1

Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

Introduction

Responses of the local government units are crucial in the containment of the

spread of COVID-19 in every locality. To mitigate the impact of the COVID-19

pandemic, different preventive measures were established and various responses were

formulated depending on the degree of rigidity to ensure the safety of the residents in

their respective places. The local government unit (LGU) of Dapitan City adopted a

number of measures based on the extent of the pandemic happened in the city. The

purpose is to keep the number of infections and mortality at bay while minimizing the

economic impact of the pandemic Buhat (2021).

Berse (2020) stressed that the local government units (LGUs) are the saving grace

of the on-going fight against COVID-19 after hearing the best practices of three LGUs.

He also said that, “It is comforting and inspiring to see the efforts of the LGUs desire to

win the battle by providing the best responses to the localities.”

Belonged to the responses mentioned by Lopez (2021), Strict border control, early

implementation of lockdowns, establishment of quarantine facilities, effective

communication to the public, and monitoring efforts were the defining factors that helped

these LGUs curtail the harm that was brought by the pandemic.

Wright, Bolger and Rowe (2002) explained that responses’ perception can be

reflective of the information regarding personal experiences and considers how people,

specifically laypeople, construe risk. For example, individuals perceive risk to be higher
 2

when someone in their family or community has been infected by the virus and how the

government extended their aid towards them (Chen and Kaphingst, 2011).

While the national offices in the Philippine government had flaunted various

responses during the surge of the pandemic, the local government was not also excused in

lay outing their responses to the locals of their places. Their efforts and contributions

were not put into waste since it was recognized by the people. This study aims to find out

the COVID-19 pandemic responses its perceive level of implementation in the City

government of Dapitan. It can be remembered that at the start of the pandemic the local

government units were directed to implement responses to address the emerging

infectious disease. It is then imperative to find out the level of responses implemented

based on the respondents’ answered in the conduct of this study.

Theoretical Background

The study is primarily anchored on two underlying theories: (1) Coordination

Theory of Do Kyun and Kreps (2020), and also highlighted on the Social Theory of

Harrington 2022. It is also aligned in the Strategetic Theory of Yarger (2006).

This study was anchored explicitly to the Coordination Theory of Do Kyun’s and

Kreps (2020) which provides an approach to the connection between the government and

the community in the manner of distributing their responses. The coordination

mechanisms chosen to manage dependencies among tasks acted and resources involved

in the process. The government is expected to make a lot of coordination in order to serve

the best response that they can provide to the community. May it in a government, non-

government or private individuals the coordination from the local government is deemed

necessary so that the common good can be achieved.

 3

The study was also hinged on the Social Theory (Agamben 2020) which is

associated in developing responses to the coronavirus (COVID) crisis. Fundamental

questions about social justice in the relationship of individuals to society are raised by

Delanty in his review of political philosophy, including Agamben, Foucault and Žižek.

However, the focus on the libertarian critique of authoritarianism is not enough. The

social democratic critique of neoliberalism lies at the center of the contesting responses to

the COVID crisis.

Moreover, the Strategic Theory of Yarger (2006) made emphasis on the

interdependent decision-making under conditions of uncertainty. As such, it possesses

considerable advantages for the analyst, facilitating, as it does, the disentangling of

efforts to evaluate instrumental behaviour from efforts to impose arbitrary moral

valuations on it. In this manner, Strategic Theory facilitates clarity of understanding.

Strategic Theory is, thereby, mind opening and intellectually liberating.

COVID illuminates the nature of crisis for social theory. COVID generated not

only a health emergency but an economic recession and a contested restructuring of the

political economy of health, with an ongoing cascade of the crisis through societal

domains. Although Agamben is right to understand that the COVID crisis is used to

legitimate an extension of state powers, he is mistaken to ignore the real aspects of the

crisis in death and sickness. There is no need to create mutually exclusive alternatives of

the socially constructed and the real in a crisis; both coexist simultaneously, Agamben

(2020).

Moreover, this study is aligned with the Utilitarianism Theory of G.E Moore

1990. Moore agreed that everyone ought to promote the good, but believed that the good
 4

included far more than what could be reduced to pleasure. Moore further criticized the

view that pleasure itself was an intrinsic good, since it failed a kind of isolation test that

he proposed for intrinsic value. This would seem to indicate that what is necessary for the

good is at least the absence of bad intentionality. It does not to simply strive to greater

average utility, but to increase population to the point where we maximize the product of

the number of persons who are currently alive and the amount of average happiness.

Conceptual Framework

The schematic diagram of this study is presented in Figure 1. The inner circle is

the perceive level of Implementation of COVID-19 responses, which serves as the

dependent variable of the study, while the outside circle is sub-divided into three namely;

the financial aid, goods and medical supplies, which serves also as the independent

variables of the study.

 5

Financial Aid

Perceived Level of
Implementation of the
COVID-19 Responses

Goods Medical Supplies

Figure 1. Schema of the Study

 6

Statement of the Problem

This study was conducted to determine the perceive level of Implementation of

COVID-19 responses in Dapitan City.

Specifically, it endeavored to sought answers to the following questions:

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

1.1Age;

1.2 Gender; and

1.3 Parents’ Monthly Income?

2. What is the level of Implementation of the COVID-19 pandemic responses by the

City Government of Dapitan City as perceived by the Respondents in terms of:

2.1 Financial Aid;

2. 2 Goods; and

2. 3 Medical Supplies?

3. Is there a significant difference on the perceived level of Implementation of

COVID-19 responses in terms of providing goods, financial aid and medical supplies

when data are group according to profile?

