i

OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL SUCCOR COLLEGE

General Ordonez St., Concepcion Uno, Marikina City
S.Y. 2018-2019

Senior High School

A Study on the Attitude of the Senior High School Students of Our Lady of Perpetual

Succor College in following the Zero Waste Policy for the School Year 2018 - 2019

by

De Guzman, David Timothy B.

Ferraz, Hans E.

Quibin, Hiroshi B.

Yap, Christian Dennis M.

Bacus, Christine Mae D.

De Guzman, Lyniana C.

Figueroa, Danielle Cheri C.

A thesis submitted to Ms. Romelyn A. Alquisar

In partial fulfillment of the requirements in Practical Research 1

March 2019
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ABSTRACT

This study is entitled "A Study on the Attitude of the Senior High School Students

of Our Lady of Perpetual Succor College in following the Zero Waste Policy for the

School Year 2018 - 2019". It was conducted to recognize the attitude of senior high

school students in following the zero waste policy in Our Lady of Perpetual Succor

College. By this research, the students would be able to follow the zero waste policy

easily. The researchers used interviews that are composed of five questions as their

instrument in order to gather data that will support the said study. The researchers also

used simple random sampling to choose the nineteen respondents from the sections of the

senior high school. The results revealed that most of the students are willing to follow the

zero waste policy; however, they encounter some difficulties in doing so. Moreover, the

students also had the right idea of what the zero waste policy is, but it did not match with

their actual observations.

In conclusion, most of the respondents have observed that their fellow students do

not follow the zero waste policy, regardless of having the right idea of it. Furthermore,

the Senior High school students follow the zero waste policy willingly because the

students see the benefits of it, and they saw the policy as an instrument to promote

cleanliness in our environment.

Keywords: attitude, practices, senior high school students, zero waste

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE

ABSTRACT............................................................................................................. ii

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS....................................................................................... v

DEDICATION........................................................................................................ vi

CHAPTER 1—THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING.......................................... 1

Introduction................................................................................................. 1

Statement of the Problem............................................................................. 3

Significance of the Study............................................................................ 4

Scope and Delimitations.............................................................................. 5

Definition of Terms..................................................................................... 6

CHAPTER 2—LITERATURE REVIEW............................................................. 8

Synthesis..................................................................................................... 13

CHAPTER 3—METHODOLOGY....................................................................... 16

Research Design......................................................................................... 16

Research Locale......................................................................................... 16

Participants................................................................................................. 17

Instrument................................................................................................... 17

Data Gathering Procedure........................................................................... 18

CHAPTER 4—RESULTS…................................................................................... 19

Students‘ Prior Knowledge on the Zero Waste Policy................................ 19

Students‘ Observations on the Zero Waste Policy....................................... 20

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The Parallelism of the Students‘ Prior Knowledge to their Observations

of the Zero Waste Policy............................................................................. 21

Students‘ Responses in doing the Zero Waste Policy................................. 22

Students‘ Ways of Handling Difficulties encountered in the Zero Waste

Policy………………………………………............................................... 24

CHAPTER 5—DISCUSSION................................................................................ 27

Summary...................................................................................................... 27

Findings....................................................................................................... 27

Conclusions.................................................................................................. 28

Implications.................................................................................................. 29

Recommendations........................................................................................ 30

Practical Application of Results....................................................... 30

Future Research................................................................................ 30

REFERENCES ....................................................................................................... 32

APPENDICES

A. Interview Questions................................................................................ 37

B. Cover Letter………................................................................................ 38
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

First and foremost, the researchers would like to thank our Almighty God for

giving them the knowledge, patience, and the will to do this research.

The researchers are grateful to everyone who gave academic, emotional, financial,

and spiritual support to them throughout the course of this research.

The researchers are especially thankful for the aspiring guidance, invaluably

constructive criticism and friendly advice of their research teacher, Ms. Romelyn A.

Alquisar, and panelists Mr. Gideon B. Canlas, Ms. Jasmine Mae Arjona, Mr. Jeeffcy

Arellano, and Ms. Nicole R. Luna during the duration of the study. They are sincerely

grateful to them for sharing their truthful and illuminating views on this thesis.

The researchers would also like to extend their gratitude to STEM 11-A, batch

2018–2019, for supporting and helping them conduct the research.

Lastly, the researchers would like to express their warm thanks to all the

respondents who gave their time and effort in answering the questions in the interview.
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For Ms. Romelyn A. Alquisar,

This thesis is the fruit of your teachings for the past five months.

As an expression of our overflowing gratitude, we dedicate this sweet fruit to you.

You have bestowed us with knowledge wholeheartedly; we hope you grade these pages in

the same spirit.

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CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

INTRODUCTION

Having a fixed way of managing solid waste remains to be a major challenge in

the Philippines (Senate Economic Planning Office, 2017). Wastes are unwanted

materials that were discarded after primary use, yet some could be recycled but most are

likely disposed into areas primarily into landfill sites. The Philippines has operated and

continues to operate numerous landfill sites, with each having a bitter history. One of

these sites is the Smokey Mountains, a large landfill once located in Tondo, Manila but

was closed two decades ago due to public outcry (Angeles, 2013). A similar scene

played out at the now-closed Payatas dumpsite in which a tragic landslide of dumped

garbage on claimed the lives of 218 people on July 10, 2000 (Peña, 2017). Furthermore,

Rañada (2015) stated that the Philippines has among the highest trash collection rates in

Southeast Asia and it‘s the world‘s 3rd biggest source of plastic leaking into the ocean.

