Community Participation of Calamba, Laguna, Philippines on Environmental Sustainability: Basis for the Development of a Proposed Environmental Management Plan

Modernity has not only made life easier with the advancement of society through globalization, but it has also contributed to the rapid decline of the quality of life by way of environmental consequences. Thus, the idea of community participation had been promoted to encourage and promote the community’s increased engagement with regards to saving and protecting the environment and monitoring its sustainability. Through descriptive study and the use of a survey questionnaire, the study yielded results that showed a better establishment of connections and relationships between locals and tourists, as community participation means to become a part of local activities and programs and a mechanism of interaction within the community. The results have also shown how the active participation of the residents entails participation in the decision-making process regarding the implementation of programs that have a significant impact on their locality and natural environment. The findings indicated the way the locality views the importance of their engagement in promoting community participation for improved protection of the natural environment and how it impacts their lives. Moreover, this determined the effect of an accomplished program or initiative on the community and its members. Since environmental sustainability is the primary goal of further encouraging community participation, it is then recommended for local government units (LGUs) to consider enriching both the locality’s environmental aspect and the community members’ quality of life which include financial security and social harmony in conducting initiatives, programs, and training.

Keywords – community participation, environmental sustainability, LGUS