Measuring Carinderias' Knowledge of and Compliance To The Code On Sanitation of The Philippines

 

ABSTRACT Books Bo oks in medic medical al scien science ce state state that that food-b food-born orne e illne illnesse sses s breed breed disea diseases ses.. Commonly, these diseases are acquired in places where there is an increasing lack or  neglect of proper food handling practices, or when food preparation and services are taken for granted. It is with this premise that this study was conducted. It aimed to assess the awareness and compliance of the owners and food handlers on the said sanitation code along the vicinity of the universities in Tuguegarao City. A research questionnaire with a four-point Likert Scale was used to assess the level of awareness and extent of compliance of the owners and food handlers regarding Presidential Decree No.. 856 No 856 (P.D. (P.D. 856). 856). Statis Statistic tical al analy analysis sis employ employed ed in the study study was was frequ frequen ency cy an and d percentage. percentag e. Independent Independent Sample T-test and ANOVA were used to measure differences in the level of awareness and extent of compliance along P.D. 856. The results indicated that there were no significant differences on the level of awareness of the carinderias when grouped according to the number of customers, number of food handlers, and numbe numberr of food food var varian iants. ts. Th The e result results s indica indicated ted th that at regard regardles less s of the nu numbe mberr of  customer, number of food handlers and number of food variants, carinderia owners are aware of the demands for proper food handling and proper food servicing operations as conta con taine ined d in the pro provis vision ions s of the the P.D. P.D. 856. 856. In th the e same same mann manner, er, no signi signific fican antt differences were found on the level of compliance. Moreover, there is no significant differen diff erence ce in the level level of complian compliance ce of carinderias carinderias in terms terms of the number number of food handlers and number of food variants but has a significant difference between level of  compliance and number of customers. Also, the results show that there is a positive significant relationship between the level of awareness and level of compliance of the respondents responde nts on P.D. 856, particularly on proper food handling and proper food servicing operations. Results of this study may assist the policy makers in delivering a more effective implementation, which should ultimately lead to a safer food supply for the consuming public and a reduction in food-borne disease outbreaks in the Philippines. Keywords : Awarene Awareness, ss, Carinde Carinderia ria Owners, Owners, Code on Sanitat Sanitation ion of the Philippine Philippines, s, Complian Comp liance, ce, Custome Customer, r, Food Handler Handlers, s, Food Food handlin handling, g, Food Food Servicin Servicing g Operati Operations, ons, Food Variants

INTRODUCTION Filipino carinderias and eateries have become an integral part of the Filipino’s lifestyle. For ordinary Filipinos, life without this meek food establishment would be way different and far more costly. A carinderia is a small food establishment (sometimes a stall) where customers can freely choose from a wide variety of dishes presented in casseroles or containers. It can also be distinguished as a small eatery (Martinez & Martinez, 2008).  As food is a primary need for human beings, it should be put into account in terms of nutritional content, pre-requisite of healthy and hygienic food that is safe to consume. Food safety is defined by the Department of Health as the “assu “as suran rance/ ce/gu guara arante ntee e that that food food will will not not ca cause use ha harm rm to the consu consumer mers s when when it is prepared and/or eaten according to its intended use” (Department of Health, 2006). Food contamination by food handlers could occur and will lead to foodborne diseases if  Measuring Carinderias’ Knowledge of and Compliance to The Code on Sanitation of the Philippines  Philippines 

