THE IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC ON SMALL-SCALE VENDORS

IN OZAMIS CITY

A research presented to the

In partial fulfillment
Of the Requirements of the Degree
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
Major in Financial Management

Jurie Acope
Julie Ann Angao
Junalyn Branzuela
 CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The covid-19 outbreak presented enormous economic difficulties for everyone.

The epidemic has adversely affected the world's poor population's ability to survive and

earn a living. The Philippines developed an emergency subsidy program with significant

public investment to support disrupted homes and businesses and moved quickly to

contain the epidemic, including the use of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). In the

national capital region and high-risk provinces, a rigorous lockdown was implemented

from mid-March through the end of May 2020, resulting in significant economic losses.

Lockdowns and other restrictions on movement hurt the economy and the nation's most

vulnerable and underprivileged citizens. One of the most disadvantaged groups in society

is small-scale vendors. Small-scale vendors, considered among the most disadvantaged

groups in society, are members of the informal sector of society and they daily struggle to

make ends meet. The pandemic worsened the small-scale vendors’ situation because their

means of support were destroyed and their inability to earn a living drove them farther

into poverty.

Small-scale vendors have already experienced a number of obstacles, and

COVID-19 will present them with more. The estimated 3.5 million Filipinos who labor in

the informal sector, who are vegetable vendors, fruit vendors, and street food vendors on

street are most affected by the pandemic. The informal economy is expected to account
for about 18.47 trillion Philippine Pesos (PHP) of GDP, according to Trading Economics.

Flora Assidao-Santos, secretary general of the Metro Manila Vendor's Association

(MMVA), an association of street vendors dispersed across a dozen municipalities,

claims that Filipino women in the informal sector were the first to be cut off from

economic opportunities with the imposition of the COVID-19 national lockdown. As

daily wage workers, small-scale vendors had little to no savings to guard against the

harsh consequences of the economic downturn brought on by quarantine rules.

This research aims to investigate the impact of the pandemic on small-scale

vendors in Ozamiz City. The study will focus on understanding the specific challenges

that these vendors have faced, the strategies that they have employed to manage the

crisis, and the implications of the pandemic for the local economy. By exploring the

experiences of small-scale vendors, the study seeks to provide insights that can inform

policies and strategies to support these businesses in the pandemic's aftermath.

The study will employ quantitative methods to gather data from small-scale

vendors in Ozamiz City. The quantitative methods will involve an interview of small-

scale vendors to gather data on the impact of the pandemic on their businesses, including

changes in sales, revenues, and expenses. The study will contribute to the literature on the

effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on small businesses in developing countries. The

findings will be of interest to policymakers, business owners, and other stakeholders in

Ozamiz City and beyond, providing insights into the challenges faced by small-scale

vendors and the strategies that can help support their recovery and growth in the wake of

the pandemic.
Theoretical Framework

This study anchored to the following insights of varied authors whose focus relates to the

objective of the research work.

Bhutan first declared closing of schools and institutions and reduction of business

hours during the second week of March 2020 (Kuensel, 2020, 6 March). The complete

nationwide lockdown was implemented from 1 August 2020 (Palden, 2020). In between,

movements were allowed, offices began functioning, schools and college reopened for

selected levels and continued with online class for others. More than 170,000 children in

Bhutan from classes PP–XII are, today, affected by the school closure. The impact is far

reaching and has affected learning during this academic year or even more in the coming

days. Several schools, colleges and universities have discontinued face-to-face teaching.

There is a pressing need to innovate and implement alternative educational and

assessment strategies. The COVID-19 pandemic has provided us with an opportunity to

pave the way for introducing digital learning (Dhawan, 2020).

E-learning tools have played a crucial role during this pandemic, helping schools

and universities facilitate student learning during the closure of universities and schools

(Subedi et al., 2020). While adapting to the new changes, staff and student readiness

needs to be gauged and supported accordingly. The learners with a fixed mindset find it

difficult to adapt and adjust, whereas the learners with a growth mindset quickly adapt to

a new learning environment. There is no onesize-fits-all pedagogy for online learning.

require different approaches to online learning (Doucet et al., 2020). Online learning also

allows physically challenged students with more freedom to participate in learning in the

virtual environment, requiring limited movement (Basilaia & Kvavadze, 2020).

As schools have been closed to cope with the global pandemic, students, parents

and educators around the globe have felt the unexpected ripple effect of the COVID-19

pandemic. While governments, frontline workers and health officials are doing their best

slowing down the outbreak, education systems are trying to continue imparting quality

education for all during these difficult times. Many students at home/living space have

undergone psychological and emotional distress and have been unable to engage

productively. The best practices for online homeschooling are yet to be explored (Petrie,

2020). The use of suitable and relevant pedagogy for online educatio

Statement of the problem

the goal of this research is to evaluate the obstacles and opportunities of street vendors in
the Philippines during the COVID-19 pandemic.We would like to seek answers for the
following
questions:
the goal of this research is to evaluate the obstacles and opportunities of street vendors in
the Philippines during the COVID-19 pandemic.We would like to seek answers for the
following
questions:
the goal of this research is to evaluate the obstacles and opportunities of street vendors in
the Philippines during the COVID-19 pandemic.We would like to seek answers for the
following
questions
the goal of this research is to evaluate the obstacles and opportunities of street vendors in
the Philippines during the COVID-19 pandemic.We would like to seek answers for the
following
questions:
 The goal of this research is to evaluate the obstacles and opportunities for small-

scale vendors in the Philippines during the COVID-19 pandemic. We want to seek

answers to the following questions:

1. How does the pandemic affected their business operations and sales revenue?

2. Have they experienced any financial losses or economic setbacks as a result of the

pandemic?