Hypothesis

This study will be premised on the hypothesis:

 7

Ho1: There is no significance difference on the perceive level of Implementation of

COVID-19 responses in terms of goods, financial aid and medical supplies when data are

group according to profile.

Significance of the Study

The importance of this study lies in the capability to determine the perceive level

of Implementation of COVID-19 responses in Dapitan City. It is also expected that the

result of this undertaking would lead the researchers to propose some suggestions and

recommendations that can be of help to the community.

In its entirety, this study is seen to benefit the following individuals who may

have future access to the data generated:

Students: This study will be beneficial to the students not only to the criminology

students because they will find out that the government has initiated their responses on

different levels.

Local Government Unit: The result of the study will help the local Government

be aware of the perceive level of implementation of COVID-19 responses. From this

study they would also find out the level of satisfaction felt by the people.

Community: It will be beneficial to the community because this study will give

them an overview as to how much is the efforts exerted by the government to deliver

their responses to the community during the pandemic.

Future Researchers. This study may benefit the future researchers whose

interests are parallel to this study. They may gain some significant concepts that can be

useful in designing tools and programs for the improvement of the responses offered by

the local government. This can also serve as springboard for future researchers when they
 8

conduct further studies related to COVID-19 pandemic and the responses given by the

government.

Scope and Delimitation of the Study

This study was conducted to determine the perceive level of Implementation of

COVID-19 responses in Dapitan City. The respondents of this study are the selected

fourth-year criminology students of Jose Rizal Memorial State University, Dapitan

Campus, who are residents of Dapitan City, Province of Zamboanga del Norte during the

calendar year 2020-2021. They were chosen to be the respondents of the study since they

have stayed in the city for more or less four years. They shall be then subjected to a

qualitative method. Any study with similar result to these is beyond the researchers

concern since the area covered in this study in within Dapitan City only.

Operational Definition of Terms

The following terms are operationally defined to give a clear understanding of the

study.

COVID-19 Pandemic.Itis an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered

virus which causes the pandemic and global crisis. It spreads primarily through droplets

of saliva or discharge from the nose when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

Financial Aid. Refers to the monetary assistance given by the city government to

the people of Dapitan City.

Goods. Refers to the grocery items and food packs given by the Dapitan City

Government to the Dapitanons.

Medical Supply. Refers toalcohol, medicines, facemask, face shield and other

supplies given by the Dapitan City Government to the Dapitanons.

Chapter 2
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REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURES AND STUDIES

COVID-19 Pandemic Support

The local governments need their own adequate revenue, or smooth central

transfers to mobilise funds quickly (Madhavi 2020, Rajadhyaska 2020, &Hussin 2019).

For example, cities with strong financial management and autonomous mayors could

quickly buy ventilators during this pandemic. They consider effective coordination

mechanisms between national and local governments are critical. The system needs to be

responsive to citizen needs and changing realities. Crises such as COVID-19 put huge

money and resources into the hands of local authorities. The transfer of powers needs

corresponding checks and balances (audits and public expenditure reviews).

The previous years of the pandemic show that national governments should

devise overarching crises-response strategies with local governments aligning their plans

to it. This is crucial so that essential services such as food chains, social protection and

routine health services are minimally disrupted during a crisis, (Sampson 2020).

The critical role of local governance in coordinating pandemic response by

examining how state authorities are attempting to bridge the gap between the need for

rapid, vigorous response to the pandemic and local realities (Dutta, et. al 2021). COVID-

19 response has galvanized new kinds of cross-sectoral and multi-scalar interaction

between administrative units involved in coordinating responses, as local governments

have assumed central responsibility in the implementation of disease control and social

security mechanisms.

There are highlighted three key reasons that local governance is likely to play an

essential role in COVID-19 response (Das 2020, Agrawal 2007, & Singh and Sharma,

2007). First, local governments are, quite simply, more closely connected to public and
 10

better able to navigate context-specific local conditions (Manor, 1999). Second, local

authorities are themselves embedded within the societies that they serve and likely to be

more responsive to the public’s urgent needs. Third, local government is often perceived

as more legitimate than other external actors for carrying out different kinds of state

regulatory functions. In contrast to more distant state bureaucrats, local authorities are

often far more knowledgeable about local needs, more able to mobilize key local actors,

better positioned to monitor activities at the grassroots, and better able to anticipate and

resolve site-specific challenges that arise.

Moreover, local authorities are themselves embedded within the societies that

they serve and likely to be more responsive to the public’s urgent needs. Not only are

they often more accessible to the general public than more distant bureaucrats (Kruks-

Wisner, 2015), local authorities are embedded within an incentive structure that can make

them more accountable to local needs – both as a result of formal sanctions such as

elections as well as the more general threat of public judgement and diminished personal

reputation (Agrawal and Ribot, 1999), (Faguet, 2014) (Joshi and Schultze-Kraft, 2014).

Finally, local government is often perceived as more legitimate than other

external actors for carrying out different kinds of state regulatory functions. In electoral

institutions, local authorities are directly selected by the public and thus may reflect

citizens’ values and aspirations and often their sense of identity (Fischer 2016, & Witsoe

2012). Citizens’ perceived ability to engage directly with their leaders may likewise

increase the perceived legitimacy of their actions (Vogel &Henstra, 2015). As previous

experience reveals, trust in local governance can be an important factor in effective

communication management in times of disasters (Longstaff & Yang, 2008), and

conversely, distrust in government institutions often stands in the way of cooperation

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with public health recommendations especially in crisis times, as observed during the

H1N1 pandemic in 2009 (Quinn et al., 2013).

