CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Section 55-56 of Republic Act 9003 or The Ecological Solid Waste Management Act stipulates
that the Philippine National Government in coordination with the Department of Education
(DepEd) and other educational institutions should conduct a continuing education and information
campaign on Solid Waste Management (SWM) Practices and strengthen the integration of
environmental concerns in school curricula at all extents, with particular emphasis on the theories and
practices of waste management principles like segregation at source, reduction, recycling, reuse
and composting, in order to promote environmental awareness and action among the citizenry.
This in turn promotes growing awareness on SWM Practices by that of the general public.

Solid Waste Management (SWM) is the collection, transport or disposal and treatment of
waste materials (Paghasian, 2017). It relates to materials produced through human activities, and the
process generally undertaken to endure its effects on health, environment and aesthetics. Recognizing
the effects of improper management, garbage crisis can be prevented by practicing waste
characterization and segregation at source, proper collection and transfer, recycling, and composting
as mandated by the law (Aquino, et al., 2013). In view thereof, like growing awareness, proper
implementation should be given equal focus and attention.

Moreover, as our ecological environment from local setting to the global village has been facing
waste crisis due to a number of factors attributed to it, Solid Waste Management (SWM) practices
should be strengthened (Pham, 2014; Choi, 2016). Further, awareness of Solid Waste Management
(SWM) practices created change on how people look at garbage (Sarino, 2014). Awareness accompanied
by participation is the key for people to be involved in the waste management programs of the
community where effective and sustainable implementation of the proper waste management practices
could be achieved (Punongbayan, 2014).

In the same manner, it is important for our learners to be highly aware and to properly implement
SWM practices as the future citizens of this planet as well actively participate in solving environmental
related problems as this is regarded a global concern. They foster potential roles in addressing
environmental problems as agents of change, future custodians of the planet, and environment
managers and developers (Niekerk, 2014). Hence, waste prevention and public participation through
proper education with correct information are important factors for future generations (Villanueva,
2013; Marello & Helwege, 2014).

In this connection, the researcher has decided to pursue this study with the aim to determine the
level of respondents' awareness and extent of implementation of Solid Waste Management (SWM)
Practices in Quezon National High School. In addition, this study attempted to find out whether or not
Solid Waste Management (SWM) Practices positively contributed to the community and the city as
whole.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The study aimed to determine the level of respondents‟ awareness and extent of
implementation of Solid Waste Management (SWM) Practices in Quezon National High
School.
Specifically, this study aimed to answer the following questions:
1. What is the profile of the respondents in terms of the following variables:
a. Sex;
b. Size of school; and
c. School location?
2. What is the level of respondents‟ awareness on Solid Waste Management (SWM)
Practices in terms of the following areas:
a. Segregation;
b. Reduce;
c. Reuse;
d. Recycle; and
e. Disposal?
3. What is the level of respondents‟ awareness on Solid Waste Management (SWM)
Practices according to aforementioned variables?
4. What is the extent of implementation of Solid Waste Management (SWM) Practices
according to aforementioned areas?
5. What is the extent of implementation of Solid Waste Management (SWM) Practices
according to aforementioned variables?

6. Is there a significant difference between the level of awareness on Solid Waste

7. Is there a significant difference between the extent of implementation of Solid Waste

8. Is there a significant relationship between the level of respondents‟ awareness and the extent of
implementation of Solid Waste Management (SWM) Practices?

Hypotheses

In view of the preceding objectives, the following null hypotheses were framed for testing.
1. There is no significant difference between the level of awareness on Solid Waste Management
(SWM) Practices when the respondents are grouped and compared according to the
aforementioned variables.

2. There is no significant difference between the extent of implementation of Solid Waste

3. There is no significant relationship between the level of respondents‟ awareness and the extent
of implementation of Solid Waste Management (SWM)Practices

Assumptions

The basic assumptions of the study are the following:

1. To some degree, the level of respondents' awareness on Solid Waste Management (SWM) Practices
according to the aforementioned variables vary.

2. The respondents' level of awareness on Solid Waste Management (SWM) Practices influence their
implementation of Solid Waste Management (SWM) Practices to a certain extent.

Scope and Delimitation

The main concern of the study is to determine the level of respondents' awareness and extent
implementation of Solid Waste Management (SWM) Practices in Quezon National High School.

The study used the descritive-correlational research design and a self-made questionnaire. Three
analytical scheme were used , the descriptive, comparative, rational.

The respondents of the study were the Senior High School Students of Quezon National High School.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

In this study, the researcher took into consideration the level of respondents‟ awareness and
extent of implementation of Solid Waste Management (SWM) Practices in Quezon National High
School.

