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Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development (AJAD) - Call for papers!

Audience Profiling and Communication Planning to Promote Environmental Management among Sampaloc Lake Resource Users

(Philippines), Master of Science in Development Communication (University of the Philippines Los Baños)

Abstract:

 

The study aimed to establish a communication profile of the Sampaloc Lake resource users in San Pablo City which will be used as basis in the formulation of a prototype communication plan to promote environmental management among them.

Respondents totaled to 131, wherein 124 were household sample respondents living within the approximately 10 meter radius around Sampaloc Lake and seven were restaurant operators. Household respondents were selected using a systematic sampling method while complete enumeration was employed for restaurant operator respondents.

All respondents had their houses located above the water or immediately on both sides of the road surrounding the Lake. Seventy-four percent of the household respondents had fish cages and fish pens. Total area of the fish cages ranged from 100 to 6,500 m2. All restaurant operators also had cages.

 

A small majority (22.83%) of the household respondents belonged to the PHP10,001-20,000 income bracket. Annual income ranged from PHP3,000 to PHP180,000. Majority grew tilapia and claimed San Pablo City proper as their place of origin.

TV and radio were the most available mass media for both household respondents and restaurant operators. Other media available were newspapers, magazines, and comics.

Majority of both groups of respondents watched TV with news programs as the one most widely watched. Majority regarded TV as a main source of news and entertainment.

Both groups listened to radio on a daily basis. Programs widely listened to were news and musical programs. Majority of both groups read newspapers, particularly the tabloids.

The household respondents had very limited exposure to environmental issues from radio, newspaper, and magazines. More than half, however, said they have been exposed to such from TV and interpersonal sources.

Restaurant operators meanwhile had not been exposed to environmental issues and concerns from almost all of the media, namely: TV, radio, newspaper, and magazines. Communication channels preferred by both groups were TV, radio, and interpersonal sources. Restaurant operators also preferred movies and considered newspaper as a credible channel.

As to their communication needs, majority of the respondents felt the need for information on environmental conservation. Only more than one-fourth of the household respondents claimed to have communication problems as far as sources of information on environmental protection and management is concerned.

A considerable number of both household respondents and restaurant operators regarded programs or projects fostering environmental protection in the area not so successful. Household respondents were also generally pessimistic that the Laguna Lake Development Authority’s (LLDA) plan to limit the size and number of aquaculture structure in Sampaloc Lake will ever be implemented.

Majority of the respondents agreed to the idea imposing such limitations as they believe it will improve the present status of the Lake and thereby improve their income.

Generally, household respondents’ attitudes toward the positive statements given were favorable. These statements were on the Lake being God’s, the Lake being now critically polluted, the idea of following the will of the majority to avoid conflicts, and setting aside personal vested interests to uphold the interests of the greater majority. Restaurant operators’ attitudes toward the above statements were also favorable.

As to the negative statements given, household respondents’ attitudes were not very favorable to all statements except Statement No. 4 which cited the need for laws or rules to follow in their use of the Lake. The other negative statements were generally on the Lake not to be regarded as an open resource, not putting up additional aquaculture structures to not continually degrade the resource, and the mass media being an effective instrument to instill the value and sense of responsibility to protect and conserve the Lake.