Advocating for the Implementation of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act: A Tale of Volunteerism

This study aims to investigate thoroughly the volunteers' perspectives on the scope of environmental protection, assessing the problems the volunteers have faced and highlighting the importance of ecological protection advocacy. Sustainable Development Goal 13 is highlighted in this study, wherein it combats climate change through environmental protection. A qualitative approach by using a case study as a research design is applied in this study. Seven participants participated in this study in order to extend thoroughly the significance of this study by undergoing a phone call and google meet online calls. The researchers provided informed consent to make this study accountable and transparent. The participants' answers were recorded with the blessing of their approval and consent, and the researchers took notes from the answers of this study’s participants for documentation and data-gathering purposes. The data was collected and transcribed extensively, and the data analyst carefully interpreted the gathered data. This study highlighted the critical themes in each research question provided by the data analyst. Research question number 1 has three themes: (1) Varied Advocacies, (2) Advocates Being Educated and Made More Aware, and (3) Creating a Culture of Environmental Responsibility. Meanwhile, Research Question number 2 has four themes: (1) Lack of Financial Resources, (2) Lack of Willing Manpower, (3) Lack of Government Support, and (4) Lack of Positive Community Feedback. Research Question 3 has only two essential themes: external and internal support. Lastly, the results indicate how crucial it is for government and non-government organizations to collaborate in project planning. This collaboration provides valuable guidance for volunteers looking to implement solutions for effective solid waste management in Davao City.