The Phenomenological Study of Street Vendors’ Journeys, Engaging with Area Instability

Jasmine N. Alabat1,2,3, Daiza M. Ayangod1,2,3, Iya Faye U. Bernardino1,2,3, Trixia Nicole V. De

Villa1,2,3, Mark Raven M. Dela1,2,3, Renzie Wendis D. Eneria1,2,3, John Paul R. Pajarillo1,2,3, Ashley
Nicole S. Reyes1,2,3, Hanz Jewel A. Soriano1,2,3, John Phaul Singian1,2,3,4

1
Senior High School
2
Basic Education
3
Our Lady of Fatima University

4
Research Adviser

March 2023
 1

1.0 Introduction

  Up Until this day, we Filipinos still love to stop by and eat our favorite street foods after
work, school, etc. Since we find these goods easy to eat and affordable. The sidewalks’
environment influences pedestrians and local citizens to walk rather than ride a vehicle,
especially when going nearby. Nevertheless, when evaluating sidewalk accessibility, the
currently available audit or evaluating tools link sidewalk-level features with neighborhood-level
features, and they inadequately take environmental and adaptive features linked to pedestrians
into consideration (Wenxiu GAO et al., 2022). Commuters, drivers, students, employees, and
even normal citizens tend to stop by the street vendors selling food, drinks, and various products.
After a long and busy day at work and stressful traffic, it is indeed one of the traditions that
Filipino people used to do: drink palamig, or street juices, and eat tusok-tusok, or street foods, in
a cart. These scenarios are evident, especially on the streets around Divisoria and Tondo Manila.
Unlike other restaurants or stalls that have chairs and tables and even a safe place for their
customers to dine and eat their food, street vendors don’t have those luxuries, so their customers
tend to stand beside their carts or even wander around and check other street vendors’ goods,
causing crowded streets and areas and interrupting the flow of transportation and other activities
that happen along those streets. Hagos et al. (2019) stated that sidewalks are used by street
merchants to sell their wares. As a result of the sidewalk vending activity's reduction of available
space, people are forced to change their walking pace and/or direction.

  Divisoria is known as a low-cost marketplace because of the variety of products available

and the diverse manufacturing and retailing activities that attracted a lot of customers to try
visiting and shopping in this concentrated shopping area. Some of the vendors here do not have
stable areas to sell their products, causing them to scatter around, leave behind their waste, and
crowd the streets, which is why Mayor Isko Moreno and his authorities forbid street vendors
from selling along the streets of Divisoria, Manila. This scenario is written in the history of these
vendors as one of the most devastating conflicts and struggles faced by the street and sidewalk
vendors of Divisoria. The clearing operation that was conducted on November 11, 2019, is
following the Tapat Ko, Linis Ko Ordinance (Ordinance No. 8572), which forbids residents from
"leaving trash and other refuse in the gutter, sidewalks, streets, alleyways, and roads,". As
reported by Talabong (2019) in the year 2019, on November 11, Mayor Isko Moreno banned
hundreds of sidewalk vendors from selling on the street of Ilaya, one of the main streets of the
commercial district Divisoria in Manila after supervising a surprise visit on the said street of
Divisoria. There are still vendors who regularly settle and sell in these locations despite Mayor
Isko Moreno's ban and clearance operations being undertaken less than 4 years ago because of
various contributing factors that can assist them to increase their profits. These vendors face
several problems and struggle every day, like finding customers and especially when it comes to
available or accessible areas for them to sell their products. In addition, sidewalk merchants are
another dangerous element that forces pedestrians to share the road and raises the possibility of a
fatality (Adnan et al., 2019).
 3

  But no question that selling on the streets is the most convenient and complimentary
option for those vendors who do not have the capital to rent a stable and safe place to sell. For
many low-income urban residents, selling goods on the street provides an alternative source of
income. Affordable items and services are offered by street vendors. A lively, busy, and
engaging environment is also made possible by the placement of vending stalls and carts in
convenient areas (Adnan et al., 2019). But without a doubt, it can cause an inconvenience to
most people, especially commuters and drivers, because of the disturbance and crowded streets
due to street vending. And this is one of the main goals of the project of the city mayor of
Manila, Mayor Isko Moreno’s clearing operations: clearing and cleaning the streets, improving
services and facilities, and abolishing street vending that resides on the streets of Divisoria and
other chaotic streets of the city of Manila: Recto, Carriedo, and Soler. Street vending doesn’t
only disturb transportation and other practices that use the streets; they also leave garbage behind
from their customers and the products that they sell daily. 