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they neglect proper food handling practices practices in their premises according to Haryani et al., (2007 (20 07). ). It typica typically lly cause causes s abdo abdomin minal al pain, pain, na naus usea ea,, vomiti vomiting ng,, an and d diarrh diarrhea ea.. From From January 1 to December 2, 2017, a total of 17,768 suffe suffered red from acute bloody diarrhea; a total of 3,653 from cholera; a total of 422 from hepatitis; a total of 3,512 from rotavirus; and a total of 21,653 from typhoid cases were reported nationwide (Department of  Health, 2017).  A lot of carinderia owners established their businesses near schools where their  poten potentia tiall cu custo stomer mers s will will be stude students nts who who ha have ve a limite limited d bu budg dget. et. Cons Conside iderin ring g that that Tuguegarao City is the center of educational avenue in Region 2, many students who come from cities cities and municipali municipalities ties of Cagaya Cagayan n Valley Valley opt to study study in the different different universities universitie s within Tuguegarao. Tuguegarao. Consequently, Consequently, they stay in boarding houses, dormitories and and apart apartmen ments ts far from from the respe respecti ctive ve fa famil milies ies.. Hence Hence,, du due e to limite limited d fin finan ancia ciall allowa allowance nce,, lack lack of time, time, and and bein being g pract practica ical, l, most most of th the e stude students nts prefer prefer to ea eatt in cariderias. When it comes to safely preparing meals, many college students simply do not know the procedures in food safety considerations and many end up with foodborne illness. Further, due to the busy and fast-paced environmen environmentt in the universities, students students often lack the time to prepare a meal for themselves and would prefer to have their  meals in the carinderias for them to have more time in their academics or other extracurricula curric ularr activi activitie ties s in the the unive universi rsity. ty. Colle College ge stude students nts are on one e of the most most at-ris at-risk k population populati on groups due to risky food safety behaviors and diarrhea is the major symptom of foodborne illness as stated in the study of Booth et al., (2013) and this greatly affects the studies of the students and sometimes when left untreated this even becomes a threat to their lives considering that majority of the students are far from the support of  their respective families. Measuring the knowledge and the extent of compliance of the carinde cari nderias rias to the proper food han handlin dling g and to the proper food servicing servicing operation operation assures the safeness of the food that every student eats. Moreover, as the numbers of cariderias grow, it also presents new public health challeng chal lenges es for the urban urban popula population tion (Buted (Buted & Ylagan, Ylagan, 2014). 2014). However, However, identify identifying ing foodservice employee’s knowledge, attitudes, and practices are essential in assuring food safety in retail foodservice (Bas et al., 2006; Nee & Sani., 2011), and if food handlers take serious note on the cleanliness of their hand, body, and clothing, this will help in preventing the incidence of foodborne-illnesses from occurring (Sneed et al., 2004).   Along this premise, this study was conducted and anchored on Presidential Decree No. 856 otherwise known as the Code on Sanitation of the Philippines which provide prov ides s a modern modern standard standard of sanitatio sanitation n and a handy handy reference reference and guide for its enforcement.

Statement of the Problem The study aimed to determine the level of awareness and extent of compliance of  “Carinderias” “Carinderia s” in Tuguegarao Tuguegarao to P.D. 856 otherwise known as The Code on Sanitation Sanitation of  the Philippines. Measuring Carinderias’ Knowledge of and Compliance to The Code on Sanitation of the Philippines  Philippines 

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Specifically, it sought to answer the following:

1. What a. b. c.

is the Business Business profile of the carinderias carinderias in terms of: Number Number of of custome customers rs (durin (during g peak peak hours) hours) Number Number of food food handle handlers rs (cooks, (cooks, serve servers rs etc.) etc.) Number of food food variants variants (including (including rice, rice, drinks, drinks, and and desserts) desserts)

2. What is the the level of awareness awareness of the the carinderia carinderia owners owners and customers on P.D. 856 or Code on Sanitation in terms of: a. Pr Prope operr food food hand handlin ling g b. Proper Proper food food servicin servicing g operat operation ions s 3. What is the the extent extent of compliance compliance of carinderia carinderia owners owners on P.D 856 or Code Code on Sanitation in terms of: a. Pr Prope operr food food hand handlin ling g b. Proper Proper food food servicin servicing g operat operation ions s 4. Is there a significant difference in the level of awareness and extent of compliance of  the carinderia owners on Code on Sanitation of the Philippines when grouped according to business profile of the carinderias? 5. Is there there a significa significant nt relation relationship ship betwe between en the level of awarene awareness ss and extent extent of  compliance of the carinderia owners on Code on Sanitation of the Philippines? Research Hypotheses With the foregoing, the following were hypothesized: Ho: There is no significant significant difference in the level of awareness and extent of compliance of the carinderia owners on the Code on Sanitation of the Philippines when grouped according to the business profile of the carinderias. Ho: There is no significant relationship between the level of awareness and extent of  compliance of the carinderia owners on the Code on Sanitation of the Philippines. Significance of the study The study study contrib contributed uted significant significantly ly as it provided provided information information about the food food handlers in the preparation and handling of food products for its quality and safety. In addit additio ion, n, it will will deter determin mine e the compli complian ance ce of ca carin rinde deria rias s to the proced procedure ures s an and d requirements requiremen ts provided by the provisions provisions of P.D. 856. This study identifies the standards standards needed to improve the food handling practices as exercised by carinderias. Further, it will provide notice to the consuming public, if there are alarming issues regarding food safe safety ty cons consid ider erat atio ions ns.. Th Thei eirr resp respon onse se wi will ll serv serve e as a ba basi sis s or gu guid idel elin ine e of th the e Government of the Sanitary Office to come up with policies that will further strengthen the compliance and awareness on the Code on Sanitation of the Philippines.

