PERCEPTION OF THE NASUGBUENOS WITH REGARDS

TO THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE

ENFORCEMENT OF COVID-19
POLICIES AND ORDINANCES

A Thesis

Presented to the

Faculty Committee of the College of Arts and Sciences

Batangas State University ARASOF-Nasugbu

Nasugbu, Batangas

In Partial Fulfillment of the

Requirements of the Degree of

Bachelor of Science in Criminology

By

Dequiña, Glenmarc D.

Hernandez, Dedray M.

Tadeo, Francis Gerard M.

2021
 2

Chapter I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

I. Introduction

Coronavirus (COVID-19), a highly transmissible disease that poses

a global threat to human populations, is the third pandemic of the twenty-

first century  (Perlman, 2020). A novel SARS-like coronavirus was found in

December 2019 after the advent of Middle East respiratory syndrome

coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in Saudi Arabia and severe acute respiratory

syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) in China  (Zhou et al., 2020).

The outbreak is causing significant difficulties to law enforcement

around the globe. These difficulties arise from the intricacy and wide scope

of the tasks that the police are expected to carry out, as well as the

changing character of the police function during the outbreak (Laufs, J., &

Waseem, Z. 2020).

Even though health workers are on the front lines, the police should

be involved at every level of the response and should continue to be the

main point of contact with the community to address questions and identify

issues. Due to the emergency, police services are overburdened with

additional deployments, such as enforcing public health orders,

 3

quarantines, or travel restrictions, securing health care facilities, crowd

control, assisting with mass fatalities, protecting national vaccination

activities or other medicine stockpiles, and even public education and risk

communication (WHO, 2020).

The response is not spontaneous since most of the agencies with

whom the police should coordinate their response plan, such as public

health, medical officials, and other vital infrastructure providers, such as

telecommunications, power, and water, may not have previously worked

together. Furthermore, in many nations, the deployment of the military to

impose emergency measures raises questions about the connection

between the police and the military in terms of jurisdiction and duty. While

the role of the police is normally well-defined during security threats and

emergencies, it is significantly less obvious during a COVID-19 pandemic,

adding to the complexity of the police response. In fact, unlike public health

services, most national response plans to COVID-19 either ignore or just

acknowledge the involvement of the police in broad and generic terms

(PPDCP, 2020).

Every state in the United States has a health care statute that

authorizes state health officials to adopt steps to protect residents' health

 4

throughout a pandemic, such as social distance, isolation, confinement,

travel bans, contact tracing, medication, and immunization. State and local

law enforcers are usually responsible for letting the public know about

these policies and implementing them (Rothstein, 2015). Due to their

"innately work tasks with random people and some of the most

marginalized communities," law enforcement officers have been on the

front lines in coping with catastrophic events and implementing

countermeasures, while also being at an increased risk of infection and

contact (Poston 2020).

India's public health reaction to COVID-19 involves two separate

police functions: maintaining public order and providing social services.

Following the lockdown, police departments used roving vans, foot patrols,

and vehicle checks to rigorously impose social isolation. These methods

are based on the traditional "law and order" worldview, which is ingrained

in police training and organizational culture. In practice, lockdown

enforcement implies crowd management, which entails taking rapid and

forceful action to reclaim control of public venues. The lockdown was

referred to as a police "curfew" by Indian media outlets, reinforcing the law-

and-order paradigm. In the Bhilwara district of Rajasthan, which has

 5

received early praise for controlling the spread of COVID-19, the police

imposed a "maha-curfew," prohibiting the delivery of even essential

supplies like milk and medicines. The maha-logic curfew's is to limit

individuals' discretionary rule-breaking, which could incite others to breach

lockdown regulations, leading to public chaos and jeopardizing virus

containment. The police in Bhilwara, however, have gone beyond the law-

and-order paradigm to administer the maha-curfew, cooperating with

municipal agencies to organize, stock supplies, and develop delivery

mechanisms to aid locals (Kapoor, 2020).

One of the world's longest and strictest lockdowns has been labeled

to the Philippines’ response to COVID-19. The wearing of masks and

social isolation were tightly enforced, and entire provinces and cities were

placed under lockdown. Mobility was prohibited. Punitive action was taken

in response to violations. To guarantee that order was maintained and that

all health regulations were followed, the government relied heavily on the

police and military. As a response, some experts and researchers have

characterized that the government has responded as "draconian,"

"militarized," or "police-centric" (Maru, 2020).

 6

Past epidemics have contributed overview of the types of social

distance that could be effective in reducing the transmission of COVID-19.

Most of the evidence arises from those other viral respiratory ailments that

can spread by droplets surviving in the air after an infected person coughs

or sneezes, like influenza, that have prompted several pandemics in the

twentieth and twenty-first centuries, along with the Spanish flu in 1918–

1920 and the less widespread but more recent H1N1 flu pandemic in

2009–2010. Unlike COVID-19, Ebola is spread through direct physical

contact rather than through the air, while the 2014–2015 Ebola outbreak in

West Africa taught us about social distance. Pandemic research has

demonstrated that it is difficult to contain influenza geographically in the

pandemic region, and international dissemination is difficult to prevent for

more than a short time (Aronson, 2020).

Workers are losing jobs, health-care systems are under strain, local

companies are at risk of closing permanently, and the country is bracing

for recession as the COVID-19 pandemic spreads and people are obliged

to stay at home. The situation has exposed the inequities and prejudices

that put population livelihoods, safety, and lives at stake (Ray, 2020).
 7

The study by Nilsen (2020) examines and evaluates social

distancing practices established in Denmark and Sweden in 2020 to

combat coronavirus transmission. Both Nordic countries formulated and

implemented dozens of new social distancing measures. Governments in

both regions cooperated with medical and epidemiological specialists in

national and international public health authorities to identify policy

measures that would help them in achieving their social distancing goals.

Many social, economic, geopolitical, and socioeconomic traits are linked by

the two neighboring nations.

Suppression policies (also known as 'lockdown' tactics) were

implemented to slow the spread of the epidemic and reduce the number of

cases. They included social distancing (SD) behaviors. These policies

required people to stay at home and only leave once a day to exercise,

commute to and from work when working from home was not practicable,

shop for necessities, and attend to any medical or care needs. People

were asked to spend as little time outside as possible when leaving their

home for approved purposes, and to preserve a minimum distance of two

meters from anyone outside their household (Ferguson, 2020). Non-

pharmaceutical therapies, such as SD, rely significantly on community

 8

behavioral changes, which necessitates acceptance as well as, more

importantly, adherence to the measures. The administration's declarations

that "the vast majority of the British population has complied with the

legislation and instructions" suggest that citizens in the United Kingdom

are complying with SD rules (Cabinet Office, 2021).

The motives for people's compliance to the policies have been

explained by administration and the mainstream press. As during initial

wave of the pandemic, for example, these measures were effective in

preventing the disease from spreading to vulnerable groups such as the

elderly, patients with major health issues, and persons with disabilities, as

well as relieving demand on health services (European Centre for Disease

Prevention and Control, 2020). To minimize a second wave of outbreaks in

countries in which the number of infections has dropped comparable to a

few months earlier, it appears that understanding the causes for these

violations and identifying factors that may help encourage compliance to

rules and standards is critical. This is extremely important at this stage,

since lockdown policies and guidelines are much more likely to affect

specific areas or localities in which the number of COVID-19 instances is

 9

higher than the national average, instead of at the national level (Bellato,

2020).

The COVID-19 epidemic is driving governments and society to turn

to digital technology in strategies to adapt to the crisis in the immediate

term, address socioeconomic ramifications in the mid - term, and redesign

current policies and methods in the long run. Governments must adopt an

open government strategy and use digital communication channels to give

trustworthy information on global and national COVID-19 developments to

navigate through these difficult times. E-participation platforms may be

effective instruments for engaging disadvantaged populations online and

establishing digital campaigns to collaboratively discuss policy solutions to

press social and economic issues (UN, 2020).

The rule of law supports effective governance and is a precondition

for security, fairness, and equality through focusing on people's needs and

the institutions and norms that regulate relations between states and

individuals. It protects legitimate justice processes and results by enacting

fair laws and regulations, establishing effective, accessible, and

responsible institutions, and ensuring that individuals and groups are

empowered to exercise their rights. For the benefit of all, the rule of law
 10

preserves human rights norms and an independent judiciary, as well as

procedural rights by ensuring legal clarity, due process, and predictability

(IDLO Annual Report, 2020).

The virus's fast spread over the world, as well as the unknowns

surrounding its development, need a global reaction. Here, law

enforcement plays a critical role in helping to contain the illness, promote

safer neighborhoods, and combat criminals who perceive the epidemic as

a chance to expand – or diversify – their illicit operations. As a result, the

recommendations warn of new pandemic-related crimes such as

intimidation and purposeful spread efforts, fraud or phishing, cybercrime,

and counterfeiting (National League of Cities, 2020).

The guidelines are meant to be evaluated by law enforcement

agencies as part of a response plan to the epidemic in line with

recommendations from national public health authorities, as police officers

sometimes find themselves in risky situations to safeguard their

communities. Rather than replacing national rules, they are meant to

augment them. As a result, any actions performed by national law

enforcement authorities must comply with appropriate national legislation

as well as international commitments (Interpol, 2020).

 11

The Philippines' compliance with international human rights

standards and norms is fully incorporated with the general provisions put in

place to prevent the spreading of COVID-19. The Joint External Evaluation

of key competencies under International Health Regulations (2005), issued

by the WHO in 2019, characterizes the state of the Philippine health

system and pandemic prevention and response capacities as "need for

enhancement." The Philippines also have met also with IHR's obligations

and has managed to maintain level of openness in the administration of

COVID-19 (National Response to COVID19, 2020). There is no foundation

for the government's national strategy being described as "very military." In

the operations, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) have simply

served as a support to the executive agencies. This was required to

support frontline services in Metro Manila, the Philippines' metropolis,

which has a population of more than 12 million people (Hapal, 2021).

Law enforcement officers are also at a higher risk of infection due to

close contact with the public. The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed some

significant challenges for law enforcement. Departments across the

country have responded to the pandemic in a variety of ways. A virus

pandemic influences how local law enforcement agencies operate in many

 12

ways. Law enforcement agencies and police play a critical role in providing

essential public services. A pandemic can last for months or years, posing

problems at the local, state, federal, and even worldwide levels. The Vera

Institute of Justice (2020) offers extra prevention and reactive advice to law

enforcement officials. They recommend that agencies prioritize prevention

in several ways, including: (1) ensuring that 911 dispatchers divert calls to

health resources when a police response is not required; (2) issuing

temporary directives to release individuals on a citation/ticket/summons

unless they have committed a felony or pose an immediate threat to public

safety; and (3) suspending individuals on a citation/ticket/summons unless

they have committed a felony or pose an immediate threat to public safety

People who are detained are subjected to protocols (such as limiting the

enforcement of bench warrants and arrest wars). Communities having bad

relationships with the police may find it more difficult to follow the new laws

and regulations. There may be serious repercussions when the police are

obliged to implement curfews, social distance, and social isolation

ordinates. Police can increase communication with citizens through

traditional media, social media, and fliers (Murphy et al., 2009).

 13

The debate has centered on a set of brief recommendations aimed

at policymakers and others interested in encouraging adherence to

regulations to prevent the Covid-19 from spreading. Although most of the

research on pandemic non-compliance has focused on contemporaneous

correlations, less is known about how risk factors are associated to non-

compliance or compliance during pandemics (Al-Hasan, 2020).

With this thought in mind, the researchers who are Third Year

Bachelor of Science in Criminology students of Batangas State University

– ARASOF Nasugbu deemed it necessary to conduct this study because

officers must ensure that police and public encounters are done in a

procedurally just manner. Since responding in times of pandemic is far

different from the common duties of a police enforcer, this could be a factor

that may encourage or hinder the public to comply with the existing Covid-

19 policies and ordinances.

II. Statement of the Problem

This study has a chief concern regarding the perception of the

Nasugbuenos in the PNP enforcement of Covid-19 policies and

ordinances. To obtain all the essential knowledge, data, and information,

the researchers seek to answer the crucial questions as follows:

 14

1. What is the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of:

1.1 Age

1.2 Sex

1.3 Highest Educational Attainment

1.4 Family Size

1.5 Employment Status

1.6 Family Covid History

1.7 Residence (barangay)

2. What is their level of awareness with regards to policies and

ordinances relative to Covid-19?

3. What is the extent of their adherence to the policies and ordinances

relative to Covid-19?

4. What are the factors that may encourage and hinders the

respondents to follow the policies and ordinances relative to Covid-

19?

5. What may be recommended to improve the implementations of

policies and ordinances relative to health pandemic?

6. What policy brief may be proposed for better implementations of

policies and ordinances relative to health pandemic?

 15

III. Significance of the Study

As this study focused on the Philippine National Police Enforcement

of Covid-19 policies and ordinances in Nasugbu, Batangas, the findings

may be beneficial to the following:

Batangas State University. It is the mission of the university to be

involved in research collaborations to generate knowledge that has never

been established. In relation to this, the accomplishment of this study

would be additional attainment of the University’s goal of knowledge

generation through multidisciplinary research collaborations.

College of Arts and Sciences (CAS). The production of this study

signifies the attainment of the goal of the College of Arts and Sciences to

be a contributor in knowledge production as a part of the University in

certain cases which has not been studied before. It may also be

considered as an accomplishment for the college to promote awareness

and spread information about the pandemic. The attainment of such a goal

would increase the credibility of the College of Arts and Sciences when it

comes to knowledge reproduction through extensive studies and research

collaborations.
 16

Faculty Members of the Bachelor of Science in Criminology’s

Program. This research may add to the body of knowledge available for

faculty members to implement an alternative educational system. The

conduct of this study is essential to the faculty members in the sense that

the outputs and results of the study could be used by the instructors of

research courses as inputs in the development of instructional materials in

the law enforcement administration and as a reference in teaching other

core subjects.

