By: Roseller Fanilag

RATIONALE
 Considering the bulk of farmers and the hectarage
of rice farmlands in Boston, burning of rice residue
or rice straws has become a tradition. Farmers
firmly believe that traditional burning of rice
straws after harvesting is efficient, effective and
cheap. Burning is the easiest way of preparing the
rice fields. The post-harvest wastes are
overwhelming that opting to burn it, instead of
using it as organic fertilizers are more of beneficial
to them.
 RATIONALE
 However, the Local Government Unit of Boston
discouraged this practice. Through the MAGRO and
MENRO, farmers are advised to refrain from burning
rice residue.
 This has been a dilemma to the municipal authorities
since national prohibition has been circulated,
however, on the municipal level; there are numerous
farmers who violated the said law. The
institutionalization on the ground is weak and no
particular ordinance has been passed to prohibit the
acts, thus, this study is conducted.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
 The study focuses on the perception of farmers
on the prohibition of burning rice residues or
straws cited in the Republic Act 9003 in the
Municipality of Boston. Specifically, it seeks to
answer the following questions:
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
 What are the environmental and economic effects of
burning rice straws?
 What are the mechanisms of the government in
implementing the rules and regulations per barangay
on waste management, particularly on burning rice
straws?
 How did the farmers portray and cope with the
prohibition involved in their work?
 What are the recommendations regarding with the
issue?
 METHODOLOGY
 Research Design - this research work employs the
descriptive method
 Participants – 15 farmers (11 males & 4 females)
 Instrumentation - the study utilizes one (1) set
researcher-made questionnaire; key-informant
interviews
 Data Gathering Procedure – purposive sampling,
distribution of questionnaires and electronic data
 Data Analysis – Mean and Percentage
 RESULTS OF THE STUDY
 There are 1 or 6.66% of the entire population of
respondents whose age ranged from 26-35; 11 or 73.3% of
whom aged ranged from 36-59; and the remaining
percentage or three (3) respondents aged from 60 and
above or the Senior Citizen farmers.
 Out of the fifteen (15) respondents, there are eleven
farmers or 73.33% of the total population who are male;
while the remaining four (4) participants or 26.66% of the
entire enumeration are females. The researcher included
female farmers to ensure partiality and observed gender
sensitivity in conducting the study.
 RESULTS OF THE STUDY
 Environmental Effects of Rice Straw Burning - Results
of the study indicate that the environmental effects of
burning rice residue or straws in the Municipality of Boston
have negative impacts on the farmers. Majority of them
believes that burning of rice residue or straws cause air
pollutants such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide,
nitrogen oxide, and sulphur dioxide; it also decrease soil’s
nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium and sulphur and the
practice damages food resources of beneficial insects in
the rice field. The rest of the farmers have less to say about
the environmental effects of burning rice straws in their
lives.
 RESULTS OF THE STUDY
 Economic Effects of Rice Straw Burning - Overall,
the farmers perceived that though they strongly agree
on the idea that there should be a prohibition on rice
residue burning, still they clung unto the economic
effects of the said farming practice. Burning is still the
easiest way to dispose farm wastes. The labor cost on
burning rice straws is low compared to collection and
the burned rice straws can be a cheap source of organic
fertilizer. Since it is prohibited, they abide to the laws
as specified in Republic Act 9003.
 RESULTS OF THE STUDY
 Personal Views on the Effects of Rice Straw
Burning - Results of the study indicates that most of
the participants seen that the practice of burning rice
straws is still the easiest and cheapest form of farming
techniques in Boston. The negative impacts of rice
straw burning on the environment and health are
overwhelmed by the fact that it does affect the entire
system of farming in the Municipality of Boston. The
practicality of it and the cheap labor cost attract
farmers to do it more often and practice it on a regular
basis despite prohibitions.
 RESULTS OF THE STUDY
 Response on the Prohibition of Burning Rice
Residue or Straws - There are 73.33% or eleven (11)
farmers on the affirmative while the remaining
percentage or four (4) farmers or 26.67% opt to
practice rice straw burning. Torn between abiding the
laws and choosing cheap labor cost, most of the
participants choose what they think is legally
beneficial.
 CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATION
 The perception of farmers on the prohibition of rice straw
burning is significant on its environmental effects. Majority
claims that indeed burning causes pollution and negative
impacts on the health of the farmers. However, results also
found out that despite institutionalization of RA 9003 and
massive IECs on environmental protection, the practicality
and cheap labor cost is overwhelming that the economic
effects of rice straw burning is more important to them
personally.
 Their response on leaning on the banning of rice straws or
the legalization of it is seen on their capacity to abide the
laws as law-abiding citizens. Other than that, if permitted,
they still want to practice the traditional burning of rice
straws for their convenience and economic benefits.
 CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATION
 To regulate the environmental effects of rice straw
burning which may affect the agricultural sector and
the community as a whole, there is a need to create a
Municipal Ordinance prohibiting therefore the
burning of rice residue or straws in the Municipality of
Boston (which includes penalties and benefits of the
farmers).
 Highlighting its negative impacts to the health,
environment and the system of production of rice may
attract farmers to consider the banning of burning rice
straws through massive information to the public.