SAFETY AND HEALTH PRACTICES OFACCREDITED

QUARANTINE FACILITIES

An Operations Research Study

The Faculty of Yu-An Log College of Business & Accountancy
University of Saint La Salle Bacolod City

In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the

Degree of Bachelor of Science in Business Administration

Major in Operations Management

DEL MUNDO, AUDREY NICOLE S.

JAKOSALEM, ANDRIE MAE J.
MAHILUM, MAY JOY C.
RETIO, APRIL JOY T.
YULO, MIGUEL ANGELO G.

December 2022
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APPROVAL SHEET

The research proposal entitled “SAFETY AND HEALTH PRACTICES OF

ACCREDITED QUARANTINE FACILITIES” presented by Audrey Nicole S. Del
Mundo, Andrie Mae J. Jakosalem, May Joy C. Mahilum, April Joy T. Retio and
Miguel Angelo G. Yulo in partial fulfillment of the requirements for Degree of
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Major in Operations Management of
the University of St. La Salle has been evaluated and approved by the panel of
evaluators.

PANEL OF EVALUATORS

MRS. ROWENA V. GRACIANO, MBA.

Chair

MR. DEXTER IAN M. TABUJARA, MBA. DR. ERIC DIO, PHD.

Member Member

MR. ARCHIMEDES D. VALDERAMA, MBA.

Adviser
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ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The researchers would want to extend their heartfelt appreciation and utmost

gratitude to the following individuals who contributed to the fulfillment of this research

study.

Foremost, the researchers want to offer this endeavor to our Almighty God for the

wisdom, strength, and graces he bestowed upon them throughout the process and the

accomplishment of this research study.

To the researchers' families, for their financial, emotional, moral and spiritual

support for the completion of this paper and for serving as an inspiration to continue this

undertaking.

To Mr. Archimedes Valderama, MBA, course professor, for sharing his expertise

by giving constructive comments and suggestions. Also, for his time and patience upon

checking and reviewing the manuscripts and for encouraging them to finish this study on

time.

To Mr. Virgil Rupert N. Villarosa, MBA research paper adviser, for his trust,

time, advice, valuable comments, suggestions, and support during the whole period of this

research study. For imparting his knowledge and expertise and for his patience and

guidance throughout the writing process of the manuscript.

To the panelists, Mrs. Rowena V. Graciano, MBA, Mr. Dexter Ian M.

Tabujara, MBA and Dr. Eric Dio, PhD, the proponents of this study would like to

extend their special thanks to all of them for providing substantial feedback and
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critique. Through this, they were able to correct the flaws and consequently improve

the quality of the research paper.

To Ms. Noreza A. Causing, PhD, the research team would like to present their

heartfelt thanks for their assistance in making sure that this study follows ethical

standards and abides with the guidelines imposed by the institution.

The researchers would also like to give due appreciation to all the participants

who participated and exerted extra time and effort in answering the survey

questionnaire, the entire school community for giving the students the opportunity to

experience doing this research project, to their friends, for the continuous inspiration

and moral sustenance and to the parents for their unwavering support and assistance in

pursuit of completing the paper.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE Page

APPROVAL SHEET i
ACKNOWLEDGMENT ii
LIST OF APPENDICES vi
LIST OF TABLES vi
LIST OF FIGURES ix
ABSTRACT x
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study 1
Statement of the Problem 4
Conceptual Framework 5
Scope and Limitations
7 Significance of the Study
7 Definition of Terms
9 Review of Related Literature
13 Synthesis
17
METHODS
Research Design 19
Participants of the Study 20
Instrument 21
Data Gathering Procedure 22
Statistical Statement 24
Ethical Considerations 2
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
CONCLUSION 44
RECOMMENDATION 4
REFERENCES 4
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TABLE OF CONTENTS CONTINUED

Page

APPENDICES 5

Appendix A: Inform Consent Form 1

Appendix B: Survey Questionnaire 2

Appendix C: Agency Consent Letter 4

Appendix D: Technical Review Certificate 5

Appendix E: Application for Research Review 6

Appendix F: Inform Consent Assessment Form 7

Appendix G: Proposal Assessment Form 8

Appendix H: Approval Sheet 9

Appendix I: Letter to The Research Adviser 10

Appendix J: Instrument Content Validity Forms 11

Appendix K: Research Ethics Certificate 12

Appendix L: Reliability Statistics 13

Appendix M: Invitation Letters to Panelists 14

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LIST OF TABLES

Table Page

1. Statistical Table

2. Employees’ Profiles in Terms of Age

3. Employees’ Profiles in Terms of Sex

4. Employees’ Profiles in Terms of their Positions

5. Employees’ Profiles in Terms of Length in Service

6. Employees’ Level of Awareness Towards the Prescribed Health and Safety

Protocols

7. Employees’ Challenges Encountered in Complying with the Health and

Safety Protocols

8 Employees’ Extent of Health and Safety Practices Implementation in Terms

of Referral

9. Employees’ Extent of Health and Safety Practices Implementation in Terms

of Facilities
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10. Employees’ Extent of Health and Safety Practices Implementation in Terms

of Requirements

11. Employees’ Extent of Health and Safety Practices Implementation in Terms

of Health Protocols

12. Employees’ Extent of Health and Safety Practices Implementation in Terms

of Recording

13. Employees’ Extent of Health and Safety Practices Implementation in Terms

of Meals and Medicine

14. Employees’ Extent of Health and Safety Practices Implementation in Terms

of Hygiene and Disinfection

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure Page

1. Schematic diagram of the conceptual framework of the study

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ABSTRACT

During the pandemic, re-purposing of hotels was a growing trend globally. Hotels
were converted into temporary quarantine facilities and have been established to in-
house front-line and health workers wherein the quarantine hoteliers’ including the on
the ground personnel’s health encounter a higher risk of infection while they host
quarantine guests from overseas and even localities that are infected of the virus
(COVID 19). The researchers chose to study this topic to help future researchers and to
determine the employees’ health and safety practices to refrain from being
contaminated while in operation of maintenance and housekeeping during the midst of
the pandemic. The main research problem was to determine safety and health practices
of accredited quarantine facilities. A total of 100 participants took part in the survey to
help the researchers gather data and figure out how well the implementation of safety
and health practices in their respective premises. This study used descriptive research
design and a self-made questionnaire was used to gather the data. The survey
questionnaire was distributed to 100 participants which varies with the available
employees from 20 accredited quarantine facilities. The collected data was analyzed
using mean and percentile. Result showed that the implementation of safety and health
practices of accredited hotel facilities were highly implemented as well as employees’
awareness of its importance is highly observed.

To lessen the risk of vulnerable employee, researchers would like to recommend to

maximize or invest in technologies that might help in the facilities to do the repetitive
work prevent any hazardous event to occur that may affect the safety and health of
their employees that does the operation from time to time.
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INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

The outbreak of corona-virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has posed a huge

challenge to the hospitality industry and its employees. Some jurisdictions have used

private hotels to provide voluntary, temporary housing for individuals recovering from

mild to moderate disease. Without hotel quarantine being an option for housing

infected persons might undergo prolonged hospitalization. The WHO recommends re-

purposing existing premises as isolation facilities (WHO, 2020) to meet the needs of

patients and staff following the standard guidelines and preventive measures.

