ACADEME

Volume 19 September 2021 University of Bohol, Graduate School

UNIVERSITY OF BOHOL,
Print ISSN 2362-9142 • Elecronic ISSNand Professional Studies Journal
2362-9215 GRADUATE SCHOOL
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15631/aubgsps.v19i1.173 ACADEME AND PROFESSIONAL
STUDIES JOURNAL

Level of Effectiveness of PNP Frontliners

in Preventing the Spread of COVID-19
in Tagbilaran City, Bohol
LOIDA C. BUSANO
[email protected]
https://orcid.org/0009-0007-2750-5139

ROVELISA M. BUSANO
[email protected]
https://orcid.org/0009-0003-4575-9811

JAMES LOUIE CODILLA

[email protected]
https://orcid.org/0009-0006-1882-6857

ARTEMIO JR. DANIEL

[email protected]
https://orcid.org/0009-0008-7557-3117

MARICAR D. HINAMPAS
[email protected]
https://orcid.org/0009-0000-8628-4291

LADY SUZETTE D. QUINLOG

[email protected]
https://orcid.org/0009-0008-3150-7468

NORMALYN JANE J. RAZ

[email protected]
https://orcid.org/0009-0002-1075-874X

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons

Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

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SAMUEL JOHN V. RAGUINGAN

[email protected]
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2777-1756

ADELFA C. MARANGA
[email protected]
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9031-7447

ABSTRACT

This study sought to determine the level of effectiveness of the PNP

front liners in preventing the spread of COVID-19 in Tagbilaran City, Bohol
in the perspective of both the perspectives of the PNP officers and the
residents of Tagbilaran City. This study utilized a quantitative method and
survey technique to describe the level of effectiveness of the PNP front
liners to gathering data. Three hundred (300) randomly selected residents
from random households in Tagbilaran City and thirty (30) PNP Front liners
from Tagbilaran City Police Station were made participants in the study.
On the the effectiveness in enforcing the preventive measures against
COVID-19 in Tagbilaran City, it was rated as strongly effective by both the
PNP officers and the residents. Data revealed a significant relationship
between the profile of the two groups of respondents on the level of
effectiveness in the enforcement of preventive measures. In conclusion,
the PNP front liners have demonstrated their adequacy in carrying out
their obligation the execution of public health safety protocols, appropriate
application of laws towards keeping the community safe from the fatal
impact of the COVID-19, and most of the respondents were on the same
line of thinking of the execution as to rules in response to the COVID-19
spread to control the spread in their locality. It is recommended that the
Philippine National Police continue the strict implementation of their
policies and guidelines in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords: Tagbilaran City PNP Front liners, Level of Effectiveness,

Perceptions of the Community to the Front liners, Quantitative Survey
Method, Cronbach’s Alpha Testing, COVID-19 Pandemic, Tagbilaran City,
Bohol.

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INTRODUCTION

The widespread of “covid-19” A continuous episode of pneumonia-

related with a novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)
coronavirus 2, was detailed in Wuhan, Hubei Area, China, in December
2019. Within the taking after weeks, contaminations spread over China
and other nations around the world. The Chinese public health, clinical, and
logical communities took the activity to permit for timely acknowledgment
of the modern infection and shared the viral gene sequence to the world.
On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced
the outbreak of a Public Health Emergency of Worldwide Concern. On
February 12, 2020, the WHO named the infection caused by the novel
coronavirus “coronavirus illness 2019” (COVID-19). (Zu et al., 2020).
The contaminated patients usually show indications of fever,
weariness, and dry cough. Some patients appeared upper respiratory
side effects such as nasal obstacles, nasal release, and sore throat.
Gastrointestinal side effects such as stomach distress, heaving, stomach
torment, and loose bowels may moreover happen. C‐reactive protein was
ordinary or transitory upregulation, ALT levels and myocardial chemical
were not clearly unusual changes. Chest imaging normality were shown in
asymptomatic tainted patients (Lu & Shi, 2020).
In any case, numerous individuals have been contaminated. Others
are exceptionally unfortunate and died, due to the devastating impact
of the infection on the body and lungs. The World Health Organization
(WHO), On July 16, 2020, there had been 13,378,853 affirmed cases of
covid-19 counting 580,045 deaths universally. Within the Philippines, the
Department of Health (DOH) reports 61,266 cases and 1,643 deaths.
The Philippine National Police plays an imperative part in anticipating
the spread of covid-19. Executing the policies started by the government
alongside the other front liners from different areas. They are responsible
for the assurance of the public’s security and maintaining order in response
to the national health crisis.
Within Tagbilaran City, the provincial capital of the province of Bohol,
where the center of business and the only city in Bohol, it is common to be
swarmed and particularly in the shopping center and other trade places.
Some individuals who are not wearing the face mask and face shield may
have a higher risk of getting the infection. Tagbilaran moreover one of the
entry points and the greatest number of LSI and OFW who will be coming

