ASCOT Library Zabali Campus

Introduction – Farm case studies – Policy studies – Summary and conclusions.

“Many agribusiness ventures have been established in the Los Baños-Bay-Nagcarlan area because of its proximity to Metro Manila. It lies about 60 km from the megalopolis and is the site of many developments involving housing subdivisions, industrial parks, and recreational areas. The agribusinesses are focused on pigs, chickens and ducks but other animals are also involved. While they may be good for the local and national economy, they bring with them many environmental and resource management problems. The most important of these problems is the disposal of animal wastes generated in large quantities. Many of these businesses are in people's backyards where waste disposal is at best rudimentary and even in the larger production facilities waste is often improperly handled. As a consequence of the rapid and often uncontrollable growth of these businesses, waste management is becoming an important issue that needs to be addressed before it gets out of hand and as the competition for space and resources increases. One of the key roles the faculty of University of the Philippines at Los Baños plays is as extension officers and so they are called upon increasingly to provide advice to local governments on how to best deal with the waste generated by these businesses.
With its objective of trying to assist the Philippines in dealing with environment and resource management issues, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) funded Environment and Resource Management Project (ERMP) felt it worthwhile and necessary to look into waste management practices of a representative sample of these businesses in an area centered on Mt. Makiling and extending into the surrounding lowlands to establish a basis for policy recommendations for the sustainable management of the area's resources as they must be accommodated and integrated with the other sustainable land and resource uses in the area.
It is hoped that this report will have wide applicability and will help local government units throughout the Philippines to deal with similar problems.” - Peter Guy, Canadian Project Director-Environment and Resource Management Project