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Underpinning Theory This study is anchored on P.D. 856, otherwise known as The Code on Sanitation of the Philippines specifically on the provisions of food handlers which states that no person shall be employed in any food establishment without a health certificate issued by the local health authority. Moreover, Food handlers shall at all times: a. Wea Wearr clean clean workin working g garme garments nts.. The The Cook Cook shall shall wear wear presc prescrib ribed ed caps and female employee’s caps or hairnets. b. Ob Obser serve ve good good perso persona nall hygie hygiene ne.. c. Wash their their hands hands th thorou oroughl ghly y with soap soap and water water and dry dry them with a clean towel immediately before working, or after visiting the toilet. In addition under Section 30 on Food Servicing Operations, it states that the following requirements are mandated: a. Th The e su surfa rface ces s of contain containers ers and utensil utensils, s, in inclu cludin ding g glasse glasses s an and d table wares, which come in contact with food and drink shall not be handled. b. Di Disp spos osab able le cu cups ps,, plat plates es,, sp spoo oons ns an and d ot othe herr sing single le-s -ser ervi vice ce containers and utensils shall be purchased in sanitary cartons and stored in a clean, dry place until used. These articles shall be so handled on removal from the carton that the hand does not touch the surface which will be in contact with food or drink. c. Clean Clean cloths, cloths, napkins napkins,, spoons, spoons, towels, towels, and other other cloth cloth equipme equipment nt shall be stored in clean places in a closed bin or locker, suitably marked. d. Spoo Spoons ns,, spat spatul ulas as,, dipp dipper ers s and and scoo scoops ps used used inte interm rmit itte tent ntly ly fo for  r  dispe dis pensi nsing ng fro froze zen n desse desserts rts shall shall be kept kept in runni running ng water water or  frequently changed, or they may be washed and stored in a dry place plac e aft after er each use. use. Constan Constant-te t-temper mperatur ature e bottles bottles and other  other  containers used for potable water and other beverages shall be kept clean and given effective bactericidal treatment before and after subsequent use. e. Hand Hand contacts contacts with with food or drink drink shall shall be avoided avoided;; fingers fingers shall not not be used to serve butter, ice, or similar items of food. This law supports this study as it provides the required proper sanitation for the determinatio determin ation n as regards to the level of awarene awareness ss and of complian compliance ce of the food handlers in “carinderias”. Literature Review Knowledge Knowle dge of food food hy hygie giene ne affec affectin ting g the level level of aware awarene ness ss and and ex exten tentt of  compliance of local food stores