The common denominator in these debacles was the lack of proper waste disposal

systems during that time. Also, being a third-world county, the production of these solid

wastes accelerated due to the Philippines‘ fast-paced industrialization, urbanization and

population growth.

This is why the Philippines signed into law Republic Act No. 9003, which is

known as the "Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000" whose primary aim is

to address the growing problem on solid wastes of the country. As stated from the report
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of the Senate Economic Planning Office, this provides a legal framework for country's

solid waste management program.

Moreover, Marikina, a city in the National Capital Region, is a valley which is in

between two mountains; Antipolo and San Mateo. This makes Marikina a catch-basin for

floods during a typhoon, but despite their geographical condition, Marikina is still able to

maintain cleanliness throughout their city. In fact, ECOTECH (2013) named them to be

one of the cleanest cities.

In relation to the abovementioned statement, Marikina City is one of the cities that

is able to conform to the practices of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of the

country. Marikina City has created numerous ―healthy city projects‖, which are defined

as ―anything that contributes to the improvement of health and well-being of the

community, primarily the security and cleanliness of a certain setting/place.‖ Magtubo

(2017) from Healthy Partners cited that Marikina initiated these various healthy city

projects called ―healthy places of key elemental settings‖, and one of these projects is the

―Healthy Market‖, which aims to promote cleanliness and orderliness of marketplaces.

Aside from being recognized as one of the cleanest cities, Marikina has also garnered

awards because of their green practices.

In order to participate and support the green programs of the city, Our Lady of

Perpetual Succor College, one of the largest schools in Marikina City, advocates and

promotes proper waste management through several programs, and one of which is called

the zero waste policy. Zero Waste International Alliance (2018) defines zero waste as

―the conservation of all resources by means of responsible production, consumption,

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reuse, and recovery of products, packaging, and materials without burning, and with no

discharges to land, water, or air that threaten the environment or human health.‖ With

that thought, OLOPSC exhorts OLOPSCians to minimize their use of waste in order to

achieve cleanliness or ―zero waste‖. Though eco-friendly and recyclable alternatives are

being introduced in this policy, the main zero waste policy in OLOPSC when it comes to

waste management is to bring home one's trash.

The zero waste policy, as the main solution in reducing waste, is widely and

strictly implemented in OLOPSC. However, not everyone knows how the said policy

works or what its aims are. For instance, instead of bringing the trash home, a student

might throw their trash elsewhere or within nearby public establishments after an activity

from school, whether it may be school-sanctioned or not. The abovementioned

statements are the reasons why it is the researchers‘ desire to determine how the senior

high school students really follow the zero waste policy program of OLOPSC.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The zero waste policy is widely known and implemented in Our Lady of

Perpetual Succor College. This policy was met by both praises and criticisms. Inside the

campus, one can easily observe how different students practice this policy; some follow it

religiously while some follow it when a teacher calls their attention. In this study, the

researchers identified the practices and behavior of students towards the said policy.

Specifically, the researchers attempted to answer the following research questions:

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1. How do the senior high school students of OLOPSC practice waste management

in order to achieve Zero Waste?

2. How do senior high school students of OLOPSC behave/respond towards the

implemented practices of the Zero Waste Policy?

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study is significant in the development of a core value that every

OLOPSCian must have, but nowadays many lacks; responsibility, which is reflected

through the Zero Waste Policy of the school. This research aims to determine the attitude

of senior high school students in responding to the zero waste policy. Furthermore, it also

aims to identify and recognize the problems this policy is facing and to give suggestions

on addressing them.

The results of this study will be of great help to the senior high school students,

other OLOPSCians, administrators, teachers, and future researchers.

The Senior High School students will benefit from this study the most as the

data that will be gathered from this research will come from them. Therefore, whatever

findings this study will present will be suitable for them. Moreover, this study will help

them follow the zero waste policy effectively and properly.

Other OLOPSCians will also benefit from this study as it gives them an idea on

how to properly practice the zero waste policy.

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OLOPSC administrators and teachers will also benefit from this study as it

gives them an idea on the faulty areas of the zero waste policy and how to improve them.

The future researchers of studies related to this topic can use the information

presented in this research as additional literature, evidence, reference, or source for their

future investigations.

Aside from the people mentioned above, this research may also serve as a basis

for possible modifications of the zero waste policy in order to ensure its utmost

effectivity. The findings that will be presented from this study may also serve as a guide

for other institutions in creating their own waste management policies.

SCOPE AND DELIMITATIONS

The study mainly focused on the attitude of senior high school students in

responding to the zero waste policy in OLOPSC before and after an event or activity

done in school. The researchers conducted a thorough interview with the selected

respondents. Nineteen (19) respondents were chosen for this research using the simple

random sampling. The study was conducted in OLOPSC, Marikina City from January

2019 to March 2019.

