________________________________________________________________

A Concept Paper

Presented to the

Undergraduate Faculty of Department of Business Administration

University of San Carlos

Cebu City, Philippines

In Partial Fulfillment

Of the requirement for the Course

Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship (SOEN 1)

________________________________________________________________

COTANDA, VINCENT PAUL GONZALEZ

DAGTING, CRESMIE GERA SAYGAN
DE LA SERNA, MARY GWYNETH MEDIO
GABRIEL, JHENNY LOU NOGRA
QUINTE, CHEZKA, CURATO
QUITOS, MARIANNE MAE MELECIO
RAMAS, NICOLE GRACE MOLINA
SANTIZO, ERIKA JEANNE IGOT
SISON, JIBBEN JESUS PIMEN
 13

CHAPTER 2
NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITY ANALYSIS

Overview of the Problem

Among the prevalent societal issues faced in each community, the rapid increase
of slums and informal settlements is one that must be addressed immediately. According
to the United Nations Human Settlement Programme (2012), there was an annual
average addition of six million people to the overall slum population between the years
2000 and 2010. This was further elaborated by the United Nations Department of
Economic and Social Affairs (2018) stating that informal settlement has declined by 20
percent worldwide between 2000 and 2014. This positive trend did not persist as the
number of people living in slums grew to over one billion as of 2018. Notably, statistics
show that 80 percent of the said slum population is primarily attributed to Central and
Southern Asia (227 million), sub-Saharan Africa (238 million), and South-Eastern Asia,
including the Philippines, garnering the most populace of 370 million people.

The Philippines is one of the Asian countries with the highest number of urban
slum residents (Ballesteros, 2010). Comparatively, informal settlement in the country has
been increasing at an annual rate of over 3.5 percent between 2000 and 2006. As of
2010, over 4 million individuals live in slum areas within its capital city alone, Manila. By
the same token, the situation does not get better within the vicinity of Cebu where its
Local Housing Board has been deliberating, since 2008, about a shelter framework plan
for informal settlers that has been long overdue and undeveloped (Gregorio, 2020). The
aforementioned vicinity includes Mandaue City, which is the most densely populated
urbanized city outside the National Capital Region with 14,402 persons per square
kilometer (World Vision International, n.d.). Relatively, informal settlement has been an
underlying problem all over the city especially in Barangay Basak, which is the group’s
target area of study (National Statistics Office, 2000).

To solve this societal problem, it is relevant to determine its root causes for one to
understand how such a phenomenon came to exist in the first place. Inevitably, this
issue is an accompanying obstacle with the rapid growth of urbanization and the
increasing rates of the human population (Mahabir, et. al., 2016). The proliferation of
 14

slums and informal settlements are often located in less economically developed
countries, which are more likely to experience greater rates of urbanization compared
with more developed countries. In turn, this social issue tackles a few of the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) that the group aims to address with their proposed solution.

The following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are:

● Sustainable Development Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

“E • Forge” provides job opportunities for the citizens of Basak since the
establishment of the entrepreneurial idea necessitates more workforce in the
production of the infrastructure material.

● Sustainable Development Goal 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

“E • Forge” promotes the manufacturing of medium and innovative products since

it utilizes plastic, an uncommonly used material in the construction industry, as its
prime raw material. In turn, “E • Forge” fosters resilient infrastructures pioneering
sustainable industrialization within the community.

● Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

“E • Forge” emphasizes and caters to the need for better housing conditions
within Baranggay Basak where slum areas are prevalent since the product is a
cheaper and more sustainable alternative compared to traditional construction
materials.

● Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life below water

As previously stated, “E • Forge” utilizes plastic as its main raw material.