However, this also means that health workers and hotel staff workforce safety and

health is at risk.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made a significant impact on the health and

safety of each country's population. In 2020, the World Health Organization declared

the epidemic a global public health issue. As positive cases of COVI-19 escalate,

hospitals face problems with overcrowding and insufficient isolation space (Feng &

Cheng, 2020). The goal of this research is to evaluate and suggest a recommendation

to improve the process of the hotel quarantine facilities. If quarantine hotel workers

were anxious about the virus and other circumstances that impacted their practices, this

knowledge may assist employees to prioritize protection and prevent exposure. To

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help with the management in the hospitality industry, it's vital to understand the

importance of safety and health practices.

In the present study, researchers will examine the safety and health practices

(preventive measures) being implemented to secure the safety of the hotel industry’s

employees during the rampant cases of virus and if the preventive measures are

practiced. Researchers would like to assess the operation made by the facilities to

know if how the housekeeping personnel manage to perform the disinfection and

sanitation of the area of a suspected patient with precautions since their job requires

them to be on the ground. On that matter, researchers chose to study the safety and

health practices performed by the accredited quarantine facilities personnel and what

does the company provide for them to secure their health given that their safety is at

most risk.

This study particularly intended in the perspective of employees since the

employees especially the on the ground personnel are the ones who provide the

housekeeping operation and maintenance of the isolation to upkeep the rooms and

surroundings to avoid any contamination and widespread of virus. However,

employees, especially those in charge of maintenance are most vulnerable in this

matter that is why the researchers conducted this study.

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Statement of the Problem

This study aims to determine the safety and health practices of accredited

quarantine facilities in Bacolod City during the pandemic.

Specifically, this study sought to answer the following questions:

1. What is the profile of the employees in terms of:

a. age;

b. sex;

c. positions; and

d. length in service?

2. What is the level of awareness of the employees towards the prescribed

health and safety protocols?

3. What are the challenges employees encounter in complying with the health

and safety protocols?

4. What is the extent of health and safety practices implementation as

perceived by the employees?

a. referral;

b. facilities;

c. requirements;

d. health protocols;
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e. recording;

f. meals and medicine;

g. hygiene and disinfection?

Conceptual Framework

The framework of this study would serve as a guide to identifying the safety

and health practices of accredited quarantine facilities. The framework started with the

identification of the independent variables which was the employee profile in terms of

age, sex, position, and length in service.

The next variable was the level of awareness of the employees towards the

prescribed health and safety protocols. The following were the dependent variables

that vary from one establishment to the other. The next variable was the challenges

employees encountered in complying with the health and safety protocols.

The last variable was the extent of health and safety practices implementation

as perceived by the employees. The factors were referral, facilities, requirements,

health protocols, recording, meals and medicine, lastly hygiene and disinfection.
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Figure 1. Schematic Diagram of the Conceptual Framework of the Study.

Scope and Limitations

This study aimed to determine the safety and health practices of the twenty

(20) accredited quarantine facilities in Bacolod City that had operated during the midst

of the pandemic. The health and safety practices were determined through the

employees’ level of awareness of the prescribed health and safety protocols. Also, the

challenges the employees encountered in complying with the safety and health

protocols. Lastly, the referral, facilities, requirements, health protocols, recording,

meals and medicine, hygiene and disinfection of the accredited quarantine facilities in

Bacolod City. The study focuses on any one hundred (100) employees of the twenty

(20) accredited quarantine facilities in Bacolod City. The researchers used descriptive

research design and a total enumeration technique. The mentioned quarantine facilities
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were all accredited based on the Bacolod City Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) data

and facilities confirmation. The study conducted on a face to face survey while

observing the safety and health protocols from the 1st week of October until 3rd week

of October. Lastly, the study began in March 2022 and will end on December 2022.

Significance of the Study

This study on the safety and health practices of accredited quarantine facilities

in Bacolod City concerned operation procedure of front-liners in terms of management

practices was significant to each of the following:

Front-liners. The study served as their source to improve safety and health

practices to raise awareness among their neighborhood and co-workers about proper

health management. Also, the study would provide information for them to improve

and implement standard health care.

Hotel Employees. This study was relevant for hospitality industry staff since

they were one of the most vulnerable workers in the time of pandemic. This study

would help them understand the importance of safety and health practices and how to

execute proper etiquette for safety purposes.

Hotel Owners. This study was useful and a great help to boost customers

despite the pandemic when the customers know how effective and efficient the safety

and health practices being strictly observed in terms of sanitation will keep guests

coming. This would make both the hotel owners, staff and customers feel ease

breathing the same air.

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Department of Health (DOH). The result of the study might have passed their

standard and guidelines for hotel employees’ extra safety. The result could be subject

for consideration to further enhance the stability of safety and health practices being

implemented by hospitality industry’s employees.

Local Government Units (LGUs). The study could be their guide in their own

adoption and creation of their own policy of action about safety and health practices. It

is also significant to the LGUs particularly those who encounter difficulties in

managing their operation system.

Future Researchers. The study gave the researchers a better understanding of

the resolutions to the safety and health practices of the staff and management

pertaining to proper procedures. It was also significant to the future researchers

because this study concerned the risk of staff and front-liners could lead to a better

social change in the academe of University of St. La Salle business operations

management students.

Definition of Terms

The following terms were defined to provide clarity and deeper understanding

for the readers. Both the conceptual and operational definition will be provided.

Accredited Quarantine Facilities — Conceptually, it refers to establishments

that are provided with a digital contact tracing Safe Pass seal, health declaration,

capacity planning, and incident management solution (Philippine News Agency

[PNA], 2020). Operationally, the quarantine facilities accredited by Bacolod City

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Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) that accommodate the covid patients’ such as Acacia

Hotel, Bacolod Pension House,

Buenas J Inn, Casa Maravilla, Chalet L’Fisher, East Square, East View, East Way Inn,

L’Fisher Ecotel, Go Hotel, KUNDUTEL, Lumer Inn, Middle Town Inn, North Point

Tourist Inn, PleasantVille Inn, Red Doors Nirvana Inn, Regency Inn, Regina Carmeli

Pension Extension, Regina Carmeli Pension Main and Royal Amrei.

Disinfection — Conceptually, the literature on disinfection has been critically

reviewed and the quantitative data analyzed in an effort to construct a modern concept

of disinfection, the chemistry of disinfectants, the cyto-structure and physical state of

microorganisms, their reaction as a rate process, and the interference of chemical and

physical factors in the reaction medium (Chang, 1971). Operationally, the accredited

quarantine facilities in the study were cleaning each room to avoid spreading viruses

to the equipment or facilities used by the patients or employees.

Facilities — Conceptually, managing facilities provides a clear introduction to

the concepts, development, and application of managing facilities in hotels. Premises

and services operations management were considered through the application of

generic management techniques (Jones & Jowett, 1997). Operationally, the facilities

in the study were the equipment, rooms,or buildings being used by the patients and

employees.