In this study, 19 students who came from grades 11 and 12 served as the

respondents. The researchers selected the respondents according to the following criteria:

1) they must be a student in senior high school in OLOPSC; 2) they are knowledgeable

about the zero waste policy of OLOPSC; 3) they follow the zero waste policy because of
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at least one of the following reasons: they are obligated to do it or they are following the

zero-waste policy willingly. The research was conducted in OLOPSC since the

respondents will be obtained within the school campus.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

The following terms are defined based on how they will be used in the study:

Bring home your trash policy is a policy under the zero waste policy of

OLOPSC that requires a student to bring his/her produced trash from school to

his/her home.

Landfill sites are sites for the disposal of waste materials by dumping.

OLOPSC is an acronym for Our Lady of Perpetual Succor College; a private

non- sectarian school in Marikina city.

OLOPSCian is a student studying at Our Lady of Perpetual Succor College.

Recovery is the act of preparing disregarded items for their next use.

Recycling is the conversion of waste products to new products.

Recyclable rubbish are waste items that can be used again.

Republic Act No. 9003 is an act providing for an ecological solid waste

management program, creating the necessary institutional mechanisms and

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incentives, declaring certain acts prohibited and providing penalties, appropriating

funds, therefore, and for other purposes.

Solid rubbish are waste items that can be found in a household.

Solid waste management refers to the process of collecting and treating solid

wastes.

Zero waste is a policy enforced by OLOPSC that aims to eliminate the

production of waste by students.

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CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This research focused on determining the attitude of senior high school students in

following the zero waste policy by understanding how the students practice and respond

to the said policy. Related literatures and studies are gathered in this chapter to serve as

evidence and to uphold the credibility of this paper. As the world constantly and

continuously develops, waste materials are produced and left. Tsuneishi Kamtechs

Corporation (n.d.) cites the Waste Disposal Law of Japan which defines waste as

―garbage, bulky waste, cinders, sludge, excreta, waste oil, waste acid, waste alkali,

animal corpses, and other filth or useless things all of which are liquid or solid.‖

Basically, anything that is found to be useless or is meant to be thrown away is

considered to be ―waste‖.

4 Waste Removals (2016) in their article entitled ―There are 5 types of waste, do

you know them all?‖ classifies waste into five: liquid waste, solid rubbish, organic waste,

recyclable rubbish and hazardous waste. However, this study only focuses on recyclable

rubbish, which is solid in nature, and solid rubbish. Solid rubbish are waste items that

can be found in a household. These include plastic waste, paper/card waste, tins and

metals, and ceramics and glass. Recyclable rubbish, on the other hand, are basically

waste items that can be used again. Some solid rubbish is also considered as recyclable

ones, such as paper/card waste, furniture, and metals.

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Historically, waste production was taken care off by dumping either into unused

land areas (swamps) or into rivers, as mentioned by Circular Economy Asia (2017). Up to

this day, waste is being disposed of in this way. Based from the outcomes from the

reports about the Smokey Mountain outcry (Angeles, 2013) and the Payatas dumpsite

tragedy (Peña, 2017), the researchers are able to deduce that the waste disposal systems

which are currently present in the country are very faulty. One of the waste disposal

systems used by the country is the aforementioned one; landfills. Advanced Disposal

(n.d.) defines landfills as structures built into or on top of the ground, in which trash is

separated from the area around it. Smokey Mountain is considered to be a landfill. Not to

be confused with a dump, in which the Payatas dumpsite falls under. A dump, on the

other hand, is merely an open hole where trash is literally ―dumped‖. Unlike landfills,

dumps aren‘t regulated.

Another type of disposal method is incineration. In this method, solid wastes are

burned at high temperatures so as to convert them into residue and gaseous products.

Though banned in the Philippines under the Philippine Clean Air Act and the Ecological

Solid Waste Management Act, Stinus-Cabugon (2018) in her article entitled ―Incineration

is still a bad idea‖ from The Manila Times reports that peddlers of incinerators

(reportedly Korean and Japanese) are busy approaching local government officials to

convince them that incineration is the solution to the garbage problem. In an interview

with environmental scientist Jorge Emmanuel, Geronimo (2017) found that these

peddlers are able to sell the illegal incinerators under the guise of being a ―waste-to-

energy‖ converter.
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The Philippines practices another type of waste disposal; recovery and recycling.

Recovery is the act of preparing disregarded items for their next use. Not to be confused

with recycling, which pertains to the conversion of waste products to new ones. These

methods of waste disposal are done in what is known as a ―materials recovery facility.‖

These facilities are designed in order to segregate and prepare recyclable materials in

order to gain profit. ―With the MRF [materials recovery facility], we are able to earn

money through selling recyclable waste,‖ said then-Mayor Del de Guzman in an

interview with Inquirer (2012). Despite profitable and eco-friendly perks, the recovery

and recycling method of waste disposal aren‘t as widely used as landfills. This is because

of the fact that the use of landfills are cost-efficient, meaning they save more time, effort,

and expense, all the while being effective.

Having no fixed way of managing solid waste, the concept of zero waste is

eventually introduced to the Philippines. O‘Connor (2018) defines zero waste as ―a

movement to reduce the amount one consumes and consequently throws away.‖ Simply

said, the philosophy of zero waste aims to avoid the production of materials that can only

be used once. A close examination of this definition made the researchers realize that the

philosophy of zero waste is nearly impossible to fulfill since almost all materials

produced can only be used once. An example of this material is prevalent in the

Philippines alone; the packaging used in most Philippine supermarkets is made with

paper, which can only be used once. Philippine fast-food establishments still use

disposable sachets to contain their condiments. Even the use of plastic spoons and forks

is still common in the Philippines.