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It sho showed wed that that food food hand handler lers s in Foo Food d Servi Service ce Estab Establis lishme hments nts (FSE) (FSE) ha have ve adequate knowledge in personal hygiene practices (Makombe et al., 2017). In fact, many vendors have sufficient knowledge to ensure hygienic handling of food, such as the knowledge of the dangers of contamination, storage, preparation of food (Rahman et al., 2016). The regression analysis showed that food safety knowledge is the strongest predicto pred ictorr of food hygiene hygiene practice practices s and the result result indicat indicated ed is that the food safety safety knowledge was significantly correlated to personal hygiene (Ismail et al., 2016). Hygiene Hygien e and and foo food d prepa preparat ratio ion n as the predomi predomina nant nt in a lo low w rankin ranking g of fo food od hygiene and safety procedures, followed by the inadequate layout as a predominant factor in evaluating structural requirements. Also, the obtained results indicated a greater  level of hygiene in food establishments. Managers' opinion confirms their belief that a transpar tran sparent ent food hygiene hygiene rating rating of all food establishm establishments ents could lead to improved improved business. Finally, respondents in all cities confirmed their awareness of the importance of food hygiene and indicated kitchen related statements as the most influential (Djekic et al., 2014). Compliance of food handlers on proper food handling and servicing operation Food handlers have a prime role to play in food businesses, and that is to guarantee that meals served are hygienic for consumption. Conscious or inadvertent contamin conta minati ation on of su such ch food food place places s consu consumer mers s at risk risk of su suffe fferin ring g from from fo food odbo borne rne illnesses (Annor & Baiden, 2011). The World Health Organizati Organization on (WHO) reports that up to 30% of individuals in developed countries acquire illnesses from the food and water  consumed annually annually (World Health Organization, Organization, 2006). According to Korel et al., (2003), food contamination creates an enormous social and economic burden on communities and their health systems. Despite an increase in the number of food handlers receiving food hygiene training, a high proportion of food poisoning outbreaks still occur as a result of poor food handling practices (Clayton et al., 2002). As stated by Wilson et al., (1997), most of these food poison outbreaks are due to the inadequate time and temperature cont contro roll of food food,, wher wherea eas s the the rema remain inin ing g th thir irty ty pe perc rcen entt is as a re resu sult lt of cr cros ossscontamin cont aminatio ation. n. Meals Meals prepared prepared outside outside of the home are a risk factor for acquiring acquiring foodborne illness and have been implicated in up to 70% of traced outbreaks (World Health Organization, 2006). The World Health Organization Organization also identified five factors that contribute to these illnesses: illnesse s: imprope improperr coo cooking king proced procedures ures,, temperat temperature ure abuse abuse during during storage, storage, lack of  hygiene and sanitation by food handlers, cross-contamination between raw and fresh ready-to-eatt foods, and acquiring food from unsafe sources (World Health Organization, ready-to-ea Organization, 2006). Food businesses have become widespread in recent times, in response to the changing changin g lifestyle and food consumption of people. They offer convenience convenience and ease of  access to food to busy individuals, who are unable to prepare their own meals regularly at home. In large scale cooking, food passes through many hands, thereby increasing the chances of food contamination due to improper handling. Deliberate or accidental contamination of food during large production might endanger the health of consumers and and have have ve very ry expe expensi nsive ve reperc repercus ussio sions ns on a co coun untry try,, as su such ch ou outbr tbrea eaks ks fea featu ture re prominently in national statistics (Adams & Motarjemi, 1999). Food Sanitation and Health as affected by food safety practices of food handlers Measuring Carinderias’ Knowledge of and Compliance to The Code on Sanitation of the Philippines  Philippines 

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Food handlers handlers are exp expecte ected d to have have a substan substantial tial knowledge knowledge and skills for  handling foods hygienically. Although most of the handlers responded positively for the food safety-related questions, in reality, they did not practice them and this has also been bee n reporte reported d in other other studies studies where food handlers handlers did not usually usually translate translate their  their  knowledge into practice, Clayton et al., (2002). According to Ehiri, & Morris, (1996), mishandling and disregard of hygienic measures on the part of the food handlers may enable pathogenic bacteria to come into contact with food that can cause illness to the customers. The hands of food service employees can be vectors in the spread of food borne diseases because of poor personal hygiene or cross-conta cross-contamination. mination. Studies point out that most outbreaks result from improper food handling practices. Moreover, as claimed by Fielding et al., (2001), lack of basic infrastructure, lack of knowledge of hygiene, absence of potable water, lack of proper storage facility and unsuitable environments for food operations (such as proximity to sewers and garbage dumps dumps)) can contri contribu bute te to poor poor microb microbial ial quali quality ty of fo food ods. s. In Inad adeq equa uate te facili facilitie ties s fo for  r  garbage disposal posed further hazards. In addition, poor sanitary practices in food storage, handling, and preparation can create an environment in which bacteria and other infectious agents are more easily transmitted. Further, the researchers stated that poor personal hygiene frequently contributes to foodborn foodborne e illness illness which which indicat indicates es those those food handlers' handlers' know knowled ledge ge and handlin handling g practices needs to be improved (Kumie & Zeru, 2007). However, good personal hygiene and food handling practices are the basis for preventing the transmission of pathogens from food handlers to the consumers. Food handlers who have excellent knowledge and attitude, and good practices toward food hygiene and sanitation can avoid or at least minimize cross-contamination as stated by Abdul-Mutalib et al., (2012). In the study conducted conducte d by Rahman et al., (2016), knowledge knowledge positively influences attitude formation, and the recipient’s comprehension of health facts. Positive attitude formation leads to positive behavior. On the contrary, superficial knowledge leads to misconception and development of negative attitudes. As a result, it increases harmful practice. Proper Sanitation practices as affected by number of food handlers Generally, food handlers practiced good food hygiene. They practiced critical points in general sanitary such as hand washing, storing cooked meat, cleaning food contact surfaces, and separating raw meat from ready-to-eat food (Sharif et al., 2013).  As found in the study of Clayton Clayton et al., (2002) that food food handlers were awa aware re of the food safety actions they should be carrying out but identified a number of barriers which would prevent them from implementing these practices. These barriers included lack of  time, lack of staff and a lack of resources. In a study piloted by Clayton et al., (2015) participants focuse focused d heavily on factors associated with the food service environment and food service jobs. All participants cited the influence of various workplace demands, including time pressure, high customer  volume, understaffing, and strenuous work schedules as barriers to proper practice. In addition to these factors, a couple of participants identified insufficient training as a barrier. All participants cited time pressure as a barrier to following food safety practices. practices. Many informants indicated that food safety contends with an extremely busy and fastpaced environment where workers are “rushed to get things done” and, “you just don't have the time” to change gloves or wash hands according to procedure. Time pressure Measuring Carinderias’ Knowledge of and Compliance to The Code on Sanitation of the Philippines  Philippines 

