COPING STRATEGIES OF BANGKEROS AMIDST THE PANDEMIC: A CASE OF CAGBALETE ISLAND

Cagbalete Island in Mauban, Quezon Province, is one of the cleanest and nicest beaches in Southern Luzon. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the municipality ordered a temporary lockdown of the island amidst the pandemic, resulting in the bangkeros losing their jobs. With that, the main purpose of this study was to identify the impacts of the pandemic to the tourism bangkeros. A phenomenological approach was used in this study focused on the commonality of a lived experience within a particular group. The participants for this non-probability study were carefully chosen eleven (11) selected Bangkeros of Cagbalete Island through purposive sampling. The findings of the study show that the bangkeros have greatly affected by the pandemic. Hence, one of the great impacts was losing their jobs amidst pandemic, resulting in them worrisome for their family’s needs. In conclusion, the local government unit must produce a program that would help the bangkeros cope amidst the pandemic.