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In addition, zero waste alternatives are being introduced in the Philippines, but

some at an expensive price. Eco bags, for example, are sold at thirty-five (35) to forty

(40) pesos per piece (SM Prime, 2011) if a customer opts for a sustainable option, but is

of course intimidated by the price. Metal straws are also being introduced, but are priced

for at least fifty (50) pesos per piece; depending on the type of straw you want (Sanchez,

2018). The price range of these alternatives are discouraging to people as consumers

since they don‘t see these alternatives as options that uphold zero waste, but as a waste of

money instead.

Besides the rather pricey alternatives, the concept of zero waste isn‘t fully

embraced because people simply lack the discipline to maintain their surroundings clean,

by means of this policy. This fact is reinforced in the article of Basierto (2014) entitled

―Throwing Garbage Anywhere: A Bad Habit‖, in which he has stated that ―Many

countries are experiencing environmental problems nowadays. Different environmental

campaigns and actions have been conducted but still the problems are there. One of these

problems that is evidently seen everywhere is pollution. The contributor of it is the

improper waste disposal or throwing garbage anywhere by undisciplined people.‖ In his

article entitled ―The Truth behind Zero Waste: The Good, The Bad, and The Privilege‖,

Peters (2018) shared similar sentiments: ―I saw first-hand that waste-free living is nearly

impossible if one wasn't extremely diligent and privileged with free time to do so in the

first place.‖ This goes to show that even if affordable alternatives in going zero waste

were to be introduced, it still wouldn‘t work if people are still undisciplined or not

diligent.
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Nonetheless, numerous environmental advocates continue to campaign for the

zero waste policy. One of which is Lina Praeda-Baez, a staff aide for Santa Clara City‘s

environmental programs who said ―We have always had an education-first approach. We

don‘t like forcing people, we like educating people and hoping they change.‖ as noted by

Vashist (2018) in her article entitled ―Adopting Zero Waste: Is individual responsibility

enough for change?‖. Of course, the expected results of the zero waste policy won‘t be

good if people were forced to do this. Rather, they must equipped with sufficient

knowledge in order to perform the policy on their own, without anyone telling them what

to do.

Moreover, there are also a number of personalities who were able to fully

embrace the concept of zero waste. One of which is Bea Johnson, who, according to an

article entitled ―Bea Johnson: Queen of Zero Waste‖ by O‘Byrne (2017), only fits her

family‘s annual waste in a tiny mason jar. Now a bestselling author of ―Zero Waste

Home‖ and a world-renowned speaker from over 60 countries, Johnson reiterates her

methodology which served as her key to her successful zero-waste lifestyle in an

interview with the Irish Examiner:

―Refusing what you do not need

Reducing what you do need

Replacing all disposables with reusables

Recycling only what you can‘t reduce or replace

Rotting, or composting, the remainder.‖

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Another individual worth mentioning who lives by the philosophy of zero waste is

Charis Chang. Chang, in her article entitled ―What I learned from trying to live ‗zero

waste‘ for a year‖, expressed her was astonishment by the little jar with rubbish inside

that Bea Johnson‘s family accumulated in just a year. Inspired, she gave the zero waste

lifestyle a try and found out it‘s not actually that hard and it‘s cheaper than what the

others think. After a year, she admitted that she still creates rubbish but her household

waste has decreased dramatically and is improving all the time when she decided to try

Bea Johnson‘s tip of living with zero waste. Based on the two accounts, the researchers

realized that indeed the philosophy of zero waste in nearly impossible to fulfill but to live

without producing any waste whatsoever is very much possible and actually easy.

Back in the Philippine setting, public officials, local government units, as well as

several non-government organizations continue to strive for this country to live waste-

free as much as possible despite having pricey alternatives and the lack of discipline of

Filipinos. In light of the Republic Act No. 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste

Management Act of 2000, ―various cities and towns in the Philippines have shown

leadership in implementing the said law, hoping to transform into a zero-waste city‖

(Alegado & Grate, 2019). This shows how a collective effort from the various sectors of

the Philippines can help in the achievement of being zero waste.

Synthesis

In this study, ―A Study on the Attitude of the Senior High School Students of Our

Lady of Perpetual Succor College in responding to the Zero Waste Policy in terms of its

Trash Collection for the School Year 2018 - 2019‖, the researchers had gathered related
 14

literatures and studies as connections and relations to factually prove and support this

study. First is the definition of waste as given by Tsuneishi Kamtechs Corporation (n.d.)

in which they got from the Waste Disposal Law of Japan. It described the things that are

to be considered as ―wastes‖. The next one is the five types of wastes wherein, according

to an article by 4 Waste Disposals, are liquid waste, solid rubbish, organic waste,

recyclable rubbish, and hazardous waste. Only recyclable and solid rubbish are focused

on this study. Another related literature is a brief history of waste disposal (Circular