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was also related to short staffed (including from turnover), strenuous work schedules (e.g., long hours, back-to-back shifts), high customer volume, and food service tasks that do not “allot the time” for food safety. Research Paradigm Independent Variable

Business profile of carinderias in terms of: a. numbe numberr of custo customer mers s durin during g peak hours b. numbe numberr of of food food handle handlers rs c. numbe numberr of of foo food dv vari arian ants ts

Dependent Variable

Level of awareness and extent of  compliance  on P.D. 856

Figure1. Research Paradigm The figure above shows the research simulacrum of the study. It presents the independent variable which is the business profile of carinderias in terms of: a.) number  independent of customers: (during peak hours), b.) number of food handlers: (cooks, servers etc.), an and d c.) c.) nu numb mber er of food food vari varian ants ts:: (inc (inclu ludi ding ng rice rice,, dr drin inks ks,, an and d de dess sser erts ts); ); an and d its its relationship to the dependent variables which is the level of awareness and extent of  compliance of the respondents to P.D. 856 or The Code on Sanitation of the Philippines. METHODS Research Design The study study made made use of the descriptive descriptive correlation correlational al research research method. method. This design was employed to ascertain the level of awareness and extent of compliance as assessed by the carinderia owners and the consumers to the Code on Sanitation of the Philippines Philippine s as well as to test the relationship between the level of awareness awareness and extent of compliance along The Code on Sanitation of the Philippines. Locale of the Study The study was conducted to carinderias found within the vicinity of the 5 different Universities in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan in the year 2018. Respondents of the Study The respondents of the study were 20 carinderia owners whose businesses have been operating for 2 years and more and whose stalls were found within the vicinity of  the differen differentt univers universities ities in Tugueg Tuguegarao arao City. To validate validate answer answers s of the carinde carinderia ria owners, 10 customers who were in legal capacity and had been eating from each of the carinde cari nderia ria were also taken taken as part of the responden respondents ts of the study. study. Moreover Moreover,, the administration of the questionnaire was done during peak hours or during meal time. Measuring Carinderias’ Knowledge of and Compliance to The Code on Sanitation of the Philippines  Philippines 

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Research Instrument The study utilized a survey type question questionnaire. naire. The research tool is composed of  two parts: The first part consisted of the business profile of the carinderias such as number of customers (during peak hours), number of food handlers (cooks, servers, etc.) and number of food variant: (including rice, drinks, and desserts). The second part contained items stating the level of awareness and extent of compliance of vendors manning “carinderias” on a.) Proper food handling b.) Proper food servicing as stipulated in P.D. 856 or Code on Sanitation of the Philippines.  A four-point four-point Likert scale was was used to assess the the level of aw awareness areness and extent extent of  compliance of the respondents. The scale below was used. Numerical value

Description

Interpretation -

4

- To a great extent

3

- To a moderate extent -

2

- To a slight extent

-

1

- Ne Never  

-

The respondents have an extensive knowledge or compliance of the law The Th e re resp spon onde dent nts s ha have ve a limi limite ted d knowledge or compliance of the law The re resp spo ondents have a litt little le knowledge or compliance of the law The respondents have no knowledge or compliance of the law

