Leo Andrew B.

Diego
Paper Presenter

PAMPAALERT: SECURITY
GUARDS’ USE OF CHEMICALS
 Why this study?
Security guards are an omnipresent feature of contemporary
Philippines society. After tricycle drivers, no other profession
employs as many people
nationwide(http://jhonyboylucas.blogspot.kr/July 14, 2014)

In the Philippines today, security work is often perceived as

“trabahong pang-tamad” (a trade for lax people).

The greatest challenge is on maintaining alertness, fighting off

antok (sleepiness) and being puyat (deprived of sleep). Despite the
stress involved, being a security guard is not a well-paid job
 The Study Site
 Along the line of progress, the City of Puerto Princesa, a highly urbanized city
today opened the door for many investors which need security and peaceful
relations.
 This high demand for security in this city paves an opportunity to hire many
security guards who are assigned in malls, banks, department stores, colleges
and universities.
 Methods Used
 Convenience sampling was used

 In-depth Interviews with audio recorded and open-ended

questionnaire.
 The target key informants’ age is between 18-50 years old

 21 informants. 15 were men above 25 years old while 6 (six) were

women who are 29 years old and above

 Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and Peer discussions

 Nvivo software 10 for analysis of the emergent themes

Informants’ Profile and Aspirations

 The informants’ worked at Pawnshops, Banks, Department

Stores, Hotels and Schools.

 Most of them are single, male, high school graduate, living with
family and earning around 8, 000 Php per month

 Majority of the informants entered the security industry due to

their lack of college degrees and the need to support their
family.
Security Guards’ Chemical lives
A) On Being Presentable

 Almost all the guards stated that social media, advertisements

and peers influenced their use of products like shampoo, face
powder, toothpaste deodorant, gel, soap and perfume to be
presentable.

“Now that I’m supervisor, of course my actions are different from

those of typical guard. When we are conducting inspections, what
we first notice is proper grooming and uniform.”(Agustin)
 B)On Being Alert
 Majority of the informants learned about different products, techniques and
dosages to stay awake by word of mouth (mga sabi-sabi at kwento),
particularly from their peers.
 Myers (2000) found out the different effects of drugs in one’s body. Yet
majority of the informants did not experience adverse effects.
Drug Type Pleasurable Effects Adverse Effects

Nicotine Stimulant Increased alertness Heart disease,

cancer

Caffeine Stimulant Increased Anxiety,

wakefulness restlessness

Metamphetamine Stimulant Alertness, energy, Irritability,

euphoria insomnia, seizures

Ecstasy, Viagra and Stimulant Emotional Dehydration,

Cocaine elevation depressed mode
 Products Used as Pampaalert
ENERGY DRINKS
 Cobra Sting Extra Joss

“I can only buy Extra Joss if there is an excess from my salary. Sometimes I do it
once every other month. If I am not on duty, I also get normal sleep. But
then, if I am at work, I can find it hard to sleep because of its effectiveness”
(Magz)

“After few months of drinking Cobra, I suffered from urinary tract

infection”(Charm)

“Instead of using energy drinks, I always find a way to take a walk in my area of
responsibility just to maintain my alertness“(Bryan)
 B. CIGARETTES
 Fortune White, Red
 Philip Morris
 Marlboro
 Marvels

“ “Once na ako ay nagtatake-take ng sigarilyo, nabubuhay ang aking

natutulog na dugo” (Whenever I smoke, I feel awake and alive.”)
(Roland)
C. On Gender
 Female and Lesbian security guards are not allowed during
night shifts. They are only available for day duties/posts.

“Di kami pinapaduty kapag gabi dahil mahirap na baka

mapahamak lang kami.” (We are not allowed to have night
shifts for security reasons) (Vicky)

 Security agencies allow male guards to duty in day and night

shifts.

 “Minsan kapag hindi magpasok ang kasama ko, deretso na

hanggang magdamag pero siyempre may overtime pay naman
yun nga lang puyatan talaga.” (If I have no substitute on my
post, I accept night shift after my day duties) (Mantal)
 COFFEE
 Great Taste White
 Nescafe 3-in-1, Bacus, Kopiko Brown

 “Bacus coffee caused my heart to palpitate and I felt nervous and could not
determine where it was coming from”(Joker)

 “Sabi nila nakakaburn daw ito ng 5% fat sa katawan. Yong Kopiko lang din na
brown masarap kasi hindi lang siya basta pampaalerto”(Mantal)
 VITAMINS
 Enervon C
Ric was made alert by this vitamin but had
headaches which led to anemia.
 Revicon Forte
 “When I used Revicon, I noticed that the muscles in
my abs and arms became bigger and in
shape”(Ged)
 MARIJUANA
“It depends upon what you think before you use Marijuana. It
depends upon your mindset. If you think that you have to be
alert, then you will be alert.”(Rolando)

 SHABU(Methamphetamine)
On the one hand, for Rolando, balancing the risks and benefits was
very challenging.
“Pag nakakagamit ako ng bato, nakakapokus at relax lang ako sa
duty kahit matagalan pa yan”. (“Shabu makes me stay focused
and feel refreshed whenever I am on duty”) (Joker)
 Conclusion
 The findings suggest that in a highly urbanized city like Puerto
Princesa, chemical products that support or generate alertness
are treated as indispensable commodities by many security
guards.

 The main reason security guards use chemical stimulants was

their occupational needs.

 This study argues that what the security guards did to their
bodies was self-experimentation, that is, looking for products that
their bodies would be hiyang to enable them to achieve what they
needed—to be alert and awake.
Conclusion cont’
 Ultimately, this study shows that while chemical stimulants may
seem necessary in security guards’ job, their effects are
temporary and thus create a greater risk to the health of the users

Recommendations

This study suggests that the Department of Health could formulate

campaign that would give proper information about the benefit
and risks associated with the chemical stimulants not only for
security industry but also for other occupational jobs.
 Acknowledgement
 Chemical Youth Project, Puerto Princesa
 Anita Hardon, University of Amsterdam
 Michael L. Tan, Chancellor, University of Philippines, Diliman
 Madilene Landicho, University of Philippines, Diliman
 Efenita Taqueban,University of Philippines, Diliman

 -MUCHAS GRACIAS
 TREMAKASI
 THANK YOU SO MUCH
 MATAMANG SALAMAT
 ARIGATO