Economy Asia, 2017) in which the researchers found out that the disposal systems before

are still being used today. One of which is through landfills, which basically are sites for

the disposal of waste materials by dumping. Another is through incineration, in which

solid wastes are burned at high temperatures so as to convert them into residue and

gaseous products. It is important to note that incineration is illegal in the Philippines, but

is still used to dispose waste anyway under the guise of being a ―waste-to-energy‖

converter, as eloquently stated by Geronimo (2017) and Stinus-Cabugon (2018) in their

respective articles. The third waste disposal system mentioned is by recovery and

recycling. Recovery refers to the act of preparing disregarded items for their next use,

while recycling pertains to the conversion of waste products to new ones. Both are used

in materials recovery facilities which are profitable and eco-friendly, but not as used as

landfills. These paved the way for the introduction of the concept of zero waste in the

Philippines, which O‘Connor (2018) defined as ―a movement to reduce the amount one

consumes and consequently throws away.‖ Seemingly impossible to fulfill, zero waste is

not practiced by some because of its pricey alternatives as taken from SM Prime (2011)

and Sanchez (2018), and because of people‘s lack of discipline in maintaining their
 15

surroundings clean as Basierto (2014) and Peters (2018) found. However, environmental

advocates, such as Praeda-Baez from the article of Vashist (2018), continue to campaign

for the zero waste policy by equipping the public with sufficient knowledge on how to

properly perform it. Regardless of the aforementioned reasons as to why the zero waste

policy is being shunned away, it is still embraced by individuals such as Johnson

(O‘Byrne, 2017) and Chang (Chang, 2017) who actually live successfully with a zero-

waste lifestyle. Locally, the zero waste policy is little by little implemented by the

various sectors of the Philippines, which include the public officials, LGU‘s and NGO‘s

(Alegado & Grate, 2019). These related studies and literatures connect greatly to this

study because it involves most of the aspects included in the study and, from the

background and overview researched, provides possible answers for the study‘s main

problem.
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CHAPTER III

METHODS OF RESEARCH AND PROCEDURES

Research Design

This study made use of a research method called "phenomenology." This method

aims to explain or describe the essence of a lived phenomenon experienced by certain

individuals. The Center for Innovation in Research and Teaching (n.d.) simply defines

phenomenology as a qualitative research method that is used to describe how human

beings experience a certain phenomenon. Phenomenology is the most appropriate

method to use since this method is designed to maximize the extent of the information

collected, therefore upholding the accuracy and authenticity of the study which in turn

will yield accurate and authentic results as well. This study mainly focused on the zero

waste policy, being the "phenomenon", and how senior high school OLOPSCians

practice and behave towards it. In other words, phenomenology was all about gathering

data about a lived phenomenon from some individuals who experienced it, which were

then analyzed and collated by the researchers in order to understand or describe the

essence of that phenomenon. The researchers conducted interviews to perform the said

method.

Research Locale

The study was done in Our Lady of Perpetual Succor College, an educational

institution located in Concepcion, Marikina City. OLOPSC offers education from the

basic until the tertiary level. Approximately 5000 students study annually in this school,

with 1500 coming from the secondary level. The study was conducted in OLOPSC since
 17

the researchers themselves were from the senior high school department of the school.

Furthermore, the target population of the researchers was senior high school students who

were knowledgeable and were practitioners of the zero waste policy. OLOPSC is known

to be the largest school in Marikina in terms of population size, making its students a

good representation for the study.

Participants

The participants in the study included nineteen (19) Senior High School students

for the school year 2018-2019, with their ages ranging from sixteen (16) to nineteen (19)

years old, regardless of their genders. The selection of the participants made use of the

Simple Random Sampling approach, or SRS. An SRS was performed for every section

in the senior high school, which was nineteen (19) in total, regardless of their strands and

grade level. A student was randomly selected per section to be interviewed, therefore

ending up with nineteen (19) interviewees coming from the strands ABM, HUMSS, and

STEM in grades 11 and 12. The participants were selected from the senior high school

department since the study focused on them who also happened to be practitioners of the

zero waste policy.

Research Instrument

The research utilized interviews in conducting the study. It was the most

convenient instrument to be used especially in a phenomenological approach in order to

collect unbiased results and findings from the participants themselves. Interviews were

generally easier for the respondent, especially if what are sought are opinions or

impressions. The interview sessions served as a window to reach people's insights and
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thoughts. Interviews sought the respondents' perspectives on issues being raised

throughout the interviewing process. The researchers used questions that were open-

ended which gave the respondents an opportunity to answer based on their opinions or

what they have experienced.

Data Gathering Procedure

The researchers have received instructions to be followed from their research

teacher adviser for the proper conduction of interviews needed for the study. The

interviews were conducted during dismissal time, which depended on the availability of

the respondents. The researchers waited by the chosen respondent's door until he/she was

dismissed. Once dismissed, the researchers interviewed the chosen respondent for about

five (5) to ten (10) minutes. Afterwards, the researchers gathered the respondents'

answers for each question and started to analyze and code them in order to properly study

the results of the interview.

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CHAPTER IV

PRESENTATION, INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA

This chapter presents the interview, interpretation, and analysis of the attitude of the

Senior High School students of Our Lady of Perpetual Succor College in following the

Zero Waste Policy for the school year 2018 – 2019.

Students’ Prior Knowledge on the Zero Waste Policy

The first aspect considered in this study dealt with the prior knowledge or idea/s

the respondents had regarding the zero waste policy.

