EFFECTS OF COVID – 19 PANDEMIC ON THE

EMPLOYMENT SITUATION AMONG HEAD OF THE FAMILY AT BARANGAY

KANALO, MAASIM SARANGANI PROVINCE

_______________________________

A Thesis

Presented to the

Faculty of Social Work

MMG College of General Santos City Inc.

General Santos City

________________________________

In Partial Fulfillment

Of the Requirements for the degree of

Bachelor of Science in Social Work

_________________________________

MARIA RISSA A. AGOR

September 12, 2021

 CHAPTER 1

Introduction

Background of the Study

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-

CoV-2 virus. Most people infected with the virus will experience mild to moderate

respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment. However, some will

become seriously ill and require medical attention. Older people and those with

underlying medical conditions like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory

disease, or cancer are more likely to develop serious illness. Anyone can get sick with

COVID-19 and become seriously ill or die at any age. 

The best way to prevent and slow down transmission is to be well informed about

the disease and how the virus spreads. Protect yourself and others from infection by

staying at least 1 metre apart from others, wearing a properly fitted mask, and washing

your hands or using an alcohol-based rub frequently. Get vaccinated when it’s your turn

and follow local guidance.

The virus can spread from an infected person’s mouth or nose in small liquid

particles when they cough, sneeze, speak, sing or breathe. These particles range from

larger respiratory droplets to smaller aerosols. It is important to practice respiratory

etiquette, for example by coughing into a flexed elbow, and to stay home and self-

isolate until you recover if you feel unwell.

 This study examines the initial impact of Covid-19 pandemic on the employment

situation and hours of unincorporated self-employed workers. Although the effect

decreased employment and hours for all groups, differential effects by gender, couple

status, and parental status exist. Coupled women were less likely to be working than

coupled men, while single women were more likely to be working than single men.

However, fathers of school-age children who remained employed were working reduced

hours compared to men without children.

The government shutdowns of businesses and schools in response to the

COVID-19 pandemic have led to serious disruptions in work, schooling, and family life

around the world. However, the ability of many Americans to work at home has

dampened the resulting economic crisis (Barrero, Bloom, and Davis 2020; Bick,

Blandin, and Mertens 2020; Brynjolfsson et al. 2020; Montenovo et al. 2020).

Given that the shutdowns are affecting “essential” and “nonessential” industries

differently, the employment status and industry of a spouse may also impact a self-

employed worker’s employment and hours as families juggle household and child-care

responsibilities (Alon et al. 2020). If a mother’s partner loses his job, the mother may

work extra hours to compensate for the lost income while the father cares for the

children. It has also been shown that crime rates in the Philippines is related to

unemployment.

Moreover, high poverty rates and hunger rates may be caused by unemployment

too. Philippines is generally more socially affected by unemployment and less

economically affected. Covid -19 has created tremendous negative impacts on the

livelihood of the people in the Municipality of Maasim specifically in the Barangay

Kanalo. According to Mrs. GERVIC BAQUE, PESO officer of the said municipality she

says that the current employment status of Kanalo is decreasing many people working

in the informal sector have lost their job and income due to pandemic. The number of

unemployed and status of poverty in this Barangay was increasing, 64 percent of

households had a member who lost their job due to the enhanced community

quarantine (ECQ), that was implemented in the country on March 16, 2020, because of

the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. On the other hand, 36 percent of the surveyed

respondents stated that none of their household members were effected. In this

research the Government employees, Barangay official are not included.

The researcher aims to identify the effect of COVID19 in the employment status

of Brgy. Kanalo as to the researcher is also a resident of the said Barangay. According

to Mrs. Jocelyn Pernites, one of the barangay officials, there are 9 individuals who are

infected with covid19 and everyone was already recovered and there is no record of

dead since 2019 up to present.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This study aims to determine the impact of Covid 19 pandemic employment

status particularly in Barangay Kanalo, Maasim Sarangani Province.

Specifically, the study answered the following;

1. What is the demographic profile of the beneficiaries in terms of?

1.1 Age

1.2 Marital Status

1.3 Income

1.4 Occupation
 1.5 Gender

2. What are the effects of COVID 19 pandemic on the employment situation of

the head of the family in terms of;

2.1. Financial

2.2 Social

2.3 Psychological

2.4 Spiritual

3. Based on the result of the study, what are possible recommendations

Hypothesis:

There is no significant relationship (effects) of pandemic to the employment

situation among the head of the family.”

The effect of Covid 19 Pandemic on the employment situation among the head of

the family in terms of financial, social and physiological aspects in Kanalo, Maasim

Sarangani

Scope and Delimitations of the Study

This study will focus on determining the impact of Covid- 19 pandemic on the

employment situation of the head of the family in Barangay Kanalo, Maasim Sarangani

Province. This will be conducted among 100 household head with employed individuals

during this pandemic or 24% of the total population of Barangay Kanalo.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

PANDEMIC – when a new disease spreads too many countries around the world

Employment Situation-an economic situation in which all available labor resources

are being used in the most efficient way possible

COVID-19-Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the

SARS-CoV-2 virus.ar. Financial

Social-relating to society or its organization.

Physiological-the scientific study of functions and mechanisms in a living system.

Head of the Family-used by family members to describe an authority position within

their lineage.

Gender- refers to the characteristics of women, men, girls and boys that are socially

constructed.

Spiritual- relating to or affecting the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or

physical things.

Psychological- of, affecting, or arising in the mind; related to the mental and emotional

state of a person.

Significance of the Study

Municipal Health office – the result of the study will serve as the basis in determining

relevant health interventions needed by the patients.

Barangay Officials –are responsible for governing and managing the population and

territory within their respective borders

LGU MAASIM- plays major role in a community’s development, provide the links

between the people and the government, address its community’s problems and

concerns, enforce policies and hold influence over its communities.