Students of the Bachelor of Science in Criminology’s Program.

This study may provide students with information and facts about the

Covid-19 pandemic. It will also give them proper knowledge and skills,

contributing to their learning and practicing the tasks that they will be

facing shortly. It also includes the result of the study which the researchers

would learn of what is the people's insight about the policies and

ordinances enforced by the Philippine National Police and how it will

become helpful to the community.

Nasugbuenos. The significance of this study to the community may

be in the sense that the study informs the residents of Nasugbu specifically

the student of Batangas State University ARASOF-Nasugbu as regards

 17

the PNP enforcement of COVID-19 policies and ordinances. Also, they can

acquire knowledge through the output that will produce by the researchers.

Researchers. The researchers, who are hoping to become future

law enforcers will significantly benefit from this study, as they will be

exposed to the policies and ordinances enforced by the Philippine National

Police that will surely increase their awareness and gain more knowledge

and understanding on data gathering procedures. The researchers would

also develop the essence of teamwork, camaraderie, and patience in

conducting the study.

Future Researchers. This study may help future researchers as it

can become the basis for similar research endeavors and serve as means

to gain more knowledge and guide the conduct of future studies in relation

to the present study and acquire knowledge through the output that will

produce by the researchers.

IV. Scope, Delimitation, and Limitation of the Study

The study aims to determine the perception of Nasugbueños as

regards the Philippine National Police enforcement of the Covid-19 policies

 18

and ordinances and to determine whether they effectively communicate

with their constituents amidst the current pandemic. The study includes

other related studies about enforcement of policies and ordinances, both

foreign and local, and the discussions of what and how it is imposed in

different places. The study also aims to discover the level of awareness

and extent of their adherence with regards to the policies and ordinance

relative to COVID-19, and the factors that hinder and encourage the

respondents to follow the protocols and ordinances. Also, if other

measures can be applied to improve the implementation of policies and

ordinances relative to the health pandemic.

The study is descriptive research which would use survey

questionnaires to gather the needed data to come up with the appropriate

result. The respondents would be composed of 381 residents coming from

Barangay 1-12, Wawa, and Malapad na Bato of the Municipality of

Nasugbu.

However, the study is limited only to the locality of Nasugbu,

therefore, the perception of another locality will not be determined. The

respondents are composed only of the residents of the chosen barangays

in Nasugbu, Batangas. The study will focus on their perception of the PNP
 19

enforcement of Covid-19 policies and ordinances. The data gathering

process will be done from April to May 2022

CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter presents a review of related literature and studies.

Various studies and literature were cited, the purpose of which is to gain

knowledge and a broader view of the task under study. The conceptual

literature, research literature, synthesis, conceptual framework, theoretical

framework, and definitions of terms are also included.

 20

Conceptual Literature

The review of conceptual literature yields four types of constructs,

which are used in the analysis and interpretation of the data in the study.

These constructs include: (1) COVID-19 policies and ordinances (2)

Factors that hinder people to follow those policies (3) Factors that

encourage people to follow those policies (4) Development of policy brief.

COVID-19 policies and ordinances. It aims to protect the health

and wellbeing of individuals and communities in the amidst of COVID-19

pandemic. It is implemented to create strong legal frameworks to manage

the pandemic and respond to the emerging public health risks. It includes

state of emergency declarations, quarantine measures, disease

surveillance, legal measures relating to mask-wearing, social distancing,

and access to medication and vaccines. It is also part of World Health

Organization International Health Regulations key effective implementation

of surveillance; infection prevention and control; management of travel and

trade; and implementation of measures to maintain essential health

services (WHO, 2020).

 21

Further, every country should be implementing a comprehensive set

of measures, calibrated to their capacity and context, to slow down

transmission and reduce mortality associated with COVID-19, ultimately

with the aim of reaching and/or maintaining a steady state of low-level or

no transmission. Appropriate strategies at the national level and

subnational level must balance measures that address the direct mortality

attributable to COVID-19, the indirect mortality caused by the

overwhelming of health systems and the interruption of other essential

health and social services, and the acute and long-term detrimental effects

on health and wellbeing of the socioeconomic consequences of certain

response measures.

On the other hand, in designing COVID-19 responses, it is not

enough for measures to be proportional, necessary and non-

discriminatory. Public health measures must be understood and supported,

and this is best assured by having individuals participate in decisions

related to their health at local, national and international levels. Rule of law-

based legal frameworks allow for carefully balanced health emergency

measures consistent with the International Health Regulations (2005) as

well as with human rights standards as articulated in key instruments,

 22

including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the International

Covenants on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and Economic, Social,

and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).It is important to consider in addressing

response to COVID-19 is to ensure that is no one is left behind with

sustainable ad equitable health emergency measures (International

Development Law Organization, 2020).

In the study of Zivin and Sanders (2020) the COVID 19 Policy and

Ordinance became an essential component as Adam Smith’s “invisible

hand,” the basis for modern liberal economic policies, is predicated on the

notion that, under proper conditions, what generates the most return for

individuals also generates the most return for society. Modern economic

theory tells us that, in the presence of externalities, the invisible hand

falters. Private individual or firm decisions no longer coincide with what

yields the greatest benefits for all. In the case of the current pandemic,

many of the actions we can take to protect ourselves and our families from

the disease generate benefits well beyond our households. Each step to

prevent sickness also reduces the chance to spread that sickness to

others. As we tend to undervalue the benefits that accrue to others,

individuals underinvest in protective measures relative to levels that are

 23

socially desirable. Indeed, this may help explain resistance to mask

wearing, particularly in the early phases of the epidemic when the belief

was that nearly all benefits from masks took the form of protecting others,

while all costs fell to the individual.

Moreover, it plays significant role to the community and individuals and

became a concrete pathway for an effective and equitable response to the

pandemic and lead the way to a sustainable and inclusive recovery. It

comes with fostering information and safety practices on how the people

will best control and defeat the pandemic while looking forward to

sustainable future. To prevail against this pandemic, everyone should

follow and take active and responsible participation and coordination with

the policy and ordinance implemented to the community.

Factors that hinder people to follow those policies. As

mentioned by Walker [Link] (2020), To slow the spread of the COVID-19

pandemic, governments rely on stay-at-home and social distancing

measures. These mitigation measures, however, will only work if

authorities can ensure that citizens stay at home and practice social

distancing when asked. As such, compliance is a core question in the

 24

world’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and plays a vital role in

reducing both mortality and overburdening health care systems.

In addition, a study conducted by Bicchieri et al.,( 2020), have

shown how social proximity is likely to affect compliance with group and

societal norms, suggesting that people might be more prone to change

their behaviours when the request to comply comes from a member of the

same social group, compared to an external source. Moreover, collectivist

societies (e.g., some Asian and Latin American countries) are more likely

to comply more to norms which benefit the entire society, compared to

individualistic cultures.

As suggested by Martarelli & Wolff (2020), adhering to th0se

measures is likely to have been perceived as costly by the citizens affected

by the local lockdown, especially given the rest of the country could benefit

from re-opening of pubs and restaurants, moving towards the re-

establishment of a ‘normal’ routine. The introduction of localized lockdowns

might in fact be perceived as a further reduction of freedom and an unfair

limitation of social interactions. This might also have potentially negative

effects on the mental health and wellbeing of people affected, who might
 25

consequently show less predisposition to follow the regulations put in place

to prevent further spreading of infections.

Furthermore, it shows that costs of compliance are not associated

with compliance with the measures. People who had more negative

emotions were less likely to comply, but only with the lockdown measures.

Possibly, longer or recurring periods of lockdown or social distancing may

cause increased costs of compliance and strain, which may then start to

negatively affect compliance with all measures. It does not seem that

people’s overall substantive moral support for the measures played an

important role in their compliance with the measures. For compliance with

the social distancing measures (i.e., not meeting people and keeping a

safe distance) we found no association with substantive moral support for

the measures.

Thus, whether people morally believed they should follow the

measures, whether they perceived the disease as threatening, and

whether they generally supported the measures and thought they were

consistent, adequate, and proportional, did not influence their social

distancing behavior. We did find an association between compliance with

the lockdown measure and two aspects of substantive moral support. We

 26

found a significant positive association with whether people morally

believed that people should follow the measures. And, interestingly and

counterintuitively, we found a negative association with whether people

feared the disease (perceived threat). This means that, rather than staying

in for their own health interests, people who have more fear of the virus

show the opposite behavior and are more likely to break the rules and go

out other than for essential activities.

One possible explanation here may be that participants overall did

not show great support for the measures , which is in accordance with

previous survey data in the UK that has shown that the public does not

show great confidence in the government to manage [Link]

possibly explains the results of the lockdown measure, as people who

perceive COVID-19 to be a great threat, but simultaneously do not support

the government and their measures, may be inclined to disregard those

same measures.

In addition, local authorities should take advantage of

unprecedented levels of community engagement and participation,

observed during the full lockdown, to continue building social trust and

sense of belonging to improve acceptability and adherence of measures.

 27

Factors that encourage people to follow those policies. In Sumaedi

et al. 2021 study, it emphasized the effect of people's intention to obey the

"Stay at Home" policy on their attitude toward the behavior, subjective

norm, perceived behavioral control, perceived susceptibility, and perceived

severity. The data that the researcher of this article gathered demonstrate

that during the COVID-19 pandemic, attitude toward the behavior,

subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control all influence intention to

"Stay at Home." The intention to follow "Stay at Home" during the COVID-

19 pandemic, however, is unaffected by perceived susceptibility or severity

of COVID-19.

Citizens must be directed to have favorable attitudes toward the COVID-

19 stay-at-home policy to encourage their adherence to it during the

epidemic. Financial and non-financial assistance are essential for residents

to be able to adhere to the policy. Another crucial consideration is the

power of leaders and public figures to call for compliance on a regular

basis.

Brandy (2020), on the other hand, described COVID-19 infection as

disproportionately common among incarcerated people. Prisons, as well

as the public, are hotspots for COVID-19 transmission. COVID-19's

 28

influence in jails cannot be reduced due to high incidence of preexisting

health issues, restricted access to appropriate health treatment, and

difficulty to maintain social distance. Those of color and people with

stigmatized behavioral health illnesses are disproportionately represented

in jailed populations due to a history of compounded socioeconomic

variables. To improve health fairness, rapid decarceration is required.

Historical mass decarceration events show that releasing huge groups of

prisoners quickly while protecting public safety is possible. Iran and Ireland

have transitioned large segments of their jail populations to home

detention. Some jurisdictions in the United States and Uganda have

lowered new incarcerations by enacting measures that reduce arrests. To

curb the epidemic and its potential health repercussions while also

addressing health fairness, these measures must be implemented globally.

Governments must step up their efforts to disseminate information about

the epidemic, as well as implement measures for better communication

management with citizens via social media and traditional media

Seale, Holly et al. (2020) stated that non-pharmaceutical treatments

including physical separation, isolation, and mask wearing, may flatten the

peak in communities during a growing outbreak or pandemic. To

 29

guarantee adequate compliance and impact, these initiatives rely on

community comprehension and incentive to engage. The goal of this article

was to identify the primary drivers affecting involvement to assist current

COVID-19 operations. NPIs were the topic of an integrative narrative

literature review.

The goal of this article was to find peer-reviewed articles that focused on

the public (excluding healthcare workers), NPIs (such as school closure,

quarantine, isolation, physical separation, and hygiene behaviors), and

factors/characteristics (such as social, physical, psychological, capacity,

motivation, economic, and demographic) that influence engagement.

Quarantine, school closures, and personal protective behavior are all

influenced by a variety of demographic, social, and psychological factors,

according to the findings.

Apart from the elements that influence acceptance and compliance,

there are several important community concerns about their use that must

be addressed, including the potential for economic ramifications. It's critical

to recognize that these techniques will have an influence on both

individuals and communities.

 30

They can discover what techniques to use to inspire individuals and

promote community compliance by first analyzing the barriers. Using a

behavioral framework to organize interventions based on these key

barriers will also ensure that governments respond in a timely and effective

manner.

According to Doogan (2020), ggovernments across the world have

developed non-pharmaceutical measures (NPIs) to restrict the spread of

COVID-19, such as masking and social distancing. Governments must

understand public views and attitudes of NPI regimes, as well as the

factors that influence them, to promote popular adherence to these

regimes. These insights can be captured using Twitter data.

Development of policy brief. Blake, Michael et al. (2020) study

focused on the WASH sector's response to COVID-19 to come up with a

policy brief. Conducting fast assessments of community-level disease

transmission and WASH capacity, promoting improved sanitation behavior

through public messaging, and expanding low-cost handwashing facilities

are among the recommendations for the short term. Many nations are

grappling with long-standing institutional difficulties that are not necessarily

receptive to emergency action, and policymakers must be ready to seize

 31

opportunities as soon as they come, as well as effective solutions for

emergency WASH expansion and improved sanitation practices. This brief

provides short- and medium-to-long-term policy options for the urban

WASH sector, focusing on infrastructure delivery, institutional governance,

and finance and funding.

Furthermore, Betsch, Cornelia et al. (2020) emphasized that the mask

policies, both mandatory and voluntary, may have social and behavioral

effects linked to the measure's effectiveness, stigmatization, and perceived

fairness that are currently unclear.

The use of a mandatory policy increased actual compliance despite

moderate acceptance, according to serial cross-sectional data from nearly

7,000 German participants (April 14 to May 26, 2020). Mask wearing are

related to the other protective behaviors. This experiment is a pre-

registered that also shown that a voluntary policy would likely result in

insufficient compliance, be seen as less fair, and exacerbate

stigmatization. To reduce the spread of airborne viruses, a mandatory

policy looks to be an effective, equitable, and socially responsible solution.