Medical Supplies

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as cited by (Bonn 2020 & Hollis, 2020)

was most acutely felt at the local level. That is also where response and recovery efforts

have been most critical. At the same time, many mayors and local governments felt

overwhelmed and unsure what steps to take next in order to prevent and hopefully, put a

stop to the spread of this new pandemic. COVID ‐19 “recovery for all” plan to target

social inequity as part of its economic rebuilding efforts. Leaders across sectors and at all

levels of government recognize that crises are the time to improve upon existing

economic and social structures. Local governments can focus their efforts to ensure a

more equitable and sustainable development pattern going forward.

Moreover, (Valencia, 2020) revealed the five key actions that can help local

governments address food system issues in this COVID-19 era. Obviously, the context

will differ between countries and localities; government actions in a rural area or low-

income suburban community will differ from those in a capital city or fast-growing

secondary city in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Leadership is the common thread that

links local government action – from prioritizing, planning and overseeing actions, to

liaising with private sector and civil society networks, to communicating clearly and

regularly with the public.

Local governments and their private sector and civil society food system

counterparts need financial and technical support. Everyone can help build the capacity

of key local actors. We can also prioritize investments now to strengthen food system
 12

resilience in a post-COVID-19 world. And one must ensure local actors benefit from the

experiences, capacities and expertise of various coalitions of local food sector actors,

global food city networks and development and financial partners. They prioritize food

systems as an essential service that will continue to operate during periods of lockdown,

emergency or other health containment measures.

Financial

The study conducted by (Sanchez, 2020) regarding the “Perception on

Government’s Response to COVID-19” found out that the government’s response to the

coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak showed that most of the Filipinos surveyed believed

that the government had acted appropriately to handle the outbreak. The City government

of Dapitan City as well as the nearby municipalities did not only extended help but they

are also conducting surveys as to check if the restrictions provided were strictly followed

and also check the impacts of the situation in the community.

On the other hand, a study by (Franzke, et. al , 2020) entitled “Multi-level

Responses to COVID-19: Crisis Coordination” by stated the context, of the local

government’s role was not only responsible for health-related issues but, more generally,

for pandemic crisis management in their territory and the horizontal coordination of

various crisis-related administrative units at the local level. Furthermore, they had to

ensure vertical coordination with the respective authorities. Dealing with epidemic crises

is nothing new to the public health service. Specifically, local health authorities can draw

on longstanding experiences in managing health threats and in containing local outbreaks

of various infectious diseases.

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Another study of (Ombao, 2020) on “Fighting COVID-19 in the Philippines: Its

Impact” mentioned “working closely with the Department of Health (DOH), the

Department of Interior and Local Governance, UN agencies, the private sector, and civil

society organizations, we strengthen the government’s emergency response at all levels.

Our support includes operationalizing nationwide COVID-19 policies, helping facilities

access national COVID-19 financing, strengthening the capacities of health workers on

infection prevention and control and case management, improving contact tracing, and

supporting risk communication and community engagement efforts”.

While there have been plans for the country's economic expansion, the pandemic

has halted the Philippines' economic growth, and people's jobs have been affected. In

response to the anticipated effects, the government had provided an emergency aid

package for low-income families in different regions of the Philippines. For every low-

income household in the National Capital Region (NCR), eight thousand Philippine pesos

were given.

The Philippines’ four-pillar policy response to the pandemic provided social

protection support to the vulnerable, including displaced and overseas Filipino workers,

and an emergency cash aid program. It also expanded resources for frontline medical

workers, fiscal measures such as credit guarantees for small businesses and monetary

measures. To create more liquidity, policy rates were reduced five times throughout

2020. In September, a law was enacted to provide additional fiscal support for hard-hit

sectors such as agriculture and services, including transportation and tourism, (Albert,

2020). “The Level of Sufficiency in Philippine Responses Towards the Pandemic”. He

also added the idea that despite varying views on the adequacy of the fiscal policy
 14

response, there is unanimous agreement that a successful economic recovery hinges on

the proper management of the health crisis, which the government is still struggling to

achieve.

However, on the study conducted by (Ranada, 2021), found out that 17.9% of

Filipinos "strongly disapprove" of the Duterte government's pandemic response – the

highest strong disapproval rating among Southeast Asian countries. Combined with the

percentage of Filipino respondents who "disapprove" of the government handling, 35.8%,

a total of 53.7% of Filipinos asked by the research group thumb down the Duterte

administration's response to the health crisis. Over 30% thinks the government ought to

offer better financial assistance to citizens whose livelihoods were affected by the global

health crisis. A little than this number believe “politicians and public servants should

observe public health measures, instead of flouting them.”

This is also supported by the study of (Beltran, 2020) when he revealed in his

study entitled “The Philippines Pandemic Response: A Tragedy of Errors” the whole

world is looking forward to a return to some semblance of normalcy. But what makes the

Philippine government one of the worst examples of handling the pandemic is its

incompetence married with militarism threaded throughout its responses. The backlash

facing Filipinos now and after the quarantine is quite a distressing picture. It is a bleak

one marred by a totalitarian streak and the people’s increased realization that the state is

more intent on filling jails and the pockets of Chinese businesses than starving stomachs.

Synthesis and Gaps

 15

These resources will give a fundamental basis in which proves that the current

study is existing and relevant. The models will be a paradigm in determining the perceive

level of Implementation of COVID-19 responses in Dapitan City. It befits to the study

and will possibly have the same outcome and of result along the study and of the future.

A number of authors believed that the responses given by the government based

on the data gathered was successful and satisfying. Numerous examples and aspects were

cited to affirm the positive responses given to the community involved in their studies.