  This study aims to conduct a thorough investigation of how street vendors deal with their
common struggles, including the protocols that are being implemented by the Manila
government authorities concerning their area of selling their products and the rules that should be
followed. The purpose of this study is to expound on the lived experiences of these local
sidewalks and street vendors within and along Divisoria’s streets that are all affected by the
clearing operations and area instability, specifically, the current street vendors that are currently
experiencing the same struggles as of today. This research was designed to obtain a better
understanding of how these local vendors survive and manage to continue their street vending
despite the strict protocols mandated by the local government authorities of Manila City to
maintain cleanliness and organised vicinities for them. These particulars and information are all
collected to raise awareness and recognition concerning the welfare of our local street vendors,
who offer affordable products from supplies, materials, crafts, foods, and drinks every day and
are also the struggling merchants of our country.

1.1 Statement of the Problem

  This research study entitled “The Phenomenological Study of Street Vendors’ Journeys,
Engaging with Area Instability” aims to determine the vendors’ journey and response engaging
with area instability and lived experiences coping with this daily struggle in their merchandising
along the streets and sidewalks of Divisoria

1. How does the “area instability” affect the operating profit of sidewalk vendors?
2. How do they manage to sell their merchandise in “area instability”?
3. Why do they still come back to that “area instability” where they were once caught?
3.1. How do they decide where to put up shop despite the "area instability"?

OUR LADY OF FATIMA UNIVERSITY SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

 1

1.2 Significance of the Study

  The primary objective of this study is to scrutinise the lived experiences of street vendors
with area instability. Wherein, the researchers got to recognize the life survival of the sidewalk
vendors dealing with area instability, and being able to learn
 about their perspectives. 
The findings of the study will benefit the following:

Local consumers/customers of street vending 

As someone who is trying to be wise when spending their money, consumers want food
and products that are both accessible and affordable. However, this study will give the local
consumers certain ideas of the struggles the street vendors are facing. This will be a way to
understand their situation, where selling their products without getting a permanent area to sell
merchandise is challenging work to do.

Local Governments 

  This study will help the local government perceive the events encountered by the street
vendors who are struggling in their area. This would be a method to take action and a process to
solve the problem. In addition, this study will serve as an eye-opener for them to understand and
reconsider the street and sidewalk vendors' presence as well as their demand for a more
sustainable and organized way for them to continue their bargaining.

Street and Sidewalk vendors

  Having to prepare and move from one place to another is a burden for the sidewalk
vendors, who do not have a permanent place to sell their products. Having a decent, stable area
for those who are not capable of owning or renting a place may aid street vendors in having more
customers and selling their products with higher profit margins, which will help them have a
better lifestyle. This research study would help them raise their concerns and appeal and would
help them corroborate their situations, lived experiences, and daily struggles concerning area
instability.

Local community
 5

  The outcome of this study will raise public awareness about the untold struggle of street
vendors who deal with the area instability, lacking a chance to have a better income and lifestyle.
This study could also be an aid to reduce the waste that some of the street vendors and
consumers left behind. That is one of the reasons why local authorities forbid them to sell their
merchandise along the street.

Researchers

  This would benefit the researchers as well, since the whole journey of investigating this
case study will give them the answer they’re seeking. In addition, conducting this study will also
be beneficial to comprehending the lived experiences of these Divisoria vendors when
encountering this kind of dilemma.

Future researchers 

  The ideas presented may be used as a starting point for new researchers. allowing for
extensive future research on this subject. This study will prove to be reliable and beneficial to
future researchers as they use this manuscript as a credible reference for their future research.
This research will be a way to guide future researchers. In a way, this study will give them some
ideas to analyze and comprehend what they’re seeking, since the objective of this study is to be
an eye opener for the people to fully understand what events the street vendors are really
experiencing. This will also give them an abstract of the experience of living among the street
vendors, who have had a hard time with their area in Divisoria these past few years.

1.3 Scope and Delimitation

  The scope of the study is to observe and explore the lived experiences of street and
sidewalk vendors within Divisoria, Manila, regarding their adaptations to the implemented rules
and protocols by the local government of the city of Manila and how they accommodate their
customers in these areas. This study will conduct an interview concerning street vendors who
engage with area instability and are residing along the streets of Divisoria. This study will
investigate how these street vendors cope with area instability and manage to sell their products
and accommodate their customers in these specific areas while facing the risks and consequences
of area instability.