Frontliners — Conceptually, healthcare ‘frontliners’ including doctors, matrons,

nurses, and medical assistants are the ‘unsung’ heroes during this continuous battle

against COVID-19. The long working hours under uncomfortable and stressful
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conditions may jeopardize their psychological well-being as well as their morale and

work performance (Waleed et al., 2020). Operationally, the frontliners in the study

were the people who monitor the COVID patients in the accredited quarantine

facilities.

Health Protocols — Conceptually, in implementing the health protocols,

assistance, additional costs, improvement of human resource capacity, and special

equipment are required, so that the health protocol could be implemented properly. On

the other hand, most stakeholders stated that the online coordination system during the

pandemic for the implementation of construction projects tends to be less effective

(Larasati, et. al, 2021). Operationally, the study's health protocols were the guidelines

that are given by the Bacolod City Inter-Agency Task Force (AITF).

Hoteliers — Conceptually, efforts are placed on the cleaning and disinfection of

rooms and common areas, and the use of protective equipment including masks.

Bookings from visitor arrivals from highly countries affected were prohibited as

accordance of the preventive protocols (Lo, et al., 2006). Operationally, the hoteliers

in the study were the employees who cater or accommodate the patients or the guests

in the quarantine facilities.

Housekeeper Personnel — Conceptually, hotel housekeepers clean, organize

and maintain guest rooms and other public areas of a hotel. Operationally, they

maintain a pleasant ambiance by meeting tidiness and cleanliness standards as well as

the sanitation and disinfection throughout the facility, creating a better and safer guest

environment.
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Hygiene — Conceptually, it refers to practices emerging as a critical

component to controlling and preventing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

WASH infrastructure to enable the practice of safe behaviors and strengthen resilience

during a large-scale health crisis (Bauza, et. al, 2021). Operationally, the proper ways

or guidelines that kept the employees and patients in the accredited quarantine

facilities clean.

Management Operation — Conceptually, the management is the process,

which combines and transforms various resources used in the operation subsystem of

the organization into value added services in a controlled manner as per the policies of

the organization (Anil Anumar & Suresh, 2009). Operationally, management

operation in the study was the procedures used by the accredited quarantine facilities

in accommodating or serving the COVID patients.

Pandemic — Conceptually, comes from the Greek pan meaning “all” and demos

“the people”, and is commonly taken to refer to a widespread epidemic of contagious

disease throughout the whole world, a state, and one or many regions (Honigsbaum,

2009). Operationally, the pandemic in the study was the new virus called Coronavirus

2019 also known as COVID-19 that affects the employees and guests of the

quarantine facilities.

Protocols — Conceptually, it is seen as important to the wider use of shared care

where specialist expertise was devolved to the primary sector. Guidelines for the

collection of standard datasets were also being promoted as aids to clinical audit of

process and outcomes (Gordon, et. al 1987). Operationally, outlines a collection of

procedures or actions that must be followed in all the accredited quarantine facilities.
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Recording — Conceptually, when conducting an interview, choices on how

to “record” the data have to be made. It is possible to simply utilize field notes, a tape

recorder, or either. If somehow the discussion is video filmed, the analyst might

choose to copy it, operate from the recorded conversation, or do both (Tessier, 2012).

Operationally, recording in the study is the listing or monitoring done by the

employees to the patients. A requirement was a constraint that governs environmental

occurrences. A description was a subset of a need that provides sufficient data for the

facilitator to create the device (by coding it) without any knowledge.

Requirements — Conceptually, to describe requirements appropriately we

must fit our descriptions into an appropriate structure (Jackson, 1997). Operationally,

it was the important documents that showed to the employees or hoteliers before

entering to the accredited quarantine facility such as vaccination card, swab test results

and the like.

Referral — Conceptually, it is defined as a written request for one diagnosis

and treatment from a healthcare professional to some other medical specialist or health

service (Healthdirect, 2021). Operationally, the study was a process by which the

accredited quarantine facilities were informed about a patient to be quarantined in the

facility.

Quarantine — Conceptually, it is defined as the restriction of persons who

were presumed to have been exposed to a contagious disease but were not ill. (Cetron

& Landwirth, 2005). Operationally, a mandatory act of each accredited quarantine

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facility of the study by which the individuals came from another country or had

contact with a COVID positive patient would undergo isolation in the facility.

Review of Related Literature

This section encompasses diverse literature concerning accredited quarantine

facilities, the operational management procedures or processes of hotels, safety

protocols, and health practices of the facilities. The information was gathered mainly

from online journals, online sources, and online publications that provided the

researchers with comprehensive knowledge about the variables involved in the

conduct of the study.

Level of Awareness of the Employees

The first level of the thorough monitoring process is heightened health and risk

awareness. Though some managers have stated, the fundamental change since the

emergence of a virus has been heightened health and safety practices. According to the

research, staff become more conscious of the COVID-19 medical issue and had an

increased knowledge of health and risk perception. (Hu et.al., 2020) According to

Department of Tourism (2020), Staff will be trained in the proper use of disinfectants

or sanitizing solutions and provided with appropriate PPE such as face masks, gloves,

disposable gowns or coveralls, and closed shoes; Employees must use PPE such as

disposable gloves, eye protection gear (goggles), and face masks when cleaning guest

rooms and other common areas. Housekeeping workers must utilize extra protective

equipment, such as disposable or washable coveralls and protective shoe coverings,

while cleaning rooms occupied by a suspected sick individual, in compliance with

DOH disinfection procedure rules.

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Precautionary measures, such as physical distancing, hand cleaning, and

respiratory etiquette, must be strictly observed; frequent sanitation of high-touched

surfaces in guestrooms and public areas using the prescribed sanitizing solutions by

the DOH or WHO must be conducted; Elevator buttons, handles, handrails, switches,

doorknobs, kitchen worktops, and other commonly handled things must be given

special attention. Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) on correct

handwashing, respiratory etiquette, and face mask use must be placed in obvious

settings, notably in toilets and other wash areas.

Challenges Employees in Complying with the Health and Safety Protocols

The epidemic is present to an unprecedent challenge to the hotel business.

Community lockdowns, social distancing, stay-at-home orders, travel and mobility

restrictions, and other strategies to flatten the COVID-19 curve results the temporary

closure of many hospitality businesses and a significant decrease in demand for

businesses that are allowed to continue operating (Bartik et al., 2020). While the

hospitality industry is slowly recovering, the COVID-19 crisis continues to have a

significant impact on how hotels operate. In the COVID-19 business climate,

hospitality organizations are required to make significant adjustments to their

operations in order to protect staff and customer health and safety, as well as increase

consumer willingness to patronize their business (Gössling et al., 2020).

Complying to the safety and health protocols give challenges to the workers to

mitigate the transmissions of the deadly and contagious virus. In general, these

challenges include: insufficient communication & response, increased mental health

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risks, maintaining physical distancing, lack of trainings and awareness, regular hygiene

& disinfection among employees (International Labour Organization, 2020).