Henceforth, this reduces plastic waste that could potentially harm marine
biodiversity when improperly disposed of on bodies of water. “E • Forge” resolves
the problem of plastic pollution which has been threatening the lives of sea
animals for the longest time affecting the livelihood of small-scale fishers.
 15

External Environment

1. Political Environment

From the 2015 Census, Basak households are 10,602 people divided into 3,316
homes that average 3.38 people per family. As previously mentioned, the effects of
urban environmental problems and threats of climate change are evident in slums
brought by their hazardous location, air pollution, solid waste management, weak
disaster risk management, and limited coping strategies of households. Furthermore,
Mandaue has inadequate infrastructure, a critical shortage of classrooms and health
centers, and thousands of households living as informal settlers along flood-prone rivers.
According to Mahoney (2019), Mandaue City was once a vibrant metro in the
Philippines decayed into an underperforming city with slacking industrial output and
corruption scandals that caused international indiscretion for the city. The lack of
addressing housing needs and relocation for the urban poor continue surging in
numbers because it is heavily influenced by Philippine Politics wherein not all programs
are expected to be completed or implemented as stipulated by law due to financial
constraints and sometimes lack of political will (Ancog et al., 2012).
The initiated housing projects from national and local governments should be
inspected for transparency reports and progress updates that supposedly benefit the
homeless and urban poor. Given the platform, conflict of interest should be eradicated as
Mandaue’s experience further contextualizes free development, problem-driven iterative
adaptation, and theories of motivation and dignity.

2. Economic Environment

In Basak, Mandaue, there can be seen slums and shanty areas that are susceptible to
pollution and drastic climates. These urban poor shelters are one of the problems in the
country that the government wants to address. The decisions of the community in
building these houses affect the level of government spending to promote sustainability
in order to improve living conditions in its urban areas and to provide decent shelter for
its poor, marginalized citizens as part of its larger agenda to achieve sustainable growth
and development. According to South-South Facility (2013), the Philippines committed
PHP 50 billion (US$1.2 billion) to provide shelter for informal settlers living in danger
zones. However, this pandemic has lessened the funding of the government for this
 16

matter since they are more focused on overcoming Coronavirus-19. With this, the
government may have to find cheaper alternatives like plastic wastes, which is what the
group suggests, to manufacture construction materials for sustainable dwellings.
Notably, this could help the government lessen its expenditures in addressing this issue,
especially during these trying times.

3. Socio-cultural Environment

Many people can be seen living in slum areas along canals, dumpsites, and
cemeteries in Basak, Mandaue City. Their houses are nearly glued together, and rubbish
is strewn around, indicating that they are not practicing appropriate hygiene or
maintaining a clean environment. Public health issues such as diarrhea, dengue fever,
hepatitis, TB, and even HIV or AIDS emerge as a result of this. These shanties are also
vulnerable to floods, fires, typhoons, and other natural disasters, creating a potentially
dangerous environment for residents. These health and environmental concerns
influence Basak residents' purchasing decisions, increasing their readiness to use or pay
for environmentally friendly infrastructure materials that promote clean and safe
communities. Working with the government to develop the said product would encourage
and promote more people to acquire and use these environmentally friendly
infrastructures.

4. Technological or ICT Environment

In the Central Visayas region, Mandaue City is one of only two heavily urbanized
cities. When the city implemented strategies for industrialization in the 1960s, it began its
steady expansion and development. Within ten years, it had grown into a significant job
sector and residential area, as well as minor commerce and navigation port. Mandaue
City had various sustainable waste management challenges as a result of fast
urbanization, including a lack of public awareness about trash generation and
classification, a lack of waste reduction initiatives, and a lack of a final disposal facility
(D.G.J.Premakumara, 2011). Additionally, the local community or local utilities' technical
personnel can operate and monitor the functionality of systems that comprise the
collection, transportation, treatment, reuse, and/or final disposal of waste for a
sustainable environment.
 17

Based on the aforementioned data, the community needs to utilize intelligent

technology and tools. To be able to lessen the problem in the area, the barangay should
have good technology for waste collection.

5. Environment or Natural Environment

Housing Conditions

Barangay Basak, Mandaue is an urbanized area. However, even if it is so, slum

settlements exist and dwellers in the mentioned settlement are susceptible to various
factors caused by poor housing conditions. Slums are considered unregulated in various
aspects of living conditions and thus the area is subject to unsafe and unhealthy living.
To detail, such unsafe and unhealthy living can be traced to substandard housing
conditions that lack basic public services such as access to roads, proper sewage
system, waste management, adequate distribution of electricity and water. More
generally, the UN-HABITAT defines slums as any living space that lacks two of the
following characteristics: durable housing, adequate living space, minimally sanitary
excretion facilities, safe water, no property rights (United Nations Habitat, 2021)

The poor housing conditions make the dwellers in Barangay Basak more
exposed to pollution since environmental problems in cities are more pronounced in
slum and shanty areas. The rapid urbanization with no urban planning has created
environmental problems which are particularly related to air pollution, water pollution,
flooding, and congestion.