 32

Most countries' COVID-19 preventative and mitigation actions were

abrupt and difficult, with the prolonged lockdown putting a strain on

economic activities. Human rights abuses and violations, which can lead to

psychological anguish, are particularly vulnerable to the pandemic's

negative effects on marginalized groups and individuals. The study found

that populations that are vulnerable are at high risk of mental distress.

Psychiatric patients, low-income individuals, and minorities were

disproportionately impacted by limited mobility rights since they were at a

higher risk of self-harm and mental health deterioration. Due to stigma and

a lack of personal protection equipment, healthcare workers have had

significant mental health implications. Other vulnerable populations, such

as the elderly, children, and refugees, were also harmed (Rahman et al.

2020).

Block, Per et al. (2020) In order to prevent the COVID-19 epidemic,

social separation and isolation have been routinely used. Due to the

negative social, psychological, and economic effects of a total or near-

complete lockdown, more moderate contact-reduction strategies must be

developed. They assess the effectiveness of three distancing tactics aimed

to keep the curve flat and facilitate compliance in a post-lockdown future

 33

using a social network methodology. To simulate stochastic infection

curves they use constructing social bubbles by limiting interaction to a few

recurring connections, finding similarity across contacts, and strengthening

groups through triadic tactics Infection models, ideal-type social network

models, and statistical relational event models and the researchers give

scientific evidence for successful social distance, which may be used in

public health messaging and can help to reduce the detrimental effects of

social isolation.

The expansion of Covid-19 and the diverse government reactions

provide opportunities for policy learning. Traditional policy analysis

methodologies would lead us to believe that population size, the ease with

which jurisdictional borders can be closed, governance arrangements,

available resources, and system capacity can explain policy variation.

Following the Story Policy Framework's methodology, they believe

narrative has played a crucial role in the relative success of Covid-19

replies. Using data from the state level in the United States to highlight the

dynamics at play, where policy actions and infection and death rates have

varied significantly. This article shows how policy narratives differed at the

state level and how this influenced policy formation and execution. The
 34

findings provide convincing evidence for policymakers around the world to

incorporate story development and control into their advising procedures

on a regular basis (Mintrom, 2020).

The global COVID-19 pandemic has placed countries and their

governments in an unprecedented dilemma. In most countries, strong

remedies have been put in place and how much do people trust their

governments to handle this crisis. They analyze people's impressions of

government reactions in 57 nations using data from a global poll performed

between March 20th and April 22nd, 2020, with over 100,000 participants.

One of the results of this analyzation is media independence that affects

government trust both directly and indirectly by causing a more negative

judgment of government responses as insufficient or too strict. Higher

levels of education are linked to greater government trust and a reduced

tendency to view government activities as overly excessive. Some findings

of the conspiracy theory are believing that government's response is too

harsh, even though this assessment is less essential in predicting trust in

government than the sense of insufficient response (Rieger, 2021).

 35

Research Literature (Related Studies)

The following studies were reviewed because they contain findings

that are relevant to the present study.

A cross-sectional survey was undertaken in Ireland to investigate

behavioral responses to physical distance measures, according to a study

by Durand, 2021. During Phase 2 limitations in June 2020, a nationally

representative group of 1000 respondents took the questionnaire over the

course of one week. Measures of socio-demographic factors, theory-based

psychological predictors, and physical distancing behaviors were

completed by participants. Overall, there had been a high level of

awareness of limits in place at the time of data collection, as well as

adherence to most physical distancing measures. Respondents around

25–34 years kept the shortest distance from others (71.2 percent,

compared to 79–90 percent for all other age groups), avoided social

events (42.4 percent, versus 52–62 percent), and avoided non-essential

travel (63.9 percent, versus 69–79 percent). In most metrics, females were

marginally more adherent than males. Respondent views and COVID-19

 36

risk category also influenced adherence. These findings suggest that

adherence to physical separation standards varies based on the type of

conduct, as well as socio-demographic and psychological characteristics.

Although there was some non-adherence to all physical distancing

behaviors, overall adherence was good. Individual-level factors of

adherence should be targeted in future efforts to enhance adherence to

physical distance measures, in addition to effective public health

interventions.

Three variables will be discussed on the study of Bellato, 2020:

empathy, a positive attitude, and social influence. The article finishes with

several brief recommendations addressed at policymakers and

stakeholders involved in promoting adherence to laws to avoid a second

pandemic via mass media communications. Requests that people follow

government regulations, particularly during localized lockdowns, should

focus on people's intrinsic desire to comply, avoiding a spread of blame.

These messages should be basic, clear, and trustworthy, as well as

designed to elicit empathy-driven responses from the public, such as

informing individuals that following these rules is critical to preventing the

virus from spreading to their close friends, relatives, and coworkers. These
 37

communications should be supported by clarity regarding the mechanisms

in place to preserve people's economic circumstances, as well as any

potential rewards that may be forthcoming. Furthermore, this study also

suggest that people follow lockdown regulations should be phrased in a

favorable manner. For example, the media and companies could

emphasize the benefits of a new status quo based on working from home

and social isolation.

According to study conducted by Hills 2021, it used a cross-sectional

methodology to poll 681 North London individuals on their social distancing

(SD) behaviors, demographics, living situation, politics, psychology, and

social support. The relationships between these explanatory factors and

non-adherence to all SD rules and purposeful non-adherence to SD

regulations were measured using logistic regression. Most participants

(92.8 percent) decided not to follow all SD guidelines, and approximately

half (48.6%) participated in deliberate rules violations. If a participant was

not identified as highly vulnerable to COVID-19 [OR = 4.5], had lower

control over others' distancing [OR =.724], had lower control over

responsibilities for which encountering others was unavoidable [OR =.642],

and if SD behaviors were reported after lockdown was first relaxed [OR
 38

=.261], the odds of not adhering to all SD rules increased. If a participant

had a lower intention to social distance [OR =.468], had lower control over

others' distancing [OR =.829], had a doctoral degree compared to a

master's degree [OR =.332], a professional qualification [OR =.307], a

bachelor's degree [OR =.361] or work-related qualification [OR =.174],

voted for the UK Government compared to not voting for the Government

[OR =1.465]. Intentional non-adherence had a higher correlation with

intention and anti-social psychological characteristics, whereas non-

adherence to all SD rules had a higher correlation with susceptibility to

COVID-19 and influence over SD. When persons living in high-risk

contexts, such as households with many occupants, are urged to stay at

home, it is suggested that they be given extra support, and public health

messages should emphasize collective responsibility and awareness

campaigns.

Based on the study of Nivette [Link]. (2021); internationally,

adolescents and young adults have been designated as a population with

a high risk of not complying with public health measures aimed at

preventing the spread of coronavirus disease in 2019. (COVID-19).

Although most pandemic non-compliance research has focused on

 39

concurrent correlations, little is known about how antecedent social and

psychological risk factors are linked to non-compliance during pandemics.

This work uses data from a prospective longitudinal cohort study

conducted before and during the pandemic to analyze patterns of non-

compliance with COVID- 19-related public health interventions in young

adults and to investigate which factors enhance the probability of non-

compliance. Data collected from an ongoing cohort research in Zurich,

Switzerland (n=737). At the age of 22, non-compliance with public health

measures and concomitant correlations were assessed. At the ages of 15-

20, antecedent sociodemographic, social, and psychological aspects were

assessed. COVID-19 public health measures were mainly followed by

young adults, however non-compliance with specific measures (e.g.,

cleaning/disinfecting mobile phones, standing 1.5-2 meters apart) was

higher. Males, as well as those with more education, a higher

socioeconomic status, and a non-immigrant background, were more likely

to disobey hygiene-related measures. Non-compliance was higher among

young adults who had already scored high on indicators of "anti - social

tendency," such as poor moral rule acceptance, pre-pandemic legal

skepticism, weak shame/guilt, low self-control, deviant behavior, and

 40

connection with deviant peers. Young individuals who had a low level of

faith in the government's anti-virus efforts also complied less. Public health

campaigns should adopt techniques that build moral obligation and trust in

authorities or utilize trustworthy individuals in the community to distribute

information, to increase voluntary compliance with COVID-19 policies.

Self-monitoring, environmental restructuring, or nudging may help young

adults with low self-control comply. Long-term investments in integrating

antisocial youngsters into society could reduce rule-breaking, especially

during pandemics when compliance saves lives.

The COVID-19 outbreak has presented authorities with unexpected

difficulties. Limited manpower attributed to officer illnesses and the need to

maintain social distance to prevent disease spread limits officer's capacity

to effectively interact with the people as well as provide quality support.

Citizens' perceptions of security and interactions with police may be

impacted by variations in enforcement techniques. Nouri (2021) study is

focused with regarding citizens' encounters with enforcement and security

during the outbreak in high-crime areas. The current research is based on

home surveys of inhabitants in three high-crime, low-income areas of St.

Louis County, Missouri. The researchers used three different approaches,

 41

compiled qualitative comments on the influence on public safety and

policing. Second, Wilcoxon Signed Ranks tests were used to compare pre-

pandemic judgments of policing and safety measures to post-pandemic

data. Finally, they used multinomial regression to look at how citizens'

perceptions of policing changed as the pandemic progressed. During the

pandemic, residents saw fewer cops and had less interactions with them.

Reduced police presence in areas had a mixed effect on safety, with

residents' sentiments of safety mostly declining. Positive interactions with

police and police involvement in small offenses, on the other hand, were

two characteristics that consistently increased safety.

Al-Hasan (2020) conducted a study regarding the citizen’s

adherence to Covid-19 policies. The focus of this research is to assess

citizens' adherence to COVID-19–relevant government recommendations.

The research concentrates on how citizens from three distinct nations (the

United States, Kuwait, and South Korea) engage to national pandemic

prevention initiatives. They find insights into two types of people'

perspectives of the government's role in managing the pandemic: (1)

citizens' perceptions of the government's role in reacting to the pandemic,

and (2) citizens' perceptions of the government's attempts to restore

 42

enterprises. The rise of social media has certainly increased in popularity,

with different impacts on influencing people's perceptions and

assessments of the COVID-19 situation; the researchers argue and test

the impact of information sources, social media use, and understanding on

compliance measures the researchers took a random sample of web-

based survey data from citizens of the United States, Kuwait, and South

Korea obtained by a multinational corporation in May 2020. For the

analysis, a nonlinear ordered probity regression with various

counterfactuals was used. The weighted distance between the parameter

estimations was used to compare the study's focal estimated impacts

across countries. The total sample size was 482 individuals, with 207

(43%) living in the United States, 181 (38%) living in Kuwait, and 94 (20%)

living in South Korea. Overall, perceptions of government reaction

attempts influenced self-adherence (P.001) and others' adherence (P.001)

to social distancing and sheltering, according to the ordered probity

estimation results. Others' adherence was positively influenced by others'

perceptions of government business reopening initiatives (P.001). For

COVID-19, a higher level of general health knowledge had a beneficial

influence on self-adherence (P=.003). Higher levels of COVID-19

 43

knowledge increased self-adherence positively (P=.008) and negatively

influenced others' adherence (P.001). There were differences at the

country level; in general, the United States and Kuwait had stronger effects

than South Korea. As the COVID-19 global pandemic spreads and official

limitations remain in place, it is vital to understand people's frustrations to

prevent fear and establish social separation to aid in pandemic

containment. According to this study, the government plays a critical role in

enforcing regulations. Governments must increase their efforts to

disseminate information about the epidemic, as well as implement tactics

for better communication management with citizens via social media and

traditional news sources.

In the study conducted by Perry (2020), it presented the perceptions

of Israel's majority groups (non-Orthodox Jews), as indicated in a survey

conducted during the pandemic. The researchers observed that this group

believes the police have been effective in enforcing the new directives and

is eager to report violations of emergency regulations. Overall, the results

show that people have a more positive mindset toward the authorities,

which is consistent with earlier findings on policing situations. This

research is focused on the non-Orthodox Jewish population, which is also

 44

the plurality. As a result, 1,575 adult (18+) non-Orthodox Jews were

included in our study. The characteristics of this sample are presented in

contrast to the Israeli adults non-Orthodox Jewish community, as gathered

from the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). Our sample strongly

resembles the community from which it was drawn.  However, it seemed to

be better educated at non-academic levels: approximately 10% of those in

our sample had less than 12 years of education, compared to 25% of the

community. Similarly, while 22% of our sample indicated having non-

academic higher education, just 7% of the population reported this

educational level.

On the study conducted by Janković 2020, it emphasized on the

discovery on how the public perceives Serbian police tactics in addressing

the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as how successful the police units were

in performance of duties. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic's

proclaimed state of emergency, which included prohibitions on mobility and

the demand for social distance, data collection for this study had to be

accomplished through an online survey tool. Only four weeks after the

state of emergency was established, the study was done in March–April

2020. The participants were encouraged to answer the online

 45

questionnaire in their original language using a snowball sampling method

that targeted public recruitment through social media technologies (Twitter,

Facebook, Instagram, etc.). The Helsinki Declaration, which outlines the

guidelines for socio-medical research involving human beings, was

followed in this study, and individuals gave their informed consent to

participate. Gender, age, marital status, education, income level, and

interaction with the police were all collected as socioeconomic and

demographic data. Adults aged 18 and above were asked to complete the

survey. The study found that the police play an essential role in combatting

the COVID-19 pandemic; citizens trust the cops, but policemen are not

well educated to handle such a situation. In the coming years, more

emphasis should be placed on training police officers to undertake tasks

during disasters such as diseases and pandemics. Training for police

officers is required, beginning with the usage of protective equipment

(putting it on/taking it off), recognizing disease symptoms, and treating

citizens affected with a specific virus. Aside from training, police units must

have adequate material resources (masks, gloves, safety glasses, and so

on) from the start of the outbreak. In such an emergency, work plans must

be established so that it is obvious who, how, and when to act in the future,
 46

avoiding circumstances in which police officers behave differently,

sometimes incorrectly, in the field. Workplace organization must adapt to

changing circumstances. Shifts of police officers should start and end at

separate times to decrease the possibility of viral transmission among

cops. The number of shifts should be lowered during the 24-hour period,

for example, by extending patrol work from 8 to 12 hours. Officers with a

history of chronic ailments should be placed on paid or annual leave.