More or less it was really satisfactory in the terms and conditions applied in their

academic works particularly during the pandemic.

However, a certain consideration must be also given an appropriate action and

attention knowing that there are some studies and authors who find it unsatisfactory in

giving the responses. A portion for improvement and development must be allocated to

give way to the enhancement of the LGU’s way of responding the community during

pandemic.

Chapter 3
 16

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This part of the study presents the research design, research setting, research

respondents, research instrument, its validation, data-gathering procedure and statistical

techniques used.

Research Method

This study utilized a quantitative descriptive survey research design. Descriptive

quantitative research is simply a quantitative research method. Descriptive quantitative

research attempts to collect quantifiable data of the population sample for statistical

analysis. The descriptive method of research is used to describe a population or situation

accurately.

Research Respondents

A total of seventy (70) respondents served as the respondents of this study. These

conveniently chosen respondents were taken from the fourth-year criminology students of

Jose Rizal Memorial State University who are residents of Dapitan City.

The table below shows the distribution of the respondents.

Table 1. Respondents of the Study

Fourth (4th) Year Criminology Students

Male Female Grand Total

35 35 70

Research Environment
 17

This study was conducted at Jose Rizal Memorial State University, Main Campus,

Dapitan City (Main Campus), Province of Zamboanga del Norte. The Jose Rizal

Memorial State University is the premier state university in Zamboanga del Norte,

Philippines. It has five campus extensions situated in Dipolog City, Katipunan,

Tampilisan, Siocon and Sibuco, Zamboanga del Norte. The institution is mandated to

provide higher professional, technical, special instructions for special purposes and

promote research and extension services, advanced studies and progressive leadership in

education, agriculture, arts and sciences, engineering and other fields. It became a

university in 2010 by virtue of Republic Act 9852.

Research Instruments

The researchers made used of self-made questionnaire. The instrument is

composed of two parts. The first part is designed to elicit the personal background of the

respondents which includes age, sex, and parents’ monthly income. The second part is the

different responses provided by the City Government of Dapitan to the community,

wherein the responses will choose either Yes or No. The research instrument was

administered through online to the target respondents who are the selected fourth year

criminology students and a resident of Dapitan City. The researchers used Google forms.

For the COVID-19 responses provided by the city government of Dapitan City I

terms of the profile of the respondents, the frequency, average and percentage was

utilized. To test the difference the following was used as basis: Cut-off Score = 61.71%:

Above Cut-off score – High Satisfaction: Below Cut-off score: Low Satisfaction

Validation of Instrument
 18

In order to check the validity of the instrument used in the study, it was submitted

to the defense panel for validation, correction, and approval before its formal distribution

to the respondents. Then the questionnaire was submitted by the researchers to the

adviser for suggestions, recommendations, and modifications.

After the adviser thoroughly examined and stipulated judgment on the

instrument's contents and suitability, the instrument was referred to the different experts

for verification of its contents, suitability, and appropriateness. A number of students was

used who were not part of the target respondents were invited to answer the test for the

purpose of pilot-testing. After which, it was finalized and revised, the instrument was

administered to the target respondents using Google Forms.

Data Gathering Procedure

Before doing the actual process of data gathering, permission was sought first

from the Associate Dean of College of Criminal Justice Education in Jose Rizal

Memorial State University-Main Campus in order for the research instrument to be

administered to the respondents. Researchers explained to the respondents on the purpose

of the study. The conveniently chosen respondents that participated in the survey was

given a similar set of questions as with the others to gather data that will be necessary for

the data analysis and discussion. The data gathered was tallied for statistical treatment,

classified, organized, analyzed, and then interpreted in accordance with the purpose of

the study.

Statistical Treatment of Data.

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In analyzing and interpreting the data, the following statistical techniques was

utilized to extract information and get valid analysis and interpretation of the data being

gathered:

Frequency and Percentage computation- will be used to determine the profile of the

respondents. The formula is:

Percentage = (part/whole) x 100

Percentage Distribution – will be utilized to find out the perceive level of

Implementation of COVID-19 responses in Dapitan City.

Chi – Square Test of Independence - will be used to test the significance difference of

the perceive level of Implementation of COVID-19 responses in Dapitan City. The

formula is:

2
x=
∑ (O−E ¿ )
2
¿
E
Where: X2 = Chi-square test
O = observed frequency
E = expected frequency
Σ = summation

Chapter 4
 20

PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS, AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

This chapter presents the gathered data from seventy (70) student

respondents of Jose Rizal Memorial State University, Main Campus, Dapitan City. The

responses of the above respondents were treated to show the profile of the respondents,

Respondents Rating on the services/responses of the City Government of Dapitan, and

level of implementation of the respondents rating of the services provide by the City

Government of Dapitan. The specific question that was raised was the significance

difference on the respondents rating of the services of the City Government of Dapitan

was answer to wit;

Table 1 Frequency and Percent Distribution of Respondents in terms of Age

Age Frequency (n=70) Percent (%)

18 – 24 64 91.4%

25 – 29 6 8.6(%)

29 years old Above 0 0%

Table 1 presents the profile of the respondents in terms of age. There were 64 or

91.4% of the respondents’ age 18-24 years old. For the age 25-29, there were 6 or 8.6%

respondents. There was no respondent that age 29 years old and above. The findings

imply that majority of the fourth-year students who are residents of Dapitan City were

age 18-24 years old.

It was then inclined to the Coordination Theory of Do Kyun’s and Kreps (2020)

which provides an approach to the connection between the government and the

community in the manner of distributing their responses. The coordination mechanisms

chosen to manage dependencies among tasks acted and resources involved in the process.
 21

The government is expected to make a lot of coordination in order to serve the best

response that they can provide to the community. May it in a government, non-

government or private individuals the coordination from the local government is deemed

necessary so that the common good can be achieved.