3. What specific challenges have they faced as a small-scale vendor during the pandemic?

4. Have they received any government support or assistance during the pandemic?

Significance of the study

The importance of our study is that it allows us to understand the difficulties that

small-scale vendors encounter. In order to improve COVID-19 risk perceptions and the

uptake of COVID-19 preventive behavior among small-scale vendors, it is our goal to

examine the impact of the risk communication efforts.

Small-scale vendors: This study will help government authorities hear the concerns of

street sellers and provide them with the assistance and support they require.

Researchers: Will gain from this study because they learn new information and sharpen

their critical-thinking abilities, both of which will aid in their ability to comprehend a
given problem or circumstance. It will also assist them in becoming more knowledgeable

and competent.

Scope and Limitation

This study aims to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on small-

scale vendors in Ozamiz City. The study will focus on identifying the challenges faced by

these businesses during the pandemic, including changes in customer demand, supply

chain disruptions, and financial stability. The study will be conducted through interviews

with small-scale vendors in Ozamiz City. This will be conducted in March this year

(2023).

Research Methodology

The methodology used in this study is the quantitative method. The interviews

will cover various aspects related to the impact of the pandemic on small-scale vendors,

such as changes in revenue, customer demand, and coping strategies. The questions will

be designed to capture the struggles they had with the pandemic's impact. The

quantitative methodology employed in this study will provide us with objective and

measurable data that will help us understand the impact of the pandemic on small-scale

vendors in Ozamiz City.

Research Design
 The quantitative methodology used in this study on the impact of the pandemic on

small-scale vendors aims to collect and analyze numerical data that will provide a clear

understanding of the economic impact of the pandemic on these businesses. To achieve

this, we will conduct interviews to collect quantitative data from a sample of small-scale

vendors in Ozamiz City.

Research Setting

This research will be conducted on the street in the city center of Ozamiz City.

We selected this city since it has a large number of vendors that will enable us to collect a

lot of data for our study. To perform this study, we will select a sample of small-scale

vendors operating in the city. The sample will include vendors selling vegetables, fruits,

and street foods.

Research Respondents

The research respondents for this study will be a sample of small-scale vendors in

Ozamiz City who sell fruits, vegetables, and street foods. The sample will include

vendors who operate on the street in the city center. The respondents will be in any age

group and any gender. We will conduct interviews with 70 vendors in the city for us to

gather a lot of data for our research.

The research instrument for this study was a semi-structured interview. We used

subjective-type questions in the interview. The interviews were conducted with a select

group of small-scale vendors in Ozamiz City who were chosen based on their unique

experiences and perspectives regarding the impact of the pandemic on their businesses.

The interview questions were open-ended and designed to allow the vendors to

share their experiences in their own words. The questions covered a range of topics,

including the vendors' initial response to the pandemic, their challenges during the

pandemic, the support they received, and their future plans for their businesses. The

interviews will provide an opportunity to gather more in-depth information about the

vendors' experiences and perspectives on the impact of the pandemic on their businesses.

Using interviews as a research instrument will allow for a more nuanced

understanding of the impact of the pandemic on small-scale vendors in Ozamiz City. It

will provide an opportunity to gather detailed information on the vendors' experiences

and perspectives, which may not be captured in the structured questionnaire. Overall, the

interviews will be a valuable addition to the research methodology, providing insights

into the impact of the pandemic on small-scale vendors in Ozamiz City.

Validation of Instrument

For validating the instrument used in the study, a copy of the interview questions

was given to Ms. Cherry Mae Origenes. Our adviser is a designated person of authority to

vouch for the legitimacy of the custom interview questions. The researcher spoke with
the adviser after she had authenticated the copies to get her opinions on the list of

questions. She was questioned about whether she understood each item in a clear and

unambiguous manner; if every item was pertinent to the research issue and if the number

of items was sufficient to gather information relevant to the study. After then, the

interview questions were changed to make them clearer and more precise.

The set of interview questions was used by the researcher to interview the

respondents.

Data Gathering Procedure

After the set of interview questions was validated, the researcher conducted face-

to-face interviews with selected small-scale vendors. Before conducting the interviews,

the researchers obtained the necessary permissions from the vendors. The researchers

explained the purpose and objectives of the research, as well as the ethical considerations

involved, and obtain informed consent from the vendors to participate in the study. The

researcher recorded the respondent’s answers by using mobile phones and take detailed

notes to ensure that all the relevant information is captured accurately.

The data gathered from the interviews were analyzed and interpreted using

appropriate statistical procedures.