A contingency plan will ensure safe and equal work conditions for all workers,

including those participating in rescue and rehabilitation efforts, by providing personal

safety equipment and medical aid. One of the most important cornerstones of epidemic

response is risk communication. It refers to the exchange of information, advice, and

views in real time between health specialists or officials and individuals who face a

threat (hazard) to their survival, health, economic well-being, or social well-being

(ILO, 2018). Moreover, the stress associated with uncertainty can have negative

consequences on workers’ well-being and mental health, such as depression, burnout,

and anxiety (Kim & von dem Knesebeck, 2015) and lack of social support or social

networks. Difficulty performing self-care practices like fitness, eating a nutritious diet

and, adequate rest (WHO & ILO, 2018). Furthermore, ensure social distance at the

workplace and remain out of “congregate settings” as much as possible. Unfavorable

health effects of occupational hazards at an early stage when it is easier to treat the

disease (e.g. by maintaining an eye out over illness and perhaps other warning

symptoms of infectious illness in employees). Employees and their delegates on the

established procedures to decrease the likelihood of virus transmission and how to

respond in the event of COVID-19 transmission. Personal protection equipment (PPE)

use, cleaning, and disposal will be addressed in training for high-risk workers. The risk

of infection with COVID-19 for these workers can arise from contact with potentially

contaminated materials, surfaces, and environments (WHO & UNICEF, 2020). Hand
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washing, protection, and appropriate sanitizing procedures will be performed by staff

who administer the disinfection and waste management of these establishments.

Implementation of Health and Safety Protocols in the Facilities

The pandemic crisis causes a change in tourism trends that affect the way

hotels are managed. In accordance with the United Nations, hotels must guarantee safe

experiences for customers by incorporating sustainability measures (2020). In the new

situation, hotel managers wonder what tourism product to offer, under what

conditions, and how to give value to the tourism service in the middle of a virus that

produces advantages and respect for loyal consumers (Breier et al., 2021). With the

advent of the virus, the notion of "safety" has shifted from tourist activities to health

care.

In the Philippines, the government spearheads the initiatives to release Interim

Guidelines on Workplace Prevention and Control of COVID–19 where workers and

employers are required to follow total precautionary actions as the government

struggles to combat the dangerous virus (Department of Labor and Employment,

2020). In the current context of the pandemic, health authorities propose that hotels

have to guarantee the safety of the service provider and their clients (WHO, 2020).

This new strategy for perceptions is based on two aspects "ad intra," which also

conforms to the new definition of "safety" to those who create the knowledge, and "ad

extra," which instills enough trust in the customers. As a result, the service must

adhere to standards of hygiene, social distancing, and all security protocols established

by the nation's health authorities. This is what those characteristics define in the paper

as a “safe experience”.
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In order to navigate the uncharted terrain that results from the pandemic, there

is a palpable need for hotels to re-assess current business practices, and quickly devise

innovative strategies that secure both clients' and workers' health and safety. It is only

then that stakeholder confidence in hotels might be restored and will currently

underperforming hotel performance indicators such as occupancy and average daily

rate be rejuvenated. Indeed, many hotels have already deployed a host of innovations

in response to the pandemic (Shin and Kang, 2020) - ranging from procedures that

ensure increased hygiene standards and social distancing to adjustments in booking

and cancellation policies, etc. (Hang et.al, 2020; Hao et.al., 2020; Hu et al., 2020). In

terms of proper hygiene and social distancing, maintain at least one (1) meter distance

from others and avoid physical contact with other employees, like handshakes.

Moreover, wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use 60% to

70% alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Keep your hands clean before, during, and after

working (Department of Health, 2020).

The basis of the questionnaire is guidelines for the quarantine facility in

charge, Health professionals, Quarantine people, and their family members to guide

them with respect to the discharge from the Quarantine facility and follow-up action in

the community after duty. This is based on government guidelines provided to adhere

to the safety and health practices of employees in the quarantine facilities given that

employees are dealing with infected patients inside the isolation area. At this juncture

employees are expected to observe safety and health practices or simply the health

protocols mandated by the government and health organizations.

Synthesis
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Literature from Hu and others (2020), shows organizations in the hospitality

industry need to ensure safe operations by facilitating employee compliance with

COVID-19 safety measures and employees’ increased level of awareness in complying

with the health and safety protocols of the authority. Building with the existing studies,

(Bartik et.al, 2020) hospitality businesses encounter challenges and changes in their

operations to align with the health and safety measures given. Moreover, the study by

Shin and Kang (2020) connotes that the implementation of the protocols in the hotels

must be applied effectively and hotels should initiate plans or strategies in response to

the protocols. After reviewing the available literature that can possibly help the present

study, the researchers will be reinforced with ideas in addressing the current issue

generally, to determine the safety and health practices of accredited quarantine

facilities. With regards to the specific objectives or research questions of the study, the

literature review makes the objectives or questions much clearer and helps identify

lacking information that the researchers can possibly add to fortify their research

questions into making it even simpler, more concise, and specific. Also, with the help

of the literature review, the researchers will be able to distinguish the accredited

quarantine facilities providing ease to the research when it comes to the actual data

collection method in the future.

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METHODS

This section presented a description of the research design selection,

description of respondents, research instrument, data gathering procedure, statistical

treatment used and ethical considerations.

Research Design

A descriptive research design was used for the study. According to McCombes

(2019), a descriptive research design tried to characterize a population, condition, or

phenomenon in a methodical and accurate manner. A descriptive research design could

study one or more variables using a range of research methods, the variables were the

data on the profile of the employees, level of awareness of the employees towards the

prescribed health and safety protocols, challenges employees encountered in

complying with the health and safety protocols, extent of health and safety practices

implementation as perceived by the employees from the twenty (20) different

accredited quarantine facilities.

A descriptive research design’s goal or purpose was to characterized

phenomena and its characteristics. This study was more interested in what happened

than how or why it happened. As a result, observation and survey tools were

frequently utilized to collect data (Gall, Gall, & Borg, 2007).

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Participants of the Study

According to the Bacolod City’s website, the Inter-Agency Task Force

assigned twenty-four (24) accredited quarantine facilities to operate their business

during the pandemic. The researchers sent an agency consent letter to the said

facilities, but only twenty (20) confirmed and gave their permission. The participants

of the study were 100 employees of the twenty (20) accredited quarantine facilities.

The participants were the employees assigned by the management of the hotels. The

selection of twenty (20) accredited quarantine facilities were based on the operation

during the pandemic and not in the present time. The study does not focus on the

present operation but during the midst of the pandemic. The researchers identified the

data of the participants through the management of each hotel. There were five (5)

average employees who worked during the pandemic since management followed the

government protocols. The researchers provided agency consent on each hotel to allow

the researchers to conduct a study or survey to their employees. Moreover, the

participants were given consent forms allowing employees to answer the

questionnaires with honesty and anonymity. Agency and informed consent forms

ensured the researchers and the participants the safe-conduct of the study.

In choosing the participants of the study, the researchers used a total

enumeration technique due to the limited numbers of employees available for

questioning assigned in the operation of every hotel. The total enumeration technique

utilized when the whole population was used as the sampling size since there was only

a small number of participants available for the study due to the different management

concerned of the accredited quarantine facilities.