Table 2 Frequency and Percent Distribution of Respondents in terms of Gender

Gender Frequency (n=70) Percent (%)

Male 35 50.0

Female 35 50.0

Table 2 shows the profile of the respondents in terms of gender; it can be

observed that there were equal numbers of male and female respondents.

The equal distribution of respondents collaborated to the Strategic Theory of

Yarger (2006) which made emphasis on the interdependent decision-making under

conditions of uncertainty. As such, it possesses considerable advantages for the analyst,

facilitating, as it does, the disentangling of efforts to evaluate instrumental behaviour

from efforts to impose arbitrary moral valuations on it. In this manner, Strategic Theory

facilitates clarity of understanding. Strategic Theory is, thereby, mind opening and

intellectually liberating.

Table 3 Frequency of the Profile of the Respondents in terms of Parents’ Monthly

Income

Parents’ Monthly Income Frequency (n=70) Percent (%)

Php3,000 below 54 77.1 (%)

Php4,000.00 – Php6,000.00 16 22.9 (%)

 22

Php7,000.00 – Php9,000.00 0 0%

Php10,000.00 and above 0 0%

Table 3 presents the profile of the respondents in terms of parents’ monthly

income. Out of seventy (70) respondents, there were 54 or 77.1% belonged Php3,000

below monthly income; 16 or 22.9% had a parent’s monthly income in the bracket of Php

4,000.00 – Php6,000.00.

Based on these facts, it shows that majority of the respondents have less amount

of parent’s monthly income, which further means that most of the respondents live below

poverty line.

The data presented flaunted also the Coordination Theory of Do Kyun’s and

Kreps (2020) which provides an approach to the connection between the government and

the community in the manner of distributing their responses. The coordination

mechanisms chosen to manage dependencies among tasks acted and resources involved

in the process. The government is expected to make a lot of coordination in order to serve

the best response that they can provide to the community. May it in a government, non-

government or private individuals the coordination from the local government is deemed

necessary so that the common good can be achieved.

Table 4 Level of Implementation in Government Response as to Providing Financial

Aid

City Government’s Responses to COVID-19 in terms of Percentage of

Financial Aid Implementatio Rank
n
 23

1. The city government had immediately given the

47.1 6th
financial assistance to the needy during the pandemic.
2. The provision of financial aid was being monitored by
50.0 4.5th
the public officials.
3. The monetary assistance is enough for every family. 30.0 10th
4. The distribution of financial assistance was fair and just. 44.3 7.5th
5. The city government has been sensitive to the financial
50.0 4.5th
needs of its constituents.
6. The city government spread effective public messages
44.3 7.5th
about financial assistance distribution.
7. The city government coordinated with other agency to
51.4 2.5th
provide assistance to individuals affected by the pandemic.
8. The city government ensure the orderly and efficient
51.4 2.5th
distribution of cash to its beneficiaries.
9. The city government ensured that the most vulnerable 9th
41.4
families are prioritized.
10. The city government works with various public and
private organizations to provide job and livelihood 52.9 1st
assistance to affected individuals.
Average Percentage Satisfied 46.28

Table 4 presents the respondents rating on the services/responses in terms of

Financial Aid. It showed that among the ten (10) City Government’s responses to

COVID-19 in terms of Financial Aid, the statement “The city government works with

various public and private organizations to provide job and livelihood assistance to

affected individuals” ranked first (1st) with 52.9% implementation. Followed by “The

city government ensure the orderly and efficient distribution of cash to its beneficiaries”

with 51.4% implementation. Tenth (10th) in rank was the “The monetary assistance is

enough for every family”. The average percentage implementation was 46.28% and was
 24

below the cut-off score of implementations (61.71%). This showed that the respondents

were not implemented by the City Government’s Responses to COVID-19 in terms of

Financial Aid.

In the Philippines, some citizens complained about the unjust distribution of

ayuda (financial assistance). They accused government officials of corrupting the

supposed aid to the citizens. For this reason, the question that government officials must

ask themselves in a time of scarcity is how resources can be allocated fairly. He identifies

that the least advantaged are the ones who are deprived of the basic primary goods of

society. The basic rights or liberties, freedom of movement and free choice of occupation

against a background of diverse opportunities, income and wealth, and the social bases of

self-respect. By looking at the basic primary goods of society, the state can identify who

is to be prioritized, (Gozum, et.al, 2021).

The data revealed its alignment with the Utilitarianism Theory of G.E Moore

1990. Moore agreed that everyone ought to promote the good, but believed that the good

included far more than what could be reduced to pleasure. Moore further criticized the

view that pleasure itself was an intrinsic good, since it failed a kind of isolation test that

he proposed for intrinsic value. This would seem to indicate that what is necessary for the

good is at least the absence of bad intentionality. It does not to simply strive to greater

average utility, but to increase population to the point where we maximize the product of

the number of persons who are currently alive and the amount of average happiness.