There were two (2) types of questionnaire. One was answered by the carinderia owners. The questionnaire contained items that measured their level of awareness and exten ext entt of co compl mplia iance nce of the law. law. Anoth Another er qu quest estio ionn nnair aire e was was ad admin minist istere ered d to the cust custom omer ers. s. It cont contai aine ned d it item ems s that that chec check k th the e leve levell of awar awaren enes ess s an and d exte extent nt of  compliance to the law of the carinderia owners as assessed by the customers. Data Gathering Procedure Before the conduct of the study, an approval was sought from the Office of the Vice President for Academics. After its approval, the questionnaire was administered to prospec pros pective tive respond respondents ents.. Volunta Voluntary ry par particip ticipatio ation n was sought sought before before answerin answering g the questionnaire, and ethical considerations adhered in the conduct of the study. Data Analysis In anal analyzi yzing ng the the study, study, the the resea research rchers ers used used the statis statistic tical al tools tools su such ch as frequency and percentage in the presentation of business profile of the carinderias. Mean and Median were used to measure the awareness and compliance of carinderia owne ow ners rs to the Cod Code e on Sanit Sanitati ation on of the Ph Phili ilipp ppine ines. s. Ind Indep epen ende dent nt Sampl Sample e T-test T-test and and One-W One-Way ay Analy Analysis sis of Varia Varianc nce e (ANOV (ANOVA) A) were were us used ed to test test diffe differen rences ces.. To determine the relationship between the level of awareness and extent of compliance of  respondents on P.D. 856 or Code on Sanitation, Pearson-r was employed. Measuring Carinderias’ Knowledge of and Compliance to The Code on Sanitation of the Philippines  Philippines 

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RESULTS Table 1. Business 1. Business profile of carinderias carinderias in terms of number of customers, customers, food handlers, and food variants Variables

Number of customers

Number of food handlers

Number of food variants

Groupings 1-10

Frequency 3

Percentage 15

11-20

4

20

21-30

4

20

31-40

3

15

41-50

2

10

51 and above

4

20

1-2

7

35

3-4

6

30

5-6

7

35

4-6

3

15

7-9

3

15

10-12

6

30

13 and above

8

40

Total

20

100

The table reveals the business profile of the carinderias. Most of the carinderias are serving more than 20 customers during peak hours. It shows that majority of the carinderias have 1-2 or 5-6 food handlers whom generally serves more than 10 food variants.

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Table 2. Level 2. Level of awareness of the carinderia owners and customers in terms of proper  food handling and proper food servicing operation

Variables Proper food handling Proper food servicing operations

Groups Carinderia Owners

Over-all weighted

Interpretation

Mean 3.63

To a great extent

Customers

3.56

To a great extent

Carinderia Owners

3.62

To a great extent

Customers

3.44

To a moderate extent

It can be seen in the table that carinderia owners are aware to a great extent in the proper food handling and proper food servicing operations as mandated by law. This means that they have extensive knowledge on the law. Although the customers are aware to a moderate extent on the proper food servicing operations, they are aware to a great extent in proper food handling. This means that they have an extensive knowledge of th the e law regard regarding ing prope properr food food hand handlin ling g bu butt ha have ve limite limited d kn know owled ledge ge of th the e la law w regarding proper food servicing operations. Comparing means, carinderia owners have higher level of awareness than that of the customers.   compliance of the carinderia owners in terms of proper food handling Table 3. Extent 3. Extent of compliance and proper food servicing operation Variables Proper food handling Proper food servicing operations

Groups

Over-all weighted Mean

Interpretation

Carinderia Owners

3.61

To a great extent

Customers

3.15

To a moderate extent

Carinderia Owners

3.58

To a great extent

Customers

3.10

To a moderate extent

 As shown in the table, the self-assessment of the carinderia owners shows that 2they are compliant to a great extent regarding proper food handing. This means that carinderia owners believe they have an extensive compliance on the law. However, the assessment of the customers shows otherwise; customers assessed that carinderia owners are compliant to a moderate extent on the proper food handling and proper food servicing operations as mandated by law. This means that carinderia owners have only a limited knowledge on the law as assessed by their customers.

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Table 4. Test 4. Test of difference in the level of awareness of carinderia owners on Code on Sanitation of the Philippines when grouped according to the number of customers, food handlers, and food variants Variable

Categories

No. of  customers

Level of Awareness

No. of food handlers

No. of food variants

Groupings 1-10 11-20 21-30 31-40 41-50 51 and above 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9 and above 1-3 4-6 7-9 10-12 13 and above

F-value

P-value

Decision

2. 753

.042

Reject Ho

2.245

.136

Accept Ho

.422

.740

Accept Ho

 As shown in the table, table, there is no significant significant difference difference on the level level of awareness awareness of the carinderias when grouped according to the number of food handlers, and number  of food variants; however, there is a significant difference on the level of awareness in terms ter ms of numbe numberr of cu custo stome mers. rs. Th This is means means that that the number number of cu custo stomer mers s of the carinderias influences the level of awareness of the carinderia owners.

