Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM

This chapter comprises the Introduction, Theoretical Framework, Conceptual Framework,

Statement of the Problem, Limitations of the Study, Significance of the Study,

Definition of Terms Used.

Introduction

Iligan City is the first highly urbanized city in Northern Mindanao. The name Iligan is

from native Lumad word “ilig” which means “to go downstream”. It was known for its

abundance of waterfalls and called as the City of Majestic Waterfalls. Maria Cristina Falls, the

main source of electricity in Mindanao was located in Iligan City. It is known for producing

high quality and good tasting Cheding’s peanuts. Recently, Iligan City was awarded as the

cleanest city. Citizens who lived in Iligan City were called Iliganos.

The increasing number of coronavirus cases has prompted the Inter-Agency Task Force for

Management of Emerging Infection Disease to place Iligan City under a modified enhanced

community quarantine (MECQ). There are 337 cases in the city. Iligan city is the only area in

the country that was placed under MECQ, which confines residents to their homes with only

one representative authorized to go out and procure essential goods such as food and

medicines.
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Right now we are in MECQ so all of our government employees adopt the new normal

including the reduction of work hours, work days and the employees to avoid the spreading

of the coronavirus. The state ethics code's definition of "public employee" includes "anyone

who is engaged in the performance of a governmental function." In other words, it is, in part,

a functional definition. It is important that the definition of a government employee includes

both the positional and the functional.

The problem in this MECQ is most of the workers some of them have no transportation to

go to their work especially in the distant place. It is good only for them to have their own

private vehicle to report their work easily. Government employees are fearful to be infected

of the virus or to be positive of the covid 19. Plenty of the government employees are

positive of covid 19 especially in the City hospital and City health. They are afraid that it

might infect their family because there is no vaccine yet. They are afraid to go to the

hospital, because of the bill they don’t have extra money for the hospitalization if they are

positive.

For government employers whose employees live in the areas now in MGCQ, this means

that they can require the return of their workers, without needing to give consideration to

transport. And while iligan city may be still on GCQ, with limited transport available, workers

from other surrounding provinces are now able to travel to work without trouble.

This also means that those living and working in the MGCQ provinces, public transport is now

available for them to get to work easily.However, the problem of transportation still remains

inside when traveling between cities , as well as those living in the provinces.
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Under Iligan City Mayor Celso Regencia's Executive Order 98, the MECQ will take effect

from September 2 to September 30. The EO also detailed which industries are allowed to

operate in full capacity, half capacity, and those that must temporarily close.The order also

reimposed the home quarantine passes (HQPs), this time on a color-coding scheme that

grouped the city's villages in six clusters. Each cluster is allowed only to go out twice per

week on designated days, with only one person per household buying only essential goods.

The EO also prohibits the sale of liquor, as well as the imposition of curfew beginning 7 p.m.

to 5 a.m.

The primary aim of this study was to examine the effects modified enhance community

quarantine on government employees. The general aim is expressed in the following specific

purpose which are to: Assess the effects of MECQ that the government employees have

encountered, examine factors that are affecting the government employees during MECQ.
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Theoretical Framework

Theories of MECQ

MECQ can reduce COVID-19 transmission – UP expert

MECQ will limit public transport and work in some industries where virus transmissions

recently occurred, according to Dr. Guido David of UP Institute of Mathematics and member

of the UP-OCTA Research.

“Makakatulong talaga yan kasi mababawasan yung transmission na nangyayari sa public

transportation, sa mga office. Pag lumalabas yung mga tao mas mataas yung infection kasi

mas maraming contacts na nangyayari sa mga tao (It (MECQ) will really help because it will

lessen the transmission in public transport and office. When more people go out, infection is

higher because there are a lot of [physical] contacts happening),” David told DZMM

Teleradyo.

Theories of government

The Philippine government's COVID 19 policy response

4.1. Timeline of the government's response

When WHO on 31 Dec 2019 was notified by its China office of a potentially infectious

pneumonia of unknown origin in Wuhan City [33], this became a matter of global public health

concern that necessitated government public health policy response. The next day, on 1 Jan

2020 the WHO instituted an IMST (Incident Management Support Team) across the three levels
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of the organization: headquarters, regional headquarters and country level (WHO website). On 8

Jan 2020, the WHO said the increasing number of cases in Wuhan could be due to a coronavirus.

The first death in China was reported on January 11.