Air pollution. Slum communities in urban areas are primarily exposed to air pollution
exhausted from concentrated vehicular traffics which is a common occurrence in urban
areas (United Nations Statistic Division, 2021). The people of Barangay Basak being
exposed to such pollutants will have a detriment in their health. Having a higher
exposure to air pollution is not news in urban areas. However, the substandard housing
in slum areas makes people more susceptible to such.

Water Pollution. Slum settlements notably experience the lack of a proper sewage
system which would have been a great contributor to safe and clean water and access to
it (Chase, Gambrill, & Gilsdorf, 2017). However, the absence of it creates inadequate
solid waste management which contributes to very serious water pollution. These
 18

communities depend on vended water which is considerably more expensive than

publicly distributed water. This absence of a sewage system is due to the lack of any
regulation in slum areas. If housing conditions are proper in these areas, it would
naturally lead to the integration and construction of proper sewage systems within that
area.

Congestion. Congestion can be observed in plain sight in Barangay Basak. The

congestion of substandard housing creates inadequate living space within the houses.
These houses are attached with very thin walls in between them which decreases the
security and privacy of the dwellers. The congested situation of the houses is highly at
risk to fire disasters (Mbuya &Mtani, 2018).

Flooding. A significant part of the slum and shanty areas created by rapid urbanization is
informal and unregulated. The Government’s lack of planning with regards to sewage
and drainage systems has caused flooding problems (Ballesteros, 2010). Additionally,
the lack of waste management and maintenance of drainage channels is another factor
that exponentially increases the risk caused by flooding.

6. Legal Environment

Some laws govern the welfare of the residents of Barangay Basak and these
laws also help in addressing the infrastructure problems and maintenance of the facilities
in the community. However, the following laws are not efficiently and effectively
implemented in the said barangay:

Republic Act No. 7160, Section 17, No. 1

The law states that there should be the maintenance of the facilities and
infrastructure in the Barangay. However, there are unfinished road projects,
non-operating facilities, and an increasing number of slum areas in the Barangay that
were still left unaddressed by the local government. In addition, there is a lack of
resolutions passed which addresses the increasing number of informal settlers in the
community.
 19

Republic Act No. 7279

This provides the equitable utilization of residential lands in urban and

urbanizable areas with particular attention to the needs and requirements of the
underprivileged and homeless citizens (Official Gazette, n.d.). However, this law is not
properly implemented in Barangay Basak because the slum areas are widening and the
number of informal settlers continues to increase up until the present especially that the
pandemic has caused the cessation of several residents' employment which is their
source of income and family financial support.
 20

Root Causes of the Problem

Figure 2. Cause and effect diagram

 21

The substandard housing infrastructure and the increased number of slum settlements
are the most pressing issues the Basak Mandaue City faces. Such social issues were
closely knitted from 4 major root causes: urbanization, lack of urban planning, poor
economy, and governance. The uncontrolled migration to urban areas had interplayed
with the significant increase of informal settlements. Furthermore, the city, being a
chamber of commerce and industry, led to increased land prices that forced many
people to look for informal settlements. The lack of urban planning significantly
contributed to the issues mentioned above, thus necessitating urban revitalization,
economic development, and environmental and infrastructure planning. The agricultural
industry is emphasized as the backbone of the economy to support its people and
reduce, if not eliminate, the many numbers of slum settlers due to urban poverty. Lastly,
the one with the most prominent role to play was the government. The many governance
issues surrounding the need for sustainable and resilient infrastructures in Basak
Mandaue, City, significantly affect its residents' living conditions. Specifically, the lack of
planning for housing for the lower classes of the society had led to informal housing
conditions and overcrowding. This was also attributed to the lack of financial support and
inadequate effort of barangays to implement effective housing programs for their people.
 22

Environmental Landscape

Barangay Basak is one of the urbanized barangays in Mandaue City. However,

there are underdeveloped infrastructures and shanty areas in the community that are still
left unaddressed. Comparatively, the scarce and inadequate resources of the area affect
the resident’s state of health and living. Additionally, with the increasing number of
informal settlers, the slum areas also continue to widen, effectuating the increased
probability of risks that are detrimental to the welfare of the community. Considering this
social problem, various public sectors such as the National Housing Authority and
Pag-Ibig have come up with intervention measures and solutions to address the housing
problems in the community.