Table 5 Level of Implementation in Government Response as to Providing Goods

 25

City Government’s Responses to COVID-19 in terms of Percentage of

Goods Implementatio Rank
n

1. The city government assess the potential need for food.

Estimated how much food is available in the city and how
72.9 2nd
much more food will be needed to protect the population
from possible food shortages.
2. The city government works with various public and
private organizations to set up and operate temporary
67.1 5th
warehouses to receive, store, and distribute the food using
social distancing measures.
3. The city government secure essential nutritious food
54.3 10th
stocks.
4. The city government spread effective public messages
71.4 3rd
about local food availability and emergency distribution.
5. The city government determine who will receive food
64.3 6.5th
first.
6. The food packs and groceries items were released
61.4 8th
immediately.
7. Essential goods were given according to the level of
58.6 9th
needs of the constituents.
8. The beneficiaries were given equally and fairly. 68.6 4th
9. The food/good delivery was handled safely. 74.3 1st
10. Precautionary measures were strictly observed in the
64.3 6.5th
distribution of goods.
Average Percentage Satisfied 65.72

Table 5 presents the Respondents Rating on the services/responses in terms of

goods. Among the ten (10) City Government’s Responses to COVID-19 in terms of

Goods, “The food/good delivery was handled safely” ranked first (1st) with 74.3%

implementation. Last in rank was “The city government secure essential nutritious food

stocks” with 53.3% implementation. The average percentage of implementation was

 26

65.72% and was higher than the cut-off score of implementations (61.71%). This means

that respondents were implemented with the services/responses in terms of goods.

Zamboanga Peninsula Regional Recovery Plan 2020-2022, LGU initiatives

included distribution of food packs to vulnerable families living below the poverty line,

to frontliners, and to those manning checkpoints; distribution of medicines to medical and

government frontliners; implementation of the Cash-for-Work Program intended to

alleviate the habal-habal and jeepney drivers, sikad-sikad operators, and bus conductors;

provision of mobile vendors in areas under preventive lockdown; distribution of easily

grown vegetable seedlings; purchase of vegetables, spices and eggs from vendors for

distribution to families of identified PUMs/PUIs lasting for 14 days until the PUM/PUI

was cleared; fleet of taxis providing free transport for patients with chronic diseases

requiring chemotherapy, regular dialysis and physical rehabilitation. The LGUs were also

engaged in COVID-19 efforts with regional government line agencies. With the support

of Department of Trade and Industry, more products were made available to the public

such as canned goods and other basic supplies and commodities. The “Kadiwa on

Wheels” was a joint project of the Department of Agriculture, National Food Authority,

Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and the City Government of Zamboanga

through the Office of the City Agriculturist.

The data showed that is clamped to the Utilitarianism Theory of G.E Moore 1990.

Moore agreed that everyone ought to promote the good, but believed that the good

included far more than what could be reduced to pleasure. Moore further criticized the

view that pleasure itself was an intrinsic good, since it failed a kind of isolation test that

he proposed for intrinsic value. This would seem to indicate that what is necessary for the
 27

good is at least the absence of bad intentionality. It does not to simply strive to greater

average utility, but to increase population to the point where we maximize the product of

the number of persons who are currently alive and the amount of average happiness.

Table 6 Level of Implementation in Government Response as to Providing Medical

Supplies

City Government’s Responses to COVID-19 in terms Percentage of

of Medical Supplies Implementatio Rank
n

1. The sick and having illnesses (except for COVID

patients and suspects) in the locality were provided with 30.9 2nd
medicines.
2. Medical supplies distributed were safe and unexpired. 33.8 5th
3. Recipients of the medical supplies were the most
27.9 10th
vulnerable families.
4. Proper survey was conducted before medicines are
32.4 3rd
given.
5. Beneficiaries were monitored by the health officers. 30.9 6.5th
6. The city government spread effective public messages
36.8 8th
about local food availability and emergency distribution.
7. Precautionary measures were strictly observed in the
32.4 9th
distribution of hygiene kits.
8. The city government monitored that the city has
32.4 4th
enough supply of medicines and other hygiene kits.
9. The city government works with various public and
private organizations for the assistance with the essential 30.9 1st
supplies to protect against the coronavirus.
10. The city government ensures that the prices of
35.3 6.5th
medical supplies are aligned in the SRP.
Average Percentage Satisfied 32.37
 28

Table 6 shows the Respondents Rating on the services/responses in terms of

Medical Supplies. The statement “The city government works with various public and

private organizations for the assistance with the essential supplies to protect against the

coronavirus” ranked first (1st) with 30.9% implementation among the ten (10) City

Government’s Responses to COVID-19 in terms of Medical Supplies. It was followed by

“The sick and having illnesses (except for COVID patients and suspects) in the locality

were provided with medicines” with 30.9% implementation. “Recipients of the medical

supplies were the most vulnerable families” was last in rank with 27.9% implementation.

The average percentage implementation was 32.37% and was below the cut-off score of

implementations (61.71%). This implied that the respondents were definitely not

implemented by the City Government’s Responses to COVID-19 in terms of Medical

Supplies.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused tremendous disruption in the global supply

chains of almost every sector (Gereffi, 2020). In particular, the supply of medical

products became a critical element for every country, as they were needed to manage and

control the evolution of the pandemic. By “medical products,” experts generally mean a

wide range of product categories related to equipment used in the health care industry

that are different from drugs. Both product lines have witnessed a dramatic surge in

demand since the beginning of the pandemic, resulting in a huge scarcity within the

health care system. These product lines have experienced some intensive waves of

offshoring strategies implemented in recent decades, which made the face mask and

gloves supply chain very long and complex, involving many manufacturers, distributors,

and other intermediaries.

 29

The Stategic Theory of Agamben (2020) supported this result since COVID

illuminates the nature of crisis for social theory. COVID generated not only a health

emergency but an economic recession and a contested restructuring of the political

economy of health, with an ongoing cascade of the crisis through societal domains.

Although Agamben is right to understand that the COVID crisis is used to legitimate an

extension of state powers, he is mistaken to ignore the real aspects of the crisis in death

and sickness. There is no need to create mutually exclusive alternatives of the socially

constructed and the real in a crisis; both coexist simultaneously, Agamben (2020).