The study involved only eight (8) street or sidewalk vendors along the streets of
Divisoria, Manila, who are currently experiencing struggles in area instability would be the
subjects and respondents of this research. Vendors who do not fall under the said category are
not included, like vendors who have their own or rent areas or stalls, and vendors outside

OUR LADY OF FATIMA UNIVERSITY SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

 1

Divisoria. The discoveries and observations may not apply to some of the municipalities and
cities nationwide. This study will be conducted throughout the entire second semester of the
academic year 2022-2023. Topics and issues that are discussed concerning different struggles of
vendors that do not relate to area instability and are about vendors that do not reside along the
street of Divisoria are not included in the scope of this study.

2.0 Review of Related Literature 

2.0.1 The factor of Socio-Economic Status of Informal Sector Vendors In Street vending

  For novice or struggling vendors, selling on the street is the most practical option because
they don't have to worry about paying rent or other expenditures associated with the area where
they are selling their products. A growing number of street or sidewalk vendors, especially in
one region, suggests that area is exposed to more people who may all be these sellers' buyers. In
this context, tiangge, or bazaars, are constructed where sellers create their own stalls, shops, or
park their food carts on bikes to sell and provide their goods to the customers. Moreover,  the
growth of the number of vendors results in displacement and unemployment since this may be
due to lack of job opportunities especially in low class families who didn’t have the chance to
have a degree, which is one of the requirements in applying for a job. As discussed and
researched by Domingo (2012), These vendors are part of the so-called informal sector, which
faces challenges concerning working conditions, social protection, and income stability, which
are economic aspects of a decent job. Nevertheless, this sector has met the needs of the
underprivileged by offering them sustainable livelihoods that the industry would not otherwise
be able to offer. The government has taken very little action to offer the required help and
solutions for the people in this sector, despite the increasing prominence of the informal sector
and the growing number of sellers in this sort of economy.

2.0.2 The Enticement of Commercial Activity In Areas Exposed To More Consumers

  Location is one of the crucial factors especially in building your market or selling you
products. A good choice of area corresponds to meeting your intention in selling to more
customers. The exposure to consumers is fundamental for vendors, thus, this explains why a lot
of vendors settle in one area due to this included factor. Recio & Gomez, (2013) shared that the
location's and the city's strong economic magnetism (such as the light rail line and bus stops)
draw all kinds of business activities. Due to this reason, street and sidewalk vendors are
significant in these areas where a lot of pedestrians and customers pass by daily, exposing the
merchants to their potential and target consumers. Consequently, street vendors are often
neglected and are discriminated against by the society thinking that they are just an obstruction
and an inconvenience in these areas.
 7

2.0.3 Importance of influence and support from the government for street vendors

  The study that was conducted by Lim (2012), focuses on how the government will
influence and encourage street vendors to register and formalize their businesses by registering
and adhering to the rules and protocols mandated by the local government. Street vending is still
an issue in the Philippines, even though several local government units have implemented rules.
Street vendors would be encouraged to formalize their company if there were a statute or
ordinance that recognized their rights, such as their rights to property and space, their right to
organize, and their need for financial support. According to the findings, among the most crucial
elements are financial support and the preservation of street vendors' rights to their property,
security, and safety.

Many street sellers may not want to or want to rebel against the government, but for
them, providing for their families and making a living is essential. Most of the time, anytime the
government has an issue with one of our city street or sidewalk vendors, we presume and
misread them and blame them. In actuality, however, one of the main reasons why street vending
is one of the most contentious issues is because of a lack of official backing and a stable base.

2.0.4 Street vendors’ Vulnerability To Unexpected Calamities

  The informal business sector, which operates outside of legal systems, includes street
sellers. They are seen as being more susceptible to the negative consequences of calamities or
upheavals like typhoons since they have limited or no recourse to social safety. Overall, it was
determined that the industry was just moderately vulnerable. Having social ties that are
expressed through regular encounters and close connections with their clientele is one of the
sector's key assets (Hidalgo et al., 2022). Streets and sidewalks are no different in dangerous and
risky places when experiencing unexpected calamities; thus, vendors residing in these areas are
susceptible to the risk and consequences of hazardous events, specifically flooding, typhoons,
heavy rains, etc., because they don’t have enough resources to support and protect themselves
from these events. Their study also concluded that high sensitivity and susceptibility to climate
hazards made it difficult to sustain livelihoods, which may be why the bulk of street vendors
have still not transitioned from being survivalist to growth-oriented businesses.