The National Housing Authority (NHA) is a government agency responsible for

public housing in the Philippines. It is under Presidential Decree No. 757 dated 31st of
July 1975 that the NHA was tasked to develop and implement a comprehensive and
integrated housing program which shall embrace housing development and
resettlement, sources and schemes of financing, and delineation of government and
private sector participation (NHA, n.d.). The aforementioned programs are offered by the
NHA to support the slum areas and informal settlers by initiating resettlement programs
and settlement upgrading programs in partnership with the Pag-Ibig (Home Development
Mutual Fund). This is also in support of the former Mandaue City Mayor Luigi
Quisumbing that set an agreement with these agencies to provide shelter programs but
not limited to socialized housing for the poor families living in Mandaue City (Sunstar,
2018). Moreover, Pag-Ibig has several housing programs offered such as the Pag-Ibig
Housing Loan and the Affordable Housing Loans for minimum-wage earners that help
support the housing problems of the poor families and informal settlers.

Matching Interventions with Expectations

The specific intervention initiatives executed by the aforementioned institutions

such as implementing resettlement programs, providing national savings, and affordable
shelter financing for Filipinos, are the benefits the Barangay expects to receive. These
programs are aligned with the proposed measures of the municipal government where
they want the residents of the barangay to live in a clean and secure environment. Many
 23

people can be seen living in the slum areas of Basak, Mandaue City that exposes them
to hazardous substances due to the polluted and unhygienic environment they live in,
which could result in health issues. That is why the primary concern of the municipal
government is the health of its locals.

Assessment of the Implemented Intervention

Evaluating and understanding the processes involved in implementing

interventions in real-world settings is important in order that effective implementation
strategies can be identified enabling interventions to be improved, replicated, scaled-up,
and embedded into local systems (Adams, et al. 2017).

The city of Mandaue has several informal settlers and urban poor living in
hazardous and creek areas which include the barangay of Basak, hence, multiple
housing programs were launched to help these individuals relinquish from these danger
zones and live in a better housing area. The slums possess hazardous health risks and
commencement of stagnations, significantly higher mortality rates, and morbidity
prevalence than the general population. With their impaired health, they are in no
position to contribute positively to their ecosystem.

Assessment should be based on the number of people living in their households,

their income, and their living conditions. If their pay is larger than the previous year, it
indicates that they are progressively improving their situation; nevertheless, if everything
has remained the same for several years with no change, there has been no growth at
all. These social issues must be handled one by one each year, with the citizens'
complete involvement. Every year, there should be progress, and social difficulties
should be reduced. However, it is worth noting that urban poor are victims of industrial
pollution.

In the viewpoint of citizens and barangays, intervention measures have failed

because their lifestyles have remained unchanged, implying their poverty status. People
still living in slums prove that only a few benefit from the housing programs initiated by
the government. Several factors affect this kind of proposition because there is either a
multitude of requisites before they get qualified for the program, leading them to
immediately back out before even trying to gather the required documents, or they may
 24

have simply accepted their current fate. Underprivileged residents living along Basak,
Mandaue have insecure jobs or are unemployed; they rely on work on the sidelines and
the help of the organization. Families are becoming larger, making it more difficult to
provide financially.

The solution that “E • Forge” provides can lessen the environmental problems
and even more with sustainable advancement. To confirm the correct inflow of funds on
the programs, transparency reports should be constantly addressed especially by the
National Housing Authority or the involved offices that are spearheading these projects.
Stricter implementation and consistent evaluation of management ensure the projects
are being handled appropriately.