Synthesis

The review of conceptual literature has provided the present study

with some constructs that helped build up the conceptual framework of the

study These constructs were drawn from the theories, concepts, and ideas

of researchers, scholars, and critics. From these insights, the researchers

drew out four general concepts which, in themselves, were constructs such

as (1) COVID-19 policies and ordinances (2) Factors that hinder people to

follow those policies (3) Factors that encourage people to follow those

policies (4) Development of policy brief.

 47

COVID-19 policies aim to provide effective legal frameworks for

managing the pandemic and responses to new public health emergencies.

It encompasses announcements of state of emergency, confinement

measures, disease monitoring, and legislative provisions related to mask-

wearing, social distancing, and pharmaceutical and vaccine availability. In

the presence of externalities, Adam Smith's "invisible hand," which is the

underpinning for liberal policies, underperforms. Most of the other steps we

may take to secure ourselves have far-reaching consequences that benefit

more than just our families. Each step made to prevent infection decreases

the risk of the illness transmitting to others.

To slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, governments rely on

stay-at-home and social distancing measures. People who had more

negative emotions were less likely to comply, but only with lockdown

measures. The introduction of localized lockdowns might in fact be

perceived as a further reduction of freedom. Whether people morally

believed they should follow the measures, and whether they perceived the

disease as threatening, did not influence their social distancing behavior.

People who have more fear of the virus show the opposite behavior and
 48

are more likely to break the rules and go out other than for essential

activities.

Citizens must be directed to have favorable attitudes toward the

COVID-19 stay-at-home policy. Financial and non-financial assistance are

essential for residents to be able to adhere to the policy. Governments

must step up their efforts to disseminate information about the epidemic.

Non-pharmaceutical treatments including physical separation, isolation,

and mask wearing, may flatten the peak in communities during a growing

outbreak or pandemic. Quarantine, school closures, and personal

protective behavior are all influenced by a variety of demographic, social,

and psychological factors.

Policy brief provides short- and medium-term options for the urban

WASH sector, focusing on infrastructure delivery, governance, and finance

and funding. Conducting fast assessments of community-level disease

transmission and WASH capacity, promoting improved sanitation behavior,

and expanding low-cost handwashing facilities are among the

recommendations. In order to prevent the COVID-19 epidemic, social

separation and isolation have been routinely used. Due to the negative

social, psychological, and economic effects of a total or near-complete

 49

lockdown, more moderate contact-reduction strategies must be developed.

They give scientific evidence for successful social distance, which may be

used in public health messaging.

The first study's purpose is parallel to the present study by means of

discovering the possible factors that encourage the community's

compliance to Covid19 regulations such as social distancing. Results of a

study by Durand, 2021. Findings suggest that adherence to physical

separation standards varies based on the type of conduct and socio-

demographic and psychological characteristics. Individual-level factors of

adherence should be targeted in future efforts to enhance adherence to

such measures. However, they differ in the sense that the previous study

focused on the citizens of Ireland while the present study focused on the

residents of the municipality of Nasugbu, Batangas.

The study of Bellato is in accord with the present study since both

dealt and looked at how and what is the best way to promote adherence to

laws to avoid or lessen the effects of a second pandemic. However, they

differ in the sense that the previous study suggests that people will follow

government regulations if they focus on people's intrinsic desire to comply,

avoiding a spread of blame, while the present study focused on the

 50

community's perception to come up with the recommendations from the

community itself.

Hills' study is in consonance with the present study because both

dealt with the different factors that influence the community's perception in

complying ho the covid19 policy, particularly social distancing. However,

they differ in the sense that the previous study emphasized the adherence

level of the citizens of North London while the previous study focused on

the residents of Nasugbu, Batangas.

Nivette et. al. study's runs parallel with the present study owing to

the fact that both dealt with the topic using age as one of the demographic

factors that may influence the adherence level of an individual. However,

they differ because the previous study conducted the study using the date

before the pandemic while the present study utilized the data gathered

during the pandemic.

Nouri’s study is study is in congruence with the present study in the

sense that both focused with regarding citizens' encounters with

enforcement and security during the COVID-19 pandemic. however, they

differ in the sense that the previous study focused on the residents in high-
 51

crime areas of St. Louis County, Missouri while the present study centered

its focus on the municipality of Nasugbu, Batangas.

Al-Hasan’s study is in harmony with the present study on the

account that both dealt and assesses citizen's adherence to COVID-19–

relevant government and police enforcement recommendations. Each

research concentrates on how citizens engage to national pandemic

prevention initiatives. however, they differ in the sense that the previous

study only focused on the policy if social distancing particularly while the

present study focused on the Covid-19 policy and ordinances in general.

Perry’s study is analogous with the present study because both dealt

with the enforcement of the Covid-19 policy. however, they differ in the

sense that the previous study highlighted the Jewish community as the

main respondents of the research while the present study does not

consider religion or other groups as one of the demographic factors of the

study.

Janković's study bears semblance with the present study since both

had to be accomplished through an online survey tool, particularly Google

Forms. However, they differ because the previous study emphasized that
 52

workplace organization must adapt to changing circumstances, while the

present study considered the factors brought by the community itself that

influence their adherence and effectivity of police enforcement with regards

to Covid-19 policy and ordinances.

The researches reviewed tend to point out that they are all relevant

to the present study. Given the distinctions between the studies reviewed,

the fact that the study does not duplicate previous studies can be

practically seen.

Theoretical Framework

During pandemics, such as COVID-19, law enforcement agencies

must collaborate with government and public health officials to control

spread, serve the local community, and maintain public order. Due to the

person-to-person transmission of COVID-19 via respiratory droplets, law

enforcement officers are also at a higher risk of infection due to their close

contact with members of the public. To protect officers and the public, the

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other agencies
 53

have made numerous recommendations to law enforcement agencies.

Departments across the country have responded to the pandemic in a

variety of ways, including reassigning personnel to high-traffic areas,

suspending training, roll calls, and community outreach initiatives, issuing

citations only for minor offenses, implementing officer safety precautions,

and restricting access to department facilities. The COVID-19 pandemic

has also revealed some significant challenges for law enforcement,

including communication, resource management, enforcing public health

restrictions, and changes in crime and service patterns. Based on these

early/initial responses and challenges during the COVID-19 outbreak, the

current paper highlights future pandemic response directions to ensure the

safety and security of police officers and the communities they serve.

A virus pandemic influences how local law enforcement agencies

operate in numerous ways, similar to man-made or naturally occurring

critical situations that inflict physical damage, such as terrorism, storms, or

earthquakes (Brito, Luna, & Sanberg 2009). Most critical incidents, on the

other hand, only affect a small geographic region and last just a short time,

allowing non-affected agencies to assist the community during the most

important phases of the crisis (Brito et al. 2009). A pandemic, on the other
 54

hand, impacts numerous places at the same time and can last for months

or years, posing problems at the local, state, federal, and even worldwide

levels. Law enforcement agencies and police play a critical role in

providing essential public services and maintaining order during a

pandemic (Richards, Rathbun, Brito, & Luna 2006). Despite the fact that

each public health emergency is different and poses its own set of issues,

law enforcement responses in all occurrences must be coordinated with

public health, medical, and other vital service agencies (Richards et al.

2006).

The Vera Institute of Justice (2020) provides additional advice for

law enforcement officers on preventative and response measures. They

recommend that agencies prioritize prevention in several ways, including:

(1) ensuring that 911 dispatchers divert calls to health resources when a

police response is not required; (2) issuing temporary directives to release

individuals on a citation/ticket/summons unless they have committed a

felony or pose an immediate threat to public safety; and (3) suspending

protocols that place people in custody (such as limiting the enforcement of

bench warrants and arrest wars).

 55

Even though many police departments prepare for public health

emergencies and train officers on pandemic response (Barr 2020), many

minor police departments and sheriff's offices were nonetheless

unprepared for the COVID-19 pandemic's widespread consequences

(Bates 2020; Schuppe 2020). Even for agencies that have planned ahead

of time, law enforcement resources can quickly become depleted when

dealing with new tasks relating to community health issues on top of their

regular duties (Richards et al. 2006). Unexpected costs for occupational

health and safety programs, PPE and storage, liability, and other important

resources can put a strain on agencies' finances (Brito et al. 2009;

Sanberg et al. 2010).

Police departments should also concentrate their efforts on meeting

the urgent needs of their communities and employing problem-solving

techniques to do so (Brennan Center for Justice 2020). In other words, the

agency's primary goal should be to alleviate community fears and anxiety.

Departments should consider following the lead of many of the agencies

listed above as examples when responding to future pandemics and

issuing warnings, summonses, or citations for minor or non-violent

 56

offenses such as misdemeanors, probation/parole violations, evictions,

and other offenses in order to focus agency resources (Vera Institute of

Justice 2020). These plans should be reviewed and updated on a regular

basis to incorporate new information and lessons learned from previous

experiences (Brito et al. 2009).

The term "police legitimacy" refers to the perception of the police as

legitimate authority holders who obey the law and act in the community in

a procedurally just manner, allowing the people they serve a voice

(Bottoms and Tankebe, 2012; Mazerolle et al., 2013; Tankebe et al.,

2016). According to research, community people who regard the police as

legitimate power holders are more inclined to collaborate and cooperate

with them, and are less likely to reoffend (Paternoster et al., 1997;

Sunshine and Tyler, 2003; Bottoms and Tankebe, 2012, Mazerolle et al.,

2013). The concepts of procedural justice and police legitimacy are not

new and agencies across the world have worked towards implementing

procedurally just practices in order to enhance police legitimacy (Picket et

al., 2018; Antrobus et al., 2019). During a pandemic, when police must

enforce new public health laws and ensure public safety while relying on

the public's willingness to comply with social distancing or lockdowns in

 57

ways they have never had to before, over-policing of marginalized

neighborhoods and communities is especially concerning. Simultaneously,

police are being ordered to do more than ever to avert civil disturbance.

Communities having bad relationships with the police may find it

more difficult to follow the new laws and regulations. There may be serious

repercussions when the police are obliged to implement curfews, social

distance, and social isolation ordinates, and they are done militarily with

little concern for community relations. Currently, the media is reporting on

a slew of cases of police brutality around the world. This is the example of

power abuse can have lasting implications for police–community

relationships.

Police can work with communities and community leaders to provide

a venue to have these conversations using different technologies for virtual

community conversations. Police in this time of crisis, must increase

communication with citizens through traditional media, social media, fliers,

etc. as face-to-face meetings are restricted due to COVID-19. Even if the

laws themselves are not perceived as legitimate, if the police communicate

with the public through the lens of procedural justice, they have the

capacity to improve compliance (Murphy et al., 2009).

 58

This might also be a great opportunity for researchers to assess how

police are gaining, maintaining, or losing legitimacy. Importantly, both

quantitative surveys and in-depth interviews about community members'

experiences with police and how the police's actions during the pandemic

are perceived would provide important insights into policing and police

legitimacy during the pandemic, as well as the implications for post-

pandemic times

Conceptual Framework

Below is the paradigm of the conceptual framework of the study.

This made use of the Systems Approach, which includes the Inputs, Thru

Put and Output as framework of the study.

 Demographic profile of the  Construction
respondents in terms of: Questionnaire
1.1 Age
1.2 Sex  Validation
1.3 Highest Educational Questionaire
Attainment
1.4 Family Size  Administration
1.5 Employment Status Questionaire
1.6 Covid History
1.7 Residence (barangay)  Scoring Policy Brief that may
 59

Figure 1. Paradigm of the Conceptual Framework

Frame One shows the input of the study includes the demographic

profile of the respondents in terms of Age, sex, highest educational

attainment, family size, employment status, Covid history, and residence

(barangay). It also includes the level of awareness with regards to policies

and ordinances relative to Covid-19, the extent of their adherence to the

policies and ordinances relative to Covid-19, factors that may encourage

and hinders the respondents to follow the policies and ordinances relative
 60

to Covid-19, and lastly to improve the implementations of policies and

ordinances relative to health pandemic.

In Frame Two, it reflects the throughput of the study. It includes the

survey questionnaire that has construction, validation, administration

questionnaire and scoring responses. And, in this frame it includes the

statistical treatment of data, Frequency Distribution, Ranking, Percentage,

and Weighted Mean.

And lastly, Frame Three represent the output of the study which is

the Policy brief that may be proposed for better implementations of policies

and ordinances relative to health pandemic.

Definition of Terms

For better understanding of the study, the researcher gave

several terms that were defined operationally as used in this study.

 61

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). – This term refers to an

infectious disease caused by the newly discovered virus that happens all

over the world (World Health Organization, 2020). This is the reason why

there is a sudden change in the process of enforcing policy and

ordinances.

Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF)- It serves as the main forum within

the United Nations for continued and concerted emphasis on natural

disaster reduction, in particular for defining strategies for international

cooperation at all levels in this field, while ensuring complementarity of

action with other agencies. Operationally, the term was used in this study

to identify the policies and ordinances implemented in the community in

the COVID-19 pandemic and its effectivity.