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domestically from other areas and nations. As of presently, the Tagbilaran

city has a higher casein covid-19 in Bohol.
The essential challenges of the Philippine National Police front liners
are to guarantee the security and safety of the individuals as well as to
maintain order. Always remind them to avoid from being contaminated by
the infection. Indeed, if the arrangements and protocols were sanctioned
by the government there still people who deny to comply, and follow,
violate the regulations. Further complicating the circumstance faced by
the nation and its frontliners.
This study aims to decide the viability of PNP frontliners in avoiding
the spread of Covid-19 in Tagbilaran City, what are the steps and
countermeasures that they made to preserve and guarantee the individuals
from their security against the infection.
According to Becker (1968), the subjective appraisal of these
variables depends on the person’s state of mind towards dangers. Hence,
on-screen characters who are arranged to require dangers are or may
be discouraged by the likelihood of being caught than by the level of
punishment. Within the case of hazard ¬neutral actors, the impacts of
likelihood and punishment can compensate whereas actors who maintain
a strategic distance from dangers are or may be hindered by the effect of
heavier punishments than by the likelihood of being caught. Becker draws
the conclusion that criminal actors are more likely to require dangers
which in this manner the likelihood of being caught is for the most part
more critical than the punishment. The last-mentioned presumption may
be upheld by game theoretical contemplations and observational consider,
in any case, this mental supplementary presumption is conflicting with the
financial approach of criminal conduct and by and large with the rationale
of judicious choice hypotheses since there would be a mental disposition
of hoodlums at that point, which recognizes them from law-abiding citizens
(Mehlkop & Graeff, 2010).
According to Rogers (1975), agreeing to the initial definition of the
assurance inspiration hypothesis (a fear offers communication starts
cognitive evaluation forms concerning (I) the harmfulness or seriousness
of the debilitated occasion, (2) the likelihood of the event of the occasion,
and (3) the viability of a suggested adapting reaction. These cognitive
forms intercede the powerful impacts of a fear request by stirring
assurance inspiration, an interceding variable that stimulates, supports,
and coordinates movement to secure the self from the threat. A later audit

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of assurance inspiration inquiries about (Rogers, 1983) has given back

for the significance of harmfulness or result seriousness, the likelihood of
the event, and adapting reaction viability in affecting states of mind and
behavioral eagerly (Maddux & Rogers, 1983).
Meyer and Rowan in their compelling article on institutionalized
organizations too grasped Berger and Luckmann’s conception:
Institutionalized rules are classifications built into society as responded
typification’s or elucidations (Berger & Luckmann, 1966). Institutionalization
includes the forms by which social forms, commitments, or realities come
to require on a run the show like status in social thought and activity. The
common include in all of these definitions is that institutionalization is
seen as the social preparation by which people come to acknowledge a
shared definition of social reality-a conception whose legitimacy is seen
as free of the actor’s claim sees or activities but is taken for allowed
as characterizing the “way things are” and/or the “way things are to be
done.” Still, these definitions are exceptionally common, relating to the
development of social reality-and, consequently, steady social order-
in all its different pretenses, not to highlights conducive to the rise of
formal organizations in specific. Inconsequent work, in any case, Berger
and other collaborators endeavored to characterize the particular set of
convictions related to the improvement of societal modernization. In a vital
work that has not gotten the consideration, it merits, Berger. Berger and
Kellner (1973) contended that present-day awareness is formed by the
set of interconnected conviction systems related to the improvement of (1)
mechanical generation, (2) bureaucracies, and (3) the pluralization of life-
worlds. These conviction systems and their related cognitive styles both
create out of and independently cause the advance spread of “rational”
financial, political, and social organizations (Meyer & Rowan 2006).
In this report, we offer causal evidence from the Philippines that
government outreach endeavors expecting to expand administrations and
construct believe with town pioneers in struggle zones can pay expansive
profits amid times of emergency. In March 2020, we were within the
middle of a field test to assess the effect of a program called Usap Tayo
that looked to improve benefit arrangement in conflict-affected towns
and construct belief between cutting edge government benefit providers
and chosen (but powerless) town pioneers, locally known as ‘Barangay
Kapitan’s’. Within the five months instantly going before President
Duterte’s COVID-19 lockdown arrange, pioneers from randomly chosen