One cannot simply blame the conditions of these people for the choices they
made because their choices are deafening factors from the decisions made by the
people in power. People cooperate when they are empowered and led by authorities
whose ideals are in the best interest of the common good and use empathetic yet
realistic approaches.
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Project Statement

In Barangay Basak, Mandaue City, one of their main concerns is the rapid
urbanization and the inadequate infrastructure that could lead to the proliferation of
slums and informal settlers in the area. This is an important problem because slums are
dangerous and it constitutes unsafe and unhealthy living conditions, especially in urban
areas. Informal settlers in the Barangay confront daily underserved and bad living
conditions that impact their livelihood. This rationale then leads to the production of “E •
Forge” which is a product that utilizes plastic waste to manufacture plywood, bricks, and
furniture for sustainable dwellings while fostering innovation and reducing environmental
impacts.

The problem of rapid urbanization and inadequate infrastructure that led to the
proliferation of slums and informal settlers in Barangay Basak, Mandaue City are:

● Poor Housing conditions

Housing is one of the traditional areas of concern in public health. Substandard

housing such as water leaks, poor ventilation, and pest infestations can lead to
an increase in mold, mites, and other allergens associated with poor health.
According to Wood (2016), healthy homes promote physical and mental health.
Good health depends on having homes that are safe and free from physical
hazards. In contrast, poor indoor air quality and other hazards often coexist in
homes, placing families at great risk for multiple health problems such as chronic
diseases and injuries. Hence, poor quality and inadequate housing result in a
significant deterioration of quality of life.

Statement: How might we encourage residents of slum areas in

Barangay Basak, Mandaue to utilize innovative solutions for housing conditions

The goal of the statement is to encourage residents of slum areas to

improve their housing conditions by using the product “E • Forge” for better
housing and sustainable settlements. Sustainable housing is generally used to
describe the process as it applies to the housing industry, meaning less waste,
more reuse, and recycling, together with lower life-cycle environmental impacts
 26

and costs, better reliability, and greater user satisfaction. Sustainable housing
such as utilizing plastics as materials are often more durable and require much
less maintenance over time. Building in an environmentally friendly way gives
many benefits, along with being cost-effective. Sustainable housing provides
some of the most effective means in achieving a range of global goals, such as
addressing climate change, creating sustainable and thriving communities, and
driving economic growth. Thus, sustainability is key when building an eco-home
since it aims to construct houses that last reducing the negative impact on its
surrounding environment.
 27

CHAPTER 3
SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP OPPORTUNITY

The Solution
Table 2: POEMS Framework

OBJECT ENVIRONMENT MESSAGES SERVICES

PEOPLE

What artifacts are important? Where is the action taking What are the messages What are the services and
Who are involved? (e.g.
(e.g. bus stops, signage, place? What is happening? and communication support systems
commuters, street vendors,
traffic lights, benches, etc.) What are the people doing? media used in the provided?
officer workers, children,
What roles do they play? How do people behave in this community?
motorists, delivery men, etc.)
How are people engaging environment? How does the
What roles do they play? How
with the objects, and with environment influence people’s
are the people engaging with
their surroundings? What is behavior? What is the mood?
each other? How are they
interaction? How does the Ambiance?
related? What are the
relationships? What is the object influence people’s
social context? behavior?

The people involved The societal issue of In the past years, theThe most The many previous
in this study are Brgy. Basak is the outlook for Basak
commonly used programs and
Residents of rapid increase of Mandaue’s growth
communication plans implemented
Barangay Basak, slums and informal points to strong
media within the by the barangay
Mandaue and its settlers. The optimism as economic vicinity are particularly on
Local Government significant artifacts drivers continue to mobile phones housing projects
are the following: expand amid the
and television (specifically,
They have been ● Safe housing sluggish growth in because of the mid-rise socialized
adversely affected by programs certain sectors. This is
increasing housing projects)
the rapid ● Employment best illustrated by the
production over were not sufficient
urbanization, opportunities rise in the numbers ofthe years which to effectively solve
inadequate ● Basic health and factories of
significantly the issues
infrastructure and social services commercial reduces the surrounding the
lack of basic services ● Recreational enterprises which
pricing of the increasing
that led to the community highly urbanized the said numbers of
substandard living spaces area. communication informal urban
and informal media. Through settlers. This can
settlements of the The aforementioned The land conversion these, they can be traced back to
many residents, artifacts are for urban activities access the news the lack of urban
supposed to help the increases land prices and various planning generally
 28