Most of the respondents‘ answers, though are varied, followed a main theme; the

zero waste policy, or the implementation of it, keeps the campus free from trash as much

as possible. A respondent said, ―As the name connotes, zero waste, meaning you are

maintaining school premises zero or free from waste or garbage.‖ It can be deduced that

the senior high school students saw the zero waste policy as a means in order to maintain

cleanliness inside the school campus by avoiding the production of waste. Students are

oriented on their first days of classes about this policy, and are re-oriented again during

intersection competitions since following the zero waste policy is most of the time part of

each contest‘s mechanics; this means to say that it is just right that the respondents‘ prior

knowledge or idea of the zero waste policy is like this.

This finding of the study corroborates with the article by O‘Connor (2018). In the

article, she defined zero waste as a movement to reduce the amount one consumes and
 20

consequently throws away. Whether it may be treated as movement or a policy,

O‘Connor‘s and the students‘ ideas align. The term alone, ―zero waste‖ need not much

description; the name basically speaks for itself, which is the reason it is no wonder that

the respondents‘ ideas of the zero waste policy were as such.

Students’ Observations on the Zero Waste Policy

The second point considered in this study dealt with the observation/s that the

respondents had regarding the zero waste policy.

Most of the respondents thought of the Zero Waste policy as a good idea to lessen

the waste production in our school, but based on their observations, there are students

who aren‘t following the said policy. Respondents said, ―Some students are not

following the zero waste policy although they are obliged to follow; they just throw their

trash near the vicinity of OLOPSC,‖ and ―Some people think it’s a wrong solution since

they still have to throw their trashes outside the campus and trashes will still be sent to

landfills.‖ It can be deduced that some students think of the policy as a bad solution

because it only allows the students to relocate their trash around the school campus

instead of bringing it home since they're thinking that those trashes will also be brought

to the landfills.

This finding of the study corroborates with the article of Basierto (2014). In this

article, he stated that ―Many countries are experiencing environmental problems

nowadays. Different environmental campaigns and actions have been conducted but still,

the problems are there. One of these problems that is evidently seen everywhere is
 21

pollution. The contributor of it is the improper waste disposal or throwing garbage

anywhere by undisciplined people.‖ The idea of Basierto matches with that of the

students. Although there are a lot of sustainable programs that OLOPSC conducts, the

zero waste policy included, the problem in waste disposal will not be solved as long as

the wrong mindset that the trashes a student produces will end up in a landfill, whether or

not it is brought home. It is also a matter of being disciplined enough, as Basierto found,

to properly dispose waste, or to minimize the production of it.

The Parallelism of the Students’ Prior Knowledge to their Observations of the Zero

Waste Policy

The third aspect considered in this study dealt whether or not the prior knowledge

the respondents had regarding the zero waste policy matched with their observations.

The respondents answered these questions based on their answers from the first

two questions; their prior ideas regarding the zero waste policy, and what they have

actually seen or observed in the implementation of the said policy. Though their claims

are varied, most of the respondents claim that their ideas regarding the zero waste policy

do not correspond with what they have actually observed. One of the respondents said,

"Unfortunately it does not match since the objective or the main goal of the policy is not

obtained.‖ It can be deduced that the senior high school students saw inadequacies in the

zero waste policy; this is why the objective of the said policy, which is maintaining the

cleanliness of the school premises, is not achieved. The students have observed that the

intention of the zero waste policy is not firmly executed for the reason that the attitude of
 22

the students is that they don‘t comply with the zero waste policy, as told by another

respondent: ―For me, my own thoughts does not match my observation on zero waste

policy because most of the students are not willingly doing it for them to preserve our

nature and do the real purpose of zero waste policy.‖

This finding of the study corroborates with the article by Peters (2018). In the

article, she mentioned that she saw first-hand that waste-free living is nearly impossible if

one wasn't extremely diligent and privileged with free time to do so in the first place.

What Peters found can be linked to what is observed in the implementation of the zero

waste policy in the school, and how it does not match the students‘ prior knowledge of it.

Though they are privileged with time, no matter how short or long, fulfilling the objective

of the zero waste policy is nearly impossible to be done if the students aren't diligent or

persistent enough in minimizing waste production as much as possible, which is the key

in maintaining the school campus clean. In other words, the respondents‘ ideas of the

zero waste policy don‘t correspond to what they have observed because the policy‘s main

objective, which is to keep the school premises clean, is not fulfilled since the students

aren‘t diligent enough in being waste-free as much as possible.

Students’ Responses in doing the Zero Waste Policy

The fourth question considered in this study dealt with how the respondents

perform the Zero Waste Policy, whether they were willing or obligated to follow the said

policy.
 23

Most of the respondents‘ answers, eleven out of the nineteen respondents to be

exact, were willing to follow the policy. A respondent said, ―I’m following this policy

willingly because I thought that animals and people are going to suffer if we are not

going to do this policy willingly.‖ With the idea of zero waste as an act of reducing of

waste materials that could affect the environment, it can be deduced that the senior high

school students are concerned with our environment and are willing to make a change, in

order to save the environment they are in, which is why they take small steps by

following the Zero Waste Policy in school willingly. ―It became a habit,‖ another

respondent stated about following the zero waste policy. It can be inferred that the

students were able to apply the practices of the Zero Waste Policy not only inside the

school‘s premises but also outside the campus since it became a habit or a routine for

some.

