A Survey in Identifying Environmental Problems in Valenzuela City

Abigail P. Cid-Andres; Maria Cecilia Cabuang Ycong; Ginno L. Andres; Mary Christine A. Cada; Joselinda M. Golpeo; Joseph Raniel A. Bianes; Anabella C. Vilando; Florence Joie F. Lacsa; Rugi Vicente DC Rubi; Rolando Umandal; Josel B. Godezano; Gener L. Andres; Raphael Christian Cruz; Mark B. Manlapaz

Abigail P. Cid-Andres Chemistry Department, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Philippines
Maria Cecilia Cabuang Ycong Media and Communication, Trinity University of Asia, Philippines
Ginno L. Andres Engineering Department, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Philippines
Mary Christine A. Cada Biology Department, Trinity University of Asia, Philippines
Joselinda M. Golpeo Engineering Department, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Philippines
Joseph Raniel A. Bianes Engineering Department, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Philippines
Anabella C. Vilando Engineering Department, Bicol State College of Applied Science and Technology, Philippines
Florence Joie F. Lacsa Engineering Department, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Philippines
Rugi Vicente DC Rubi Engineering Department, Adamson University, Philippines
Rolando Umandal DENR-Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau, Laguna, Philippines
Josel B. Godezano DENR-Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau, Laguna, Philippines
Gener L. Andres DENR-Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau, Laguna, Philippines
Raphael Christian Cruz DENR-Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau, Laguna, Philippines
Mark B. Manlapaz DENR-Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau, Laguna, Philippines

Keywords: scoping, environmental problems, pollution, plastic city, industries' waste

Abstract

The study’s main objective is to identify key environmental problems in the City of Valenzuela and recommend feasible technology that can determine the quality of air and water being released by the companies. A survey was conducted with 127 industries in Valenzuela City aimed at knowing the city’s plastic production and recycling, wastewater management, solid waste management, air pollution reduction as well as its governance to the problems being encountered by the city. The study revealed that about 55% of the industries’ wastes are plastics which is quite alarming as plastics are one of the biggest polluters on earth. It also shows that most of the company representatives who answered the survey admitted that they (about 46%) barely knew if plastic neutrality is practiced in their place. Interestingly, about 86% of the participating industries claimed that they did not produce air emissions yet have no available records of their air emissions inventory. With this, the researchers recommend a strict implementation of the Republic Act 9003 also known as Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 in Valenzuela City. It is interesting to note that, about 56.10% expressed their willingness to collaborate with the Scoping team to conduct studies on possible technology that would be able to resolve Valenzuela City’s problems on waste.

Author Biographies

Abigail P. Cid-Andres, Chemistry Department, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Philippines

Dr. Abigail P. Cid-Andres is a registered Chemist and a Faculty of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP). She was a recipient of the Balik Scientist Program of the Department of Science and Technology under RA 11035 known as the Balik Scientist Act aimed to encourage Filipino scientists, technologists, and experts to return to the country and share their expertise to promote scientific, agro-industrial, and economic development, including the development of our human capital in science, technology, and innovation. Her expertise includes analytical chemistry, environment, oceanography, limnology, stable isotope ecology, and surface chemistry. She is currently the Laboratory Head of the College of Science at the PUP Main Building.

Maria Cecilia Cabuang Ycong, Media and Communication, Trinity University of Asia, Philippines

Dr. Maria Cecilia C. Ycong is a Professor 1 at the Trinity University of Asia (TUA) teaching at the Undergraduate and Graduate programs. She’s the In-House Manager of the Media and Communication Department and the Academic Counselor for the BA Broadcasting Program at TUA. She has presented papers in the country and abroad. She is a journal reviewer of local and international papers and was recently recognized at the International Academic Forum (IAFOR) held in Tokyo, Japan, as a senior reviewer. Her research interests include Media and Communication, Language, and Environmental Science. She earned her Master’s Degree in Communication from the University of the Philippines and a Doctor of Philosophy major in Educational Management from New Era University.

Ginno L. Andres, Engineering Department, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Philippines

Dr. Ginno L. Andres earned his expertise in Mechanical Engineering at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and Ritsumeikan University, Japan. He was also a recipient of the Balik Scientist Program of the Department of Science and Technology. He is a faculty of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and is currently the Director of the Intellectual Property Management Office. Concurrently, he is also the PUP Institute of Science and Technology Research (ISTR) Chief of the Engineering and Technology Research Center and Program Chair of the PUP Doctor of Engineering program. He also manages the Advanced Novel Driven Research on Energy Sustainability (ANDRES) laboratory.

Mary Christine A. Cada, Biology Department, Trinity University of Asia, Philippines

Mary Christine Cada is a faculty member of the Biology Department at Trinity University of Asia. She obtained a Bachelor's degree in Biology from Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila and a Master's degree in Microbiology from the University of Santo Tomas. Her research focuses on the exploration of endophytic microorganisms and screens them for potential social applications, such as bioremediation and biofertilizers.

