published_or_final_version / Politics and Public Administration / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

A geographically-based framework for landuse suitability assessment and land capability classification in Ibulao watershed, Philippines was developed and used in this study. Landuse suitability assessment was based primarily on soil erosion, the results of which were compared with the outcome of suitability assessments based on two land classification systems in the Philippines. The Ibulao watershed was subdivided into 10-ha cells, and each cell was independently evaluated with the aid of a geographic information system called MAP. The soil erosion rates for each cell were estimated using the MUSLE. The surface runoff and peak runoff rates were simulated using an infiltration-kinematic routing model, an event-based stochastic rainfall duration model, and the CREAMS model. The land capability classification was based on erosion index representing the inherent soil erodibility of a cell computed on the basis of runoff erosivity factor, soil erodibility factor, and the slope length-gradient factor. The results of capability classification were used to identify the different alternative uses of any cell in the watershed. The framework described in this study for landuse suitability assessment and land capability classification illustrated potentials for applications to the management and allocation of land resources in the Philippines. An erosion-based landuse assessment and land capability classification appears to be a better alternative to a slope-based system as far as the following are concerned: (1) identification of landuses which would not jeopardize the long term productivity and stability of an area; (2) a more accurate and meaningful land capability description and classification; and (3) making more lands available for various alternative uses by using criteria such as soil erosion which can easily be manipulated.

This research is conducted to develop an irrigation fee policy for the Upper Pampanga River Project in the Philippines. Project costs and benefits have been determined and benefit-cost ratios computed for the different phases of the project and for different combinations of phases. The different phases of the project include the Upper Pampanga River Project, the power phase, the Aurora-Perfaranda Irrigation Project, and the Tarlac Irrigation Systems Improvement Project. The internal rate of return has also been computed in some instances. In this analysis, the irrigation benefit has been evaluated based on the world market price of rice and expressed in terms of "freeon- board" (FOB) and "cost, insurance, and freight" (CIF). The power benefit, on the other hand, has been based on the cost of an alternative thermal plant. Costs are then allocated to various purposes of the project using the separable cost-remaining benefits method. Using the allocated costs, benefit-cost ratios are again determined for irrigation and power purposes. Allocated irrigation benefits have been expressed on a per hectare basis. The values obtained are used as bases for irrigation fee assessment. Another basis for irrigation fee assessment--the capability of the farmers to pay--turned out to be negative under 1975 circumstances. The farmer's capability to pay was based on a survey of more than 100 farmers for the two crop seasons in 1975. However, at full project development when the potential benefit has been realized, farmer-users should be able to pay all the irrigation costs. While the irrigation fee has just been increased to 300 kg of paddy/hectare/year, which at present is equivalent to 14330/hectare/year, the research indicates that the National Irrigation Administration should retain this assessment for about five years for the following reasons. 1. Additional irrigation fees should not be assessed the farmers since percentage of collection dropped as a result of the recent increase in charges. Further, on the basis of the farm budget analysis for 1975, the living expenses of a farm family are greater than the net farm income. 2. Increasing the irrigation fee at this stage is not compatible with the government program of self-sufficiency in food production. 3. Decreasing the irrigation fee is not a sound policy either, since at the present rate there is already a heavy government subsidy. If warranted, further subsidies and incentives could be better accomplished through agricultural reforms, agricultural extension programs, medical and health care, and other government programs. 4. Repayment of the foreign loan is approximately covered by the present irrigation fee charges if all the farmers pay their irrigation fees. The present percentage of collection rate leaves much to be desired. On this basis, several irrigation fee collection alternatives have been investigated. The alternatives that hold promise include the involvement of the Irrigators' Groups, the credit agencies, and the municipal treasury offices.

The study aims to provide a framework for the quantitative evaluation of the water resources on a regional basis. The work involves hydrologic data augmentation and analysis of the water budget of the Central Luzon Basin, a humid, tropical region. Four hydrologic data augmentation methodologies -- percent deviation, HEC-4, YOR, and Matalas-Jacobs -- were analyzed and compared. Streamflow data of five gaging stations in the Central Luzon Basin were divided into early-half and late-half series. Augmentation estimates based on the late-half series were compared with the corresponding historical early-half series. The methods were assessed based on eight comparison items and two scoring systems. The comparison items considered were double mass analysis, mean, cumulative annual deviations, and standard deviations, for the annual flows; and maximum, minimum, mean, and standard deviations, for the monthly flows. The percent deviation method excelled in both scoring systems and was selected as the best method for the hydrological characteristics and type of available data in the region. Application of the percent deviation method in augmenting the record of selected streamflow gaging stations within the Central Luzon Basin pointed out some limitations of the method. These limitations may be remedied by proper selection of the station on which the augmentation estimates are based. Strong statistical relationship between the dependent and base stations, in addition to other hydrological factors, should be satisfied for the derivation of more reliable estimates in the application of the percent deviation to streamflow data augmentation. The water budget analysis revealed that about 54 percent of the annual precipitation in the basin is measured as streamflow. The balance of 46 percent is shared by evapotranspiration and change in basin storage. An average annual evapotranspiration of about 1,070 mm was found. This is about 0.5 of the average Class A pan evaporation data from two measurement points. Surface water resources remain the most important source of water for the basin requirements. No serious water quality problems exist and surface water in the basin is suitable for both domestic and agricultural purposes. Groundwater could be a promising alternative resource for both domestic and agricultural uses. High recharge during the rainy season, about 5,000 to 7,000 MCM, and relatively shallow aquifers are among the significant features of the groundwater basin.

No description available.

Voluntourism is a relatively new branch of tourism, and is considered to be quite sustainable in comparison to other forms of tourism. By researching how the voluntourists perceive the sustainable effects of the work that they have participated in, this thesis has been able to show how detectable some of these effects are. With the focus on the Philippines, this thesis has also been able to determine that the researched voluntourism organisations seems to be present in the country due to the fact that the help that they provide is really needed. By analysing the content of a number of voluntourism organisations, it has been possible to detect that the effects of the voluntourism work have several positive impacts on the local society. Out of these the main effects are the increased access to education and work for the locals. The thesis has also been able to determine that in order for organisations to be able to optimise their sustainability, they need to work with both economic, environmental, and social aspects.

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / 2031-01-01

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University

Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Thesis (M.A.)--Boston University