This finding of the study connects with the article written by Vashist (2018). In

the article, Vashist noted Praeda-Baez‘s sentiments about the zero waste policy who said

that ―we don‘t like forcing people, we like educating people and hoping they change.‖ In

relation with the OLOPSCian zero waste policy, though the students have been educated

and oriented about the policy, how to do it, and its importance, it is ultimately up to the

students themselves if they will follow this willingly as a small step in saving the

environment which in time can turn into a habit; or, they could follow this policy because

it was obligatory for them.

 24

Students’ Ways of Handling Difficulties encountered in the Zero Waste Policy

The final aspect considered for this study is whether the students found the zero

waste policy easy or difficult to do. If it was easy for them, they would be asked what

made the policy easy for them; if it was difficult, they would be asked how they handled

the difficulties they faced. Twelve out of the nineteen respondents said that they

encountered difficulties in following the zero waste policy, and each provided different

ways in coping with these difficulties. In the context of bringing home one‘s trash, which

is a sub-policy of the zero waste policy, a respondent said, ―Yes, I’m having difficulties in

bringing the trash because some garbage are huge like cartons, cardboard, and

newspaper that are used during competitions.‖ The respondent faced these difficulties

by saying that, ―We share the trash to my classmates so that I won't have difficulty

bringing these home.‖ It can be deduced that the students overcame the difficulties that

they encountered in conforming to the zero waste policy by means of a class effort. In

other words, every student cooperates in their particular class or section in order to

properly perform the zero waste policy. The value of cooperation and unity has ever

since been illustrated during the monthly intersection competitions OLOPSC holds; by

way of integrating the zero waste policy in the competitions that fall under the field of

performing arts (speech choir, interpretative dance, etc.) through the bring home your

trash policy, the students‘ difficulties become eased in following the policy and as a

bonus, they also become united as a class in maintaining their classroom clean.

The finding stated above corroborates with the article of Alegado and Grate

(2019). They reported that in lieu of the Republic Act No. 9003, or the Ecological Solid

Waste Management Act of 2000, various cities and towns in the Philippines have shown
 25

leadership in implementing the said law, hoping to transform into a zero-waste city. The

collected efforts of the officials of these cities, the local government units, as well as

several non-government organizations in transforming their respective cities into a zero

waste one mirror that of the efforts an OLOPSCian class exerts in maintaining their

respective classrooms clean and waste-free, especially during intersection competitions in

which it‘s part of the contest‘s criteria. A goal is difficult to achieve if only one will

work towards the achievement of the said goal; however, if each person would work

towards that common goal, in this case by maintaining the cleanliness of the environment

by following the zero waste policy, the goal would surely be fulfilled, whether it may be

an ordinary citizen who cooperates with other citizens within a governing body for that

goal, or an OLOPSCian student who cooperates with his or her classmates in maintaining

their classroom clean, regardless if there‘s a contest or not.

Another way of coping with the difficulties of doing the zero waste policy is by

bringing your own reusable containers. A respondent said, ―Yes, I do find it difficult to

follow because like I said earlier, plastics and other materials made from plastics, is

making our life easy, and much more accessible. And yeah, for me we can do little things

starting to bring – we may start bringing our own containers.‖ The respondent may have

formulated their answer in the context of the senior high school canteen, wherein only

disposable utensils and paper plates are available. However, some stalls have real plates,

but still make use of plastic spoons and forks. Though there are trash cans that belong to

each specific stall in order to ensure proper waste segregation and the cleanliness of the

canteen, the concept of being ―zero waste‖ however isn‘t fulfilled since trash is still being

produced.
 26

This finding of the study corroborates with the article by Sanchez (2018). She

showcased the metal straw; an alternative for disposable straws. Though they are eco-

friendly, metal straws are rather pricey, with the minimum price of fifty (50) pesos per

piece based on her article. In relation to the abovementioned finding, it can be inferred

that the canteen stalls opt for one-use utensils because it is cheaper since high-quality

silverware is expensive. Moreover, the use of disposables also lessens the employees‘

dishwashing load. This is why in order to abide by the zero waste policy without

difficulty despite the biodegradability of utensils and plates in the canteen, students

should be encouraged to bring their own reusable containers and a set of spoon or fork as

well.
 27

CHAPTER V

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This chapter presents the summary, findings, conclusions, implications, and

recommendations of the study.

Summary

This study aimed to understand the attitude of the senior high school students of

Our Lady of Perpetual Succor College in following to the Zero Waste Policy in terms of

its trash collection for the school year 2018 – 2019. It also aimed to give suggestions,

based on the findings, to help senior high school students in properly following the zero

waste policy.

The study is a qualitative type of research with interviews as the main instrument

since the study made use of a phenomenological design. The researchers interviewed

nineteen (19) students from the nineteen (19) sections of grade 11 to 12 for the school

year 2018 – 2019.

Findings

Based on the data provided by the respondents, the researchers found out the following:
 28

1. The senior high school students of OLOPSC practice waste management in order

to achieve Zero Waste by:

a. Understanding what the zero waste policy is. The researchers found out that

the students had the right idea as to what the zero waste policy is all about.

b. Abiding by the Bring Home Your Trash policy. However, a common

observation is that instead of bringing home one‘s own trash, students were

just relocating their trash around the school‘s vicinity. In order to avoid this,

students distributed the trash accumulated by their section equally so that

everyone will have an equal amount of trash to bring home.

c. Making use of zero waste alternatives, such as the use of recyclable materials

during contests and bringing reusable containers and a set of spoon and fork

when eating in order to avoid using the disposable utensils offered by the

senior high school canteen.

