RESEARCH CONCEPT PAPER

A Qualitative Study on the Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic to Food Service

Practices of Selected Carinderias in Abangan Norte, Marilao, Bulacan

Prepared by: Maui Jane Sta. Cruz

May 2021
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE RESEARCH 2

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY 4

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 5

RESEARCH GAP 6

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY 6

RESEARCH PROBLEMS/ OBJECTIVES 8

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK 8

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 11

DATA ANALYSIS: 11

TIMEFRAME OF THE STUDY: GANTT CHART 12

REFERENCES 13
 A Qualitative Study on the Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic to Food Service

Practices of Selected Carinderias in Abangan Norte, Marilao, Bulacan

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE RESEARCH

The most standard and cheapest restaurant one can find in the Philippines is

what they call “carinderia.” Carinderia, a food stop commonly seen by the roadside of a

frequented place, upholds the heritage of serving classic Filipino dishes. Additionally,

these dishes are commonly partnered with rice, which is identified to be the staple food

of Filipinos. 

Filipinos are known for their love for food. This is one of the reasons why

business owners tend to enter the food industry. Carinderia offers convenience,

affordability, and taste of home. Carinderias not only offer good products at a

reasonable price, but they also give good service for them to gain loyal customers. 

This type of food business is one of a kind that would not require big startup

capital thus carinderias are able to withstand and strive the competition in the food

market. 

However, in 2020, the whole world was stricken by the pandemic caused by the

COVID-19 virus. This required the implementation of limited interactions in various

aspects of life. Some carinderias were allowed to operate but under an allotted capacity

for receiving customers and limited attendance of the employees in the workplace. 
 The researchers had seen this factor to possibly affect the foodservice practices

of different and selected carinderias located at Abangan Norte, Marilao, Bulacan. This

research aims to answer the question of how does the pandemic caused by COVID-19

affected the foodservice practices of carinderias in the said research locale. This would

benefit carinderia owners to improve their system, for customers to be assured, and for

future entrepreneurs who want to walk on the same road of foodservice.

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Eateries can be found almost everywhere from big and small franchises to as

simple as a carinderia which is the topic of this research. It is known that these type of

eateries are mostly found in public places where a lot of potential customers are in such

as universities, office buildings, and likes. 

As food from these stalls comes in many quantities, varieties, and prices,

foodservice practices are essential for the customer’s knowledge mainly that the food

they are getting is assumed to be 100% quality and safe. According to Azanaw et al.

(2019), food safety continues as a critical problem in developed and developing nations

for people, food companies, and food-control officials. This is because, through the

intake of food, various components such as nutrients, bacteria, and such enter one

man’s body. If the food is not prepared in its fullest quality, cleanliness, and safety, it

could lead to a lot of complications causing different illnesses to people who have eaten

it.

Foodservice practices became more important after the surge of COVID-19

cases in the Philippines. According to a survey of businesses conducted by the United

partners (UNIDO 2020), 57% of respondent foodservice firms were not in operation

during the survey period from April 28 to May 15, 2020. More than half (53%) of the

firms not in operation were permitted to operate but were unable to. Challenges such as

cash flow issues, lack of available input materials and services, and lack of customers

hounded these firms. A total of 2,481 complete responses from private sector

businesses covering micro, small, medium-sized, and large enterprises had been

collected by the end of the survey period.

Their primary concerns are the government pandemic rules and regulation that

aims to maintain and slow down the rising COVID cases. These rules restrict them to

operate in full capacity which results in the food establishment limiting the customers’

capacity.

Moreover, in the study of Arugay (n.d) about Measuring Carinderias’ Knowledge

and Compliance to the Code of Sanitation in the Philippines, carinderia owners are

aware of the safety practices they must implement in terms of food serving while not

being affected by the number of customers and rising demands. 

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This proposal will give information about the  Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic

on Food Service Practices of Selected Carinderias in Abangan Norte, Marilao, Bulacan. 

formulated to indicate the readiness of the carinderia owners in the implementation of

new sanitary regulations in accordance with COVID-19 safety protocols:

         1.Do carinderia business owners in Marilao, Bulacan has a prepared food service

practice contingency plan?

         2.How does the COVID-19 pandemic affected carinderia business owners in

opening their foodservice businesses in Marilao, Bulacan?

         3. What are the factors that are needed to take into account in practicing food

service in carinderias during the COVID-19 pandemic?

RESEARCH GAP

The researcher had identified the research gap between the studies presented

above and the issue they have seen related to this gap. The researchers aimed to

determine how the COVID-19 has affected the foodservice practices of carinderias in

Abangan Norte, Marilao, Bulacan to improve further and provide a solution to the

problem occurring in their practices. 

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study is identified to be beneficial to the following:

Carinderia Business Owners

putting up the business and adjust to the changes in the market by providing

contingency plans in accordance with the government’s sanitary rules and regulations.

Customers

This study will help the customers to understand the operation and enable them

to feel assured about the food service practices done for their own safety.