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towns in an intensely conflict-affected locale of the nation took part in an

arrangement of centered gatherings with representatives from government
offices, particularly the Department of Social Welfare and Development
(DSWD), the Department of Agriculture (DA), and the Technical Education
and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). The Usap Tayo gatherings
were facilitated and encouraged by the Philippine National Police (PNP)
officers who specialize in police-community relations. The reason for the
gatherings was to extend automatic benefit conveyance to regions that
have been cleared out behind, in portion by giving security for line offices
to be closer to under-served communities and in portion by bringing at-
risk communities closer to the political systems that regularly direct
benefit conveyance. The COVID-19 pandemic presents an interesting
opportunity to test whether Usap Tayo’s confidence building activities-
initiated neighborhood leaders in conflict-affected towns to share data that
they otherwise would not have. Instantly after the lockdown arrangement,
the territorial police administration initiated an effort to gather information
from town leaders around local risk components crucial to the spread
of COVID-19. With this information in hand, the region’s inter-agency
Covid Task Force may more effectively prioritize its reaction, given limited
resources. (Haim et al., 2020)
Usap Tayo gatherings were stopped in early March 2020 due to the
growing coronavirus problem. On January 30, 2020, the primary cause of
coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was affirmed within the Philippines,
launching a period of significant wellbeing concern and vulnerability within
the nation. As the disease spread around the world, in the long run being
announced a worldwide pandemic in March 2020, the government of the
Philippines moved to contain the virus through quarantine on March 16,
2020. Although early cases were identified in Metro Manila, COVID-19
spread all through the islands, particularly on Luzon. Most traceable cases
were connected to people who had traveled recently to Metro Manila
or overseas. Similar to other nations, most fatalities from COVID-19
happened among the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions.
To implement the COVID-19 social isolation, tracing, and quarantine policy,
it was important for government offices to conduct a profoundly localized
evaluation of risk factors to the spread of the pandemic. As a portion of
the Covid inter-agency task force, the Philippine National Police regional
command is responsible for making a difference to gather information and
maintain peace and security during the pandemic reaction. The PNP’s

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part is vital for collecting information in far-flung barangays, which are

moderately risky and troublesome for operators from the Department of
Health (DOH) to cover. Utilizing contact data obtained during the Usap Tayo
assessment pattern, representatives of the Police Community Relations
(PCR) unit at the regional headquarters reached Barangay Kapitan’s in
these conflict-affected communities to ask for data approximately recent
travel to Manila, at-risk community individuals, and any clear symptoms.
(Haim et al., 2020)
The evident reality of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the request for an
effective reaction, has led to significant changes in everyday life, counting
the requests of social distancing and evasion of large (or indeed little)
social occasions. It has significantly affected the worldwide economy,
driving numerous vital and omnipresent industries, including travel and
amusement, to a virtual standstill. It has also strained supplies of the
most common items such as basic supplies and cleaning items, whereas
impelling a mind-blowing increase in our use of other items such as apps
for video conferencing or live streaming as a substitution for face-to-face
interactions (Gray, 2020).
Heroes are only recognized when treachery is faced. They are
characterized as messianic people compassionately engaging for the
social equity of everyone and they are commended for their bravery to
confront war in the midst of the hazard of having their lives at toll. In a
pandemic, wherein the enemy is invisible—the virus—the only warriors at
command is the field of healthcare in collaboration with local governments
and communities. They are basically called ‘front liners’ for they are the
primary line of defense when health conditions go frail. In any case, was
it truly vital for them to drop from the lines to be considered heroes, or
do their acknowledgment shroud their valor as the state’s substitute of
political incidents? The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has risen
above borders with millions of contaminations; it came to hit the social,
wellbeing, financial, and political frameworks of the world. It did not—
however—disrupts the frameworks, rather, it has revealed the nature of
systems, uncovered vulnerabilities, and opened up pre-existing conditions
(Runciman, 2020). The Philippines has been executing proactive open
wellbeing arrangements: travel bans, Luzon Island beneath lockdown
until May 15, and mass testing beneath Neighborhood Government
Unit (LGU) capacity. The President, after weeks within the widespread,
claimed something else. In a broadcast discourse on April 6th, he

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communicated his desperation in tackling the pandemic, reminding each

Filipino the safety measure he forced some time recently COVID-19
impaired everyone’s ways of life. He announced the nation beneath an
open wellbeing crisis and had the Official Office to support Bayanihan to
Heal as One Act to give uncommon powers to the president, hoping to
lighten the crisis. He moreover set a mandate to the LGUs to facilitate with
the national government in actualizing the approaches at a nearby level;
improvement programs, checkpoint foundations, time limit executions,
and help operations were to be carried out to help and constrain human
exercises. The arrangements on the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, in any
case, did not suspend the writ of habeas corpus, a critical right to go on a
due handle. Philippine National Police Chief Archie Gamboa clarified the
closeness of the law by fair having more military staff keeping an eye on
regions and captures to be done on stubborn violators. (Ronquillo, 2020).
The national government of the Philippines has forced an enhanced
community quarantine, locally referred to as ‘lockdown’, in Metropolitan
Manila until 30 April 2020. This requires home isolation as well as social
distancing. Individuals are permitted to go out only for necessities and must
observe curfew hours from 8 pm to 5 am. Most individuals are presently
working remotely, and classes are temporarily suspended. Others are
investigating online learning modalities (Mendoza, 2020).
An improvement that’s closely associated with an expanded introduction
on police results, is the advancement towards what was already called
quality-oriented thinking. Though a quantity-oriented approach is usually
in a period in which effectiveness issues and financial reductions play a
central part, a move towards a quality-oriented approach is inherent to a
police association that tries to measure the results of police work. How the
police association capacities should be by certain quality measures and
should have certain suggestions for society. The judgment on the quality
of police work and the working of the police should not be confined to
simple measurable criteria (De Vries & Van der Zijl, 2001).
The COVID-19 widespread has put the world into a circumstance of
vulnerability. Numerous organizations are treading on unknown regions
and have no diagram for how to oversee the emergency and its results.
Police are having to reply to and help in an open wellbeing emergency
upholding modern laws and bylaws that are frequently changing as
governments take data from disease transmission experts and virologists
on how to oversee this worldwide widespread. As the government