which must be urban poor. People but leads people to social platforms observed in the
addressed. living near the look for informal (Facebook, Philippine urban
creeks or tenement settlements. Twitter, scenario.
These circumstances housing are being Furthermore, the Instagram) which
create a sense of neglected and barangay’s lack of hold up-to-date
community because victims of misguided financial resources information about
of the shared feelings policies while and inadequate the many
and experiences enduring poor capacity to plan and contemporary
brought by the area’s health. These operate resilient issues.
condition. objects affect housing led to
people's actions by underdevelopment and
One major social helping them inadequate housing
context that must be understand the programs for the lower
highlighted is importance of classes of society,
common in the area utilizing the which worsens the
is the socio-economic government pressing issues on the
position of the initiatives and growth of informal
residents for they lack projects that will lift housing conditions
the opportunity to them from public overcrowding.
improve their squalor to live in a
standard of living safer environment. Families living in slums
through job lack the primary
opportunities and conditions to live
government programs decently and thrive as
and support. human beings.

The table above shows the solution provided by the researchers following the POEMS
Framework. After a thorough discussion of the group, the researchers were able to come
up with this.

As portrayed in the table, the people involved in the research are the residents of
Barangay Basak, Mandaue (children, family, teenagers, senior citizens, barangay
employees, and unemployed residents). The collective experiences of the residents are
the conclusive factor that makes each and everyone interrelated. These experiences
generally include substandard housing, inadequate public services, and lack of
government support and regulations, and lack of socioeconomic opportunities.
 29

On the object column, the table has itemized significant artifacts involving this study. It
includes safe housing programs, employment opportunities, essential health and social
services, and recreational community spaces. These are imperative for appropriate
implementation and realization of the research paper, which will benefit both the readers
and hopefully the local government of Basak, Mandaue. Additionally, the objects
mentioned are supposedly used to address the rapid increase of slums and urban poor
in the vicinity.

Furthermore, the environment of Basak Mandaue City has seen an unprecedented

massive growth which complements the significant rise in population and urbanization.
However, urbanization consequently creates slums because local governments cannot
manage urbanization, and migrant workers. Slums have always existed but became
more extensive with the rise of the industrial city, where the main housing problems are
now those of affordability and homelessness. Families who live in these slums had
almost no choice but to settle under such living conditions.

Ironically, the residents who live in such conditions have access, although not totally, to
numerous gadgets such as mobile phones and internet services. This can be attributed
to the supply and demand principle. Basically, technology that has similar usage and is
high on demand is mass-produced which considerably decreases the price of such
products. Additionally, the informal market which sells second-hand items is popular with
informal settlement residents as it caters to their purchasing power and capacity. The
said factors contribute to the accessibility of technology albeit having lower
socioeconomic standing.

Lastly, for the services, the local government of Basak Mandaue still has a mile-stone to
be best equipped to solve the problems in its jurisdiction, which significantly affects the
standard of living of its residents. Mainly, they play a significant role in solving the
increasing number of informal settlers. They must promulgate a corrective plan to
enhance their previous housing plans and programs. Consequently, such efforts will
enable them to produce effective and practical solutions to uplift their residents in their
substandard living.
 30

Impact Indicators

The rapid growth of slums and informal settlements are a serious but prevalent issue in
third-world countries, including the Philippines (Nassar & Elsayed, 2018). This
phenomenon is effectuated by several interrelated factors such as population growth,
rural-urban migration; lack of affordable housing; weak governance; economic
vulnerability; marginalization, and displacement caused by conflict, natural disasters, and
climate change (United Nations Habitat, 2015).

In turn, the further proliferation of slums has detrimental impacts on both humans and
the environment (Mahabir, et al., 2016). Given their improper house structures, residents
in slum areas are vulnerable to natural and man-made disasters. Ajibade (2014) further
elaborated this, stating that informal settlers most likely do not have the means to
recover when such disasters occur. On the other hand, these individuals do not have
access to necessities and services, resulting in contaminated soil, air, and waterways.
This results in a perpetuated cycle of decline for slum dwellers and the environment (Ali
& Sulaiman, 2006), which calls for an urgent response from the community.