Table 7 Level of Perceived Implementation in Government Responses

Services Average Percentage of
Description
Implementation
Financial Aid 46.28 Low
Goods 65.72 High
Medical Supplies 32.37 Low
Overall Percentage 48.12 Low
Cut-off Score = 61.71%: Above Cut-off score – High Satisfaction: Below Cut-off score:

Low Satisfaction

Table 7 presents the level of implementation of the respondents rating of the

services by the City Government of Dapitan. It showed that the services; financial aid and

medical supplies had low percentage of implementation. It also showed that in terms of

Goods, the respondents had high implementation. The overall percentage of

implementation was 48.12% and it was below the cut-off score (61.71%) and was

interpreted as low implementation. This implied that the respondents were not

implemented the City Government’s Responses to COVID-19.

 30

Facing the difficulty of enforcing health-related regulations, governments must

persuade their citizens to initiate behavioral changes and respect future containment

interventions (Sibley, et.al., 2020). It is therefore crucial to understand people’s worries

about the pandemic and their perceptions concerning the effects of containment policies,

in order to be better informed when designing further policies and contingency measures.

Moreover, people’s trust and satisfaction in the government are central to achieving the

successful implementation of future measures, whereas lacking them may hinder the fight

against the pandemic.

The Utilitarianism Theory of G.E Moore 1990 was proven in this data. Moore

agreed that everyone ought to promote the good, but believed that the good included far

more than what could be reduced to pleasure. Moore further criticized the view that

pleasure itself was an intrinsic good, since it failed a kind of isolation test that he

proposed for intrinsic value. This would seem to indicate that what is necessary for the

good is at least the absence of bad intentionality. It does not to simply strive to greater

average utility, but to increase population to the point where we maximize the product of

the number of persons who are currently alive and the amount of average happiness.

Table 8 Test of difference on perceived implementation on government responses

Responses Chi-
Decision
Services Square p-value Interpretation
Yes No on Ho
value

Financial Aid 35 35 13.829 0.001 Reject Ho Significant

Goods 46 24
 31

Medical
24 46
Supplies

Level of significance set at 0.05

Table 8 presents the Test of difference on the respondents rating of the

services/responses of the City of Dapitan. Using a 0.05 significant level, the Chi-square

Value of 13.829 and p-value of 0.001 which implied that the hypothesis was rejected.

Hence, there is significant difference on the respondents rating of the services of the City

Government of Dapitan.

Several important factors scrutinize the influence citizens’ implementation

concerning their governments’ responses to the COVID-19 pandemic from an open-

sourced survey of 14 countries (Sabat, et.al.,2020). The survey’s goal is to investigate

public attitudes toward a country’s approach in dealing with the COVID-19 epidemic and

how national unity relates to feelings of trust in others and economic confidence in one’s

government. Our results raise some implications for governments when enacting policies

against the spread of COVID-19. Governments in general have tried to strike the right

balance between the effects on public health (saving lives) and on the economy (saving

jobs) when implementing possible exit-strategies from their current lockdown situation.

The totality of this study is also fastened with the Utilitarianism Theory of G.E

Moore 1990. Moore agreed that everyone ought to promote the good, but believed that

the good included far more than what could be reduced to pleasure. Moore further

criticized the view that pleasure itself was an intrinsic good, since it failed a kind of

isolation test that he proposed for intrinsic value. This would seem to indicate that what is

necessary for the good is at least the absence of bad intentionality. It does not to simply

strive to greater average utility, but to increase population to the point where we
 32

maximize the product of the number of persons who are currently alive and the amount of

average happiness.
 33

Chapter 5

SUMMARY OF FINDING, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This chapter presents the summary findings, conclusion and recommendations

based on the findings of the study.

Findings

Based on the data tabulated, the following results were yielded:

1. As the profile of the respondents, according to age, it revealed that most of the

respondents belong to age 18-24 years old comprising 64 respondents.

2. There was an equal number of female and male respondents.

3. Out of 70 respondents, there were 54 or 77.1% whose monthly income was Php3,000

below which is below poverty line.

4. On the City Government’s Responses to COVID-19 in terms of Financial Aid, “The city

government works with various public and private organizations to provide job and

livelihood assistance to affected individuals” ranked first (1 st) with 52.9% satisfaction.

Followed by “The city government ensure the orderly and efficient distribution of cash

to its beneficiaries” with 51.4% satisfaction. Tenth (10 th) in rank was the “The

monetary assistance is enough for every family”. The average percentage satisfaction

was 46.28% and was below the cut-off score of satisfaction (61.71%) and was interpreted

as low satisfaction.

5. On the City Government’s Responses to COVID-19 in terms of goods, “The food/good

delivery was handled safely” ranked first (1st) with 74.3% satisfaction. Last in rank was

“The city government secure essential nutritious food stocks” with 53.3% satisfaction.
 34

The average percentage satisfaction was 65.72% and was higher than the cut-off score

of satisfaction (61.71%) and was interpreted as high satisfaction.

6. On the City Government’s Responses to COVID-19 in terms of medical supplies, “The

city government works with various public and private organizations for the assistance

with the essential supplies to protect against the coronavirus” ranked first (1 st) with 30.9%

satisfaction among the ten (10) City Government’s Responses to COVID-19 in terms of

Medical Supplies. It was followed by “The sick and having illnesses (except for COVID

patients and suspects) in the locality were provided with medicines” with 30.9%

satisfaction. “Recipients of the medical supplies were the most vulnerable families” was

last in rank with 27.9% satisfaction. The average percentage satisfaction was 32.37%

and was below the cut-off score of satisfaction (61.71%) and was interpreted as low

satisfaction.