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depends on the justice system to guarantee community security and to

secure the community, not as it were from common dangers to open or
personal security such as residential viciousness, packs, weapons, or
drugs but too from COVID-19, they bear them with extra powers. How the
police carry out those powers and approaches amid the widespread gets
to be of most extreme significance as these exceptional measures can
affect police authenticity. Whether or not the police can effectively react to
this emergency does not as depend on legislators or the government but
moreover on open belief and certainty, and the open is seeing the police
as an authentic control holder. Inquire about reliably appears that whether
the open trusts the police and sees it as authentic has imperative results
of whether or not individuals comply with the law (Jones, 2020).
The primary arrangement choice of the Philippine government was
to impose particular quarantine. It did so on 2 Feb 2020 for returning
OFW but was still open to universal discussion travel. On 7 Mar 2020, the
primary local transmission was detailed by the DOH of a patient who had
no travel history and had comorbidities. The Department of Health raised
the alarm level to Red sublevel 1 to expect the increment of COVID19
cases locally. Upon the proposal of the Health Secretary, President
Rodrigo R Duterte issued Announcement 922 on March 8, pronouncing a
state of national crisis due to the risk of COVID 19. Beneath this decree, all
organizations are required to render full help within the reaction to COVID
19. The Secretary of Health as the head of the Inter-agency Task Force for
Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) may call upon law enforcement
agencies to help within the execution of isolate and other measures to
address the spread of infection. IATF-EID through Determination No. 16
made a specialized working group (TWG) comprising of agents from the
government offices and the Armed Forces of the Philippines. (Vallejo &
Ong, 2020).
This study appears an all-encompassing picture of the current inquires
in reaction to the episode of COVID-19. Amid this early period, numerous
considers have been distributed investigating the study of disease
transmission, causes, clinical signs and determination, and avoidance
and control of the novel coronavirus. Hence distant, most considers have
centered on the study of disease transmission and potential causes. Be
that as it may, considers investigating avoidance and control measures
has started to steadily increment. Studies in this space are direly required
to play down the effect of the outbreak. Government organizations have

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rapidly consolidated later logical discoveries into public arrangements

at the community, territorial, and national levels to moderate down and/
or avoid the advance spread of the COVID-19. We prescribe that the
scholarly community conduct advance inquires to supply substantial and
solid ways to oversee this kind of public health crisis in both the short-term
and long-term. (Adhikari, Meng, Wu, Mao, Ye, Wang, & Zhou, 2020).
This survey was pointed at highlighting discoveries in SARS-
CoV-2 airborne transmission taking into thought past thinks about other
coronaviruses, including papers on bioaerosol science. Although numerous
of the changed things mostly approved the speculation of airborne
transmission, none of them alone were adequate to supply conclusive
proof, likely since airborne transmission is by and large a minority
component, combined with droplet and contact transmission. In any case,
our audit, as an entirety, bolsters this kind of transmission and actuates a
reflection on the ways of making preventative choices. The evidence-based
medication requires that therapeutic mediations would be based on strong
logical bases inferred from a reliable sum of concurred studies. All things
considered, the anticipation, even though ideally evidence-based, ought
to moreover be motivated by the preparatory rule: this implies that in case
the adequacy of a preventive degree is indeed mostly illustrated, it should
be connected without holding up for advance affirmation. The example
of face mask utilizes and secure separating suggestions is paradigmatic:
the ones given at the starting of the widespread have been continuously
changed until the obligatory utilize of masks all over and the expansion of
security separate from 1 to 2 or more meters. These modern suggestions
are based on the over-cited reports on COVID-19 recommending airborne
transmission but seem to have been proposed indeed sometime recently,
considering the past information, and their coherent preventive esteem, as
of now examined by other creators. We cannot know how numerous cases
would have maintained a strategic distance from timelier exhortation, but
we can say that the beginning position of numerous teach was very shallow
and unconscious of possible results. (Carducci, Federigi, & Verani, 2020).
As of 25 May, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
(SARS-COV-2) widespread has contaminated nearly 5.2 million people,
and about 340,000 people have passed on the contamination universally.
Most governments have executed strict approaches to decrease the
development and social contacts of their populations. The techniques
included border closure, a decrease in insignificant administrations,

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and prohibiting swarm gathering to diminish person-to-person contacts.

