Good Practice Investigation and Documentation of the Integrated Sustainable Waste Management (ISWM) Project of Tagbilaran City, Bohol Province 1 I. CONTEXT AND BACKGROUND The capital city of Bohol province, Tagbilaran city is about six hundred thirty kilometers (630 kms.) southeast of Metro Manila. On 01 July 1966, the city of Tagbilaran became a chartered city by virtue of Republic Act (RA) 4660. It has a total land area of 3,270 hectares (about 327 sq. kms). A third class city, it consists of fifteen barangays with a total population of 77,700 in 2000 (NSO, 2000). Also, NSO (2000) figures shows that about 31,493 or 40.53% of the total city population are living in urban areas while 46,207 or 59.47% are in the rural areas. Tagbilaran city boasts of its role as Bohol province’s “gateway of development” (CEP, 1999). As a major eco-tourism destination, the city has achieved significant progress and economic development. To support the province’s eco-cultural tourism and agro- industrialization, the city provides necessary services, economic structures as well as infrastructure to the entire island of Bohol. It is the province’s center of trade and commerce (10-Year ISWM Plan, 2004). In fact, it hosts most of the province’s airport, major sea and fish port, government offices, educational institutions, hospitals, hotels, and even leading departments stores. The City is blessed with natural resources as well as a rich cultural and historical heritage. For example, nine barangays of the city are coastal barangays. The city has an approximate coastline distance of about thirteen (13) kms. Many residents rely on fishing as their income source. Tagbilaran also source some of its potable water requirements from aquifers/groundwater. Although the city does not have a forest area, it was able to maintain greenbelt areas such as small tree farms near schools and in some private lots as well as a park near the town center. Finally, Tagbilaran city hosts a number of tourism related services and activities. It has the Banat-I Hills, Eilley Hill, a mangrove plantation in Manga and Bool and a few caves in Cabawan. The famous marker of the Blood Compact between datu Sikatuna and Miguel Lopez de Legaspi can be found in Boot District. Tabilaran City: Facts and Figures Barangay Composition Tagbilaran city has a total of 15 component barangays, four (4) of which are considered highly urbanized and these are Brgys. Cogon, Poblacion I, II, and III (see Figure 1.). Geological Features Tagbilaran City is generally underlayed with limestone formation made up of strata of variable porosity and permeability (10-Yr. ISWM Plan, 2004). There are a number of sinkholes, caverns and solution channels in some parts of the city. Figure 1.2.2 shows the location of sinkholes in the city. 2 The city is unable to meet the requirements for a Sanitary Landfill Facility (SLF) as provided in Republic Act 9003 (otherwise known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000) due to the presence of sinkholes especially those located in barangay Dampas where the existing dumpsite is located. Coupled with the fact that the underlying limestone formation of the city does not meet the minimum permeability requirement (i.e., 1x10-6 cm/sec.) for SLF liners, the city government would need a considerable amount in engineering works in order to undertake a SLF project. City Population The population of Tagbilaran city has significantly increased during the last 3 decades as shown in Table 1 below. In the year 2000, the city’s population of 77,700 is about 6.82 percent of Bohol’s total population. This makes Tagbilaran city as the province’s most populated city, followed by the municipalities of Ubay with 5.25% and Talibon with 4.75% of the total population of the province of Bohol (NSO, 2000). The 3.46% growth rate of the city is even higher than the Bohol province’s growth rate of 2.95% (NSO, 2000). Table 1. Total Population of Tagbilaran City (1970-2000) Average Growth Rate Year Population Total Increase (%) 1970 33,005 12,755 4.89 1975 37,335 4,330 2.47 1980 42,683 5,348 2.68 1990 56,363 13,680 2.78 1995 66,683 10,320 3.36 2000 77,700 11,017 3.46 Source: NSO in Table 3.a. Actual vs Projected Population of Tagbilaran City, pp. 18, 10-Yr. ISWM Plan, 2004 The city’s population can be expected to reach 104,360 by the year 2010 with the current growth trend. Table 2below provides the population forecast for the year 2003-2010. It is to be noted that the figures are