In the Philippines, WHO notifications are relayed to its Southeast Asia regional office in Manila

and then to the Philippines Department of Health (DOH). As news of the outbreak reached

Filipino audiences through social, print and broadcast media, the DOH reported no confirmed

COVID19 cases in the Philippines but were closely monitoring twenty two (22) persons under

investigation for the disease by Jan 28. Two days later on Jan 30, the case of a 38 year old female

Chinese national arriving from Wuhan via Hong Kong admitted to a government hospital showing

pneumonia symptoms was made public. This was reported to the DOH Interagency Task Force on

Emerging Infectious Diseases. On the same day the WHO declared a Public Health Emergency of

International Concern but stopped short of declaring a pandemic.

The first policy decision of the Philippine government was to impose selective quarantine. It

did so on 2 Feb 2020 for returning OFW, but was still open to international air travel. On 7 Mar

2020, the first local transmission was reported by the DOH of a patient who had no travel history

and had comorbidities. The Department of Health raised the alert level to Red sublevel 1 to

anticipate the increase of COVID19 cases locally [34]. Upon the recommendation of the Health

Secretary, President Rodrigo R Duterte issued Proclamation 922 on March 8, declaring a state of

national emergency due to the threat of COVID 19. Under this proclamation, all agencies are

required to render full assistance in the response to COVID 19. The Secretary of Health as the
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head of the Inter-agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) may call upon

law enforcement agencies to assist in the implementation of quarantine and other measures to

address the spread of disease. IATF-EID through Resolution No. 16 created a technical working

group (TWG) consisting of representatives from the government departments and the Armed

Forces of the Philippines.

Theories of MECQ

Even with the return to modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ), there are

still large numbers of people who need to travel every day. Besides health workers, there

are those who handle all the other essential services all of us rely on — from

supermarket clerks and cashiers to bank tellers and government employees. This vital

workforce accounts for over 20 percent of persons employed.

On top of that, there are ordinary citizens who still need to do their everyday essential

tasks, such as buying food, going to the bank, paying bills and seeing their dentist or

doctor, among others. In normal times, these non-work-related trips account for about 70

percent of travel within cities.

The government has encouraged businesses to hire private shuttle services to serve

their employees. But only larger corporations and enterprises are likely to have the

capacity, knowledge and financial resources to organize such services.

The reality is that a shuttle service would be a very poor substitute for the reach of a

public transport network. It is unlikely that everyone in an office comes from one district in

a city. Moreover, managers of small businesses generally lack the time and resources to
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organize shuttle services for its staff. They are fully occupied just keeping their

businesses alive

Conceptual Framework

This study envisioned the effects of the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ)

on government employees in Iligan City.

Independent Variable: the subjects are the government employees, they will answer about

the Respondent’s Profile.

Dependent Variable: to know the reasons of the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine

(MECQ) on government employees in Iligan City.

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Statement of the Problem

This study aims to determine the effects Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine on

government employees that is within Iligan City. Specifically, the study envisioned to answer

the following questions;

1. What are the government employees' profile background?

1.1 Age

1.2 Gender
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1.3 Work

1.4 Monthly income

1.5 Relationship status

2. What are the effects of MECQ on government employees?

3. What is the main reason why Iligan city is under MECQ?

4. What strategies do these government employees use to overcome these effect

5. Who are these government employees?

Limitations of the Study

This study focuses on the The Effects of Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine

on Government Employees in Iligan City. This study will only be conducted inside Iligan City

and the 50 chosen respondents for this study.

Significance of the Study

Significance to the Researchers – Being students of Iligan Medical Center College, we,

the researchers want to know the effects of having modified enhanced community

quarantine (MECQ) of the government employees in Iligan City. By conducting this study, we,

the researchers can also help or suggest solutions on the effects of modified enhanced

community quarantine that the respondents may face.

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Significance to the Respondents – The respondents will be able to have knowledge

about the effects of having modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) in Iligan City,

and with that, they can make countermeasures and solutions on the effects that are causing

troubles to them and they can also know the ways and tips if ever MECQ will be

implemented again.

Significance to the Government – This study is important to the government because

whatever the result of this study will be, the government has that responsibility to help their

employees in any way that affects their employee’s working performance. The government

could also know what their employees go through every day. This can also help the

government to resolve the existing problems that MECQ brought upon.

Definition of Terms Used

MECQ - Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine

Government - The political direction and control exercised over the actions of the members,

citizens, or inhabitants of communities, societies, and states.

HQPs - Home Quarantine Passes

EO - Executive Order
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Chapter 2

Review of Related Literature and Related Studies

Related Literature

Related Studies
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Chapter 3

Research Methodology

Research Design

Research Locale

(place a map)

Research Participants
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Research Data Gathering Procedure

Research Instrument

Statistical Tool Used