In expansion, self-imposed avoidance, such as social separating,
handwashing, and face mask utilization, are executed to different degrees
over-influenced regions. The discoveries by Tesla and colleagues within
the current issue of PLOS Medicine are insightful. The study illustrates
that self-imposed avoidance, as a response to data, spread almost
the coronavirus illness 2019 (COVID-19), can be viable procedures to
moderate and delay the plague. In comparison, short-term government-
Imposed social separating might as it was delaying the scourge for the
healthcare frameworks to way better get ready for an expanding COVID-19
burden. In an environment where impressive difference exists of the ideal
way to limit both mortality from contamination and financial harm from
control measures, the paper by Tesla and colleagues is most welcome.
(Zhang, Tao, Shen, Fairley, & Guo, 2020).
In this study, we have given the ratio of the COVID-19 contamination
on the extreme cases to the mild, asymptomatic, and non-pneumonia
cases in Beijing. The populace was generally susceptible, and with a
moderately low casualty rate. The measures to anticipate transmission
was exceptionally effective at early organizing, the following steps on the
COVID-19 disease ought to be centered on early confinement of patients
and isolate for near contacts in families and communities in Beijing (Tian,
Hu, Lou, Chen, Kang, Xiang, & Zhang, 2020).
Household studies can moreover offer assistance characterize the
part that subclinical, asymptomatic, and mild contaminations play in
transmission to illuminate evidence-based choices almost prioritization
of control measures; measures that depend on distinguishing proof and
segregation of symptomatic people will be distant more compelling on the
off chance that those people have the essential part in transmission. On
the other hand, if persons without symptoms can transmit the infection,
more emphasis ought to be set on measures for social distancing, such
as closing schools and maintaining a strategic distance from mass get-
togethers. To assess whether the dangers that school closure postures to
children’s well-being and instruction — and efficiency if working guardians
are required for child care — are advocated, we must learn whether
children are a vital source of transmission. The family thinks about can
moreover be utilized to conduct viral shedding thinks that can offer
assistance decide when patients are most irresistible and for how long
they should be separated. (Lipsitch, Swerdlow, & Finelli, 2020).

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In a later discourse within the House of Commons, Matt Hancock, the

UK secretary of state for wellbeing and social care, highlighted the pillar of
the government’s approach, as set out within the arrange: contain, delay,
research, and mitigate. In connection to flu, the arrangement sees these
stages as location, evaluation, treatment, heightening, and recovery,
and during the evaluation stage, it emphasizes the have to be effectively
discovered, test, confines, and treat cases—our current approach to
covid-19. Not at all like for flu, no antibody or antiviral specialists are
accessible for covid-19, and the pillar of treatment is strong care, in tall
reliance units if fundamental, for the foremost basically sick patients.
(Watkins 2020).
The primary step to ceasing the spread of SARS-CoV-2 has as of
now been taken—behavioral changes. This reflects a quick but imperfect
understanding of the transmission of this infection. At the starting of
the Aids plague, changes in sexual behavior, condom promotion, and
government mediations (closing “hotspots” of HIV transmission such as
bathhouses) contrasted. For SARS-CoV-2, covers, and gloves, hand
cleanliness, and “shelter in place” orders have as of now illustrated
benefits. More proficient behavioral intercession requires a better
understanding of the rules overseeing SARS-CoV-2 transmission. What
are the dangers of exposure to respiratory droplets, airborne infection, and
surface contamination? What concentration of SARS-CoV-2 is required
for transmission? Prove recommends that SARS-CoV-2 transmission is
most noteworthy exceptionally early in disease earlier to the advancement
of symptoms—the same lessons learned from HIV. Given this run the
show of transmission, biomedical avoidance methodologies that give solid
assurance gotten to be fundamental. And as has demonstrated genuine
for HIV, coordinating avoidance to individuals at the most noteworthy
chance for SARS-CoV-2 contamination or the worst infection results will
be a vital thought. (Cohen et al., 2020).
On the mezzo level, two layers of a tightly-knit inter-organizational
organization have demonstrated usefulness. One is the formal
organizational chain of command from the Central Epidemic Command
Center (CECC)to the local governments and after that to the care
institutions. The specialist of the command channel is regarded to maintain
a strategic distance from any deception, disarray, or undue uneasiness.
The other layer of arrangement is among the care institutions themselves
through their affiliations and the local gathering instrument. At the early