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Table 5. Test 5. Test of difference in the extent of compliance of the carinderia owners on Code on Sanitation of the Philippines when grouped according to the number of customers, food handlers, and food variants Variable

Categories

No. of  customers

Extent of compliance

No. of food handlers

No. of food variants

Groupings 1-10

F-value

P-value

Decision

4. 626

.011

Reject Ho

1.751

.203

Accept Ho

.427

.736

Accept Ho

11-20 21-30 31-40 41-50 51 and above 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9 and above 1-3 4-6 7-9 10-12 13 and above

 As shown in the table, there is no significant significant difference difference in the extent of  compliance of carinderias when grouped according to the number of food handlers and number of food variants but has a significant difference on the extent of compliance in terms number of customers. This means that the number of customers influences the extent of compliance of the carinderia owners. Table 6. Test 6. Test of Relationship between level of awareness and extent of compliance of  the ca carin rinde deria ria owners owners in terms terms of prope properr food food ha hand ndlin ling g an and d prope properr food food se servi rvicin cing g operation Variables Level of awareness Extent of compliance

Mean

Pearson-R

P-value

Decision

.814

.000

Reject Ho

3.6265

3.5955

  It can be seen in the table that there is a positive significa significant nt relationship between between the level of awareness and extent of compliance of the carinderia owners as assessed by the customers and carinderia owners in terms of proper food handling and proper  food servicing servicing operation. operation. This means means that that the level of awarene awareness ss of the carinderia carinderia owners influences their extent of compliance.

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DISCUSSION The Code Code on Sanitat Sanitation ion of the Philippines Philippines otherwise otherwise known as Preside Presidentia ntiall Decree No. 856 (P.D. 856) undertakes the promotion and preservation of the health of  the people and raises the health standards of individuals and communities throughout the Philippines and the findings revealed that customers and owners of the carinderias within the vicinity of universities in Tuguegarao City are aware on the provisions set forth by P.D. 856. Regarding the business profile of the carinderias, the findings revealed that most Regarding of the carinderias accommodates a minimum of 20 and a maximum of more than 50 customers during peak hours which mostly are served by either 1-2 or 5-6 food handlers per carinderia. This shows that many carinderias accommodates numerous customers despite the minimal number of their food handlers. The study study revea revealed led that that the ca carin rinde deria ria owne owners rs be belie lieved ved that that th they ey ha have ve an extensive knowledge in the proper food handling and proper food servicing operations as required by law. Further, they are aware and knowledgeable in the treatment to prevent foodborne diseases and practices in serving the food which involves proper  storing of single service containers and napkins, it also involves the proper ways and temperature for dispensing frozen goods and the avoidance of hand contacts with food or drinks drinks to be se serve rved. d. Moreo Moreove ver, r, ca carin rinde deria ria owners owners be belie lieve ved d that that th they ey ha have ve an extensiv exte nsive e knowledg knowledge e on proper proper washing washing of hands hands and in observin observing g good good persona personall hygiene which is an important factor in handling the food to prevent food contamination. contamination. However, their customers believed otherwise in term s of food servicing operations. The assessment of the customers showed that the carinderia owners have only a limited knowle kno wledge dge on the the food food se servi rvicin cing g opera operatio tion n as provid provided ed by la law w which which sho shows ws that that carinderia owners are not always knowledgeable on the proper practices and treatments needed to properly serve the food (Azanza et al., 2000). In terms of the compliance of the carinderia owners, the study revealed that the carinderia owners believed that they have an extensive compliance on the proper food handling and proper food servicing operations as provided by law but their customers believed otherwise. And the evaluation of their customers shows that the carinderia owners only have a limited compliance on the practices provided by law which explains the statement of Vazire (2011) that others can perceive attributes better than the self  can, which proves that the carinderia owners are limitedly compliant in wearing clean working garments when cooking, in observing good personal hygiene, in proper washing of hands, in proper storing of kitchen wares and etc. which ensures that food safety considerations are met. In terms of the level of awareness of carinderia owners, it was revealed that there is a signi signific fican antt differ differen ence ce on the the numbe numberr of cu custo stome mers. rs. Carin Carinde deria rias s ha havin ving g 1-10 1-10 customers during peak hours differs from that of carinderias having 41-50 customers durin during g peak peak hours hours.. Th This is proved proved that that distra distracti ction on from from primar primary y du duty ty influ influen ences ces th the e aware aw arene ness ss of carin carinde deria ria ow owne ners rs havin having g 41 41-50 -50 custom customers ers.. The la large rge volume volume of  customers during peak hours tends to be a distraction to the carinderia owners, for one can only focus fully on one thing at a time. Moreover, the large volume of customers durin during g peak peak hours hours gives gives more more tasks tasks to th the e carind carinderi eria a owne owners rs which which make make them them Measuring Carinderias’ Knowledge of and Compliance to The Code on Sanitation of the Philippines  Philippines 