Frontliner- Those frontline workers work in a job that requires them

to work outside of their home, putting themselves at risk of exposure

([Link]). Some examples of those frontline workers are those who

staffed our grocery stores and restaurants, provided waste management

services, manufactured Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), operated

public transportation, or provided critical police or fire services.

 62

Local Health Unit- this refers to an official health agency

established by a group of urban and rural municipalities to provide a more

efficient community health program, carried out by full-time, specially

qualified staff (Ontario, Ministry of Health).

Local Ordinance- The term pertains to a local law of municipal

corporation, duly enacted by the proper authorities and permanent rules of

conduct relating to the corporate powers of the municipality. As used in the

context of this study, the term means the implemented measures to slow

down the transmission of Coronavirus disease in Nasugbu.

Municipality- This term has the right to govern, on its own initiative,

the local government affairs of its community, subject to national and

provincial legislation, as provided for in the Constitution. In this study, the

municipality of Nasugbu will be the research environment and participants

of the study with policies and ordinances during pandemic

Perception- The term is used to mean the way you take in the world

through your senses or a state of mind or a state which is relational, and it

has mental and non-mental parts (Elsevier, 2017). As used in the context

of this study, the term means the insight and the awareness of the citizens
 63

of Nasugbu as regards the Philippine National Police Enforcement of

Covid-19 policies and ordinances.

Policies- This term is defined to create strong legal frameworks to

manage the pandemic and respond to the emerging public health risks. It

includes state of emergency declarations, quarantine measures, disease

surveillance, legal measures relating to mask-wearing, social distancing,

and access to medication and vaccines (WHO, 2020). Operationally, this

term is the important factor to consider by the respondents as being part of

the assessment and perception as the primary data of this study.

Policy brief. The term pertains to a document that provides a

succinct explanation and analysis of a policy issue or problem, together

with policy options and recommendations for addressing the issue or

problem. Operationally, this term will be the main output of this study after

assessing the effectivity of policies and ordinances and perceptions of the

respondents in Nasugbu.

World Health Organization- It sets standards for disease control,

health care, and medicine (National Cancer Institute). A major goal is to

improve access to health care for people in developing countries and in

 64

groups who do not get good health care. The headquarters are in Geneva,

Switzerland. Also called WHO.

Chapter III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
 65

This chapter presents the research methodology in terms of

the research design, sampling design, respondents of the study, data

gathering instruments, data gathering procedure, and statistical treatment

of data.

Research Design

The study employed descriptive research methodologies to create

programs, procedures, and products that had to meet internal consistency

and effectiveness standards. It can be defined as a process of gathering,

analyzing, classifying, and tabulating data about prevailing conditions,

practices, beliefs, processes, and trends and then interpreting such data

with or without the help of statistical methods ([Link] Website,

2017)

According to Ritchie et al (2013) as cited in Rudison (2015), using

the descriptive method the researchers will be able to observe a large

mass of the target population and make required conclusions about the

variables. The researchers, by using descriptive research can effectively

design a pre-structured questionnaire with both open-ended and closed-

ended questions. The information collected from the respondents can be

 66

statistically presented in this type of research method for the easy

interpretation of the report users. The researchers should effectively use

the descriptive method in order to statistically analyze the data. Descriptive

research is one of the best ways of collecting or gathering some

information and assessing public opinion or individuals using a survey

questionnaire that is being answered by the involved respondents. This

method applies prominently because this study aimed to describe the

Perception of Nasugbueños with Regards to the Philippine National Police

Enforcement of Covid-19 policies and ordinances.

Sampling Designs and the Subjects/ Respondents

The respondents of the study involved three hundred eighty-

one (381) residents out of 36,723 total populations of Nasugbu, Batangas

coming from Poblacion 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12, Barangay Malapad na

Bato and Barangay Wawa. Using a raosoft sample size calculator, the

researchers came up with the number of respondents. A Raosoft sample

calculator is software that primarily calculates or generates the sample size

of a research or survey and offers both sample size confidence interval

calculations. This study utilized stratified random sampling in determining

 67

the samples of the study which were divided into 14 barangays’ where

every single member of a population is chosen randomly, merely by

chance and every individual has the probability of being chosen to be part

of the sample. This technique was employed to ensure an equal

representation of the variables of the study. The margin of error has a total

of 5% with a confidence level of 95%. Their responses, feedback, and

assessment would undoubtedly refine the study entitled Perception of

Nasugbueños with regards to the Philippine National Police Enforcement

of the Covid-19 policies and ordinances.

BARANGAY NO. OF PEOPLE IN STRATA SAMPLE

STRATUM SIZE

BRGY.1 1402 15

BRGY.2 1438 15

BRGY.3 1120 12

BRGY.4 1333 14

BRGY.5 1988 21

BRGY.6 2665 28

BRGY.7 1434 15
 68

BRGY.8 1086 11

BRGY.9 746 8

BRGY.10 910 9

BRGY.11 3312 33

BRGY.12 2313 24

WAWA 15428 160

Malapad na Bato 1548 16

TOTAL : 36723 381

Data Gathering Instrument

In order to obtain the objectives of the study, The researchers

used a survey questionnaire as the basic tool for gathering data to

determine the perceptions of the residents of Nasugbu with regards to the

Philippine National Police Enforcement of Covid-19 policies and

ordinances. The questionnaires are formulated to be answered by the

residents of Nasugbu, Batangas. A survey is a method of gathering data

designed to collect, analyze, and interpret the insights of a group of people

from a target population (Sincero, 2017).

 69

           Construction of the Questionnaire. To be able to gather

needed information in this study, the researchers conducted a survey, and

to do that, a survey questionnaire must be developed first. In order to

develop a good survey questionnaire, the content must be linked to the

statement of the problem to assure that the needed information in the

study will be gathered. To have better construction of the survey

questionnaire, the researchers gathered ideas from literature reviews and

other studies developed in other areas.

Furthermore, in developing a survey questionnaire, the researchers

divided it into five (5) parts. The first part of the questionnaire asked for the

demographic profile of the respondents which includes their age, sex,

highest educational attainment, current employment status, family size,

and covid history. The second part asked for the level of awareness with

regards to the policies and ordinances relative to Covid-19. The third part

contained a statement regarding the extent of the resident’s adherence to

the Covid-19 policies and ordinances. The fourth part contained a

statement regarding the factors that may encourage and hinder them from

following the policies and ordinances relative to the health pandemic. And

the last part contained a statement regarding the recommendations to

 70

improve the implementations of policies and ordinances relative to the

health pandemic. After the construction of the instrument, the survey

questionnaire was submitted to their thesis adviser for some consultations

and suggestions to make some improvements.

Validation of the Questionnaire. To ensure the validity of the

questionnaire, the researcher requested assistance from Inter-Agency

Task Force (IATF) members. They will help with the validation of the

questionnaire because they have enough knowledge with regards to the

policies and ordinances regarding Covid-19. The questionnaire underwent

a validation process to ensure that it correctly measures what it intends to.

The comments and recommendations given by the experts have been

essential for the researchers to make some adjustments to the

questionnaire. A reliable questionnaire helps to collect data of higher

quality with high comparability, minimizing effort and improving data

credibility. Upon validation, the researchers revised the necessary

corrections and changes to further improve the said questionnaires. The

improved questionnaire was prepared for distribution and administration.

Reliability Test. After the questionnaire has been validated, the

researchers undertook pilot testing on the residents of Tagaytay, City. The

 71

researchers used Cronbach’s Alpha to ensure that the study's findings

were consistent and it has a result of 96% internal consistency. Since the

method involves one-time testing, the researchers were able to determine

if the multiple-question Likert scale survey questionnaire were reliable.

Administration of the Questionnaire. The researchers wrote a

letter of request for the distribution of the questionnaires. The researchers

personally handed the letter to ensure efficient delivery and to solicit the

assistance of the chairman and the respondents. After the approval, the

researchers administered the questionnaire to the respondents of the

study and handed it personally and through online platforms. The

researchers gave the respondents allotted time to answer the

questionnaire. Then, the researchers retrieved the questionnaire. In the

end, the researchers anticipated that 95% of the survey questionnaire

would be returned. This anticipation was created because not all the

respondents can answer the survey questionnaire due to factors and

reasons beyond their control.

Scoring of Responses. The researchers scored according to the

response scale designated in each section of the questionnaire. The Likert

scale was used as a guide for the interpretation of the meaning. Each
 72

response scale has an equivalent range of mean, verbal interpretation, and

the corresponding rank.

SCALE MEAN RANGE RATING

5 4.20-5.00 Strongly Aware

4 3.40-4.19 Moderately Aware

3 2.60-3.39 Somewhat Aware

2 1.80-2.59 Slightly Aware

1 1.00-1.79 Not aware at all

Table 1. Level of Awareness with regards to the policies and

ordinances relative to Covid-19

SCALE MEAN RANGE RATING

5 4.20-5.00 Always

4 3.40-4.19 Often

3 2.60-3.39 Sometimes

2 1.80-2.59 Rarely

1 1.00-1.79 Never

Table 2. The extent of their adherence to the policies and

ordinances relative to Covid-19

 73

SCALE MEAN RANGE RATING

5 4.20-5.00 Strongly Agree

4 3.40-4.19 Agree

3 2.60-3.39 Neutral

2 1.80-2.59 Disagree

1 1.00-1.79 Strongly Disagree

Table 3. Factors that may encourage and hinder the respondents

from following the policies and ordinances relative to Covid-19

SCALE MEAN RANGE RATING

5 4.20-5.00 Strongly Agree

4 3.40-4.19 Agree

3 2.60-3.39 Neutral

2 1.80-2.59 Disagree

1 1.00-1.79 Strongly Disagree

Table 4. Recommendations to improve the implementation of

policies and ordinances relative to health pandemic

 74

Data Gathering Procedure

Since the study focuses on the perception as regards the

Philippine National Police Enforcement of Covid-19 policy and ordinances,

the researchers deemed it necessary to enumerate the procedure

employed in the study.

The research was done to offer definitions of terms of the constructs

related to the topic. The researchers reviewed the gathered research, and

published theses, and electronic resources.

The researcher seeks the research adviser's approval to conduct

the study on the Perception of Nasugbueños with regards the Philippine

National Police Enforcement of Covid-19 policies and ordinances. After

obtaining approval, the researchers prepared the letter, the survey

questionnaire, and the rating scale to validate and review. After the

validation of the questionnaire and the rating scale, the researchers wrote

a formal letter request to the Municipal Mayor and Chairman of each

barangay in Poblacion, Malapad na bato, and Wawa. The researchers

distributed it to the intended participants, some of the questionnaires were

handed in personally to the respondents and others are through online

platforms. After the distribution of the questionnaire, an ample amount of

 75

time was given to answer them before retrieval and tallying of the

responses. Direction and instruction regard to answering the questionnaire

were briefly explained. Clarification in every question of the respondents

was also made in order to obtain a better and more reliable answer

needed in the study.

This study utilized Microsoft Excel specifically the use of frequency

count, percentages, and mean statistical tools in determining the

perception of Nasugbueños. The researchers used various related sources

of information, such as internet resources.

After acquiring the necessary data, it was then tallied, computed,

presented, interpreted, and analyzed by the researchers.

Statistical Treatment of Data

The data are coded, tallied, and tabulated for better

presentation, analysis, and interpretation of the result. To treat the data,

the weighted mean was used.

To analyze the data, the researchers employed the following

statistical tools:
 76

Frequency. These are visual displays that organize and

present frequency counts so that the information can be interpreted and

illustrate the data collected more easily and was used to determine the

participants’ responses with regards to their profile.

Formula:

%=F/N*100

Where:

F= Frequency

N= Number of respondents

100= constant value factor

           Ranking. This measurement was used to assess the order of

responses to items from the need's assessments questionnaire with rank

one as the highest.

Percentage. This was utilized to determine the frequency

counts and percentage of code-switching practices used by the

respondents.
 77

Weighted Mean. An average in which quantity is average

and assigned a weight. This was used to determine the participants’

responses from the five-point scale options of which 5 is the highest and 1

is the lowest. Verbal interpretations using the Likert Scale Rating were

utilized to provide interpretation and meaning to the data that were

gathered.

Formula:

Weighted mean: (WM=TV/N)

WM= Weighted Mean

TV= Total Value

N= Total number of respondents

Data Analysis

For the Quantitative Data Analysis, this study utilized the following

phases for data analysis, First, is the creation of codebook phase as a

document that outlines how survey researchers turned their data from

words into numbers. The researchers condensed their data into

manageable, analyzable bits regardless of the response rate. This method

 78

allows the researchers to describe large amounts of data to be

represented and condensed into numbers and it is one of the significant

benefits of the quantitative method. Furthermore, in converting response

options into numerical values, a short variable name or label was given to

each question. The second phase is the data entry, the study ensured that

they entered the data accurately because errors in data entry can

jeopardize the results of the study. Then, the third phase is the

identification of pattern phase.

The process of systematically applying statistical and logical

techniques to describe and illustrate, recap, and evaluate data. Data from

various sources were gathered, reviewed, and then analyzed to form some

sort of finding or conclusion. There is a variety of specific data analysis

methods, some of which include data mining, text analytics, business

intelligence, and data visualizations ([Link] Website, 2018).

Likewise, related literature and studies conducted about the

Philippine National Police Enforcement of Covid-19 policies and

ordinances will be used to juxtapose the general observations of the

respondents.
 79

CHAPTER IV

PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS, AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

This chapter shows the presentation, analysis, and

interpretation of the problems raised in Chapter I.

1. Demographic Profile of the Respondents

The study determined the demographic profile of the

respondents in terms of age, sex; highest educational attainment, family

size, employment status, family Covid history, and residence (barangay).