Future Entrepreneurs

The findings of the study will help them in assessing the factors in putting up a

carinderia business and the importance of sanitary procedures to ensure both the

owners’ and consumers’ health. This will avoid future problems and possible lawsuits.

Hotel and Restaurant Management students.

The study which will be the output of this study could provide vital information

that will help them in understanding small businesses and equip them with knowledge

about how to manage and to take into consideration various factors in operating this

business.

Hotel and Restaurant Management Professors

Through this study, their method of instruction can be improved and this would

help facilitate the application of various processes involved in the carinderia business.

This will also provide additional learning material in assessing the importance of small

businesses in the economy of the country and to average Filipinos.

This study will serve as background and additional information on how to

establish a carinderia business with absolute preparedness and safety protocols. This

study will also enable the researcher to be more resourceful and studious in the field of

this study.

RESEARCH PROBLEMS/ OBJECTIVES

This study attempts to determine the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on

foodservice practices in carinderias in Abangan, Marilao, Bulacan.

1, What changes did the pandemic does to your carinderia business?

2. What kinds of protocols did you implement during the pandemic?

3. Do you have any suggestions that will help you adopt the new normal system in your

carinderia business?

4. Do you think that every carinderia owner will agree if the government will not remove

the safety protocols or safety measures even if the government announced that the

pandemic is over?

5. What is the difference between your carinderia before and during pandemics?

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

The conceptual framework of the study uses the input–process–output (IPO)

whereas the input of the study is the Business Profile Information: Age, Gender,
Duration of Business, and Socio-economic status. Factors in operating carinderia

business in COVID-19 pandemic: Updated policies surrounding the management of the

crisis, Risk assessment, Emergency management, and contingency plans, Personnel

documentation and records, Purchasing, and Complaints and recalls.

The process is the gathering of data thru questionnaires, interviews, and

observation that falls under primary data. Statistical analysis of data and the output of

the study is the assessment of the effects of COVID-19 Pandemic to Food Service

Practices of Selected Carinderias in Abangan Norte, Marilao, Bulacan.

FIGURE 1: IPO TABLE

CARINDERIA BUSINESS OWNERS AND CUSTOMERS

During the time of the pandemic, carinderia owners are one of the most affected

in terms of business operation, income, laborers, and customers. According to PASCO

(Philippine Association of Stores and Carenderia Owners) during the ECQ period

(March – April) 75 percent out of 84 carinderias temporarily stopped operations and the

rest of them temporarily closed. This research shows that how does the Covid 19
[1]

pandemic affects food services especially small eateries like carinderias. 

The plight of carinderia stores is inevitably visible especially not seeing them on a

regular basis like before. According to Malaya Business Insight, even with the easing of

the quarantine measures, there has not been much improvement on the plight of

carinderias all over the country. Both micro-retail formats cited difficulties in buying

goods to sell to date such as they had to downsize their operations by up to 90 percent.
[2]  

In an interview conducted by Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in

their report about the Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on MSMEs, a food stall owner has

seen little or no income since most people are not going out to dine. They had a few

take-out orders, on an average three orders per week. [3]  

In addition to the MSMEs survey, 85% of them still have to go to the supplier’s

shop to pick up their supplies. However, getting a means of transport has been a
challenge due to the limited availability of public transport or its absence during the

lockdown [4]   

In terms of customers, the reduction in customer footfall was significant for

enterprises owned by both men (75%) and women (86%) [5]

SAFETY PROTOCOLS ON RE-OPENING OF FOOD SERVICES

Few business enterprises and owners altered their methods of food services in

order to strive in these unfortunate circumstances. Carinderia owners, though, unable to

open resorted to different ways to provide service. 

According to Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in their report, 11%

of enterprises have started using social media to communicate with their suppliers,

while 8% have started using social media to communicate with their customers. [6]

A couple of news has been reported that former dine-in carinderias also changed

their operations. 7% of enterprises have started offering home delivery services. [7]

In relation to the report of the Department of Health (DOH) and Department of

Trade and Industry (DTI), more than 3/4th of enterprises reported to have followed three

common safety measures for themselves, their staff, and customers: 75% of customers

queue with physical distance, 74% wash hands or use sanitizer, 82% wear masks. [8]
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The term methodology is a system of explicit rules and procedures in which

research is based and against which claims of knowledge are evaluated (Ojo, 2003).

This chapter explains in detail the methodology used in gathering the information

necessary in this study. It highlights the sources of data and the survey design, which

includes the sampling plan and data analysis method employed. 

Therefore, this section focuses on the research technique adopted and used for

this study with the aim of achieving the research objectives. This section of the

document also contains a description of the target group, data sources, and gathering

tools.

DATA ANALYSIS:

The researchers will use the qualitative method of research. This is qualitative

research because it seeks to determine the Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic to Food

Service Practices of Selected Carinderias in Abangan Norte, Marilao, Bulacan by

systematically using a predefined set of procedures. Data are gathered and analyzed

through several analysis methods.