2. The senior high school students of OLOPSC practice waste management in

order to achieve Zero Waste out of their own will. Though they willingly follow

the zero waste policy, they encounter difficulties in following it, which

fortunately are being handled.

Conclusions

Based on the findings, the following are concluded:

1. The senior high school students had the right idea of what the zero waste policy is.
 29

2. The senior high school students have observed that their fellow students do not

properly follow the zero waste policy.

3. The ideas of senior high school students regarding the zero waste policy aren‘t

parallel to what they have actually observed.

4. The zero waste policy is followed willingly by senior high school students.

5. Difficulties are encountered by the senior high school students in following the zero

waste policy; nevertheless, they managed to cope with these difficulties by bringing their

own containers in school to be used for eating. Additionally, after intersection

competitions, students distribute the trashes accumulated within their class equally so as

to follow the bring-home-your-trash policy; a sub-policy of the zero waste policy.

Implications

The Zero Waste Policy‘s programs and practices, including the school-wide known Bring

Home Your Trash policy, will always be implemented. This study would help the senior

high school students to gain a deeper understanding of what the zero waste policy is, its

sub-policies, its importance, and how it should be followed. Besides the students, the

teachers and administrators will also benefit from this study. With this study, school

administrators can easily identify the areas needing improvement in the implementation

of the zero waste policy. On the other hand, teachers would be guided by this study on

maintaining the willing attitude of their students in observing the zero waste policy.
 30

Recommendations

Practical Application

1. Students who only follow this policy out of obligation must understand that there is

more to the policy than just bringing home their own trash.

2. The school may create other innovative ways in managing trashes aside from

bringing home the trash in order for the students to be encouraged more in doing the zero

waste policy.

3. The school should strengthen the idea of their zero waste policy by giving incentives

and recognition to the students who wholeheartedly follow the said policy.

4. Students who struggle in following the zero waste policy may refer to the students‘

ways of coping with these struggles as presented in the fourth chapter, or they may think

of their own ways or strategies that would make the zero waste policy easy for them to

follow.

5. School administrators may use this study as a reference if they ever consider

modifying the presently implemented zero waste policy.

Future Research

1. Broaden the topic by including the junior high school students in the study in order to

yield more accurate results.

 31

2. Modify the topic in such a way that it only focuses on the measures taken in

following the zero waste policy in the school canteen because as mentioned before, only

disposable utensils are provided by each food stall.

3. Incorporate survey questionnaires in the study in order to gather well thought-out

answers instead of relying on the on-the-spot interview.

4. Future researchers should not limit themselves in only studying the students‘

willingness or obligation as an attitude in following to the zero waste policy.

5. Now that a study on the attitude in following the zero waste policy is done, future

researchers should consider conducting a study on the effectiveness of the zero waste

policy.
 32

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 36

APPENDICES
 37

Appendix A

Interview Questions

OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL SUCCOR COLLEGE

General Ordonez St., Concepcion Uno, Marikina City
S.Y. 2018-2019
Senior High School

Dear Senior High School Student,

Good day!
You are chosen to be a respondent of an interview for the study ―A Study on the
Attitude of the Senior High School Students of Our Lady of Perpetual Succor College in
following the Zero Waste Policy in terms of its Trash Collection for the School Year
2018 – 2019‖. With this, the researchers request that you answer each question honestly
and sincerely in order for this study to have accurate results.
The researchers would also like to request you to permit them to either voice
record or take a video of the whole interview session so that direct and raw quotations
from your responses will be used in this study. Rest assured that your anonymity and the
information you will give will be treated with the strictest confidentiality.
Thank you for giving us your precious time!

1. What is your idea about the Zero Waste Policy?

2. What are your observations regarding the implementation of the Zero Waste
Policy?
3. Do your own thoughts/opinions of the Zero Waste Policy match with that of your
observations?
4. Do you follow this policy willingly? Or are you just obligated to do so?
5. Do you find any difficulties in following this policy?
a. If so, how do you handle these difficulties?
b. If not, why is this policy easy for you to do?
 38

Appendix B

Cover Letter

OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL SUCCOR COLLEGE

General Ordonez St., Concepcion Uno, Marikina City
S.Y. 2018-2019
Senior High School

Dear Senior High School Students,

Good day!
Please be informed that we are conducting a study on the Attitude of the Senior
High School Students of Our Lady of Perpetual Succor College in following the
Zero Waste Policy in terms of its Trash Collection for the School Year 2018 – 2019.
In this regard, we have constructed a series of interview questions to gather information
for our study. The interview is important to the progression of this study. Your
participation in the study by way of responding to the interview with your utmost honesty
and sincerity is very vital. Without it, the study will not be as complete as it should be.
Please feel assured that your anonymity and the information you will give will be treated
with the strictest confidentiality.
Thank you very much for your very kind response to our request and if
you are interested we will supply you with the results of our study.

Sincerely yours,
David Timothy B. De Guzman Christian Dennis M. Yap
Hans E. Ferraz Christine Mae D. Bacus
Hiroshi B. Quibin Lyniana C. De Guzman
Danielle Cheri C. Figueroa

Ms. Romelyn A. Alquisar

Research Adviser