TESDA- The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is the

government agency tasked to manage and supervise technical education and skills

development (TESD) in the Philippines.

PESO- The Public Employment Service Office (PESO) is a non-fee charging multi-

dimenstional employment service facility or entity established in all Local Government

Units (LGUs) in coordination with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)

pursuant to R.A. No. 8759 or the PESO Act of 1999 as amended by R.A. No. 10691.

DOLE- The DOLE is the national government agency mandated to formulate and

implement policies and programs, and serve as the policy-advisory arm of the Executive

Branch in the field of labor and employment.

SOCIAL WELFARE( MSWDO) - The Municipal Social Welfare and Development

Office (MSWDO) is the government's primary welfare agency responsible for uplifting

the living conditions and improving the quality of life of the poorest sector of the

population through its various programs and services designed to enable them to

become self-reliant .

THE FUTURE RESEARCHER- This study can help the future researchers conduct an

in–depth study on the impact of Covid -19 pandemic.

Theoretical Framework

Maslow’s hierchy of needs is a theory pf psychology explaining human motivation

based on the pursuit of different levels of needs. The theory states that humans are

motivated to fulfill their needs in a hierarchical order. This order begins with the most
basic needs before moving on to more advance needs. The ultimate goal, according to

this theory, is to reach the fifth level of the hierarchy: self-actualization.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is a motivational theory in psychology,

represented by a five-tier model of human needs, often depicted as hierarchical levels

within a pyramid. Needs lower down in the hierarchy must be satisfied before individuals

before needs higher up can be addressed.

Using the crisis in context theory (CCT) as an ecological framework to

understanding human behaviors, the study examined organizational responses and

individual employee coping behaviors to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Drawing from the perspectives of psychology, organization development, and

management, the research examined dependent and independent organization and

self-initiated actions that employees deemed helpful in coping with the effects of the

crisis. Qualitative data were gathered through online survey from 216 employees in the

Philippines, a developing country whose major cities were on community quarantine to

minimize the spread of the pandemic (Shigaki 2019).

Since COVID-19 became pandemic in March, the conspiracy theory QAnon has

attracted a massive growth in followers. Why such growth and who is susceptible? Just

as some people and groups are more susceptible to catching COVID-19 or to suffering

worse consequences, so too will some people be more likely to trust in online

conspiracies. There are social determinants of conspiracy theory adherence, just as

there are social determinants of health.

These social determinants can stem from distrust of institutions, resentment of

elites, racism and many other factors. That distrust and resentment in turn do not spring
from nowhere; they often intertwine with rising inequality and frustration at poor job

opportunities. Intertwined with the social factors, then, are economic causes. (Heidi

Tworek-2020)

Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior, a person’s behavioral intent is

profoundly affected by the behavioral norms of his social community (Ajzen, 2018). A

critical stage in this approach is a thorough exposition of the problem that was

accomplished by intensive engagement with the various communities, leading to

stronger cultural norms Thus, it is logical to conclude that the stronger the group

standards, the higher the level of understanding among the social community members.

when individuals encounter a threatening event, they are primarily motivated to engage

in protective behavior (Janmaimool, 2017). According to previous research, individuals

believe that performing preventive behavior can reduce the threat that comes with a

lack of action (Hung et al., 2018). During a global crisis, providing reliable and accurate

information is essential.

. However, given the simultaneous closing of schools and day-care facilities, the

caregiving responsibilities of parents have increased. Because of this, self-employed

parents may be affected more by the shutdowns than self-employed nonparents. In

addition, due to gender norms within the home (Burda, Hamermesh, and Wiel 2008;

Sent and van Staveren 2019; Sevilla and Smith 2020) and gender differences in risk

preferences (Charness and Gneezy 2012; Sent and van Staveren 2019), female self-

employed parents may be affected even more than male self-employed parents.

Because women are more likely than men to enter self-employment to gain flexibility

over the timing of their work to better balance work and family demands (Budig 2006;
Gimenez-Nadal, Molina, and Ortega 2012), we may also see differential impacts by

couple status and parental status.

Early knowledge of the outbreak can help to illustrate the public’s risk behavior

and how they perceived it (Balkhy et al., 2017). Moreover, Johnson and Hariharan

(2017) highlighted that providing health education and creating awareness during an

outbreak is an effective measure to help prevent the spread of the disease. However,

given the simultaneous closing of schools and day-care facilities, the caregiving

responsibilities of parents have increased. Because of this, self-employed parents may

be affected more by the shutdowns than self-employed nonparents. In addition, due to

gender norms within the home (Burda, Hamermesh, and Wiel 2008; Sent and van

Staveren 2019; Sevilla and Smith 2020) and gender differences in risk preferences

(Charness and Gneezy 2012; Sent and van Staveren 2019), female self-employed

parents may be affected even more than male self-employed parents. Because women

are more likely than men to enter self-employment to gain flexibility over the timing of

their work to better balance work and family demands (Budig 2006; Gimenez-Nadal,

Molina, and Ortega 2012), we may also see differential impacts by couple status and

parental status.
Conceptual Framework

Independent Variable Dependent variable

Effects of Covid 19 –

Pandemic in terms of:

Employment Situation of

1. Financial the Head of the Family

2. Social

3. Psychological

4. Spiritual

Conceptual paradigm in figure 1

The independent variables in this study are the effects of covid -19 pandemic in

terms of financial, social, psychological and spiritual aspect while the dependent

variable is the employment situation of the head of the Family in Barangay Kanalo,

Maasim. The survey was designed to understand the impact of the pandemic on

employers on gathered information regarding the challenges faced by private sector and

their commitment.