1.1 Age

AGE FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

Below 20 years old 38 10%

20-29 139 36.4%

 80

30-39 74 19.4%

40-49 75 19.6%

50 years old and above 55 14.4%

TOTAL : 381 100 %

4.1.1 Percentage Distribution of the Respondents as to Age

It can be gleaned from Figure 4.1.1 that out of 381 respondents, 38

respondents or 10% were below 20 years old, 139 or 36.4% were aged 20-

29 years old, 74 or 19.4% were 30-39 years old, 75 or 19.6% were 40-49

years old, 50 years old and above completed the 55 or 14.4% of the total

respondents.

As shown in Table 4.1.1., most of the respondents belong to the age

group of young adults which ranges from 20 years old to 29 years old, and

adults who range from 40 years old to 49 years old.

A study conducted by Sanchen [Link] (2020), highlighted that elderly

had a good level of knowledge and attitudes, which subsequently led to

increased compliance with the preventive measures for COVID-19. These

results align with previous studies that confirmed that the elderly are more
 81

likely to have a good level of knowledge and practice concerning COVID-

19. his finding could be due to the that elderly people have the cognitive

ability to assess available COVID-19 information and use it to adopt

positive beliefs and practices toward their health; conversely, younger

people commonly display risk-taking behavior toward their health.

Furthermore, they are responsible for their families and are

caregivers for children, so they show better attitudes and compliance

toward preventive measures. In contrast to those studies, a study

conducted in Egypt found that elders have lower levels of knowledge

compared to younger generations

1.2 Sex

SEX FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

Female 203 53.3%

Male 178 46.7%

TOTAL : 381 100%

4.1.2 Percentage Distribution of the Respondents as to Sex

Figure 4.1.2 shows that out of 381 respondents, 178 or 46.7% of the

respondents were male and 203 or 53.3% were female. The majority of the
 82

respondent falls within the group of females. Females were more likely to

have higher means of precautionary measurement scores as compared

with their male counterparts.

Similarly, the study conducted by Laber [Link] (2021), portrays that

female have higher scores in terms of awareness and compliance with

precautionary measures. Females tend to display more protective

behaviors even in hypothetical conditions similar to that of a pandemic,

which was previously documented by a recent Jordanian report on the

predictors of health preventive measures. Most women are more willing to

obey the home policy time because women display more positive health-

related behaviors so that they better comply to prevent the spread of

Covid-19.

1.3 Highest Educational Attainment

EDUCATIONAL FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

ATTAINMENT

No grade completed 12 3.1%

Elementary 46 12.1%

Highschool 62 16.3%

Post-Secondary 35 9.2%
 83

College 155 40.7%

Undergraduate

Academic Degree 59 15.5%

Holder

Post Baccalaureate 12 3.14%

TOTAL : 381 100%

4.1.3 Percentage Distribution of the Respondents as to

Educational Attainment

Figure 4.1.3 shows that out of 381 respondents, 12 or 3.1% of the

respondents have no grade completed, 46 or 12.1% were elementary, 62

or 16.3% were in high school, 35 or 9.2% were post-secondary, 155 0r

40.7% were college undergraduate, 59 or 15.5% were academic degree

holder and 12 or 3.14% were post-baccalaureate.

In relation to this, Bawazir [Link] (2020), stated that a higher level of

education affected individuals, and groups’ awareness preventing the

spread of a pandemic outbreak. Besides, Labban [Link] (2020) also showed

that educational backgrounds differentiate the level of awareness about

Covid-19. Individuals that have higher education levels had a higher level

of awareness. Higher education subjects had an awareness of Covid-19

 84

because they had better knowledge and understanding of the disease, so

they sought preventive action.

In addition, participants with higher degrees of education seem to

have a better understanding of COVID treatments as portrayed by their

higher scores. Such observation seems appropriate as participants with

higher degrees are more likely to self-educate themselves. 

1.4 Family Size

SIZE FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

2 53 13.9%

3 52 16.3

4 55 14.4%

5 99 26%

More than 5 112 29.4

TOTAL : 381 100%

4.1.4 Percentage Distribution of the Respondents as to Family Size

Figure 4.14 shows that out of 381 respondents, 53 or 13.9% were 2

people living in their household, 52 or 16.3% were 3 people, 55 or 14.4%

 85

were 4 people, 99 or 26% were 5, and 112 or 29.4% were more than 5 are

living in their household. The majority of study participants who had a high

level of knowledge about the pandemic were living with a family size

greater than 5.

The researchers also observed a comparatively low awareness

related to the COVID-19 situation in the locality among small family sizes

(1–2 members) compared to families of 3–5 people or above 5 people.

This finding corresponded to that of a previous study where the majority of

families with more than 6 people had a comparatively low level of

awareness about COVID-19.

1.5 Current Employment Status

EMPLOYMENT FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

STATUS

Full time 85 22.3%

Part-time 71 18.6%

Unemployed 76 20%

Self Employed 72 18.9%

Students 77 20.2%

TOTAL : 381 100%

 86

4.1.5 Percentage Distribution of the Respondents as to Current

Employment Status

Figure 4.15 shows that out of 381 respondents, the majority of the

respondents were full-time employees with a frequency of 85 or 22.3%, 71

or 18.6% were part-time employees, 76 or 20% were unemployed, 72 or

18.9% self-employed and 77 or 20.2% were students. Individuals who

work have a higher level of awareness of Covid-19 because they are

aware of the need for self-protection to prevent Covid-19 while working.

Rabinowitz, [Link] (2013), found that 78% of the workers had

awareness of the risk of influenza, 93% of workers took a shower after

going outside, 97% of workers anticipated occupational health and safety

programs, and 93% of workers were aware of following guidelines.

Workers also reported using personal protective equipment and washing

hands after work.

1.6 Family Covid-19 History

COVID HISTORY FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

YES 125 32.8%

NO 256 67.2%

TOTAL: 381 100%

 87

4.1.6 Percentage Distribution of the Respondents as to Family Covid

History

Figure 4.14 shows that out of 381 respondents, 125 or 32.8% have

been infected by covid 19, and 256 or 67.2% are not infected by covid-19.

Based on the study conducted by Clinical Infectious Diseases, they

demonstrate how quickly COVID-19 can spread through a household. It

also provides insight into how and why communities of color have suffered

disproportionately from the pandemic.

The observational study, conducted between April and October of

2020, followed 100 COVID-positive patients around the Raleigh, North

Carolina, area. In addition, 208 household members participated. (A

household member was defined as someone staying in the same living

space as the person who tested positive.

1.7 Place of Residence

BARANGAY FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

POBLACION 1 15 3.9%

POBLACION 2 15 3.9%

POBLACION 3 12 3.2%
 88

POBLACION 4 14 3.7%

POBLACION 5 21 5.5%

POBLACION 6 28 7.3%

POBLACION 7 15 3.9%

POBLACION 8 11 2.9%

POBLACION 9 8 2.1%

POBLACION 10 9 2.4%

POBLACION 11 33 8.7%

POBLACION 12 24 6.3%

WAWA 160 42%

MALAPAD NA 16 4.2%

BATO

TOTAL: 381 100%

4.1.7 Percentage Distribution of the Respondents as to Place of

Residence

Figure 4.1.7 shows that out of 381 respondents, the majority of the

respondents came from Barangay Wawa with a frequency of 160 or 42%

of the respondent, 16 or 4.2% came from Barangay Malapad na Bato,

were 15 or 3.9% were from Poblacion 1, 2, and 7, 12 or 3.2% were from

 89

Poblacion 3, Poblacion 4 with a frequency of 14 or 3.7%, Poblacion 5 with

a frequency of 21 or 5.5%, Poblacion 6 with a frequency of 28 or 7.3%,

Poblacion 8 with a frequency of 11 or 2.9%, Poblacion 9 with a frequency

of 8 or 2.1%. Poblacion 10 with a frequency of 9 or 2.4%, Poblacion 11

and 12 with a frequency of 33 or 8.7% and 24 or 6.3%.

According to the Commission on Population and Development

(POPCOM) identified that 1,272 barangays nationwide as having the

highest number of COVID-19 cases in the country, averaging 137 cases

over an eight-month period from September 2020 to April 15, 2021.

Based on the data given by the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction

and Management Office, Barangay Wawa was recorded as having the

highest number of Covid 19 cases and Barangay Malapad na Bato having

the lowest number of Covid cases in the Municipality of Nasugbu.

Table 4.1 Level of Awareness with regards to policies and ordinances

relative to COVID-19

Table 4.1 shows the level of awareness of the residents of Nasugbu

with regards to the policies and ordinances relative to Covid-19 with

weighted mean, standard deviation, and verbal interpretation.

 90

Statements General Verbal Ranking

Weighted Interpretation

Mean

1. LGUs are

enjoined to enact

the necessary
4.65 Strongly Aware 4
ordinances to
(SD = O.69)
enforce curfew

only for

nonworkers in

jurisdictions

placed under

MECQ, GCQ,

and MGCQ to

penalize, fairly

and humanely,

violations of the

restrictions on
 91

the movement of

people as

provided under

these Omnibus

Guidelines

2. Strict home

quarantine shall

be observed in all

households, and 4.69 Strongly Aware 2

the movement of (SD = 0.55)

all residents shall

be limited to

accessing

essential goods

and services, and

for work in

permitted offices

or establishments

as well as
 92

activities listed

hereunder. (ECQ

3. Mass gatherings

such as but not

limited to, movie

screenings, 4.70 Strongly Aware 1

concerts, (SD = 0.54)

sporting events,

and other

entertainment

activities,

community

assemblies,

religious

gatherings, and

non-essential

work gatherings

shall be

prohibited.
 93

However,

gatherings that

are essential for

the provision of

government

services or

authorized

humanitarian

activities shall be

allowed. (ECQ)

4. Face-to-face or
4.52
in-person classes
Strongly Aware 7
(SD = 0.72)
at all levels shall

be suspended.

(ECQ)

5. Individual

outdoor exercise

such as walking,

jogging, running, 4.51 Strongly Aware 8

 94

or biking is (SD = 0.78)

allowed within

MECQ areas.

Provided that the

minimum health

standards and

precautions such

as the wearing of

masks and the

maintenance of

social distancing

protocols are

observed.

(MECQ)

6. All persons shall

4.66 Strongly Aware 3
now be allowed
(SD = 0.65)
to go outside

their residences.

(MCQ)
 95

7. All persons are

mandated to
4.60 Strongly Aware 6
wear face masks,
(SD = 68)
earloop masks,

indigenous,

reusable, do-it-

yourself masks,

face shields,

handkerchiefs, or

such other

protective

equipment or any

combination

thereof, which

can effectively

lessen the

transmission of

COVID-19,
 96

whenever they

go out of their

residences.

8. Supermarkets,

public and private

4.63 Strongly Aware 5
wet markets,
(SD = 0.61)
grocery stores,

Agri-fishery

supply stores,

veterinary supply

stores,

pharmacies, drug

stores, and other

retail

establishments

engaged in the

business of

selling essential

goods are
 97

strongly

encouraged to

extend their store

operations to a

maximum of

twelve (12)

hours.

9. Acts of

discrimination

inflicted upon

healthcare 4.37 Strongly Aware 10

workers, (SD = 0.82)

repatriated OFWs

and non-OFWs,

COVID-19 cases,

whether

confirmed,

recovered, or

undergoing
 98

treatment, as well

as suspect and

probable cases,

and Persons

under Monitoring

are denounced in

the strongest of

terms.

10. Minimum
4.41
public health
Strongly Aware 9
(SD = 0.79)
standards shall

be complied with

at all times for the

duration of the

ECQ.

General Weighted 4.57 Strongly Aware

Mean:

Based on the result, it can be noted that residents of Nasugbu are

strongly aware that mass gatherings such as but not limited to, movie
 99

screenings, concerts, sporting events, and other entertainment activities,

community assemblies, religious gatherings, and non-essential work

gatherings shall be prohibited. However, gatherings that are essential for

the provision of government services or authorized humanitarian activities

shall be allowed, it ranked first with the highest weighted mean of 4.70,

respectively, and interpreted as Strongly Agree. Mass gatherings,

regardless of size, duration and place, pose a high risk of spreading

infectious disease.

It is agreed upon by Soomaroo and Murray (2012) which stated that

mass gatherings are of great importance because of the potential risk for

transmission of infectious diseases because participants may themselves

play a role as the source of infection among people or they may be

susceptible to infectious agents which are circulating at the gathering

location. This combination of factors such as high crowding, restricted

accessibility, and sufficient crowd control can lead to catastrophic

consequences.

Second in rank was strict home quarantine which should be observed in

all households, and the movement of all residents shall be limited to

accessing essential goods and services, and for work in permitted offices
 100

or establishments as well as activities listed hereunder with a weighted

mean of 4.69 and interpreted as Strongly aware. Mandatory public health

measures like quarantine are essential to combat infectious diseases,

especially for new emerging infectious diseases like COVID-19 where no

cure exists. Therefore, a high adherence rate to this public measure has a

critical role in the successful control of pandemic disease; however, some

individuals are reluctant to comply with a quarantine, perhaps owing to

uncertainty, scarce information, economic pressure, and a widespread

perception of loss of control.

Third in rank is that under modified community quarantine, all persons

shall now be allowed to go outside their residences with a weighted mean

of 4.66 and interpreted as Strongly Aware.