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Instrument

This study's primary data-gathering tool was a self - made survey

questionnaire, which used to collect the information needed to meet the study's

objectives. The survey form served as the questionnaire including personal information

of the participants and the actual survey. Also, in the survey questionnaire, the

researchers included questions about the business profile of accredited facilities in

terms of the facility’s name and location Moreover, the profile of employees in terms

of age, sex, position of employment and length in service. The questionnaire contained

three (3) parts - The first part was the employees’ profile of the accredited quarantine

facilities. The second part was the overall level of awareness of the prescribed wherein

the items from the questionnaire were taken from the Department of Tourism (2020),

and challenges encountered among the employees with the health and safety protocols

wherein the items from the questionnaire were adopted from International Labour

Organization (2020), Kim & von dem Knesebeck (2015), and United Nation

Children’s Fund or UNICEF (2020).

Third part included the objectives of the study - the extent of implementation of

the health and safety practices as perceived by the employees in terms of: referral,

facilities, requirements, health protocols, recording, meals and medicine, hygiene and

disinfection. The items of the questionnaire were adopted from Ministry of Health and

Family Welfare (2020) and Szentesi and others (2021). By this strategy, the

researchers provided intact statistics and information regarding the employees and

facilities operational system in the time of COVID19 pandemic.

 21

The questionnaire's draft was generated based on the researchers' self-created

questions. The researchers also decided to consider a virtual interview with the

participants only if the participants failed to provide the needed data to further enhance

the effectiveness of information and to clearly state the factual and reliable information

that the study sought answers for. The instrument was thus completed to gather valid

answers from the participants.

To know the validity and reliability of the questionnaire, the researchers sought

professional advice from the panel of experts based on their tactics and it was checked

by the researcher’s adviser to further revised if there was insufficient information,

misleading and unrelated questions that was asked to the participants. For its reliability

the researchers made sure that the study was well written provided that, information

from the study would help the vulnerable sectors for the betterment of safety and

health regulation to be made and need to be improved in the hotel industry. Once the

data instrument was identified, data gathering procedures occurred.

In the study, the tools used in the content validity test was Goods and Scates

Validity Test. The procedure of the study was based on the input suggested by the

panelists or the expert in the field of research. The researchers requested for the

validity of the study to the three (3) panel evaluators to determine if the study passed

the standard or validity test. Then, the panel evaluators reviewed the instrument and

returned the paper to the researchers with the rating form.

 22

The panel evaluators gave the total average score of 4.1 which means the

instrument was valid. The result from the questionnaire given by the experts were used

to enhance the tool’s validity.

The safety and health practices of the hotels or facilities were determined

through a survey. The reliability of the tool was verified using Cronbach’s Alpha (α)

for internal consistency and the participants of the reliability testing were not the actual

participants of the study, the non-accredited quarantine facilities, having a result of

0.717 showed high reliability thus, a reliability coefficient of .70 or higher was

considered acceptable in most social science research situations (Bruin, 2006). This

concluded the researchers that the researcher-made tool was adequate to use in the data

collection of the actual participants of the study.

Data Gathering Procedure

The process of conducting the study started with identifying the accredited

quarantine facilities based on the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) data and by the

confirmation of the facilities assigned. After that, the researchers distributed agency

consent letters to the managers of each hotel to ask permission to conduct a study.

The survey questionnaire was distributed by the managers. The researchers

gave at least 5 days’ ample time to all the participants to answer the survey, from the

1st week of October until 3rd week of October.

 23

Before the distribution of the survey, the researchers prepared an informed

consent form that was addressed to the chosen participants and let them sign. In the

consent form, the participants were informed of the whereabouts of the study and

asked permission to each participant to answer the survey. Furthermore, to let the

participants know that the study was for educational purposes and all the information

was kept confidential.

The researchers administered the survey through a face-to-face survey to the

hotels while following safety and health protocols. Safety and health protocols such as

observing social distancing while giving out the survey forms, wearing of face masks

all the time, maintaining proper personal hygiene by washing hands often with soap

and water for at least 20 seconds or using a hand sanitizer with at least 70% alcohol

frequently and lastly, the researchers should be fully vaccinated before conducting a

survey.

Then, the researchers reviewed the answers of the participants to ensure the

answers are valid and appropriate. If in some case an error had been detected by the

researchers, the response was marked as invalid.

After all the survey forms were answered, the researchers analyzed and tallied

the data gathered that were used for interpretation. The statistical tools such as

percentage and mean were used. Once the data gathered, analyzed, and interpreted, the

researchers came up with the conclusion and recommendations of the study.

 24

Statistical Treatment

The following statistical treatment was applied to the data collected for the

research study.

The first objective of the study aimed to determine the profile of the one

hundred (100) employees from the twenty (20) different accredited quarantine

facilities in terms of age, sex, position and length in service, frequency percentile was

used.

The second objective was to determine the level of awareness of the employees

of the prescribed health and safety protocols wherein mean was used.

The third objective aimed to identify the challenges employees encountered in

complying with the health and safety protocols which frequency percentile was used.

The fourth objective, which aimed to determine the extent of implementation

of the existing health and safety practices as perceived by the employees in terms of

referral, facilities, requirements, health protocols, recording, meals and medicine,

hygiene and disinfection where the mean was obtained to get the average score for

each item.
 25

Table 1.

Statistical Table
Mean score Mean Implementation
3.26 – 4.00 Highly Implemented
2.6 – 3.25 Implemented
1.76 – 2.5 Slightly Implemented
1.0 – 1.75 Not Implemented
The table is adopted from “Impact of Environmental Crises on the Longevity
and Stability of Family-Owned Businesses in Bacolod City: An Orthodoxical
Approach” by Acuña, et.al.(2018).
Ethical Considerations

This study aimed to determine the safety and health practices of accredited

quarantine facilities in Bacolod City during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results that

were obtained in the research study were communicated to the company using the

contact information provided to them during and after the online survey whenever the

company or participants request the study's findings. Furthermore, the researchers took

various ethical considerations to ensure the study was made reliable and concise.

Before conducting the study, researchers ensured that formal consent was

created and approved by the research adviser before sending it to the different

accredited quarantine facilities to permit the face-to-face participation of participants

in answering the survey questionnaire. The informed consent contained a thorough

explanation of the purpose of the study to ensure that participants would clearly

understand their roles in responding to what the researchers' intentions were. Hence,

the words in the consent were expressed comprehensively and written in the English

language. The consent was voluntarily given, and participants fully decided to take

part or refuse in the research study. Since the participants' engagement was voluntary,
 26

declining their involvement did not affect the study results. Participants was given

enough time and chance to raise their concerns about the surveys and withdraw any

time of their choice even if the consent was already signed. All participants were

informed ahead about the purpose of the study before conducting the face-to-face

survey.

The participants as given the option to keep their names hidden or not in filling

out the survey questionnaire to ease in completing responses and lessen all worries

concerning security issues. The researchers were also explained that all gathered data

was kept confidential and whatever information provided by the participants was only

used for the sole purpose of the study. Researchers were guaranteed to take full

responsibility for protecting the subjects' dignity and publication of the information in

the research study.