2.0.5 Limitation and topological cognition on street vendors 

 Dovey et al. (2022) stated on their research that although the presence of informal street
vendors in urban public spaces defines them, their spatialities are frequently limited to a general
setting. The results demonstrate how trade intensities are unequally distributed, tailored to urban
morphologies, pedestrian flows, redundant spatial niches, control systems, and conflicting claims

OUR LADY OF FATIMA UNIVERSITY SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

 1

to public space. Consequently, discrimination and unfairness take place in this working
environment, adding to the existing daily struggles of street and sidewalk vendors. Hence, their
study developed and expanded our understanding of building a framework that promotes
sustainable and effective urban planning with a rightful and fair distribution of rights and
freedom to the urban poor.

2.0.6 Phenomenal Occupancy of Side Street Vendors in the Environment

  Increasing presence of street sellers has turned into a concern and is considered one of the
relevant issues in society. Street sellers typically have been accused of upsetting the
environment's order and should be eliminated, despite different viewpoints which both support or
condemn their presence in urban contexts (Yatmo, 2008). This explains why a lot of our local
street and sidewalk vendors face the struggle of area instability since a lot of people, especially
the government, do not completely support nor consider and comprehend their existence and
demands.

2.0.7 Divisoria Merchants’ Set-up In Accordance To The Time of Day

  Becodo (2011) found that the Divisoria can vary based on the time of day in a study he
did. The vegetable market is bustling and full of sellers and merchants selling and luring
customers to buy their goods at night. But during the day, it is totally the opposite of what
happens at night because there are far more parked motorcycles, jeeps, and private cars on the
street than there are at night. Moreover, onlookers frequently cross this street. Street vendors set
up their little stalls along the street with other vendors at a specified time because this may
increase their visibility to clients. Divisoria's appeal, particularly during the holiday season, is
also due to its night markets.

2.0.8 The Freedom in street vending making it worth of choice for street vendors

  According to the findings of the study by Walsh (2010), vendors frequently mentioned
how liberating their work was, how they had become experts in it, and how they envisioned a
long-term career. As freedom has been mentioned, vendors were very optimistic about the
freedom they experienced in their lives, as well as the lack of taxes and other obligations. Most
of the vendors have deep reasons why they chose to sell on the streets rather than applying for a
job inside a company or establishing a business and renting a permanent and stable area.
Freedom and the family they can build together with other vendors beside them while catering
their own products are common reasons why street vendors love doing their job despite facing
difficulties, especially in unstable areas. More so, as included in his study, vendors may give
loyal clients a discount and endeavor to create some connection with them, but it seems that's the
most they'll typically try to do to increase their profitability. The customers on the streets are also
 9

a factor for street vendors to feel more comfortable and feel free to sell their products because
these customers are easier to deal with compared to formal clients that they might encounter
when they apply for a job under a company or as customers inside a fancy restaurant.

2.0.9 Public use of streets allowing street vendors to sell in these areas - “Streets for All” policy

 Lacking policies and clear rules by the government, a lot of citizens feel the freedom to
use and abuse public facilities. Some may use these areas for their own good and profit, and
some may use them according to what they are supposed to be used for. Due to competing uses
of the roads and pavement, street merchants, cyclists, and pedestrians are now at risk of
harassment. (Khayesi et al., 2010). In their study, they discussed that such a policy needs to be
pursued critically at the level of addressing institutional and structural bias in urban transport
planning toward motorized traffic and the overall urban development that does not adequately
consider the spatial and temporal activity pattern and the lives of pedestrians and street vendors.
Consequently, a lot of citizens, specifically street vendors and local customers of these
merchants, often experience troubles and danger along the street and sidewalks, resulting in
chaotic areas and being overly exposed to people, which results in crowded streets. The freedom
of civilians over public facilities may be out of control and can be an attractive force for the
informal sector.

2.0.10 Street vending as an alternative way to be categorized as employed

  As discussed by Roever & Skinner (2016), street trading is among the most prominent
forms of self-employment, but few towns are able to strike a balance between the need to
provide for people's needs and the requirement to regulate public space. On the other hand,
market dealers and street vendors work in unstable conditions. But this wouldn’t stop them from
choosing street vending as an alternative to make a living for their family. Since commerce has
become a more significant sector of economic activity, there is a higher employment proportion
for street vendors. There is potential for improved and more suitable regulation of street vending,
as well as better access for street vendors to social programs, in areas where organizations may
create trading venues or bargaining avenues with local officials. If the local authorities can
reconsider and focus on solving the problem without the need to evict the street vendors, both
parties may benefit one another by providing the necessities that can help them have a
sustainable livelihood.

