Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
Zamboanga Peninsula Region
Division of Zamboanga del Sur
Mahayag School of Arts and Trades

Proposed Title 1:Smart AquaSentinel: A Cellular Proposed Title 2: AgroCore: A Solar-Powered Proposed Title 3: Microplastic and Bacteria
Water Level Monitoring and Early Warning Smart Irrigation System with Soil and Weather- Removal in School Water: Evaluating Oil-Based
System Using Arduino and IoT Technology Based Monitoring and Mobile Notification for Ferrofluid Magnetism and Ceramic Filtration
Precision Crop Management

Brief Background of the Study: (Why there is a Brief Background of the Study: (Why there is a Brief Background of the Study: (Why there is a
need to conduct that study?) need to conduct that study?) need to conduct that study?)

Flooding is one of the most frequent and In agriculture, water is a necessity for the Microplastics—plastic particles smaller than 5
damaging natural disasters in the Philippines. Its production of our plants, but frequently misused mm—have become a significant environmental
impact continues to grow due to climate change, due to its outdated irrigation practices. In the concern, especially in Southeast Asia. Hoang and
rapid urbanization, and poor access to timely Philippines, and other countries, many farmers Bao (2024) highlight that rivers in the Philippines
warnings, especially in remote and low-lying still uses the practice of irrigating manually that and Vietnam are among the most polluted, with
areas. According to Murga (2022), stronger and often leads to overwatering or underwatering. dominant types including polypropylene (PP) and
more unpredictable storms have increased both Because of this, crop yields production results polyethylene (PE) fibers and fragments. Despite
the frequency and severity of floods in the poorly, a lot of water is wasted and the growing evidence of contamination, there
country. Communities are often caught off guard unnecessary labor farmers made (Food and remains limited understanding of their health
—not because the signs aren’t there, but because Agriculture Organization [FAO], 2019). impacts, signaling a need for standardized
the warnings don’t reach them fast enough. One sampling methods and targeted research in
of the biggest problems lies in how early Due to the climate change and shortage of water, freshwater systems.
warnings are communicated. Many rural agriculture is increasingly under risk. According
barangays still rely on visual observations or to the FAO (2021), more than 60% of irrigated
In the Philippines, approximately 75% of
radio-based announcements, which can be water goes to waste mainly because watering
freshwater is sourced from rivers and lakes,
delayed or missed entirely. As a result, families techniques, particularly in countries with little
many of which are polluted, particularly near
may not receive flood alerts until water levels advanced irrigation facilities. Managing healthy
urban centers (Rola et al., 2015). Alongside
have already risen dangerously. This gap crops is even more difficult for farmers because
microplastic threats, microbiological
between detection and communication makes of weather-related problems, such as droughts,
contamination remains an immediate public
timely evacuation and response nearly and unpredictable rainfall (World Bank, 2022).
health risk. Pathogens indicated by E. coli and
impossible.
total coliforms are responsible for waterborne
Current developments in sensor and
diseases like cholera and typhoid, which result in
Previous research by Arriesgado (2023) microcontroller-based automation have helped
1.6 million deaths annually—mostly among
introduced an affordable, Arduino-based water tiny farms to maximize the use of water.
children under five (Ren et al., 2013;
level sensor that could visually warn users of Irrigation systems can save waste and improve
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
Zamboanga Peninsula Region
Division of Zamboanga del Sur
Mahayag School of Arts and Trades

rising water through LED lights. Although the condition of crops by supplying water only Sumampouw & Risjani, 2014). These health
effective in localized detection, the system lacked when necessary, by utilizing sensors to that issues are further compounded by socioeconomic
communication features that could reach people monitor soil moisture, temperature, and humidity disparities: 99% of wealthy Filipino households
in remote areas or alert responders quickly. On (Srivastava et al., 2022). Such systems can be have clean water access, compared to only 80%
the other hand, RiverCore (Moreno et al., 2019) used even in isolated locations with limited of the poorest (UNICEF, 2017).
showed that IoT systems using ultrasonic sensors access to electricity and the internet when they
and cellular communication are highly effective are powered by sunlight and paired with mobile
While advanced filtration systems can remove
for real-time monitoring and flood prediction. communication devices like GSM modules
(Akanbi et al., 2024). both disease-causing microbes and
However, such systems are often expensive or
microplastics from water, their high energy
too complex for smaller communities, students,
or local governments to implement. This study intends to design a smart irrigation demands and specialized equipment make
system that makes use of renewable energy them too expensive for many communities (MC
resources, soil and environmental sensors, and et al., 2017). This reality leaves vulnerable
There is a clear and urgent need for a student-
GSM-based mobile alerts in accordance with populations without access to clean water
friendly, low-cost flood monitoring system that
these issues and advances of technology. The solutions. That's why researchers are now
uses the power of cellular technology to send
objective is to develop an effective yet adaptable focusing on developing affordable, nature-
real-time alerts directly to phones. Text
irrigation system that will promote more inspired filtration methods that can provide
messaging (SMS), one of the most accessible
environmentally friendly agricultural practice safe drinking water without requiring complex
forms of communication in the country, becomes
a powerful tool when paired with water-level infrastructure or unsustainable costs.
sensing systems. Even with limited internet, GSM-
based alerts can notify families, barangay This study aims to provide a low-cost and
officials, and rescue teams immediately when
accessible solution for microplastic and
water levels reach dangerous thresholds.
microbial contamination in school water
sources by evaluating oil-based ferrofluid
Smart AquaSentinel aims to fill this gap by
magnetism and ceramic filtration. By testing
combining the simplicity of Arduino-based
sensing with the power of GSM cellular their effectiveness and practicality, the
technology, allowing the system to monitor rising research contributes to the development of
water levels and send real-time SMS alerts affordable, sustainable water treatment
directly to mobile phones. Unlike Wi-Fi-dependent methods that can be applied in resource-limited
platforms, this system works in areas with limited settings.
connectivity, making it ideal for both urban and
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
Zamboanga Peninsula Region
Division of Zamboanga del Sur
Mahayag School of Arts and Trades