Researchers secured polite wordings written in survey questionnaires to the

participants not to cause any harm to their physical, mental, psychological, and social

well-being throughout the data collection and evaluation process. Furthermore, the

researchers aimed to arrive at valuable findings from the collected data and made use

of the information correctly to address the health and safety practices of accredited

quarantine facilities. Researchers anticipated establishing better solutions or

suggestions to the problem which could benefit different companies and other sectors.
 27

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

         This section comprised the findings as well as the interpretations of the

findings of the study based on the gathered data by the researchers. The analysis and

interpretation were supported using relevant statistical tools based on the study's

objectives.

Table 2 shows the frequency percentile of employees’ profiles in terms of age.

Majority of the employees were twenty-three (23) to thirty-eight (38) years old with

seventy-seven percent (77%) or seventy-seven (77) out of one hundred (100)

frequency percentile. Fifteen (15) out of one hundred (100) employees were thirty-nine

(39) to fifty-four (54) years old. Six (6) out of one hundred (100) employees who

worked in the accredited quarantine facilities were eighteen (18) to twenty-two (22)

years old. Lastly, two (2) out of one hundred (100) employees were ages fifty-five (55)

to sixty (60) years old and was the lowest percentage with two percent (2%) of

employees who worked in the accredited quarantine facilities

Table 2. Employees’ Profiles in Terms of Age

Variable Group f %

Age 18 - 22 years old 6 0.06

23 - 38 years old 77 0.77

39 - 54 years old 15 0.15

55 - 60 years old 2 0.02

 28

In Table 3, the result shows the frequency distribution of employees’ profiles in

terms of sex. Employees were both composed of fifty (50) female and fifty (50) males.

Table 3. Employees’ Profiles in Terms of Sex

Variable Group f %

Sex Female 50 0.50

Male 50 0.50

Table 4 presents the result of employees’ profiles in terms of positions. The

majority of participants were in the position of housekeeping which consisted of thirty-

four (34) out of one hundred (100) employees. Then, the lowest percentage was

composed of office staff with only one (1%) of the participants or one (1) out of one

hundred (100) employees. 

 29

Table 4. Employees’ Profiles in Terms of Their Positions

Variable Group f %

Positions Housekeeping Personnel 34 0.34

Front Office Personnel 25 0.25

Kitchen Personnel 15 0.15

Personnel 14 0.14

Guard Personnel 4 0.04

HR Personnel 3 0.03

Sales and Marketing Personnel 2 0.02

Maintenance Personnel 2 0.02

Office Personnel 1 0.01

In Table 5, the result shows the employees’ profiles in terms of length in

service wherein the highest percentage of participants who worked with the accredited

quarantine facilities for two (2) years or more were composed of thirty-seven (37) out

of one hundred (100) employees. Then, the lowest frequency was composed of seven

(7) out of one hundred (100) participants who were working in the facilities for one (1)

to five (5) months already.

 30

Table 5. Employees’ Profiles in Terms of Length in Service

Variable Group f %

Length in Service 2 years or more 37 0.37

11 - 15 months 35 0.35

6 - 10 months 21 0.21

1 - 5 months 7 0.07

In Table 6, the result shows the employees’ level of awareness of the

prescribed health and safety protocols. The value of the level of awareness of the

employees towards the health protocol with highest value was 3.77 which interprets

that employees were very aware. On the other hand, employees were very aware of the

importance of continuous disinfection in the facility having the lowest value of 3.59.

The study of Tripathi et.al. (2020) supports the findings with regards to the

level of awareness of employees in the workplace is highly implemented and practice

as well as preventive measures are strictly observed. Most participants indicated that

health organizations are the most trustworthy sources of information. The most

frequent preventive behaviors reported by respondents are hand washing and social

withdrawal, which were followed by avoiding travel to a region or nation that was

contaminated and using face masks.

 31

Table 6. Employees’ Level of Awareness of the Prescribed Health and Safety

Protocols

Criteria Mean Standard Interpretatio

Deviation n
(SD)

The level of awareness towards the health 3.77 0.45 Very Aware
protocols.

How aware of the importance of social 3.76 0.54 Very Aware

distancing.

How aware are you on the safety measure 3.73 0.45 Very Aware
and proper hygiene needed after working
in the facility?

How knowledgeable are you of the use of 3.63 0.49 Very Aware
the different Personal Protective
Equipment (PPE) and the importance of
these?

How aware of the importance of 3.59 0.45 Very Aware

continuous disinfection in the facility?

Table 7 shows results of the challenges encountered by the employees in

complying with the health and safety protocols. Maintaining physical distancing was

the highest frequency of seventy-five (75) out of one hundred (100) employees

answered and the most encountered challenge with thirty-eight percent (38%). The

lowest frequency of four (4) out of one hundred (100) participants answered that

insufficient communication & response was the encountered challenge of the

employees in complying with the health and safety protocols with two percent (2%). 

The study of Razu et. al. (2021) supports the findings of the study with regards

to inadequate healthcare staffing, awareness of the virus, and inadequate training are

some of the causes of an overwhelming workload, which ultimately led to

 32

psychological stress. In each facility where the respondents worked, coordination

breakdowns between various administration sections were common, creating a chaotic

environment. As a result, the rules required to ensure safety were unclear to both

doctors and patients, which raised the danger of infection. There is frequently a lack of

medical personnel and equipment, which led to an unsustainable burden and safety

risk. Participants experienced significant psychological stress due to their workload

and ongoing concern of infection for both them and their family members.

Table 7. Employees’ Challenges Encountered in Complying with the Health and Safety
Protocols

Variable Group f %

Challenges Maintaining physical distancing 75 0.75

Encountered
Regular hygiene & disinfection 43 0.43

Increased mental health risk 37 0.37

Lack of trainings and awareness 37 0.37

Insufficient communication & response 4 0.04

Table 8 explains the results of employees’ extent of health and safety practices

implementation as perceived by the employees in terms of referral. A value of 3.77

which interprets that the accredited quarantine facilities were highly implemented

strictly no walk -ins allowed. A value of 3.77 showed a result that suspended or

confirmed to have COVID 19 were contacted the facilities first before entering the

facilities’ respective area was highly implemented in the facilities. Next criteria where

suspected patients were screened for symptoms before the appointment. This must be
 33

done before the patient was allowed to be admitted to the facility with a value of 3.56

and was highly implemented. 

The study of Concha, A. (2022) supports the findings of the study with regards

to the most screening referrals are done via phone navigation since the COVID-19

pandemic had increased the strain on healthcare services to cope with a medical

emergency. Early in the pandemic, a mechanism for referring and transferring people

with COVID-19 who are suspected or proven to have the disease had to be established

through local networks of healthcare organizations and facilities; such a system would

reduce the time and risk it takes for patients to receive definitive care.

Table 8. Employees’ Extent of Health and Safety Practices in terms of Referral

Criteria Mean Standard Interpretation

Deviation
(SD)

3.77 0.47 Highly Implemented

Strictly no walk -ins allowed.
Suspended or confirmed to have
COVID 19 should contact the
facility first before entering our
respective area.