2.1 Theoretical Framework 

2.1.1 Customer Satisfaction Theory

  The study is anchored by the theory of Thomassen (2003), Customer Satisfaction Theory,
which emphasizes the customer needs and expectations determined by their personal needs and

OUR LADY OF FATIMA UNIVERSITY SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

 1

previous experiences with his expectations. Moreover, these components became the comparison
to their experiences, wherein the difference between their expectation and experiences influences
their satisfaction level. Kotler and Keller (2008) extend their definition of customer satisfaction
as determined by “the degree to which someone is happy or disappointed with the observed
performance of a product about his or her expectations.” It also stated that performance that
failed to meet expectations results in dissatisfied customers, whereas performance that meets
expectations results in satisfied customers (Kotler & Keller, 2003). 

 These primary components will serve as the foundation for the researcher's prescriptive
aspect of the Customer Satisfaction Theory which explains that customer satisfaction is not
solely based on the area but also the consumer's fulfilment. Wherein the judgement is on the
product itself and customer service, which provides a pleasurable level of consumption-related
fulfilment or leads to a very satisfied customer (Zeithaml & Bitner, 2003). On the other hand,
individual differences emphasizes how people’s different perspective can still affect the good
quality of service that can fall under the dissatisfied satisfaction level.

 This theory signifies that consumers tend to be more interested or satisfied with customer
service rather than the place itself or being aesthetically pleasing on the eyes. In this framework,
it pertains to having the first hand experience rather than solely depending on the review that
others make. Customers of street vendors are content on how the product is placed and served as
long as it is safe and clean. For the reason that, it’s both accessible and affordable, that a certain
consumer looks for. With the aid of Customer Satisfaction Theory, it will be used by the
researchers to explain and recognize what are the reasons for a consumer becoming satisfied or
dissatisfied with a certain experience. By utilizing the basic purpose of customer satisfaction
which is the personal experiences, satisfaction depends on observed performance and the
judgement by the product itself, which explains where the satisfaction of individuals begins that
may result in different kinds of moods and how it can affect the experience of the consumer.

2.1.2 Sector Theory

  This study is founded on the theory of Homer Hoyt (1939), the Sector Theory is a
representation of urban progress, the district of urban growth model occurring in sectors that
extend from the city’s central business district. The growth of urban structure is based on the
effects of transportation development on residential rent patterns. In the investigation of
American studies, Homer Hoyt perceived that high-rent sectors are located in one or more city
districts. He developed an illustration that depicted how rent was altered by sector. It also
discussed the transportation impacts on the recreation region and other changes that occur.
Homer Hoyt suggested a few models of progress sectors. There are five major concentric zones
 11

according to Hoyt's theoretical model: the central business district, this sector consists of the
characterized commercial space and high-end amenities wherein its the centre of a city, that
include department stores, corporate buildings, shops and hotels. The commercial space became
a hub of people because of its accessibility and the ability to attract a larger group of people. On
the other hand, zone transition only includes industrial production and business extension houses,
in this sector, which consists of low-income households. While the low-class residential is only
below the zone that influences the quality of life where low-income groups reside. As this sector
contains a high population. Furthermore, middle-class residents are the middle-income people in
this sector who aim more to have a better life that can help them to achieve expensive and better
living conditions. Lastly, the high-class residence in this downtown area contains influential and
wealthy people, whereas their neighbourhood is clean and has less traffic. It is peaceful and
offers spacious houses for influential people. 

The Sector Theory of Homer Hoyt signifies that people are divided into different sectors
wherein their life is classified into different levels. Along with that street vendors are classified
in zone transition as their economic income as part of industrial production and where business
occurs. This theory explains how motivations influence their will to strive hard and work harder
for their life to achieve better life conditions. But it almost became impossible for them to
achieve that as there’s no place for them anymore in the economy where they belong, while
engaging in area instability.

2.1.3 Dependency Theory

  Underdevelopment is the major factor of global political and economic constraints, as
stated in this prospective theory. This was first proposed in the late 1950s by Raúl Prebisch, an
Argentine economist and statesman who was also one of the authors who observed the
underdeveloped countries that faced degrading productive capacity in their communities.
Typically, developing nations provide cheap labor and raw materials on the global market. These
resources are sold to developed nations with the technology to produce finished goods from
them. Developing nations end up spending more money on the finished goods than they would
have otherwise on expanding their own manufacturing capabilities.