It can be gleaned from the results that Nasugbuenos are strongly aware

that under Omnibus Guidelines, LGUs are enjoined to enact the necessary

ordinances to enforce curfew only for nonworkers in jurisdictions placed

under MECQ, GCQ, and MGCQ to penalize, fairly and humanely,

violations of the restrictions on the movement of people with a weighted

mean of 4.65 and interpreted as Strongly aware, followed by extending the

store operations for a maximum of twelve (12) hours to all business

 101

engaged in the business of selling essential goods such as Supermarkets,

public and wet markets, grocery store, Agri-fishery supply, veterinary

supply, pharmacies, drug stores and other retail establishments with a

weighted mean of 4.63 and interpreted as Strongly aware.

Based on the above findings, it shows that the respondents are

Strongly aware that wearing face masks, earloop masks, indigenous,

reusable, do-it-yourself masks, face shields, handkerchiefs, or such other

protective equipment or any combination thereof, can effectively lessen the

transmission of COVID-19, whenever they go out of their residences, it

ranked sixth with a weighted mean of 4.60 and interpreted also as Strongly

aware. In relation to this, the study of Betsch, Cornelia, et al. (2020)

emphasized that the mask policies, both mandatory and voluntary, may

have social and behavioral effects linked to the measure's effectiveness.

Mask wearing is related to other protective behaviors. This experiment is a

pre-registered one that also shows that a voluntary policy would likely

result in insufficient compliance, be seen as less fair, and exacerbate

stigmatization. To reduce the spread of airborne viruses, a mandatory

policy looks to be an effective, equitable, and socially responsible solution.

 102

The finding shows a close gap between the statement face-to-face or

in-person classes at all levels shall be suspended with a weighted mean of

4.52 and Individual outdoor exercise such as walking, jogging, running, or

biking is allowed within MECQ areas, provided that the minimum health

standards and precautions such as the wearing of masks and the

maintenance of social distancing protocols are observed with a weighted

mean of 4.51 and both interpreted as Strongly aware.

Moreover, it can be noted that residents of Nasugbu are strongly

aware that minimum public health standards shall be complied with at all

times with a weighted mean of 4.41, which whisked ninth and this was

followed by the statement, Acts of discrimination inflicted upon healthcare

workers, repatriated OFWs and non-OFWs, COVID-19 cases, whether

confirmed, recovered, or undergoing treatment, as well as suspect and

probable cases, and Persons under Monitoring are denounced in the

strongest of terms with a weighted mean of 4.37 and interpreted as

Strongly Aware.

Table 4.2 Extent of the Resident’s Adherence to the Covid-19

Policies and Ordinances

 103

Statements General Verbal Ranking

Weighted Interpretation

Mean

1. I consider the mandatory use of a face

shield on top of face masks in high-risk

activities under the 3C’s (Closed,

Crowded, and Close Contact) 4.42 Always 9

framework. (SD =

0.76)

2. I exercise social distancing within 6 feet 4.12 Often 11

in public places (SD =

0.98)

3. I participate in mass gatherings such as

but not limited to, movie screenings,

concerts, sporting events, and other

entertainment activities, religious

services, and work conferences provided 4.45 Always 8

that participants shall be limited to fifty (SD =

 104

percent (50%) of the seating or venue 0.91)

capacity. (As amended by Paragraph

A(4)(d) of IATF Resolution No. 43, June

03, 2020)

4. I always bring alcohol, hand sanitizer,

4.57 Always 3
and a face shield if needed.
(SD =

0.73)

5. I do self-isolation for a minimum of ten

4.46 Always 7
(10) days when I’m not feeling well
(SD =

0.82)

6. I make sure I bring my vaccination card

with me whenever I go to public places

4.61 Always 2

(SD =

0.76)

7. I follow safety ordinances and protocols

regarding covid19 and its new variant.

 105

4.67 Always 1

(SD =

0.61)

8. I change clothes and sanitize after

4.55 Always 4
attending public gatherings
(SD =

0.76)

9. I watch the news so to keep updated with

4.49
Covid-19 cases.
Always 5
(SD =

0.72)

10. I consider being my own probability of

4.41
getting infected with Covid-19.
Always 10
(SD =

0.86)

11. I consider my immediate social

4.47 Always 6
environment who are been infected by
(SD =
Covid-19.
0.79)
 106

General Weighted Mean: 4.47 Always

Using the computed weighted average of 4.67, the table indicates

that most respondents always follow safety ordinances and protocols

regarding COVID - 19 and its new variant, thus, ranking first in the tally.

This was followed by the suggestion that respondents are considering

bringing their vaccination cards whenever they go to public places with a

weighted average of 4.61 and interpreted as “Always”.

For the third (4.57), fourth (4.55), and fifth (4.49), all interpreted as

“Always” states that respondents are; bringing alcohol, hand sanitizer, and

a face shield if needed, changing clothes, and sanitized after attending

public gatherings, and watching the news to keep updated with Covid-19

cases, respectively. Sixth (4.47), seventh (4.46), eighth (4.45), ninth (4.42),

and tenth (4.41indicates that respondents are “Always”; considering their

immediate social environment are infected by Covid-19, doing self-isolation

for a minimum of ten (10) days when they are not feeling well, participating

in mass gatherings such as but not limited to, movie screenings, concerts,

sporting events, and other entertainment activities, religious services, and

work conferences provided that participants shall be limited to fifty percent

(50%) of the seating or venue capacity.

 107

(As amended by Paragraph A(4)(d) of IATF Resolution No. 43, June

03, 2020), considering the mandatory use of a face shield on top of face

masks in high-risk activities under the 3C’s (Closed, Crowded, and Close

Contact) framework, and considering their prility of getting infected with

Covid-19. The eleventh rank, on the other hand, scored 4.12 and was

interpreted as “Often which”, suggesting that respondents are often

exercising social distancing within 6 feet in public places.

The study of Aynalem YA, et al. (2021) suggests that different

governments have backed the WHO's core recommendations, including

frequent hand washing with soap, avoiding close contact with others,

getting an education, and following medical provider advice, and working

from home. Call the service in advance if you begin to feel unwell, develop

a fever, cough, or have breathing problems. These are the basic safety

measures to observe to reduce the spread of the disease concord win to

the result indicated in the table.

As mentioned by Hills [Link] (2020), governments use social isolation

and stay-at-home strategies to restrict the COVID-19 pandemic. However,

these mitigating measures won't be effective unless authorities can

guarantee that people remain at home and use social distance when
 108

prompted. In light of this, compliance is a key issue in the global response

to the COVID-19 pandemic and is essential for lowering mortality and

overtaxing healthcare facilities.

Table 4.3 Factors that may encourage and hinder the respondents

to follow the policies and ordinances relative to Covid-19

Statements General Verbal Ranking

Weighted Mean Interpretation

1. I consider myself

having a high risk

4.32 Strongly Agree 6
or probability of
(SD = 0.87)
being infected

with Covid-19.

2. I know people in

my immediate
4.20 Strongly Agree 9
social
(SD = 0.93)
environment who

are or have been

affected by

Covid-19
 109

3. If the Covid

Vaccine becomes
Strongly Agree 5
mandatory in
4.41
public places or
(SD = 0.90)
malls and is

recommended, I

would avail it.

4. I am nervous
4.30 Strongly Agree 7
about returning to
(SD = 0.89)
work while the

threat of Covid-19

remains

5. I can be flexible
4.45 Strongly Agree 3
from the start,
(SD = 0.79)
break and finish

time to account

for social

distancing and

limit the number

 110

of employees on-

site at a single

time.

6. I am willing to
4.62 Strongly Agree 1
wear a facemask
(SD = 0.71)
to avoid contact

with the disease.

7. I consider

following Covid-
4.48 Strongly Agree 2
19 regulations
(SD = 0.79)
and protocols to

affect my

productivity at

work/school.

8. I feel like I lose

3.97 Agree 11
my freedom when
(SD = 1.20)
I follow policies

and ordinances

relative to Covid-
 111

19.

9. There is a lack of
4.01 Agree 10
financial
(SD = 1.21)
assistance from

the government

so I am forced to

take action that

violates policies

and ordinances

relative to

Covid-19.

10. There is a lack

4.29 Strongly Agree 8
of information
(SD = 0.92)
centers that

spread reliable

and credible

information about

the COVID-19

pandemic.
 112

11. Violation of

Republic Act
4.42 Strongly Agree 4
No.11469 or
(SD = 0.84)
The Bayanihan to

Heal as One Act

Under this law

imposed a

penalty of two

months

imprisonment or a

fine of not less

than ten

thousand pesos

(₱10,000.00) but

not more than

one million pesos

(₱1,000,000.00)

or both shall be

meted to offenses
 113

such as

disobeying

national

government

policies or

directives in

imposing

quarantines by

officials of local

government.

General Weighted
4.32 Strongly Agree
Mean:

According to the findings, it can be determined that the majority of

the respondents strongly agree with the statement, that the willingness to

wear a facemask to avoid contact with the disease as actor that may

encourage and hinder the respondents to follow the policies and

ordinances relative to Covid-19, with a weighted mean of 4.62 and

interpreted as Strongly Agree. This factor is considered to be necessary

and must always be followed by everyone for their safety and to avoid the
 114

spread of coronavirus diseases.

Second, in the rank is the factor that considering following Covid-19

regulations and protocols is affecting respondents’ productivity at

work/school with a weighted mean of 4.48 and interpreted as strongly

agree. It is followed by the factor that respondents can be flexible from the

start, break and finish time to account for social distancing and limit the

number of employees on-site at a single time with a weighted mean of

4.45, and interpreted as strongly agree. On the fourth (4.24), fifth (4.41),

and sixth (4.32) all interpreted as “Strongly Agree” are; punishment under

the violation of Republic Act No.11469 or The Bayanihan to Heal as One

Act, considering being vaccinated by Covid Vaccine if it becomes

mandatory in public places or malls, and considering oneself having a high

risk or probability of being infected with Covid-19; respectively. On the

seventh rank on the factors is the fear or nervous of returning to work while

there is a threat of Covid-19 (4.30) and interpreted as “Strongly Agree”

same as the ranked eight (4.29) and states that there is a lack of

information centers that spread reliable and credible information about the

COVID-19 pandemic.

Ranking ninth (4.20) is knowing people in their immediate social

 115

environment who are or have been affected by Covid-19 also interpreted

as “Strongly Agree”, as well as the tenth rank (4.01) states that there is

also a lack of financial assistance from the government so residents are

forced to take the action that violates policies and ordinances relative to

Covid-19. The eleventh factor that ranked last in the table is that residents

feel like they are losing their freedom when they follow policies and

ordinances relative to Covid-19 with a weighted average of 3.97 and

interpreted as “Agree”.

The study of Sinicrope et al. (2021) supported the result of this study

that community-wide face mask use has the potential to stop the spread of

COVID-19 and has been recommended as one of the key prevention

behaviors by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Studies suggest that

facemasks can reduce the chances of both transmitting and contracting

the virus. Also, concluded that facemask could greatly reduce infection

risk. On the other hand, according to Prasanna (2020), a several countries

suspend fundamental democratic rights like the right to peaceful assembly,

the right to move freely, and the right to be free from being the target of

warrantless searches and arrests, COVID-19 has raised questions about

freedoms and whether they are more threatened than ever. In the US,
 116

wearing a mask has given rise to several discussions and has come to

stand for political and cultural differences interesting thing is that there

have not been as many of these talks in Asia because people there have

traditionally been less reluctant to obey orders from the government. This

study concords with the eleven-ranked factor on the table.

Table 4.4 Recommendations to Improve the implementation of

policies and ordinances relative to health pandemic

Statements General Weighted Verbal Ranking

Mean Interpretation

1. Provide

leadership and

coordination

across sectors.

One important 4.39 Strongly Agree 8

aspect is to (SD = 0.79)

integrate

pandemic

preparedness
 117

into a national

emergency

preparedness

frameworks

2. Reducing the

spread of

disease will

depend

significantly

upon 4.33 Strongly Agree 9

increasing the
(SD = 0.84)
“social

distance”

between

people.

3. Health-care

facilities will

need to
 118

maintain

adequate triage
4.47 Strongly Agree 5
and infection
(SD = 0.80)
control

measures to

protect

healthcare

workers,

patients, and

visitors

4. Promoting

government

and community
4.32 Strongly Agree 10
responsibility to

pass setting (SD = 0.83)

specific and

population-

specific policies

endorsing
 119

recommended

actions

5. Minimizing

disruptions to
4.30 Strongly Agree 11
daily life, to the
(SD = 0.92)
extent possible.

6. Use an early

implementation
4.44 Strongly Agree 7
of lockdowns to
(SD = 0.91)
reduce the

number of risks

7. Let the

legislative body
4.45 Strongly Agree 6
formulate
(SD = 0.71)
regulations and

protocols

based on the

input of DOH
 120

and Covid-19

Taskforce

regarding the

Covid-19

pandemic.

8. Regulate the

prices of

facemasks, face

shields, alcohols,

sanitizers, and 4.55 Strongly Agree 3

hygienic kits and (SD = 0.73)

make them

affordable enough

for the citizens.

9. Established a

centralized system
4.60 Strongly Agree 1
that provides
(SD = 0.66)
uniform and

reliable
 121

information about

the COVID-

19pandemic.

10. Identify ways

to make sure that

people have
4.59 Strongly Agree 2
access to

sufficient safety, (SD = 0.65)

healthcare, food,

water, sanitation,

and services

12. Emphasizin

g government

responsibility to

make sure

people have 4.50 Strongly Agree 4

access to (SD = 0.71)

information and

resources
 122

required to

follow

recommended

actions.

General Weighted 4.45 Strongly Agree

Mean:

The findings of this study showed that the majority of the

respondents from the chosen barangay of Nasugbu would most likely

recommend establishing a centralized system that provides uniform and

reliable information about the COVID-19 pandemic. This was reflected in

Table 4.4 with the weighted average of 4.60 ranked 1st and interpreted as

“Strongly Agree”.