Suspected patients are screened for

symptoms before the appointment. 3.56 0.50 Highly Implemented
This must be done before the patient
will be allowed to be admitted to the
facility

In Table 9, the result shows the employees' extent of health and safety practices

implementation as perceived by the employees in terms of facilities. A value of 3.54

which interpreted as highly implemented that the facilities ensured that employees

were wearing the requisite Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in entering the
 34

workplace. The facility provided signage or information about the protocols that

should be observed, emergency contact numbers and social distancing marks to every

area of the establishment having an interpretation of highly implemented with a value

of 3.69.

According to Griswold, D., et. Al. (2021). Personal Protective Equipment

(PPE) is paramount to protect health care workers and employees from contracting the

virus and becoming disease carriers. The following are the minimum standards for

recommended Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for trauma surgery personnel that

supports the findings: Surgical masks or better for all personnel interacting with

patients and in the operating room (including cleaning staff); N95 or better masks for

all personnel in close contact with the patients (6 ft away).

Table 9. Employees’ Extent of Health and Safety Practices Implementation in terms of

Facilities

Criteria Mean Standard Interpretation

Deviation
(SD)

The facility provides signage or 3.69 0.63 Highly Implemented

information about the protocols that
should be observe, emergency
contact numbers and social
distancing marks to every area of
the establishment.

The facility ensure that employees

3.54 0.46 Highly Implemented
are wearing the requisite personal
protective equipment or PPE in
entering the workplace
 35

Table 10 presents the result of the employees’ extent of health and safety

practices implementation as perceived by the employees in terms of requirements. The

criteria of the employees undergo a detection process wherein all employees entering

the building premises, shall be required to accomplish the declaration form and scan

their temperature in the thermal scanner having an interpretation of highly

implemented with a value of 3.49.

The study of Smith, A., (2020) supports the findings of the study with regards

to the employee's body temperature is a medical examination and will be kept

confidential. Employers will give workers self-screening forms to complete each

workday indicating whether they have a fever or COVID-19 symptoms. The study

recommend keeping people at least 6 feet apart when people are standing in line to

have their temperatures measured.

Table 10. Employees’ Extent of Health and Safety Practices in terms of Requirements

Criteria Mean Standard Interpretation

Deviation
(SD)

3.49 0.63 Highly Implemented

Employees undergo a detection
process. All employees
entering the building premises,
shall be required to accomplish
the declaration form and scan
their temperature in the
thermal scanner.
 36

Table 11 shows the result of employees’ extent of health and safety practices

implementation as perceived by the employees in terms of health protocol. A value of

3.57 with an interpretation of highly implemented in terms of following the 14 - days

home quarantine or isolation whenever an employee experienced symptom of COVID

19. Employees complied with the RT-PCR Test weekly have a value of 2.77 and as

implemented. 

The findings are comparable to Teng et.al., (2021) recent research in China,

which found that most quarantine hotel personnel are taking measures during the

COVID-19 pandemic, indicating that quarantine employees were generally keen to

accept behavioral modifications to prevent COVID-19 infections.

Table 11. Employees’ Extent of Health and Safety Practices Implementation in terms
of Health Protocol

Criteria Mean Standard Interpretation

Deviation
(SD)

3.57 0.62 Highly Implemented

Follows the 14 - days home quarantine
or isolation whenever an employee is
experiencing symptoms of COVID 19.

Employees comply with the RT-PCR

Test weekly. 2.77 1.03 Implemented

Table 12’s data shows the results of employees’ extent of health and safety

practices implementation as perceived by the employees in terms of recording. A value

of 3.68 which interprets as highly implemented that employees were frequently being

tracked or monitored by the management of their health status or conditions.

 37

Employees were being monitored if they have been exposed to people with common

COVID symptoms has a value of 3.58 and an interpretation of highly implemented.

The study of the United States Department of Labor (2021) supports the results

that to maintain or resume operations and reopen physical work sites, companies may

choose to employ the technique of screening employees for COVID-19 indications

and/or symptoms (for example, through temperature checks). The screening

complexity depends on the type of workplace that the employee attends to

Table 12. Employees’ Extent of Health and Safety Practices Implementation in terms
of Recording

Criteria Mean Standard Interpretation

Deviation
(SD)

3.68 0.57 Highly Implemented

Employees are frequently being
tracked or monitored by the
management of their health status or
conditions.

Employees are being monitored if they 3.58 0.61 Highly Implemented

have been exposed to people with
common COVID symptoms

Table 13 shows the result on employees’ extent of health and safety practices

implementation as perceived by the employees in terms of meals and medicine.

Employees were assured to have or be given healthy meals daily was highly

implemented by the facilities with a value of 3.50. Facilities were highly implemented

that the employees were given medical support such as free check - ups and supplies

such as vitamins by the company or facility with a value of 3.42.

 38

The study of Teng et.al., (2020) supports the findings of the study with regards

in implementing quarantine services, quarantine hotels must provide three meals a day

using disposable lunch boxes on a trolley outside guest rooms to avoid contact with

quarantine guests.

Table 13. Employees’ Extent of Health and Safety Practices in terms of Meals and
Medicine

Criteria Mean Standard Interpretation

Deviation
(SD)

3.50 0.61 Highly

Employees are assured to Implemented
have or be given healthy
meals daily.
3.42 0.64 Implemented
Employees are given medical
support such as free check -
ups and supplies such as
vitamins by their company or
facility.

Table 14 shows the result of the extent of health and safety practices

implementation as perceived by the employees in terms of hygiene and disinfection.

Facility provided hygiene kits such as soap, alcohol, hand sanitizer and masks to

employees and interpreted as highly implemented with a value of 3.45. Facility made

sure that the surrounding was disinfected every day and highly implemented with a

value of 3.64.

The finding coincides to Teng et.al., (2020) study in China which discuss the

disinfection and cleaning of all potentially contaminated surfaces, including elevators,

rooms, passages, lobbies, reception desks, public toilets, hotel entrances and exits,
 39

door handles, and any other public facilities, should be disinfected using household

bleach at least three times a day and recorded.

Table 14. Employees’ Extent of Health and Safety Practices in terms of Hygiene and
Disinfection

Criteria Mean Standard Interpretation

Deviation
(SD)

3.64 0.66 Highly Implemented

Facility makes sure that the
surrounding is disinfected every
day.

Facility provides hygiene kits such 3.45 0.56 Highly Implemented

as soap, alcohol, hand sanitizer and
masks to employees
 40

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This section will discuss the conclusion insinuated by the researchers based on

the findings, and the recommendations made for future researchers or readers if the

study will be replicated for future use. The chapter will provide generalizations and

recommendations.