remote settings. It is designed to be student-

Statement of the Problem: Statement of the Problem: Statement of the Problem:

Specifically, it sought to answer the following Specifically, it seeks to answer the following 1. What is the water quality of school water
questions: questions: before applying the developed filtration system
based on the :
1. What is the effectivity of the Smart 1. In what way does the system monitor soil a. Physical Assessment
AquaSentinel system in terms of: moisture and only activate when necessary? b. Microbiologial Assessment
a. Duration it takes to detect and measure the c. Microplastic Assessment
increase and decrease of water levels? 2. What level of accuracy and timeliness does
b. The timeliness and accuracy of real-time SMS the system achieve when using GSM 2. What is the water quality of school water after
alerts sent via cellular communication? connection to provide irrigation and alert applying the developed filtration system based
updates? on the :
2. Does Smart AquaSentinel system accurately a. Physical Assessment
measure and transmit water level data in real 3. Does the system stay operational consistently b. Microbiologial Assessment
time? when powered by solar energy under a c. Microplastic Assessment
variety of environmental conditions?
3. Based on the study’s findings, what practical 3. What is the significant difference between the
implications can be drawn regarding the system’s 4. Based on the study’s finding, what unpurified water and the water purified by the
usability, reliability,and scalability for community- conclusions may be drawn on the system’s developed filtration system?
based early flood warning? efficiency, dependability, and usefulness in a
smaller scale or isolated farm areas? 4. What is the efficacy of the developed filtration
system to assess the water quality of school
water?
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
Zamboanga Peninsula Region
Division of Zamboanga del Sur
Mahayag School of Arts and Trades

Related Literature: (Present here the most Related Literature: (Present here the most Related Literature: (Present here the most
relevant literature that supports why there is a relevant literature that supports why there is a relevant literature that supports why there is a
need to conduct your proposed topic) need to conduct your proposed topic) need to conduct your proposed topic)

Flood disasters remain a major concern in many According to recent studies, there is increasing Access to clean water remains a major issue
parts of the Philippines, especially in rural areas interest in utilizing technology to enhance the globally and in the Philippines, where 75% of
where access to advanced early warning systems agricultural water management. To be able to freshwater comes from surface sources
is limited. Several studies have emphasized the monitor soil conditions for irrigation, Gonçalves et increasingly polluted by microplastics and
importance of real-time water monitoring and al. (2022) created a solar-powered soil moisture microbes (Rola et al., 2015; Unicef, 2017; Walag
early alerts in reducing flood-related damages sensor system that showed excellent accuracy et al., 2018). Microplastics, small plastic particles
and saving lives. and reliability. Their research demonstrated that under 5mm, originate from waste and pose
the productivity of crops can be improved, and health risks due to toxic compounds like BPA
Moreno et al. (2019) developed RiverCore, an water waste is possible to reduce with micro- (Kirstein et al., 2021; Cole et al., 2016). In the
Internet of Things (IoT)-based water level controller-based renewable energy solutions. Philippines, poor waste management worsens
monitoring system that uses ultrasonic sensors Using a similar approach, Ali et al. (2022) this pollution (Cabello et al., 2022).
and cellular communication to send real-time designed a smart irrigation system which
data to a centralized database. Their system combines soil sensors, GSM modules, and solar At the same time, microbiological contaminants
proved to be effective in monitoring water levels energy. This system allows farmers to manage like E. coli lead to waterborne diseases, especially
and predicting floods, particularly in riverbanks water flow and receive updates via SMS. Their affecting children (Sumampouw & Risjani, 2014;
and remote areas. However, the complexity of study demonstrated hoe beneficial these devices Ren et al., 2013). Effective filtration is essential to
the technology and the higher cost of deployment are in isolated areas with poor internet remove such pathogens (Sorlini et al., 2013).
make it less suitable for schools or small connectivity.
communities without technical support. Oil-based ferrofluid filtration, inspired by Ferreira
Several studies have also investigated the use of (2019), uses magnetic oil to extract
On the other hand, Arriesgado (2023) created a wireless communication in irrigation. Shufian, microplastics, proven effective by Hamzah et al.
simple yet effective prototype using an Arduino Rahman, and Islam (2019) presented an early (2021) and Hamam et al. (2020). Kapok fiber acts
Uno and HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensor. Her device model that automatically and remotely controlled as a biodegradable secondary filter (Abdullah et
used LED lights to visually indicate the water using solar panels and GSM modules. Based in al., 2010; Quek et al., 2020). Ceramic filters have
level, offering a practical and affordable way to observations, of soil moisture, their findings also shown high effectiveness in removing
detect flood risks. It was able to measure water demonstrated enhanced reactivity and reliability
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
Zamboanga Peninsula Region
Division of Zamboanga del Sur
Mahayag School of Arts and Trades

