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INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Solid Waste Generation Liquid Wastes Disposal Envrionment and Natural Resources Concern
Manner of Garbage Disposal Air Pollution
Solid Waste Collection and Transfer Water Quality Status of Laguna de Bay

ENVIRONMENT
Most often, economic development leads to environmental degradation. The city government is never
loose in dealing with environmental issues particularly if it concerns public safety.
The City Environment and Natural Resources, armed with the city ordinances and the support of the
local officials work hand in hand in the management and implementation of existing and newly created
directives to supervise environmental concerns.
Solid Wastes Generation
Solid wastes are usually generated by
80661 households, about 289 industrial
firms, more than 6,000 commercial
establishments and a number of institutional
houses scattered in the entire area.

It is estimated that the 387,876 projected
population in the year 2006 generate as
much as 232 tons of garbage per day
(computed at 0.6 kg/day/capita). Of this
figure, the city government was collecting
67% in 2004 from only 37% in 2001. This is
supported by barangay owned garbage
trucks that collect 14% of the consolidated
wastes. The remaining 19% on the other
hand left uncollected and excluded in the
81% total wastes being disposed daily in
San Pedro, Laguna.
Manner of Garbage Disposal
Remarkably, collection via garbage trucks
ascent significantly between 1990 & 2000.
This posted an annual average increased of
55%. This development is caused by the
efforts of local authorities in expanding the
garbage collection scheme to completely
eradicate erroneous manner of wastes
disposals, thus freeing rivers and streets of
dumped materials.
Conversely, conventional way of burning
dropped by 21%. If in 1990 it was practiced by
63% of residents, in the latest survey (2000),
only 28% utilized burning. On the other side,
composting, a system being encouraged by
environmentalists tracked a declining trend,
even if it promises economic benefits. Table-
E1 shows how each manner changed over the
years.
In the recent data provided by the City Health
Office, only 87% or 56,549 households in the
year 2006 have satisfactory garbage disposal.
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Table-E1. Comparatvie Manner of Garbage Disposal by
Households, City of Calamba, 1990 & 2000


Manner 1990 % to to-
tal
2000 % to
total
Garbage truck

5525 16.72 36110 61.76
Dumping 3849 11.64 3975 6.80
Burning 20973 63.45 16547 28.30
Composting

464 1.40 266 0.45
Burying 585 1.77 595 1.02
Feeding 490 1.48 673 1.15
others 1168 3.53 300 0.51
Total 33054 100.00 58466 100.00
Solid Wastes Collection and Transfer
For the collection, generators are advised to bring out their garbages at the designated
schedules. Included in the rounds are several subdivisions, commercial areas, markets,
hospitals and
institutions.
Main roads and
parks are
maintained by the
street cleaners.

In parallel,
barangays such as
San Cristobal,
Paciano Rizal,
Parian, Baran-
dal, Real,
Lawa,
Pansol, Canlubang and Villa de Calamba in Barangay Lamesa had acquired their own garbage
trucks, thus load was lessened and attention of the City ENRO for garbage collections was
diverted to more barangays in need.
Liquid Wastes
Table-E2. Schedule of Garbage Collection and Disposal (Private
Schedule (morning)

7 AM 7 PM


(evening)

7 PM monitoring


Number of trips (morning)

14 18 trips


(evening)

Maximum of 4


Number of personnel

3/truck
Number of trucks utilized

12
Number of brgys served

38
Table-E3. Sanitation Facilities of Households


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The recent
survey
regularly
conducted
by the NSO
on
sanitation
facilities
disclosed
that more
and more
households
are
equipped
with
privately
owned
toilet
facilities. In
the span of
10 years
(1990-2000), additional 21% have afforded to have their own septic tanks installed in their
respective places, thus, shared facilities dropped by 9%. As a whole, 95% of city
households are already equipped
with toilet
facilities
(Table-E3).