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onset of COVID19, CECC has taken numerous actions. The central

activities at that organization were border control, travel limitations, case
finding, asset assignment, communications, and other authoritative rules.
Although not specified by CECC, the care institutions had recognized their
ought to react quickly since their dangers and stakes were both tall (Yang
and Huang, 2020).
This study is legally supported by UN COVID-19 Law Lab, Republic
Act No. 11469 otherwise known as “Bayanihan To Heal As One Act”,
Proclamation No. 929, Executive Order No. 13, Executive Order No. 14,
Executive Order No. 15, Executive Order No. 16, Executive Order No. 18,
Executive Order No. 33.
The UN COVID-19 Law Lab initiative gathers and shares legal
documents from over 190 countries across the world to help states establish
and implement strong legal frameworks to manage the pandemic. The goal
is to ensure that laws protect the health and wellbeing of individuals and
communities and that they adhere to international human rights standards.
Republic Act 11469 otherwise known as “Bayanihan To Heal As One
Act” is an act that declares a national emergency caused by the COVID-19
pandemic. It is a national policy that authorizes the President of the
Philippines to use or exercise his powers as a president of the country to
reallocate, realign, and reprogram a budget worth almost 275 billion pesos
from the estimated national budget of the country which is 438 billion pesos
to be used in response to help the nation against the COVID-19 pandemic.
In Proclamation No. 929 – Declaring a state of calamity throughout
the Philippines due to Corona virus disease 2019 states that in Section 2
of this proclamation it says that all government agencies alike and local
government units (LGUs) shall render full assistance and coordination and
to move the resources necessary for the response of critical and urgent
measurements in a timely manner in order to reduce and eradicate the
threat of the current pandemic, COVID-19.
In Section 4 of the same proclamation, it also states that all residents,
citizens, tourists and establishment owners in the Philippines shall move
and act towards the guidance of the law for the compliance in lawful
directives and advisories implemented by the government in order to stop
the transmission of the disease.
Executive Order No.13 that was issued on March 17, 2020. This
executive order states that there will be a provincial wide curfew in order
to address the ongoing threat of COVID-19.

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This province wide curfew would start on the 18th of March 2020 at
9:00 o’clock in the evening and will end at 5:00 o’clock in early morning.
However exception to this order are those who will transport medical
supplies, laboratory equipment, specimens in relation to the virus and any
forms of humanitarian aid will be allowed to enter the province through
land, air or sea travel as long as the one transporting these aid are of
those uniformed personnel in their official work; emergencies cases such
as life-threatening emergencies; pharmacy establishments; maintenance
and emergency repair works of electricity, water, and telecommunications,
and lastly; medical personnel like doctors, nurses, medical technicians
in hospitals or health facilities that are working during the implemented
curfew hours.
In Executive Order No. 14 that was issued on March 18, 2020, it states
the imposition of extended suspension of all domestic and international
flight and sea travel for all passengers who were initially bound to Bohol.
This implementation is a preventive measure to combat the disease from
entering the province.
Executive Order No. 15. States that starting on the 25th of March 2020,
the use of facemasks is mandatory and shall be implemented province-
wide in order to stop or prevent the transmission of the disease.
Executive Order No. 16. Province-wide 24 hours curfew for ages 65
years old and above, and 18 years old below starting on March 23, 2020.
These persons may leave their households only for medical emergencies,
or undergo routine medical procedures for chronic illnesses. In all cases,
all persons who leave households must present valid identification cards,
indicating their date of birth, and employment identification.
Executive Order No. 18. An Order Regulating the Operating hour
of Business Establishments During the Duration of the Community
Quarantine, it states that there will be a regulation of working hours for
any business establishments during the effective community quarantine.
This regulation would start on the 30th of March 2020 and shall remain
definitely until the community quarantine will be revoked. Exceptions
to this regulation are of those establishments such as hospitals and
medical clinics and medical facilities such as diagnostic laboratories;
public utilities; pharmacies and drug stores; cargo and shipping services;
media establishments such radio stations or paper news companies and
Business Process Outsourcing (BPO).
Executive Order No. 33: Placing the Province of Bohol under Modified