depth changes within a short time and functioned in controlling water delivery. Like that, Akwu et
reliably in testing conditions. However, her al. (2020) used Arduino and GSM to design an pathogens (Ren et al., 2013) and have been
system did not include any wireless features or autonomous irrigation control system which adapted locally by institutions like MSU-IIT.
remote alerts, which are important in real-time greatly helps reduced water consumptions while
decision-making during flood emergencies. maintaining crop hydration. In combination, these Ceramic filtration is another proven method for
studies show the benefits of combining sensors, removing microbiological contaminants. Ren et
The importance of combining technology with microcontrollers, and GSM connectivity for al. (2013) demonstrated the effectiveness of
accessibility is also supported by the United agricultural automation. V. & Collaborators ceramic filters in reducing pathogens such as E.
Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (2021) presented a smart wireless irrigation coli, total coliforms, and protozoan cysts. Locally,
(UNISDR, 2007) through the Hyogo Framework prototype that utilized real-time sensor data and ceramic filtration has been adapted using
for Action, which highlights the need for GSM-based interaction to allow users to monitor modified materials developed by institutions such
community-based early warning systems that are irrigation systems. Their study shows that such as MSU-IIT to improve microbial removal
simple, reliable, and easy to use. Furthermore, types of systems can be both functional enough efficiency.
Leelawat et al. (2015) found that many Filipinos, for immediate decision-making and enough for a
during Typhoon Yolanda, did not receive or small size farming. In addition, the long-term Microplastic detection is typically done using
understand early warnings due to communication sustainability of automated systems relies on the microscopy and hot needle testing (Su et al.,
breakdowns. This shows how crucial it is not only accuracy and durability of the sensors. According 2016; Kapp & Yeatman, 2018).
to monitor floods but to ensure that alerts reach to a study by Chowdhury, Sen, and Janardhanan
people in time, in a way they understand. (2022), sensitive soil moisture sensors are more Together, these methods offer a promising,
reliable and stronger for a long-term outdoor affordable water treatment solution using local
Taken together, these studies support the need usage, which makes them more ideal for smart and innovative technologies for underserved
for a hybrid solution—one that combines the irrigation projects. communities.
accuracy and affordability of Arduino-based
systems with the real-time communication power The development of a system such as AgroCore,
of IoT and cellular networks. This is the gap that which combines solar energy, GSM-based mobile
the Smart AquaSentinel aims to fill: creating a alerts, and soil and environmental sensors to
system that is student-friendly, cost-effective, deliver a useful, responsive, and efficient
and capable of sending timely alerts to help irrigation system suitable for a small or isolated
reduce flood risks in vulnerable areas. ⸻ farms, has been encouraged by these presented
studies.
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
Zamboanga Peninsula Region
Division of Zamboanga del Sur
Mahayag School of Arts and Trades

Research Methods: ( Brief description of your Research Methods: ( Brief description of your Research Methods: ( Brief description of your
research design and your research participants) research design and your research participants) research design and your research participants)

This study will use a descriptive-evaluative This study will use a descriptive-evaluative The concept paper titled Microplastics and
research design. In this case, the study will research design, which is suitable for explaining Bacteria Removal in School Water: Evaluation of
evaluate whether the Smart AquaSentinel works how a system works and determining if it Oil-Based Ferrofluid Magnetism and Ceramic
as intended in detecting rising water levels and achieves its intended objectives (Formplus, Filtration proposes a quasi-experimental research
sending real-time SMS alerts. The design involves 2023). The smart irrigation system’s components design. This design is appropriate for comparing
observing how the system responds in a and operation will be discussed in the descriptive the effectiveness of various filtration stages
controlled environment and gathering feedback section, and it’s ability to detect soil moisture, without random assignment, allowing future
from participants to find out how accurate, activate watering, and share mobile notifications evaluation of physical, microbiological, and
reliable, and user-friendly it is. As explained by will be measured in the evaluative section. microplastic parameters once implemented
Formplus (2023), evaluative research is useful for (Jansen et al., in preparation).
checking if a solution is working well and what
improvements can still be made. This design is
appropriate for this project because it helps
assess both the technical performance and
practical application of the device.

Submitted by:
Cherish R. Watin
Jan Queezie A. Lumingo
Schenley Gheen S. Capapas