Second in rank is the recommendation that suggests identifying or

considering formulating ways on how the community can have access to

sufficient safety, healthcare, food, water, sanitation, and services. The

computed weighted mean for this recommendation is 4.59 which was

interpreted as “Strongly Agree”.

 123

The third in ranking that got a 4.55 weighted mean and interpreted

as “Strongly Agree” is the authority should regulate the prices of

facemasks, face shields, alcohols, sanitizers, and hygienic kits and make

them affordable enough for the citizens. Regulating the prices of

facemasks, face shields, alcohols, sanitizers, and hygienic kits and making

them affordable enough for the citizens marked third in the ranking with the

average weighted mean of 4.55 and interpreted as “Strongly Agree”,

followed by emphasizing government responsibility to make sure people

have access to information and resources required to follow recommended

actions as fourth in the ranking with a general weighted average of 4.50

and interpreted as “Strongly Agree”.

Health-care facilities will need to maintain adequate triage and

infection control measures to protect healthcare workers, patients, and

visitors, letting the legislative body formulate regulations and protocols

based on the input of DOH and Covid-19 Taskforce regarding the Covid-19

pandemic, and using an early implementation of lockdowns to reduce the

number of risks ranked fifth (4.47, sixth (4.45), and seventh (4.44)

respectively, all interpreted as “Strongly Agree”. The eighth (4.39), ninth

 124

(4.33), tenth (4.32), and eleventh (4.30) are providing leadership and

coordination across sectors.

One important aspect is to integrate pandemic preparedness into

national emergency preparedness frameworks; increase the “social

distance” between people; promote government and community

responsibility to pass setting specific and population-specific policies

endorsing recommended actions, and minimize disruptions to daily life to

the extent possible, respectively, are all interpreted as “Strongly Agree”.

According to Ree (2022), National statistics offices (NSOs) are

playing a crucial role in this respect as a result of the COVID-19 issue,

which has increased the need for reliable data. The COVID-19 problem

has had an impact on society as a whole and has created numerous

uncertainties. While there is a lot of bogus news, there is also a huge

demand for accurate information right now. In order to perform a scientific

study, appropriately address the problem from a policy perspective, and

determine how to address the situation as a society, reliable information is

required.
 125

Chapter V

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATION

This chapter presents the summary, conclusions, and

recommendations of the study.

General Summary

This study was conducted to determine the perception of

Nasugbueńos with regards to the Philippine National Police Enforcement

of Covid-19 policies and ordinances. Specifically, the study sought to

answer the following questions:

 126

1. What is the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of:

1.1 Age

1.2 Sex

1.3 Highest Educational Attainment

1.4 Family Size

1.5 Current Employment status`

1.6 Family Covid History

1.7 Residence (barangay)

2. What is their level of awareness with regards to policies and

ordinances relative to Covid-19?

3. What is the extent of their adherence to the policies and ordinances

relative to Covid-19?

4. What are the factors that may encourage and hinder the

respondents to follow the policies and ordinances relative to Covid-

19?

5. What may be recommended to improve the implementations of

policies and ordinances relative to the health pandemic?

6. What policy brief may be proposed for better implementations of

policies and ordinances relative to health pandemics?

 127

The researchers used the descriptive research design in the conduct

of the study with the use of questionnaires as a basic tool of data gathering

in order to attain the objectives of the study.

The study started as the researchers wrote a formal letter of request

to the Municipal Mayor and Chairman in Poblacion, Malapad na Bato, and

Wawa to allow them to give questionnaires to the residents of said

barangays. Using a raosoft sample size calculator, the researchers came

up with a total of three hundred eighty-one (381) respondents. The

questionnaire underwent a validation process with the assistance of Inter-

Agency Task Force (IATF) members to ensure that it correctly measures

what it intends to. After the validation of the questionnaire and the rating

scale, the researchers distributed it to the intended participants, some of

the questionnaires were given in the printed form to the respondents and

others are through online platforms. After the distribution of the

questionnaire, an ample amount of time was given to answer them before

retrieval and tallying of the responses.

After answering, the researchers collected all the given

questionnaires. Data afterward were tallied, computed, presented,

 128

interpreted, and analyzed by the researchers. The computation of

weighted mean and Likert Scale was employed in the treatment of data.

Summary of Findings

The study yielded the following findings:

1. Demographic Profile of the Respondents:

1.1 As to age, respondents with the age group of teens (below 20

y/o) accounting for 38 out of 381 or 10% make up the lowest

number of responses, whereas, young adults (20 y/o to 29 y/o)

accounting for 139 out of 381 or 36.4% make up the highest

number of responses, then age group of adults (40 y/o and 49

y/o) accounting for 75 out of 381 or 19.6% and aged (50 y/o and

above), completed the 55 out of 381 or 14.1% completed the total

number of respondents. Wherein, most of the respondents were

in the age bracket of 20-29 years old and above.

1.2 As to sex, the majority of the respondents are female with a

frequency of 203 out of 381 or 53.3% and 178 out of 381 or

46.7%% are male.

1.3 As to the highest educational attainment, the majority of the

respondents are College undergraduates with a frequency of 155

 129

out of 381 or 40.7%, Elementary accounting for 46 out of 381 or

12.1%, Highschool accounting for 62 out of 381 or 16.3%, post-

secondary accounting for 35 out of 381 or 9.2%, Academic

degree holder 59 out of 381 or 15.5%, whereas, respondents

who have no grade completed and post-baccalaureate

accounting for 12 out of 381 or 3.1% make up the lowest number

of responses.

1.4 As to the number of people in their household, the majority of

the respondents have more than five (5) members of the family

with a frequency of 112 out of 381 or 29.6%, five (5) members

with a frequency of 99 out of 381 or 26% three (3) members with

a frequency of 62 out of 381 or 16.3%, four (4) members

accounting for 55 out of 381 or 14.4%, and two (2) members has

the least number of respondents, accounting for 53 out of 381 or

13.9%.

1.5 As to the current employment status, the majority of the

respondents are full-time employees, accounting for 85 out of 381

or 22.3%, the findings of the study show close gaps between the

number of responses, 71 out of 381 or 18.6% are part-time

 130

employee which is followed by unemployed with a frequency of

76 out of 381 or 20% and self-employed has the least number of

respondents with a frequency of 72 out of 381 or 18.9%.

1.6 As to the Family Covid history, the majority of the

respondents answered no, that they are not or anyone in their

family gotten sick with Covid-19, with a frequency of 256 out of

381 or 67.2%, whereas, 125 out of 381 or 32.5% answered yes,

that they have been affected by Covid-19.

1.7 As to the place of residence (barangay), the majority of the

respondents came from Barangay Wawa with a frequency of 160

out of 381 or 42%, followed by Barangay 11, with a frequency of

33 out of 381 or 8.7%, Barangay 6, with a frequency of 28 out of

381 or 7.3%, Barangay 5, with a frequency of 21 out of 381 or

5.5%, Barangay 12, with a frequency of 24 out of 381 or 6.3%,

Barangay 1, Barangay 2, Barangay 7 with a frequency of 15 out

of 381 or 3.9%, Barangay 3, with a frequency of 12 out of 381 or

3.1%, Barangay 4 with a frequency 14 out of 381 or 3.7%,

Malapad na Bato with a frequency of 16 out of 381 or 4.2% and

 131

Barangay 9 make up the lowest number of responses with a

frequency of 16 out of 381 or 2.9%.

2. The level of awareness of the residents of Nasugbu with

regards to the policies and ordinances relative to Covid-19

The results, shows that all respondents got the same verbal

interpretation as regards the policies and ordinances relative to

Covid-19. Furthermore, mass gatherings such as but not limited to,

movie screenings, concerts, sporting events, and other

entertainment activities, community assemblies, religious gatherings,

and non-essential work gatherings shall be prohibited. However,

gatherings that are essential for the provision of government

services or authorized humanitarian activities shall be allowed, got

the highest rank with a weighted mean of 4.70 and verbal

interpretation as Strongly aware. However, acts of discrimination

inflicted upon healthcare workers, repatriated OFWs and non-OFWs,

COVID-19 cases, whether confirmed, recovered, or undergoing

treatment, as well as suspect and probable cases, and Persons

under Monitoring are denounced in the strongest of terms in the

lowest-ranked has a weighted mean of 4.37 and verbal interpretation

 132

as Strongly Aware. Therefore, the general weighted mean is 4.57

with Strongly aware as verbal interpretation.

3. The extent of their adherence to the policies and ordinances

relative to Covid-19.

In terms of the extent of their adherence to the policies and

ordinances relative to Covid-19, following safety ordinances and

protocols regarding covid19 and its new variant got the highest rank

with a weighted mean of 4.67 and verbal interpretation as Always.

While, exercise social distancing within 6 feet in public places falls to

the lowest ranking with a weighted mean of 4.12 with Often as

verbal interpretation. The general weighted mean is 4.47 with

Always as verbal interpretation.

4. Factors that encourage and hinder the respondents to follow

the policies and ordinances relative to Covid-19.

Based on the factors that encourage and hinder the

respondents to follow the policies and ordinances relative to Covid-

19, willingness to wear a facemask to avoid contact with the disease

got the highest rank with a weighted mean of 4.62 and verbal
 133

interpretation as Strongly Agree. However, residents feel like they

are losing their freedom when they follow policies and ordinances

relative to Covid-19 got the lowest rank with a weighted mean of

3.97 and verbal interpretation as Agree. Therefore, the general

weighted mean is 4.32 with Strongly Agree as verbal interpretation.

5. Recommendations to Improve the implementation of policies

and ordinances relative to health pandemic

The respondents recommended improving the implementation

of policies and ordinances relative to the health pandemic is to

establish a centralized system that provides uniform andreliable

information about the COVID-19 pandemic got the highest rank with

a weighted mean of 4.60 and strongly agree as verbal interpretation.

While, minimizing disruptions to daily life, to the extent possible falls

to the lowest rank with a weighted mean of 4.30 and Strongly Agree

as verbal interpretation. The general weighted mean is 4.45 and

verbal interpretation as Strongly Agree.

Conclusions
 134

In the context of the foregoing findings, the following conclusions

were hereby drawn by the researchers.

1. Out of 381 respondents, majority (139 or 36.4%) were aged 20-29

years old and showed good level of knowledge and attitudes with

regards with the preventive measures for COVID-19. With regards to

gender, the responders’ majority is mostly made up of women. In

comparison to their male counterparts, females were more likely to

have higher means of preventive measurement scores. On the

educational attainment, 59 or 15.5% were academic degree holder

and demonstrated how higher education respondents were more

conscious of Covid-19 because they had a better grasp of the

condition. With regards to family size, in households with 3-5

members or more as a majority in the data gathered, low awareness

have been observed. The majority of the respondents were full-time

employees in terms of employment status with a frequency of 85 or

22.3%, this suggests that respondents that are working full-time

outside their residence are more likely to observe adherence to

policies and ordinances.

 135

2. The researchers conclude that when it comes to level of awareness,

the respondents from the chosen barangays of Nasugbu are Strongly

Aware on the different Covid-19 policies and ordinances imposed by

the IATF and Local MDRRMO which are being implemented or

enforced by the Local PNP unit. These policies and ordinances

include strict home quarantines, restricted mass gatherings, limited

face-to-face classes, and mandatory wearing of facemasks and face

shields.

3. The finding reveals that the respondents are always adhering to the

imposed Covid-19 policies and ordinances. However, exercising

social distancing within 6 feet in public places are being followed

often. Except from the abovesaid, the respondents are Always

adhering to the mentioned policies and ordinances.

4. Numerous factors that encourage and hinder the respondents to

follow the policies and ordinances relative to Covid-19 are revealed in

this study such as considering oneself as one of the risks of having

infected by the Covid-19, mandatory vaccinations, willingness to

adhere to mandatory wearing of facemask, and lack of information

centers about the said virus.

 136

5. The findings show that various recommendations can be made or

formulated in order to provide an appropriate environment and

educate on adequate preventive measures for individuals to follow

the rules to prevent COVID-19 regardless of their demographic

status. The pandemic emphasizes the need to promote awareness in

both formulation and implementation of public policy given the

importance of associating the public or community's reactions and

policy decisions.

Recommendations

Based on the findings and conclusion of the study, the following

recommendations are hereby endorsed:

1. LGU from the municipality of Nasugbu may conduct leadership

training and collaboration with different sectors that will provide them

with knowledge about pandemic preparedness and formulate a

systematic information center, especially in places or barangays

which are vulnerable to widespread the disease. The legislative may

also formulate regulations and protocols based on the input of DOH

and Covid-19 Taskforce regarding the Covid-19 pandemic.

 137

2. Maintaining functional healthcare facilities including their technology

and equipment, and their effect on patient safety that can cater

healthcare workers, patients, and visitors. This may provide a

special opportunity to apply existing and developing evidence to

enhance the working conditions for healthcare workers and other

healthcare professionals, therefore leading to better results for both

patients and healthcare professionals.

3. Established a center for sufficient safety, healthcare, food, water,

sanitation, and services on different barangays through the help of a

local unit. The prevention and protection of human health during

infectious disease outbreaks, such as the ongoing COVID-19

pandemic, depend heavily on the management of water, sanitation,

and hygiene services. Investing in essential public health

infrastructures, such as water and sanitation systems, is one of the

most cost-effective ways to increase pandemic readiness,

particularly in environments with limited resources. Safely managed

water services are crucial to reducing negative effects on community

livelihoods and welfare not just during the epidemic phase but also

throughout the recovery period.

 138

4. That future researchers may conduct a study on what other policies

and ordinances may improve and implement that will help the

community and the residents deal with the problem that they are

facing right now because of the Covid 19, and serve as resources

for a similar study in other municipalities of the province of

Batangas.

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