Conclusion

Overall, the researchers have found that the number one objective which is

employees’ level of awareness of the towards the prescribed health and safety

protocols that the said employees were highly aware of these, and this has led to a

reduction of positive cases nationwide. The second objective was also answered as the

researchers were able to identify the challenges that employees encountered in

complying with the health and safety protocols. It was found that the number once

challenge is maintaining social distancing. And the last of objective which is the extent

of health and safety practices implementation as perceived by the employees in terms

of referral, facilities, requirements, health protocols, recording, and last meals and

medicine were all found to be highly implemented quarantine in terms of referral,

facilities, requirements, health protocols, recording, meals, and medicine, hygiene, and

disinfection.

The study has yielded answers that showed how the facilities and its operations

worked during the pandemic with all the prescribed health and safety protocols from

the point of view of the employees that were the ones on the ground.
 41

Recommendations

The findings and conclusion of this study have implied recommendations that

can be addressed to the involved stakeholders. In the results of the study, it is found

that the number one challenge encountered by employees in complying with the health

and safety protocols was maintaining social distancing. The researchers recommend

that the government specifically the DOST, begin research on ways on how to reduce

the use of humans in the operations of these accredited quarantine facilities.

Technology such as self-check with the use of computers or touch screen displays to

reduce the human contact with the front house operations of these facilities, this

reduces the need for social distancing as there are no humans coming into contact. This

would reduce the exposure of employees and ensure that hotel operations continue. A

next would be that delivery of food to rooms and other operations can use AI

technology to reduce the amount of contact face to face. This type of technology is

already being used in other countries and just needs optimization to be used in the

Philippines.

The researchers based on results recommend maintaining physical distancing,

strictly monitoring employees, and creating workspaces that force them to be distanced

or putting signs and markings that help employees acknowledge the need to be socially

distanced.

In terms of regular hygiene and disinfection, facilities must provide sanitation

equipment and strictly monitors areas of high exposure to people. Also, provide

disinfection chambers to ensure that employees do not scatter the virus and encourage

rules such as less touching and fewer problems for everyone.

 42

Based on results the researchers recommend ways to avoid an increased risk of

mental health issues, hotels should keep their employees entertained, hazard pay, and

treat them special to keep morale up. Moreover, feed good food and fair shifts with a

2-week break to keep COVID-19 away.

To combat the lack of training and awareness by the employees, researchers

recommend that authorities or the facilities themselves should create training and

seminars that revolve around the challenges that the pandemic brings and how to deal

with it. Online seminars and constant training could have been a thing during COVID

if the government was more proactive and were constantly monitored the activities of

employees and these facilities.

The study’s findings and results will be a promising basis for future use

wherein this study will help the Department of Health and Local Government Units

improve the safety and health measures that the people need to comply with.

This study can be a basis for future research and studies that will revolve

around improvements toward the conversion of private hospitality facilities into

quarantine facilities during times like the pandemic where in the extra flexibility is

needed for this special circumstance. The researchers hope that after experiencing the

pandemic and having a point of view from the inside of these quarantine facilities and

their operations that the world may never see a somewhat similar pandemic that has

stopped the world and all its functions

 43

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APPENDIX A: INFORMED CONSENT FORM

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APPENDIX B: SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE PART 1: Employee Profile

Direction: Please put a tick ✔ at the appropriate box/column or write in your answers

where it is appropriate

Age: _____ Sex: _____

Position:

Name of the Accredited Quarantine Facility:

Location:

Length in Service:

1 – 5 months

6 – 10

months 11 - 15

months

if 16 months or more (please specify): _______

PART 2.A: Level of Awareness

Direction: Please check the box that corresponds to your answers using the guide

below.

Numerical Code Interpretation

4 Very Aware
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3 Aware

2 Slightly aware

1 Not aware

Questions Rating

1 2 3 4

1. Indicate the level of awareness towards the

health protocols.

2. How knowledgeable are you of the use of

the different Personal Protective Equipment

(PPE) and the importance of these?

3. How aware are of the importance of social

distancing.

4. How aware are you of the importance of

continuous dis infection in the facility?

5. Indicate how aware are you on the safety

measures and proper hygiene needed after

working in the facility.

Adopted from (Department of Tourism, 2020)

PART 2.B: Challenges Encounter

Direction: Please put a tick ✔ at the appropriate box/column that corresponds to your

answers using the guide below.

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Insufficient Increased Maintaining Lack of Regular Others

communication mental physical trainings hygiene & (please

& response health risks distancing and disinfection specify

awareness

Adopted from (International Labour Organization, 2020), (Kim, T.J. & von dem

Knesebeck, O., 2015), & (United Nation Children’s Fund (UNICEF), 2020).

PART 3: Extent of Health and Safety Practices Implementation as Perceived By

the Employees in terms of: a. referral; b. facilities; c. requirements; d. health

protocols; e. recording; f. meals and medicine; g. hygiene and disinfection.

Direction: Put a check ✔ to evaluate the practices under a corresponding number

with an equivalent understatement (4 = highly implemented, 3 = implemented, 2 =

slightly implemented and 1 = not implemented). Read Carefully.

QUESTIONS 1 2 3 4

A. Referral

1. Strictly no walk-ins allowed. Suspected or confirmed to have

COVID19 should contact the facility first before entering our respective

area.
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2. Suspected patients are screened for symptoms before the appointment.

This must be done before the patient will be allowed to be admitted to the

facility.

B. Facilities

1. The facility ensures that employees are wearing the requisite personal

protective equipment or PPE in entering the workplace.

2. The facility provides signage or information about the protocols that

should be observe, emergency contact numbers and social distancing marks

to every area of the establishment.

C. Requirements

1. Employees undergoes detection process. All employees entering the

building premises, shall be required to accomplish the declaration form

and scan their temperature in the thermal scanner.

D. Health Protocol

1. Follows the 14-days home quarantine or isolation whenever an

employee is experiencing symptoms of COVID.

2. Employees comply with the RT-PCR Test weekly.

E. Recording
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1. Employees are frequently being tracked or monitored by the

management of their health status or conditions.

2. Employees are being monitored if they have been exposed to people

with common COVID symptoms.

F. Meals and Medicine

1. Employees are assured to have or be given healthy meals daily.

2. Employees are given medical support such as free check-ups and supplies

such as vitamins by their company or facility.

G. Hygiene and Disinfection

1. Facility provides hygiene kits such as soap, alcohol, hand sanitizer

and masks to employees.

2. Facility makes sure that the surrounding is disinfected every day.

Adopted from (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 2020) & (Szentesi, S.G., Cuc,

L.D., Feher, A. & Cuc, P.N., 2021).

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APPENDIX C: AGENCY CONSENT LETTER

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APPENDIX D: TECHNICAL REVIEW CERTIFICATE

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APPENDIX E: APPLICATION FOR RESEARCH ETHICS REVIEW

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APPENDIX F: INFORMED CONSENT ASSESSMENT FORM

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APPENDIX G: PROPOSAL ASSESSMENT FORM

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APPENDIX H: APPROVAL SHEET

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APPENDIX I: LETTER TO THE RESEARCH ADVISER

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APPENDIX J: INSTRUMENT CONTENT VALIDITY

RATINGFORMS
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APPENDIX K: RESEARCH ETHICS CERTIFICATE

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APPENDIX L: Reliability Statistics

APPENDIX M: Invitation Letters to Panelists

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