NSO population projections. Table 2. Population Forecast of Tagbilaran City Average Growth Rate Year Population Total Increase (%) 2003 85,768 2,694 3.24 2004 88,472 2,704 3.15 2005 91,176 2,704 3.06 2006 93,812 2,363 2.89 2007 96,447 2,635 2.81 2008 99,089 2,642 2.74 2009 101,724 2,635 2.66 2010 104,360 2,635 2.59 Source: NSO in Table 3.a. Actual vs Projected Population of Tagbilaran City, pp. 18, 10-Yr. ISWM Plan, 2004 3 Economic Activities and Sectors Since Bohol province is a major tourist destination in the Visayas region, Tagbilaran city attracts an influx of tourists. As a prime tourist destination, the city alone has at least nine (9) tourist attractions that vary from ecology, heritage and culture. The tourism industry has enticed investors, both local and foreign, and this meant an increase in business activities such as transport, hotels, as well as other service related establishments. Thus, Tagbilaran city has become a center for trade and commerce. To illustrate this, the 10-year ISWM Plan (2004) recorded about 3,216 business establishments from various categories like convenience stores (980 registered stores which is equivalent to 30% of the total number of establishments), malls (there are about 5 of such macro establishments including the newly constructed Island City Mall), public market, and other small and medium enterprises. The number of business establishments has increased by about 24% from 1998 (10-Yr. ISWM Plan, 2004). The city’s agriculture sector includes such activities like farming, marine-based aquaculture, fishery production, and livestock and poultry production. The city has about 1,046 hectares of agricultural land. However, only about 33.6% (35.2 has.) are actually used for farming/cropping. Also, people who are involved in farming comprise only 3.5% (2,662 farmers) of the city’s populace (10-Yr. ISWM Plan, 2004). In addition, the establishment of a multi-million livestock complex in Barangay Tiptip proved that the livestock and poultry is fast becoming a profitable business venture. ISWM Situational Analysis The city’s geological characteristics, urban structure, increasing population and economic activities have put tremendous pressure on the issue of solid waste management. For example, the influx of students and workers of various private and public schools in the city especially during school season as well as the arrival of local and foreign tourists during vacation time has contributed to the increase in waste generators. The burgeoning population and rapid urbanization has inadvertently contributed to the problem of solid waste management. The city’s populace has identified a number of ways of disposing their garbage. Majority of the residents’ garbage are picked up by dump trucks of the city government and brought to the dumpsite in Dampas district. Table 1.3.1 shows the usual manner of garbage disposal of the residents and establishments in the city. 4 Table 3. Usual Manner of Garbage Disposal of Households in Tagbilaran City Manner of Garbage Disposal Number of Households Picked up by Garbage Truck 11,647 Dumping in Individual Pit (Not Burned) 906 Burning 2,349 Composting (Later used as Fertilizer) 175 Burying 102 Feeding to Animals 385 Others 21 T O T A L 15,585 Source: NSO Census of Population and Housing, 2000. Note: Figures are estimates based on a 10% sample The city generates about 92.6 tons (92,668 kgs.) of solid waste daily. Households are the biggest waste generators with 38.5 tons (41.46% of the total volume of waste). They are followed by general merchandise stores with 15.5 tons and the public markets with 14.6 tons per day. Table 4 shows the sources and composition of city wastes. Table 4. Waste Generation and Composition Waste Composition (kg/day) Weight Percent Source Special (kg/day) (%) Biodegradable Recyclable Residual waste Residential 38,513.9 41.56 25,826.5 3,286.6 8,881.2 537.6 General Stores 15,533.6 16.76 6,446.0 5,354.9 3,362.9 95.5 Public Market 14,611.9 15.77 10,500.1 1,631.5 2,419.7 56.8 Institutions 9,133.0 9.86 5,810.2 2,342.8 979.4 0 Service Center 8,275.1 8.93 6,173.3 610.0 1,494.3 0 Special waste 4,059.4 4.38 2,057.1 649.1 1,311.6 39.2 Food 1,794.6 1.94 1,025.0 147.0 658.1 5.7 Establishment Industries 697.2 0.75 366.1 146.9 169.5 14.6 Recreation Center 27.0 0.03 0 27.0 0 0 Slaughter House 22.6 0.02 12.2 1.8 9.0 0 TOTAL 92,668.3 100.00 58,216.5 14,197.6 19,285.7 749.4 Source: Table 3.c Current Waste Generation for City of Tagbilaran, pp.