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disconcerted. In connection, it greatly affects the awareness of the carinderia owners and makes their priorities become out of order. Getting too comfortable also affects the level of awareness of the carinderia owners having minimal number of customers customers during peak hours for carinderia owners may tend to think that nothing bad will happen. They are getting used to an activity which in result their mind goes unconscious and become less attentive (Gasaway, 2018). The results further show the existence of a significant difference in terms of the extent of compliance of the carinderias to P.D.856 with the number of its customers during peak hours. This shows that the level of compliance of the carinderias is being influenced influence d by the number of customers, which explains that there must be an ideal ratio on the number of food handlers in serving a certain number of customers. customers. As supported by the study of Bas et al., (2006) it revealed that they can no longer attend well to the proper prop er food food handlin handling g and food service service operatio operations ns due to the increasing increasing number number of  customers. In the study of Clayton et al., (2015) food handlers cited time pressure as a barrier to following food safety practices and many of the informants on their study indicated that food safety contends contends with an extremely busy and fast-paced environment environment where workers skip the steps or procedures for proper food handling and proper food servicing operations to get the job done. The findings further revealed that there is a significant relationship between the level of awareness and level of compliance of the respondents in terms of proper food handling and proper food servicing operation. This only reveals that level of awareness of carinderia owners has a statistically significant effect to their extent of compliance. The higher the awareness means the higher the compliance as supported by the study of Abdul-Mutalib et al., (2012) that there is a positive correlation between food safety knowle kno wledge dge and and pract practice ices s of food food hand handler lers s in ter terms ms of prope properr food food ha hand ndlin ling g an and d servicing. Further, in connection to the study of Ismail et al., (2016) it revealed that food safety knowledge is the strongest predictor of food hygiene practices and the result indicated is that the food safety knowledge also is significantly correlated to personal hygiene hygi ene.. The knowled knowledge ge positive positively ly influen influences ces attitude attitude formatio formation, n, and the recipien recipient’s t’s comprehension comprehe nsion of health facts are the important factors to be considered to ensure food safety considerations. Moreover, in the study of Rahman et al., (2016), it shows that positive attitude formation leads to positive behavior. As a result, sufficient knowledge knowledge is needed to ensure hygienic food handling and servicing, to avoid or to at least minimize food contamination and to prevent the occurrence of foodborne diseases. CONCLUSION Presiden Presid entia tiall Decree Decree No. No. 856 856 or Th The e Code Code on Sanit Sanitati ation on of th the e Phili Philippi ppine nes s provides the food safety considerations that must be complied by the food handlers for  the maintenance, promotion and sanitation of food businesses. This study established that the food handlers in carinderias within the vicinity of  the universities in Tuguegarao City are aware on the proper food handling and proper  food servicing operations as provided by P.D. 856. Moreover, number of customers Measuring Carinderias’ Knowledge of and Compliance to The Code on Sanitation of the Philippines  Philippines 

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influences the compliance of the food handlers. Hence, food sanitation is dependent on the number of customers and on the number of food handlers. RECOMMENDATIONS The study with its findings, recommended the following: 1. Future Future researc researche hes s should should be unde underta rtaken ken beyond beyond th the e vicini vicinity ty of un unive iversi rsitie ties s in Tuguegarao City to determine the extent and efficacy of the law in a larger scale. 2. Futu Future re rese resear arch ches es sh shou ould ld pond ponder er more more on th the e bu busi sine ness ss pro rofi file le of th the e respondents or the carinderia owners particularly on the capital and profit of the carinderias, and salary of the food handlers of the carinderias to know whether or  not financial capacity affects the level of compliance of the carinderias carinderias on proper  food handling and food servicing operations as provided by P.D. 856. 3. The City Governm Government ent,, particularl particularly y the City Health Office Office should should conduct conduct random random and unscheduled inspection on the carinderias to monitor their compliance on food handling and food servicing operations.

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