According to this theory, some countries in the world often experience cheap labor,
where an individual works hard for a fairly low income. This identifies the underdevelopment of
countries, which includes the gradual change in the economy of each country as well.
Specifically, in our country, the gradual change is the continuous economic collapse, slow
development of local products, and increasing price rates.

The concept of this theory has relevance in our study as it specifies the point that the
Philippines doesn’t have enough budget to fill and support to accommodate its own demands;
therefore, the way of its management is more of exporting and purchasing high-quality products
at high prices. That justifies the people to thrift in small stalls and side street vendors instead of
going to fancy and high-priced stores to purchase affordable merchandise and needs.

OUR LADY OF FATIMA UNIVERSITY SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

 1

Subsequently, sidewalk vendors are also the origin of underdevelopment in the country.
Authorities are driving them off the street because they are one of the visible signs of continuous
economic failure.

3.0 Methodology

3.1 Research Design

  In scrutinizing and conducting a thorough study about the street and sidewalk vendors’
journeys engaging with area instability, a Phenomenological Research Design was utilized under
the Qualitative Approach. As stated by Fossey et al. (2017), developing an understanding of the
meaning and experience aspects of people's lives and social environments is a goal of qualitative
research. Whether the people in the study's personal interpretations, activities, and societal
factors are clarified is essential to excellent qualitative research. Furthermore, making new,
crucial differences as a result of getting closer to the phenomenon being examined allows for
iterative qualitative research to better grasp the scientific society's knowledge of the phenomenon
being studied (Aspers & Corte, 2019). On the other hand, Wilson (2015) stated that the paradigm
of Phenomenological investigation has deep intellectual roots, which for inexperienced
researchers can occasionally be difficult. Nonetheless, understanding these conceptual roots can
improve and justify the research design.

A Qualitative Research Approach was used by the researchers of this study concerning
the lived experiences of street and sidewalk vendors engaging with area instability. This study
involved face-to-face interviews accompanied by open-ended questions for sidewalk and street
vendors to gather and collect data to support and establish a justifiable result based on the
respondents' responses. After the responses and data were gathered from the conducted
interviews, the researchers analyzed the information and data thoroughly and discussed the
phenomenon concerning the vendors’ journey in engaging with area instability. This research
design was ideal for this type of study, wherein the researchers scrutinized the lived experiences
of street and sidewalk vendors engaging with area instability to understand the different
responses of the respondents.

3.2 Research Locale

  The researchers chose Divisoria because, in poor countries like the Philippines, where
cities are extremely crowded and urbanized, street vending is a common daily event. This
practice is evident in Manila's well-known Divisoria market. Street and sidewalk vendors are
rampant and can be seen anywhere in the vicinity of Divisoria, as it is the so-called cheap
shopping center of our country. Most of the community of street and sidewalk vendors chose
Divisoria as their area of trading and business since this is where locals and citizens' first choice
 13

to shop, especially for those on a budget. Divisoria is a popular location for those who want to
invest more and pay less, in part because they offer a variety of goods at low costs. Flea markets
keep popping on account of shifting demographics and shifting economic situations, and the
number of merchants in this sector is expanding as a result of eviction and joblessness
(Domingo, 2012). Due to the increasing population of street and sidewalk vendors, the
researchers anticipated that the variety of street and sidewalk vendors would qualify as their
respondents since Divisoria is known for tiangge, or bargains, where vendors do not have a
stable or permanent area of trading. Therefore, they selected this place for their study of street
and sidewalk vendors who are struggling with area instability.

3.3 Key Informant Selection

  Purposive sampling was used by the proponents of this analysis, whereas it’s shown to be
among the constituents of Non-Probability sampling. Hence, purposive sampling is a cost-
effective sampling method because the data that is collected is the best fit for the relevant study
of a researcher. However, the purposive sampling technique is not functional with a large
population because it may lead to several invalid statistical procedures. Additionally, regardless
of the type of purpose, the purposive sampling method utilized can be particularly susceptible to
the researcher's bias. Along with that, the concept that a purposive sample was created based on
the judgement of the researcher is not a good defense (Sharma, 2017).