Despite recent developments, some households still do not have decent toilet facilities. Most
probably,
liquid
wastes generated find its way into
pits, ditches or water courses and at the ground surfaces. In fact according to the record
provided by the City Health Office in the year 2006, only 86.7% or 56,057 households have
sanitary toilets. On the other hand, there are only 86% or 55,610 households who have
complete basic sanitation facilities.
Facilities 1990 % to total 2000 % to total
Water sealed, sewer/

septic tank, used exclu-
15145 45.82 39231.00 67.10
Water sealed, sewer/

septic tank, shared with
5231 15.83 3986.00 6.82
Water sealed, other de-

pository, used exclusively
3804 11.51 8240.00 14.09
Water sealed, other de-

pository, shared with
2045 6.19 3722.00 6.37
Closed Pit 1365 4.13 1066.00 1.82
Open Pit 1627 4.92 872.00 1.49
Other (Pail system, etc.)/
none 3837 11.61 1349.00 2.31
Total 33054 109.08 58466 100.00
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Air Pollution
Air quality in the city varies from one place to another depending on the socio-economic
activity. Areas where agricultural activity prevails, usually in the upland areas, have low level
of air pollution. Common pollution indicators have noted that dust particles, smoke, ashes,
odor nuisance, air discoloration, vehicle emissions are the most common in the city.
Communities with industrial activities are considered prone to environmental degradation and
much modern equipment will make it possible to measure the level of pollution they create
regarding the toxicity and the hazard organic substances.
Water Quality Status of Laguna de Bay
The Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) has been conducting routine water quality
monitoring programs in the lake and its tributary rivers since 1973 up to the present. The
purpose of having a series of water quality information is to determine the lakes past and
present condition which has been greatly affecting the lakes beneficial uses such as for
recreation, fishery, irrigation, industrial, power generation, navigation and as source of raw
water for domestic water supply. The assessment of water quality status was based on
compliance of the LLDAs monitoring results obtained on March 2003 in identified lake and
river monitoring stations to the DENR Water Quality Criteria for freshwater systems.

The following legends were used to categorize the water quality of the tributary rivers of the
Lake:

Blue -

Class A: good for raw drinking water public water supply requiring complete
treatment) and other purposes
White -

Class B: not good for raw drinking water but good for primary contact
recreation, fishery, irrigation and other purposes
Yellow -

Class C: not good for raw drinking water and primary contact recreation but
good for fishery, non-contact recreation, irrigation, industrial water supply for
manufacturing processes and other purposes
Red -

Class D: not good for raw drinking water, recreation and fishery but good for
agriculture, irrigation, livestock watering and industrial cooling water
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Black -

Worse than Class D - not good for any of the above purposes
Gray - no data
From these legends that were used by LLDA classify the water quality of the tributary rivers, it came
out that rivers within the
city as well as nearby
ones have been found to
have a black status.
This means that
Cabuyao
River, San Cristobal and
San Juan River are not
at all safe for any kind of
uses. The table
presents the status of
water in each river
around the Laguna de
Bay.

Environment and Natural Resources Concern
The City of Calamba has embarked in the formulation of its Ten-Year Solid Waste Management
Plan as a manifestation of its commitment in improving the environment and providing a safe
and healthy place for the populace. Bearing the provisions, of RA 9003, known as the
Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, the plans, as conceptualized, also serves as the blue
print for the implementation of ecologically sound and sustainable solid waste management
program.
Water Quality Status of Laguna de Bay


Location Status
Central West Bay Yellow
East Bay Yellow
Central Bay Yellow
Northern West Bay Yellow
South Bay Red
Marikina River Black
Mangangate River Gray
Tunasan River Black
San Pedro River Black
Cabuyao River Black
San Cristobal River Black
San Juan River Black
Bay River Red
Santa Crus River Red
Pagsanjan River Red
Pangil River Red
Tanay River Red
Morong River Black
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On October 12, 2005, Mayor Joaquin M. Chipeco, Jr., the barangay captains, and the City Local
Government Operations Director signed a memorandum of agreement involving the
implementation of the Solid Waste Management Plan in the whole city. Mayor Chipeco directed
all barangays to comply with the provisions of the IRR of RA 9003 through an Executive Order
and commissioned the SWAPP to help with the plan formulation.
Encouraging participation from private sectors in the environmental concerns became possible
trough the cooperation of various business establishments. Under the umbrella of Kalikasan
Kinakalinga sa Kalamba (KKK) Mcdonalds,
Jollibbee, PLDT, Meralco and various
manufacturing companies have been
actively participating in the undertakings on
environment protection.
One of the most tangible and considered
priority projects of CITY ENRO is the
establishment of City Sanitary Landfill and
the provision of technical support for the
establishment of Materials Recovery Facility
in every barangay. The two both adhere
with the mandates of RA 9003 or the
Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of
2000.
These are done to effectively counter the
Telefax: 049
-545 4843
persistent crisis on garbage.

Relatively, two MRF are in operation at the moment. One in Barangay Palingon, Linga, and
Sampiruhan, collectively known as PALISAM, and the other is in barangay Pansol. With the
completion of MRF either per barangay or cluster barangay as recommended, burden on
garbage will surely be lessened.