Qualitative research focuses on the feelings and opinions of a consumer or

member of the target audience (University of Southern California 2017). Reaching the

target group using demographic segmentation to determine the initial information about

the respondents and their flow of trend in consuming carinderia products.

safety protocols for both interviewer and respondent. The researcher chooses to make

the interview process more comfortable and informal by simply engaging in a

conversation with audience members. When conducting interviews, ask open-ended

questions that allow for detailed responses instead of just “yes” or “no.” 

Questions are based on the following:

 Employees need to remain healthy for a business to continue

 Introducing distancing measures

 Changing personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements

 Regularly wiping down equipment and surfaces

 Limiting visitors, and changing delivery protocols

 Report of suspected or confirmed illnesses in friends and family, if they

have been in recent contact and require quarantining

The study will collect and treat data exclusively from secondary sources

including, but not limited to, corporate websites, publications and annual reports,

previous researches, government pronouncements, and libraries. 

To complete the data gathering, four methods of data analysis in qualitative

research will be used, namely: content analysis, historical analysis, document analysis,

and policy analysis that are all important to process the data.

TIMEFRAME OF THE STUDY: GANTT CHART

The data collecting procedure of the study will run for four weeks or one month

maximum if possible to avoid future problems with other parts of the study. This
schedule will highlight each task namely: Identifying resources needed, Prepare

required tools, Gathering secondary data, Interview on Selected Carinderia Owners,

and Data Gathering and Processing. 

This will guide the researchers to efficiently collect the data needed to provide

reliable and valid results for the study.

FIGURE 2: GANTT CHART

Banaag, Gracia. 2020. “A Qualitative Study on the Influence of a Carinderia Business to

Career Decision of Food and Beverages HSU Students.” Academia.edu. 2020.

https://www.academia.edu/36220174/A_Qualitative_Study_on_the_Influence_of_a_Cari

nderia_Business_to_Career_Decision_of_Food_and_Beverages_HSU_Students.

CDC. 2020. “Considerations for Restaurants and Bars.” Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention. February 11, 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-

ncov/community/organizations/business-employers/bars-restaurants.html.

Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. 2021. “Food Safety and the Coronavirus Disease

2019 (COVID-19).” U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 2021.

https://www.fda.gov/food/food-safety-during-emergencies/food-safety-and-coronavirus-

disease-2019-covid-19.

“DOLE-DOH-DILG-DOT-DTI JOINT MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 21-__ Series of 2021

IMPLEMENTING GUIDELINES of the SAFETY SEAL CERTIFICATION PROGRAM.”

n.d. Accessed May 26, 2021. https://dtiwebfiles.s3-ap-southeast-

1.amazonaws.com/COVID19Resources/COVID-

19+Advisories/04232021_Joint+Memorandum+Circular+No.+21-01.pdf.

“Navigating the Impact of COVID-19 on the Food Industry.” 2019. Www.sgs.ph. 2019.

https://www.sgs.ph/en/news/2020/05/navigating-the-impact-of-covid-19-on-the-food-

industry.

Perry, Alvin, Emad Rahim, and Bill Davis. 2018. “Startup Success Trends in Small Business

beyond Five-Years: A Qualitative Research Study.” ResearchGate. IGI Global. 2018.

all_Business_Beyond_Five-Years_A_Qualitative_Research_Study.

“Philippines Foodservice Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2021 -

2026).” 2021. Mordorintelligence.com. 2021.

https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/philippines-foodservice-market.

Ranada, Pia. 2021. “Gov’t Allows Limited Dine-In, Salons, Barbershops under MECQ.”

Rappler. Rappler. April 29, 2021. https://www.rappler.com/nation/government-allows-

limited-dine-in-salons-barbershops-mecq-may-2021.

University of Southern California. 2017. “4 Research Methods for Audience Analysis | USC

Online MCM.” USC Online Communication Degree. June 20, 2017.

https://communicationmgmt.usc.edu/blog/4-research-methods-for-audience-analysis/.

Arugay, Vince. (n.d.). “Measuring Carinderias’ Knowledge of and Compliance to the

Code of Sanitation in the Philippines.” Tuguegaro City, Philippines: University of Saint

Louis. np.

Azanaw, Jember, Dagne, Henok, and Gebrehiwot, Mulat. (2019). “Factors Associated

with Food Safety Practices among Food Handlers: Facility-based Cross-sectional

Study.” BMC Research Notes, 12(683): np.

Madeira, Arlindo, Mendes, Alexandra Sofia, and Palrao, Teresa. (2021). “The Impact of

Pandemic Crisis on the Restaurant Business.” Sustainability, 13(40): 1-13. 

“Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) the
Philippines Report.” 2020. https://www.microsave.net/wp-
content/uploads/2020/08/Impact-of-COVID-19-on-Micro-Small-and-Medium-
Enterprises-MSMEs-1.pdf.