7. There is significant difference on the perceive level of implementation of the COVID-19

pandemic responses in the rating of the services of the City Government of Dapitan and

the respondents when grouped according to profile.

Conclusions

Based on the findings, the following conclusions were drawn:

Majority of the respondents were age 18-24. The respondents represent both sexes

equally. Further, they came from family living below poverty line. On the services given

by the City Government of Dapitan, the level of satisfaction in terms of financial aid was

low as well as the level of satisfaction in terms of medical supplies. Meanwhile, the level

of satisfaction in terms of goods was high. Hence, there is significant difference on the

respondents rating of the services of the City Government of Dapitan

 35

Recommendations

In line of the findings and conclusions of the study, the researchers wish to make

the following recommendations:

1. The students must give considerations and understand the efforts exerted by the LGU in

giving response to the community specially that they are finding more ways to deliver goods,

medical supplies and financial aid to alleviate the difficulties encountered during pandemic.

2. The people below the poverty line must be given priority compared to others during the

distribution of any forms of help from the government.

3. The Local Government Unit shall equally give the assistance to the community after

putting first those who are on the poverty line, since everyone is affected by the pandemic

to raise the satisfaction level of the community.

4. The level of satisfaction in terms of good was high, therefore the government must

sustain it and increase it if possible.

5. In terms of medicine, it should be given attention also considering that the pandemic is

making the health of individuals at risk. There should be a bulk of medicines prepared to

be distributed evenly to avoid scarcity of it.

6. Attaining the level of satisfaction relies on the government’s performance, it is then a

must to provide the community the best response in all means.

 36

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 41

ocal government units (LGU), specifically provinces, cities, and

municipalities, currently drafting or revisiting their Covid-19
Community Response Strategy and the accompanying local
measures. It integrates some of the lessons from innovative practices,
observations,andinputsfromourvolunteergroupofprofessionals
in order to aid LGU ocials currently planning, drafting and
updating their Covid-19 strategy. LGU strategies should consider
the following:
• All LGU Covid-19 Community Response Strategies must have
provisions that deal with immediate, transitory, and medium-
term anticipated needs and challenges at theminimum.
• All local strategies must support and complement the DOH’s
National Strategy for Covid-19 which include enhanced
community quarantine, physical distancing, contact tracing
and surveillance, triage system, increased testing, and case
management.
• LGUs must ensure that the needs and welfare of all front liners,
especially the health workers and medical facilities, are met to
ensure that local health systems can continue to function at
full capacity.
• Strategies for ensuring good coordination, communication,
and cooperation with the national government and between
and across other local government units and sectors are
necessary.
• All systems, processes, and activities adopted by LGUs
should not hinder, interrupt, or delay the movement of
essential personnel, goods, and servic
ocal government units (LGU), specifically provinces, cities, and
municipalities, currently drafting or revisiting their Covid-19
Community Response Strategy and the accompanying local
measures. It integrates some of the lessons from innovative practices,
observations,andinputsfromourvolunteergroupofprofessionals
in order to aid LGU ocials currently planning, drafting and
updating their Covid-19 strategy. LGU strategies should consider
the following:
• All LGU Covid-19 Community Response Strategies must have
provisions that deal with immediate, transitory, and medium-
term anticipated needs and challenges at theminimum.
• All local strategies must support and complement the DOH’s
National Strategy for Covid-19 which include enhanced
community quarantine, physical distancing, contact tracing
and surveillance, triage system, increased testing, and case
 42

management.
• LGUs must ensure that the needs and welfare of all front liners,
especially the health workers and medical facilities, are met to
ensure that local health systems can continue to function at
full capacity.
• Strategies for ensuring good coordination, communication,
and cooperation with the national government and between
and across other local government units and sectors are
necessary.
• All systems, processes, and activities adopted by LGUs
should not hinder, interrupt, or delay the movement of
essential personnel, goods, and services
ocal government units (LGU), specifically provinces, cities, and
municipalities, currently drafting or revisiting their Covid-19
Community Response Strategy and the accompanying local
measures. It integrates some of the lessons from innovative practices,
observations,andinputsfromourvolunteergroupofprofessionals
in order to aid LGU ocials currently planning, drafting and
updating their Covid-19 strategy. LGU strategies should consider
the following:
• All LGU Covid-19 Community Response Strategies must have
provisions that deal with immediate, transitory, and medium-
term anticipated needs and challenges at theminimum.
• All local strategies must support and complement the DOH’s
National Strategy for Covid-19 which include enhanced
community quarantine, physical distancing, contact tracing
and surveillance, triage system, increased testing, and case
management.
• LGUs must ensure that the needs and welfare of all front liners,
especially the health workers and medical facilities, are met to
ensure that local health systems can continue to function at
full capacity.
• Strategies for ensuring good coordination, communication,
and cooperation with the national government and between
and across other local government units and sectors are
necessary.
• All systems, processes, and activities adopted by LGUs
should not hinder, interrupt, or delay the movement of
essential personnel, goods, and services
ne immediate challenge for all LGUs is ensuring
the continued flow of essential personnel, goods,
and services even as it implements ECQs and the
directives of the national government through
the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) Against
Infectious Diseases. Several cases (e.g. Marikina
City and Iloilo City) suggest that lack of planning,
 43

misinterpretation, and miscoordination between

national and local governments and between
and among LGUs have resulted in preventable
problems that undermine or threaten to
undermine e orts to maintain the flow of
essential pe