With that being said, the researchers intend to accomplish the following social impacts in
the vicinity of Baranggay Basak, Mandaue City:

1. Foster proper housing conditions for slum and informal dwellers

The researchers aim to promote better living conditions for low-income families
and informal settlers residing in slum areas of Barangay Basak by encouraging the
residents to use E • Forge. This product is made out of recycled eco-friendly materials to
produce sustainable and innovative infrastructure for the benefit of those occupying
dilapidated housing units in shanty areas. In addition, this will contribute mainly to the
improvement of infrastructures and housing conditions and provide a strongly preferable
shelter for the community.
 31

2. Reduce plastic waste

Aforementioned, the rapid urbanization of Barangay Basak has also contributed

to the increase of plastic waste and improper waste disposal, which is an underlying
problem in the community, and it is detrimental to our environment and the health of the
residents. Thus, the researchers have come up with an eco-friendly product named E •
Forge that recycles and reuses the wastes such as any plastic scraps to create materials
that can be used in building infrastructures; besides, it will be conducive to the reduction
of environmental impacts and fosters waste management in the community.

3. Increase job opportunities for residents

One of the major processing factors of manufacturing is labor. Labor in the
manufacturing scenario is highly varied due to the numerous processes undertaken to
plan, process, and sell a particular product. In the case of E • Forge products sold are
generally sustainable infrastructure materials made out of plastic waste. The
manufacturing of such a product would entail procurement of plastic waste, processing
the waste into sustainable products, which involve several steps to carry out, and
delivery of the product to interested clients. These tasks create jobs, and these types of
work lean on the technical skill of an employee. Additionally, it does not require higher
educational attainment, which creates an opportunity for the residents in the slum and
shanty area of Barangay Basak, Mandaue, and therefore improves their employment
opportunities.

As a business, E • Forge not only pursues profit but also aspires to be an entity
that fosters sustainable development to both infrastructure and the community,
particularly on the housing situation of the slum and shanty areas of Barangay Basak.
The pursuance of this sustainable aspiration will naturally lead to beneficial impacts such
that it would decrease plastic waste and increase job opportunities. These impact
indicators are in line with economic growth and job opportunities (SDG 8), promote
sustainable industrialization (SDG 9), reduce plastic wastes thrown on bodies of water
(SDG 14), Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11).
 32

Concept Map

Table 3. Concept Map

Visual Presentation of Ideas /

Concepts Project:

This project was created by the researchers to

assist residents of Basak, Mandaue who live in
a slum and informal settlements. The
researchers aspire for the citizens of the
barangay to live in a clean and safe
environment where they may develop
sustainable infrastructure and innovation.

Problem:

Barangay Basak, Mandaue City, is suffering

from the unimproved living circumstances in
the slums and shanty regions as a result of
underhanded efforts to achieve sustainable
urbanization plans and methods. Due to their
hazardous position, lack of solid waste
management, and disaster risk management
support, slums are the primary source of urban
environmental concerns. Additionally, the
residents are exposed to poor environments
and dangerous conditions which put their
health at risk.
 33

Manufacturing of Infrastructure Solution:

Materials Out of Sustainable
Materials Manufacturing of Infrastructure Materials
Out of Sustainable Materials
The manufacturing of infrastructure materials
starts with the employment of workers from the
people of Basak, Mandaue City, living in
informal settlements. This will not only help the
people of the barangay to have job
opportunities, but it can also bring sustainable
infrastructures to the area. After employing
people to manufacture the products, the
collection of sustainable materials will be the
next step. Sustainable materials such as
plastic are the main material of the product.
Following the collection of the said materials,
the manufacturing of sustainable infrastructure
materials such as bricks and tiles will begin.
These manufactured infrastructure materials
can aid in the development of sustainable
industry and innovation in the slums of Basak,
Mandaue City.
 34

Collaborating with Government Collaborating with Government Housing

Housing Programs Programs

To complete this initiative, the researchers will

engage with government housing programs
and, hopefully, collaborate and work together
to create houses out of manufactured
infrastructural components that are
environmentally friendly. The major goal of
choosing sustainable materials is to create
environments that persist, as longer-lasting
items require less maintenance and upkeep.
The cost savings and longer life expectancy
appear to be enough to persuade anyone to
create a sustainable home.
 35

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