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General Community Quarantine, this means that the province of Bohol

shall be now under the Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ)
wherein Bohol is now among the low-risk areas of the COVID-19 spread
and that some of the temporary prevention measures are now being relaxed
and has become less necessary. Although, even if some measurements
are now being relaxed, ordinances and policies will still be strictly enforced
during this new normal within the province.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The study used a quantitative method of research utilizing self-made

questionnaires that were distributed to the two groups of respondents in
this study. The questions in the questionnaires are based on the World
Health Organization’s (WHO) Guidelines Against the Novel Coronavirus
2019. Some items were based on the PNP Brochures regarding
preparations Against the Novel Corona Virus 2019. In the National Policy
and Guidelines. Some other items were based on the Republic Act 11469
(R.A. 11469 also known as “Bayanihan.
The locale of the study was the City of Tagbilaran, Bohol which is a
component city and capital of the Province of Bohol, Philippines which
is composed of 15 barangays. There were three hundred thirty (330)
respondents in this study. Thirty (30) respondents came from the PNP
officers of the Tagbilaran City Police Station who served frontliners during
the COVID-19 pandemic and three-hundred Tagbilaran City residents.
From estimated household population of 7,205 in selected barangays in
Tagbilaran City. Three hundred (300) residents were randomly selected.
The selected respondents who participated in this study were 18 years
old and above. Excluded were those were physically challenged.
The researchers of the study made use of self-made survey
questionnaires. A pilot testing of the tool was first conducted to ten (10)
individuals in Tagbilaran City, which has the same demographic profile of
the actual respondents. The data that were gathered from the pre-test were
then subjected to a reliability test using Cronbach’s Alpha with the result
of 0.888. Part I dealt with the profile of both groups of respondents of the
study. Part II is to sought the level of effectiveness of the PNP Frontliners
in enforcing the preventive measures against COVID-19 in the City of
Tagbilaran. The respondents were instructed to answer each question
base on the following scales: 4-Strongly Observed (SO), 3-Observed

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(O), 2-Less Observed (LO), 1-Not Observed (NO). Part III deals with the
level of effectiveness of the PNP Frontliners perceived by the residents
of Tagbilaran City, Bohol, towards the PNP Frontliners of Tagbilaran City.
The respondents were instructed to answer each question based on the
following scales: 4-Strongly Observed (SO), 3-Observed (O), 2 - Less
Observed (LO), 1 - Not Observed (NO).
To ensure that ethical considerations were appropriately addressed,
the researchers of the study submitted their paper and survey
questionnaires to the research and ethics committee of the University of
Bohol Research Center. This is to make sure that the information gathered
and the respondents involved in the study are to be treated with the
utmost confidentiality. The researchers of the study must also observe
proper courtesy and respect in dealing with the involved offices and the
informants by providing all the necessary documents to be used as their
references. The letters will be sent to the respondents of the study, who
are in the service of Philippine National Police Frontliners ask them to sign
the formal consent. The researchers will consider the responses of their
respondents with the utmost confidentiality. All information gathered by the
researchers must only be used within their study. Before the survey is to
be conducted, the researchers must also discuss and notify the informants
of the study that they have the right to refuse, decline, or withdraw if they
decided to.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

Profile of Respondents. The resident respondents yielded a

percentage of 90.9%, while the police respondents yielded a percentage
of 9.1% of the population. Respondents whose age group belongs to the
18-30 years old yielded a percentage of 60.6%. Respondents whose age
group belongs to the 31-43 years old yielded a percentage of 23.3%.
Respondents whose age group belongs to the 44-56 years old yielded
a percentage of 10.9%. Lastly, respondents whose age group belongs
to that of 57 and above years old yielded a percentage of 5.2% of the
population. Male respondents yielded a percentage of 49.7%, meanwhile
female respondents yielded a percentage of 50.3% of the population.
Respondents whose civil status is single yielded a percentage of 60.6%.
Respondents who are married yielded a percentage 33.6%. Respondents
who are widow/widower yielded a percentage of 3.6%. Lastly, respondents

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whose civil status is separated yielded a percentage of 2.1% of the

population. Respondents that are still in the elementary level yielded
a percentage of 0.9%. Respondents that were elementary graduates
yielded a percentage of 0.3%. Respondents that were high school level
of education yielded a percentage of 15.8%. Respondents that were high
school graduates yielded a percentage of 15.5%. Respondents that are
still in the college level yielded a percentage of 30.0%. Lastly, respondents
that graduated college yielded a percentage of 37.6% of the population.
Police respondents whose rank is Pat-PEMS yielded a percentage of
83.3%, meanwhile, police respondents whose rank is PCOL-PLTGEN
yielded a percentage of 16.7% of the population.
Level of Effectiveness of the PNP frontliners in enforcing the preventive
measures against COVID-19 in Tagbilaran City as perceived by the Police
Officers. The top three with a higher level of effectiveness are “the PNP
officers always check if every resident is wearing a facemask in public
places,” followed by “the PNP officers are helping less privileged families
in some barangays in the city by handling goods and necessary supplies
at all times,” and, “their station conducts checkpoints in every entrance and
exits control points within Tagbilaran City at all times.” The three lowest
level of effectiveness were questions number 6,5, and 13. First is that the
PNP officer conducts surveillance (roving) within the city every morning.
It yielded 3.77. Second is that the PNP officer gives free rides to stranded
workers or commuters to their desired designation at all time. Third is that
the PNP officer are giving free facemasks to every resident as one of the
safety measures to prevent COVID-19 at all times.
The level of effectiveness of the PNP Frontliners in enforcing the
preventive measures against COVID-19 in the city as perceived by the
residents. Top three with higher level of effectiveness are questions
number 18,19, and 1. First, is that the police officers are strictly prohibiting
the opening of cockfighting arenas and other gambling activities all the
time. It yielded 3.54. Second, is that, the police officers are inspecting or
checking if everyone is wearing facemask in public places. It yielded 3.47.
Third, is that, police officers conduct checkpoints in the city from time to
time. It yielded 3.46. The three lowest level effectiveness perceived by
the residents are questions number 13, 5, and 10. First is that, during
night time, police officers conduct foot patrol in the city. It yielded 3.22.
Second is that the police officers give free rides to stranded workers or
commuters to their desired designation all the time. It yielded 3.20. Third is