The extent of implementation of Solid Waste Management (SWM) Practices is largely affected by
the respondents‟ level of awareness on SWM Practices.

The present study delineates independent and dependent variables. It consists of two
independent variables, the primary and secondary. The primary independent variable is the level of
awareness on Solid Waste Management (SWM) Practices in terms of segregation, reduce, reuse,
recycle, and disposal. The secondary independent variable is the respondents‟ profile in terms of
sex, size of school, and school location. The dependent variable is the extent of implementation of
Solid Waste Management (SWM) Practices.

Assessment on the level of respondents‟ awareness on SWM Practices was categorized into “very
high”, “high”, “moderate”, “low”, and “very low”. On the other hand, the categories on the
assessment of the extent of implementation of SWM Practices include “always”, “often”,
“sometimes”, “rarely”, and “almost never”.

Hence, the level of awareness on Solid Waste Management (SWM) Practices was interpreted from very
low to very high while the extent of implementation of SWM Practices was interpreted from
almost never to always.

Independent Variables Dependent Variables

Segregation Segregation

Reduce Reduce

Reuse Reuse

Recycle Recycle

Disposal Disposal

Very High Level Always

High Level Often

Moderate Level Sometimes

Low Level Rarely

Very Low Level Almost Never

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The researcher believes that the result of the study will benefit the following personalities:

Quezon National High School and Its Solid Waste Management (SWM) Team Organizers and Program
Implementers. The findings of the study will give them necessary information which can in turn
help provide strategic input to the SWM Group on necessary plan of actions towards the effective
SWM program implementation in the different Public Schools in Quezon Palawan to likely strengthen
practices in the entire Local Government Unit or sector.

School Heads and SWM Committee Members. The results of the study will help them formulate
contextualized and localized Solid Waste Management (SWM) Practices to better address SWM
problems encountered by the learners in the school setting towards effective and efficient
practices in the extended community and ecological environment.

Community Members. The findings of this study will strengthen the premise that all methods of
waste prevention and waste management require public participation. Therefore, education is an
important component of Solid Waste Management for people to become active participants in
addressing the garbage issue. Education is when you make people aware or provide them with
correct information which is in turn the primary role and function of the school, community and
Quezon Division

Parents. The results of the study will help them become effective partners of SWM Implementers to
strengthen implementation of SWM Practices at home and in the sociological setting.

Teachers. The findings of the study will help them gain insights on the level of awareness and extent
of implementation of Solid Waste Management (SWM) Practices on Quezon National High School
context and will be guided in choosing ways and methods on how to promote growing awareness and
develop correct practices among the people as considered discernible to maintain ecological balance in
our environment.

Learners. The findings of this study will help them address garbage crisis which can be prevented
by practicing waste characterization and segregation at source, proper collection and transfer,
recycling, and composting. It is indeed very important to learn the correct methods of handling the
waste most especially for our children and youth or learners for that matter as they are
regarded future citizens of the planet.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

For purpose of classification and verification of usage and meaning, the terms of this study were
conceptually and operationally defined for facility for understanding.

Awareness. Conceptually, this term refers to the knowledge or perception of a situation or fact and
concern about and well-informed interested in a particular situation or development (Oxford English
Dictionary, 2013).

Operationally, this term refers to the level of consciousness of the respondents on Solid Waste
Management (SWM).

Pupil. This term refers to person who is taught by another, especially a schoolchild or
student in relation to a teacher (Oxford English Dictionary, 2013).

In this study, the term refers to the learners, Senior High School Students, of Quezon National High
School.
 Recycle. This term refers to the process of passing again through a series of changes or
treatments such as to process in order to regain material for human use (The Merriam Webster
Dictionary, 2010).

In this study, this term refers to the rescue of the resources that were used to make another
new product.

Reduce. This term refers to the process to diminish in size, amount, extent, or number(The
Merriam Webster Dictionary, 2010).

In this study, the term refers to the bringing down of the amount of trash disposed by consciously
buying items that generate a lot of trash.

Reuse. This term refers to use again especially in a different way or after reclaiming or reprocessing
(The Merriam Webster Dictionary, 2010).

In this study, this term refers to the process of recovering materials intended for the same or
different purpose without the alteration of physical and chemical characteristics.

Segregation. This term refers to the separation for special treatment or observation of individuals
or items from a larger group (The Merriam Webster Dictionary, 2010).

In this study, this term refers to sorting of different materials found in solid waste in order to
promote recycling and re-use of resources and to reduce the volume of waste for collection and
disposal.

AWARENESS AND IMPLEMENTATION

Names: BERMEJO, RICARDO

TEACHER:RODRIGO, ARLONG