management program largely depended on the level of awareness among its citizens and constituents to ensure active participation (Premakumara, et. al.,
2013). Meanwhile, Vivar et.al as cited in Hardeep et al., (2013) the achievement of the waste
management plan is in the hands of people in the community. Actions of local government
would not succeed without the cooperation of the people.
The implementation status of R.A. 9003 in Boracay Island and Cebu City may be similar
to the implementation status of the said act in CALABARZON. Thus, this study is needed to
be conducted to document the best practices of the Local Government Units in the implementation and enforcement of R.A. 9003 in CALABARZON.
Best Practices in the implementation and enforcement of R.A. 9003 in CALABARZON
One of the best practices in the implementation and enforcement of R.A. 9003 in CALABARZON is the strict implementation of No Segregation, No Collection Policy as they
strictly collect only segregated wastes. Collection of segregated wastes is conducted in every barangay once a week, usually, every Friday as there is an available vehicle owned or
rented by the cities/municipalities. Segregation of waste starts at the residents as these are
collected every day in some cities or municipalities or once a week for some. The LGUs
Academia Letters, August 2021
©2021 by the author — Open Access — Distributed under CC BY 4.0
Corresponding Author: Wilfredo Dalugdog, wilfredo.dalugdog@lspu.edu.ph
Citation: Dalugdog, W. (2021). BEST PRACTICES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION AND ENFORCEMENT
OF R.A. 9003 (KNOWN AS ECOLOGICAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT ACT OF 2000) BY THE
LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS (LGUs) IN CALABARZON. Academia Letters, Article 3382.
3
https://doi.org/10.20935/AL3382.
continuously conduct information dissemination campaign through trainings, seminars, and
symposium/forum to increase the knowledge of the residents about proper waste segregation
and for the residents to learn how to practice “3Rs” known as “Reuse”, “Recycle”, and “Reduce” and composting of individual source. Likewise, posting of tarpaulins (no littering and
throwing) and distributing of IEC materials in the different barangays are implemented. There
are people or residents who benefit from the waste segregation as they learn how to make
money out of it. Most of the residents who benefit from it actively engage themselves in segregating solid waste as there are cities or municipalities who give incentives for the residents
who comply with the segregation of solid wastes. Thus, there are cities or municipalities that
give incentives to the residents who comply with the segregation of solid waste by practicing
proper segregation of wastes.
Reward System or known as BASSURAFLE. The city or municipality headed by the
mayor implements a project to actively engage the residents in the collection of non-biodegradable
and recyclable wastes such as plastics, bottles, papers, cartoons, and others in exchange for
household grocery, rice, goods, raffle tickets/stubs, CEMEX (cement), and even schools supply of the students. The collected non-biodegradable and recyclable wastes are forwarded to
the Materials Recovery Facilities (MRF) to create vases, flowers, mosaics, bags, and other
decorations made from recyclable materials. In some cities or municipalities, a Christmas
lantern competition is conducted. The residents actively participate in this competition as the
Christmas lanterns are made from collected recyclable materials. The barangay with the best
good presentation of the Christmas lantern is given a reward and this is used by the barangay
in the implementation and enforcement of R.A. 9003.
Environmental Enforcers: In the enforcement of R.A. 9003, the Chief of Police of Padre
Garcia, Batangas, was tapped to strictly enforce R.A. 9003 with the help of the environmental
enforcers. Active monitoring of industrial, commercial, institutional and other waste generators in compliance with R.A. 9003 and other environmental laws is conducted regularly.
Likewise, in some cities or municipalities, issuance of citation tickets for fines and penalties
is conducted by the environmental enforcers and violators are given disciplinary action for
violating R.A. 9003.
Implementation of R.A. 9003: Existing Municipal Ordinances like: Banning of Plastics / Zero Plastic Policy, No to Open Burning Policy, and Safe Closure of Open Dumps and
Rehabilitation are implemented in some cities or municipalities. Thus, construction of Materials Recovery Facilities (MRF) in all barangays in some cities and municipalities is done
to accommodate the collected biodegradable and recyclable waste collected by the residents.
There are cities and municipalities that conduct composting and vermicomposting of wastes
and some convert wastes into energy and bio-soil conditioner for efficient waste diversion.
Academia Letters, August 2021
©2021 by the author — Open Access — Distributed under CC BY 4.0
Corresponding Author: Wilfredo Dalugdog, wilfredo.dalugdog@lspu.edu.ph
Citation: Dalugdog, W. (2021). BEST PRACTICES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION AND ENFORCEMENT
OF R.A. 9003 (KNOWN AS ECOLOGICAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT ACT OF 2000) BY THE
LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS (LGUs) IN CALABARZON. Academia Letters, Article 3382.
4
https://doi.org/10.20935/AL3382.
Likewise, there are cities or municipalities that make ecobrick or paving blocks out of the
collected plastics or shredded plastics through the use of residual waste. Furthermore, institutionalization of the conduct of regular clean-up drives is conducted in all barangays once
a month, including clean-up of waterways or rivers, creeks, and declogging of manholes and
drainages.
The best practices in the implementation and enforcement of R.A. 9003 by the Local
Government Units (LGUs) in CALABARZON can be adopted by the LGUs in other provinces
of the Philippines. Likewise, a benchmarking activity is highly recommended for LGUs who
are seeking best practices.
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Academia Letters, August 2021
©2021 by the author — Open Access — Distributed under CC BY 4.0
Corresponding Author: Wilfredo Dalugdog, wilfredo.dalugdog@lspu.edu.ph
Citation: Dalugdog, W. (2021). BEST PRACTICES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION AND ENFORCEMENT
OF R.A. 9003 (KNOWN AS ECOLOGICAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT ACT OF 2000) BY THE
LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS (LGUs) IN CALABARZON. Academia Letters, Article 3382.
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Academia Letters, August 2021
©2021 by the author — Open Access — Distributed under CC BY 4.0
Corresponding Author: Wilfredo Dalugdog, wilfredo.dalugdog@lspu.edu.ph
Citation: Dalugdog, W. (2021). BEST PRACTICES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION AND ENFORCEMENT
OF R.A. 9003 (KNOWN AS ECOLOGICAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT ACT OF 2000) BY THE
LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS (LGUs) IN CALABARZON. Academia Letters, Article 3382.
6
https://doi.org/10.20935/AL3382.