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that the police officers distribute free facemask to the public as one of the
measures to prevent the COVID-19 pandemic. It yielded 3.10.
Results revealed that the majority of the respondents are convinced
that the PNP frontliners fairly observe all of the preventive measures in
the municipality. The average level of effectiveness as perceived by the
residents (3.32). The majority of the residents agreed that police officers
were strictly prohibiting the opening of cockfighting arenas and other
gambling activities all the time (3.54), it ranked as the highest. While the
distributing of the free facemask to the public as one of the measures to
prevent COVID-19 pandemic yielded the lowest rank.

Table 1. Significant Degree of Relationship between the Respondents’

profile and the Level of Effectiveness
Chi-Square
Variables Decision Interpretation
Test Value
Type of Respondents There is a significant
Reject null
and Level of 16.954 0.009 relationship between the
hypothesis
Effectiveness variables
There is a significant
Age and Level of Reject null
26.729 0.004 relationship between the
Effectiveness hypothesis
variables
There is a significant
Sex and Level of Reject null
12.557 0.006 relationship between the
Effectiveness hypothesis
variables
There is an insignificant
Civil Status and Level Accept null
12.723 0.177 relationship between the
of Effectiveness hypothesis
variables
Highest Educational There is a significant
Reject null
Attainment and Level 25.909 0.051 relationship between the
hypothesis
of Effectiveness variables

Shown in Table 1 is the significant relationship of the profile of the

two group of respondents and the perceived level of effectiveness. The
results revealed that same across the variables sex, age, and highest
educational attainment of the two group of respondent has a significant
relationship between the variables. While, civil status of the respondent
has an insignificant relationship between the variables.
The result revealed a significant relationship between type of
respondents and level of effectiveness, with p-value is less than 0.05,

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hence, null hypothesis is rejected. Therefore, the level of effectiveness is

influenced by the type of respondents.
The result revealed a significant relationship between type of
respondent and level of effectiveness, with p-value is less than 0.05,
hence, null hypothesis is rejected. Therefore, the level of effectiveness is
influenced by the sex of respondents.
The result revealed a significant relationship between type of
respondent and level of effectiveness, with p-value is less than 0.05,
hence, null hypothesis is rejected. Therefore, the level of effectiveness is
influenced by the age of respondents.
The result revealed an insignificant relationship between civil status
and level of effectiveness, with p-value is greater than 0.05, hence, null
hypothesis is accepted. Therefore, the level of effectiveness is related to
the civil status to the type of respondents.
The result revealed a significant relationship between type of
respondent and level of effectiveness, with p-value is less than 0.05,
hence, null hypothesis is rejected. Therefore, the level of effectiveness is
influenced by educational attainment of respondent

CONCLUSION

Based on the information accumulated, the results were analyzed, and

concluded that the PNP frontliners have demonstrated their adequacy in
carrying out their obligation in keeping up police service, strict execution of
public health safety protocol’s and appropriate usage of the laws towards
the community in preventing the infection, and most of the respondents
know the PNP frontliners have executed strict approaches and rules to the
COVID-19 widespread, they are mindful that PNP frontliners are entirely
imposing preventive measures to control the spread of COVID-19 infection
all through Tagbilaran City, Bohol.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on our study the following recommendations are being drawn

based on the lowest rank items perceived by the police officer and
residents.
1. The PNP officer conducts surveillance (roving) within the city every
morning.

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2. The PNP officer gives free rides to stranded workers or commuters

to their desired designation at all times.
3. The PNP officer are giving free facemasks to every resident as one
of the safety measures to prevent COVID-19 at all times.
4. During night time, I see police officers conduct foot patrol in the city.
5. I could see police officers give free rides to stranded workers or
commuters to their desired designation all the time.
6. I always see police officers distribute free facemask to the public as
one of the measures to prevent the COVID-19 pandemic.
7. We highly recommend to the PNP to continue their strict
implementation of their policies and the resident to never forget to
follow the health standard policies of the government to prevent the
spread of Covid-19.

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