Among the sampling designs mentioned above, this sampling technique is also known as
judgment, subjective, or selective sampling. This technique represented the act of selecting a
sample that has met the standard of the related reference in accordance with Andrade (2021).
This included finding and selecting individuals that are particularly knowledgeable about or
individuals who already experienced the study of the phenomenon. In addition to expertise and
experience, it also emphasized the importance of the willingness and availability of an
individual, as well as the capacity to share their experiences, opinion, and perspective in an
articulate, expressive, and reflective manner (Palinkas & Horwitz, 2015). This technique was
employed in this study, due to the fact that the researchers had searched for respondents that
would be the best fit for this study. 

  The respondents of the study are the participants that are chosen based on the descriptions
that they met in the criteria. The researchers' overall count of participants is comprised of merely
eight (8) purposive sample respondents who were all qualified based on the criteria defined by
the researchers. Therefore, the respondent could be street and sidewalk vendors within Divisoria,
those who sell in a cart, peddlers, footpath vendors, and particularly vendors with no stable area.

3.4 Research Ethics

OUR LADY OF FATIMA UNIVERSITY SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

 1

  The American Psychological Association, or APA style, is the most commonly used
citation style to cite sources. This revised 7th edition resource provides examples of the APA
research paper's general format, in-text citations, and a reference page. The researchers used the
appropriate APA format for citations, references, and other aspects of form and style. Moreover,
this citation style helped them in conducting the study by finding valid sites and web pages. The
APA writing style standardized papers for the benefit of the writer, reader, reviewer, evaluator,
and the scientific community as a whole. The use of the APA style affected the high quality of
concise, descriptive language, the formatting of any paper, and the style of the references that
were cited and recorded, according to Hart (2019).

  Paraphrasing is the process of putting another person's ideas into your own words. It is a
source in which the wording is changed while the original meaning is preserved, in accordance
with Gahan (2018). The researchers demonstrated the effectiveness of this method for further
paraphrasing to incorporate one's thinking. The group specified written words in a shorter and
simpler form to make the meaning more clear and more concise. Plagiarized work is an act of
using someone else’s idea as your own without properly citing and acknowledging the original
source. This was perceived to be a major problem for research or other written work that was
done by a certain individual or group of people. In avoidance of this act, some proper citations
were stated in the previous content to scrutinize conducted research.

  These were the ethical ways in which this study was conducted. Claimed citations,
formats, styles, and methods were used by the researchers to properly construct every sentence
and paragraph with the use of credible sites. Information that was gathered throughout the
investigation was kept private and exclusively used for expounding the research. The collected
facts and details were properly credited to their authors as well, to prevent the stealing of works
or unauthorized copyright infringement, also known as piracy. These were the ethical methods
applied across the study to practice the capability of researchers in terms of the accuracy of
composing and accomplishing their work.

3.5 Research Instruments

3.5.1 Interview Questionnaires

  The researcher and the interview questions are the instruments used while gathering data
through qualitative interviews. The quality of the interview questions and the researcher's skill
determine the usefulness of the data gathered in a qualitative interview. In order to achieve their
objective of obtaining a thorough response to the research question, it is crucial to make sure that
 15

the interview questions used by rookie researchers are relevant and capable of supporting their
efforts. It offers principles for creating an interview guide that gives the interview process
structure, makes the interviewing process transparent to human subjects review committees and
IRBs, and still allows for interview process flexibility (Roberts, 2020). With the aid of an
interview questionnaire they created and distributed equally to each respondent, the researchers
conducted semi-structured, one-on-one interviews. The use of a semi-structured interview
allowed the researchers to collect data while also allowing them to investigate the respondents'
opinions, attitudes, and experiences about the absence of regional instability because it supplied
a flexible topic guide and provided open-ended questions.

3.5.2 Informed Consent

  For study involving human subjects, informed permission is a moral and legal obligation.
It is the procedure in which a participant is informed of all trial-related information that is crucial
for the participant to understand before voluntarily confirming his or her willingness to take part
in a particular study and the significance of the research for the advancement of knowledge and
social welfare (Nijhawan et. al, 2013). The researchers utilized informed consent before
conducting interviews with the chosen respondents to formally verify that they had their
approval to share their private information and experiences with the interviewers and the general
public. The Data Privacy Act of 2012, which guarantees that all information obtained from
respondents will be treated in absolute confidence, was followed by the interviewers.
Additionally, it provided the participants with the flexibility and right to withdraw at any time,
the choice of responding to or declining difficult questions, and the ability to determine who had
access to all collected data.