Joseph Raniel A. Bianes, Engineering Department, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Philippines

Engr. Joseph Raniel A. Bianes, MSCM, RCE, RMP, SO-2, CPM is a Licensed Civil Engineer, a Registered Master Plumber, a Safety Officer 2, and a Certified Project Manager by the Philippine Project Managers Association. He is an Associate Professor 1 teaching in various Undergraduate Engineering programs of the College of Engineering - Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) and in the undergraduate (NTSP and ETEEAP) and graduate (Master of Science in Construction Management) programs of the PUP Open University System. Currently, He is serving concurrently as the Chief of the Plumbing/Sanitary Design and Project Monitoring Section of the Physical Planning and Development Office, Laboratory Head of the Civil Engineering and Railway Engineering Departments, and the Chairman of the Technical Working Group for Infrastructure at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and Secretary for Thesis Defense in the PUP Open University System.

Anabella C. Vilando, Engineering Department, Bicol State College of Applied Science and Technology, Philippines

Dr. Anabella C. Vilando is a permanent Associate Professor III Faculty member of the Graduate School and the Institutional Research Coordinator under the Research Extension Production and Enterprise Development (REPED) Unit of Bicol State College of Applied Science and Technology (BISCAST). From 2015 to the present, she has worked as a Research Assistant for Prof. Ming-Chun Lu at the National Chung Hsing University, Taichung City, Taiwan. They have a series of research on the Fluidized-Bed Homogeneous Granulation Process (FBHGP) that have been presented at different international conferences and published in several International Science Indexed (ISI) journals like Chemosphere, Desalination and Water Treatment, Environmental Science and Pollution Research, Separation and Purification Technology, Journal of Cleaner Production, Process Safety and Environmental Protection, and MATEC Web of Conferences.

Florence Joie F. Lacsa, Engineering Department, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Philippines

Florence Joie Floresca-Lacsa is a registered Chemical Engineer and a Licensed Professional Teacher. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering degree at Saint Louis University and her Master of Science in Chemistry at the Ateneo de Manila University. She worked as a process engineering apprentice at Texas Instrument (Philippines), Inc. where she earned experience in the role of process engineering on product quality and development. She also became a wastewater treatment plant engineer and supervisor at Ibiden Philippines, Inc. where she had comprehensive experience in engineering design, operation, and maintenance of industrial and biological wastewater treatment plants and gas scrubber operations. Her research interests are related to environmental protection and preservation, particularly on water and wastewater treatment and air emissions. Engr. Lacsa is currently an Assistant Professorial Lecturer II at the Department of Physical Sciences, College of Science of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.

Rugi Vicente DC Rubi, Engineering Department, Adamson University, Philippines

Dr. Rugi Vicente Rubi is a permanent faculty of the Chemical Engineering Department of the College of Engineering at Adamson University. Dr. Rubi has a degree in Chemical Engineering taken at Mapua University. He conducted his dissertation at Kumamoto University, Japan, focusing on the supercritical extraction of natural compounds. He published papers in photocatalysis, green extraction, advanced materials, and drying kinetics. Currently, Dr. Rubi is handling different research groups to produce quality research contributions in the academic community.

Rolando Umandal, DENR-Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau, Laguna, Philippines

Engr. Rolando Umandal is a licensed Chemical Engineer. He completed his Bachelor’s degree at Adamson University. He has more than 25 years of working experience in different industries in the Philippines and abroad, but most of his industry experiences were concentrated in a Pharmaceutical company, and worked as a Quality Control Inspector Quality Assurance Engineer, and Laboratory Analyst. In September 2015, he decided to shift his career to academia and teach for four years at the Technological Institute of the Philippines under the Math and Physics Department, and in 2019, he was employed at Adamson University as a Faculty under Chemical Engineering. Currently, he is teaching at the Batangas State University under the College of Arts and Sciences.

Josel B. Godezano, DENR-Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau, Laguna, Philippines

Engr. Josel Godezano is a Science Research Specialist II of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources- Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau ( DENR-ERDB). He became a Project Manager in various environmental projects of HiAdvance Philippines Inc. He also became a Quality Assurance Analyst at UNAHCO and Mapua University. He is proficient in using Fourier transform Infrared (FTIR), Atomic Adsorption Spectrometer ( AAS), Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometer ( ICP-OES), UV-VIS, and other basic laboratory equipment. He is a Chemist with a Master's Degree in Environmental Engineering from Mapua University, Manila, and a licensed Teacher.

Gener L. Andres, DENR-Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau, Laguna, Philippines

Mr. Gener L. Andres is a Research Associate at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. He studied Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Arellano University. He worked as a reservations specialist at Teleperformance Philippines and Altisource Solutions. He is currently specializing in utilities and machine fabrications for energy research.

Raphael Christian Cruz, DENR-Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau, Laguna, Philippines

Mr. Raphael Christian Cruz is currently a Project staff of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. His work focuses on project management based on financial reports, procurement, and liquidation. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Makati.

Mark B. Manlapaz, DENR-Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau, Laguna, Philippines

Engr. Mark B. Manlapaz is a registered mechanical engineer and an Emergency Engineer I. He graduated from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines with a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. He is also a Safety Officer 2 who satisfactorily completed the 40-hour DOLE-BWC prescribed course on Construction Occupational Safety and Health (COSH). He is currently a Technical Expert at the Innovation and Technology Support Office (ITSO) under the Intellectual Property Management Office of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. He provides technical assistance via patent searching and patent drafting, trademark filing, industrial designs, and copyright filing of research outputs by PUP students and faculty members.