3.5.3 Screening Tool

 The purpose of a questionnaire is to collect information from respondents about their

attitudes, experiences, and opinions (Bhandari, 2022). Participants in the study performed a
screening test with the aid of a screening tool before moving on to the actual interview process.
The screening tool has criteria that the researchers utilized to determine if a volunteer would be
eligible for our study. This tool helped the researchers guarantee that the chosen respondents are
accurate and can provide the information and data needed for their study.

3.5.4 Pen and Paper

  While gathering data or information that is displayed, heard, said, or noticed by the
student of any individual, pen and paper are usually employed in academic writing. Everyone
can use these resources because they are readily available and usable. Any survey type that
gathers data using pen and paper rather than digital equipment is known as a pen-and-paper
personal interview (PAPI) strategy. This implies that small-scale pen-and-paper survey iterations

OUR LADY OF FATIMA UNIVERSITY SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

 1

can happen extremely quickly. The researcher used a pen and paper before, after, and during the
interview process to have a copy of the key points of their questions and a copy of the
respondents' responses when the data was collected for a specific study. This allowed the
researcher to easily review the respondents' responses, increase the efficiency of the transcription
process, and increase the reliability of the transcribed data.

3.5.5 Voice/Audio Recorder

  The utilization of audio recordings to create transcripts of in-depth interviews and focus
groups has become standard practice. Our analysis demonstrates that the level of detail collected
in both audio-recorded transcripts and interview scripts prepared immediately after the interview
was comparable. Even when a recording device is turned off, its impact may still be felt because
of the device's presence and the interviewer's desire to record (Rutakumwa et al., 2020). The
voice/audio recorder was utilized by the researchers during the interview process to have access
to permanent data collected from the respondents, to readily evaluate the responses of the
respondents, to increase the efficiency of the transcription process, and to increase the reliability
of the transcribed data. Voice- and audio-recorded responses helped the researchers review the
data and information when needed during the data analysis to ensure and verify their transcribed
and analyzed details.

3.6 Data Collection

  The gathering of data is essential to the conduct of social research. Data collecting
enhances the accuracy of a sociological research study when done properly (Rimando et al.,
2015). The process for data collection that was conducted by the researchers of this study was to
gather the existing information, data, and responses from the qualified respondents to support
and justify the accuracy and efficacy of the research study that was proposed by the researchers
and approved by their research adviser. The process was started by establishing a specific topic
focusing on street and sidewalk vendors’ journeys engaging with area instability that was
approved by their research adviser. After that, they started looking for eight (8) target
respondents who were all qualified based on the criteria for respondents for the study. After the
researchers found their qualified respondents, they gave informed consent that was approved by
their research adviser. After the respondents gave consent to the researchers, they provided a
screening tool consisting of the criteria for ensuring the qualification of the respondents for the
conducted study. The criteria that were followed by the researchers for the qualification of their
chosen respondents for their study are the vendors should be Street and sidewalk vendors within
Divisoria, they should be cart vendors, they should also be peddlers (a person who goes from
place to place selling small items), a footpath vendors: vendors who sell items on the floor,
vendors with no stable area, and sells food, etc. After the researchers guaranteed the respondents’
qualifications with the help of the screening tool, they started the recorded interview properly
with open-ended questions in a face-to-face setting. As the interviews ended, the researchers
expressed gratitude for the cooperation and time given by the street and sidewalk vendors.
 17

Consequently, the researchers prepared and reviewed the necessary data and information for data
analysis.

3.7 Data Analysis 

  Neuendorf (2018) stated that a certain theme structure is typically produced as a result of
the emergent and participatory process of interpretation known as thematic analysis. It has been
stated that Thematic Analysis is appropriate for qualitative research since it is widely used for
the analysis of a variety of data and information. This method was meant to analyze the data
from the transcribed and recorded interviews that were conducted in the data collection process.
This method of data analysis involved thorough observations and seeking a pattern to create a
theme within the data. The data analysis was conducted by the researchers to group the answers
of the respondents, create a theme, and answer the statement of the problem (SOP) of their study.

This type of research method was used by the researchers to analyze the data that was
gathered through data collection. The researchers reviewed and organized the recorded interview
to create a pattern based on the lived experiences of street and sidewalk vendors. Afterward,
researchers established justifiable and accurate findings with the use of the gathered data. They
arranged it in an ordered manner to provide an idea that would explain and support the argument
of the street and sidewalk vendors, who are engaging with area instability.

OUR LADY OF FATIMA UNIVERSITY SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL