The Relentless Pursuance of One's Livelihood: A Qualitative Study

Understanding the Real-life Hardships and Experiences of Curbside Illegal

Vendors.

A Qualitative Research Proposal

Presented to the Faculty of AGUSAN NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Senior High School
Butuan City, Philippines

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Subject

Practical Research

Nathaniel B. Baltazar
Jayvon Clark F. Lozarito
Duane Villena
Roshiel Caliso

March 2025
TABLE OF CONTENTS
 Page
TITLE PAGE i

TABLE OF CONTENTS ii

CHAPTER
I. INTRODUCTION 1

Introductory Paragraph 1

Theoretical/Conceptual Framework 2

Statement of the Problem 3

Significance of the Study 4

Scope and Limitation of the Study 5

Definition of Terms 6

II. LITERATURE REVIEW 7

III. DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY 8

Overall Approach and Rationale 8

Site and Population Selection and Sampling Strategies 9

Access, Role, Reciprocity. Trust, Rapport 10

Ethical and Political Considerations 11

Data Collection Methods 12

Data Analysis Procedures 13

Procedures to Address Trustworthiness and Credibility 14

 Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION

Introductory Paragraph

In the busy streets of crowded zones, a unique and competitive way of

generating income has become a daily basis of survival to certain individuals.

Curbside Illegal Vendors, frequently depicted as Side-walk Dwellers mainly operate

within the shadows of mainstream entrepreneurship. These unauthorized business

owners or retailers, repeatedly neglected, discriminated, and driven away by

personnels due to it's practice are constantly navigating through a series of

hardships in order to make a living. Exploring how they cope up with day-to-day

hustle is an area to be regarded, expressing their lived experiences and providing

voice to their often-marginalized narratives.

The country of Philippines, where 15.5% of the population lived below the

national poverty line in 2023 (PSA, 2023). People who are part of this minority do not

have any choice but to do any means necessary to make ends meet, where some of

them do illegal jobs just to feed their family or provide everyday necessities. In

particular, selling foods, accessories, clothes, and other products on the

sidewalks/curbside without a permit. Aside from having no permit, the products they

sell are not guaranteed by the government as legitimate and safe.

In Butuan City, there has been a rise of curbside illegal vendors. Many of

which are being arrested and charged with obstruction of traffic and conducting
without a license. These conflicts are intensified for vendors that are providers of

their
households, where they need to have an income to afford daily necessities like food,

rent, and healthcare not just for them, but mainly for their families. This highlights the

need to study the experiences of curbside illegal vendors to better understand the

perspectives, hardships, and risks in this particular situation that they are in.

With regard to this, the researchers are interested in the insights of the lived

experiences of these unlicensed roadside vendors. The researchers recognize the

relevance of hearing the perspectives of the uncertified vendors to reveal the

hardships and coping mechanisms used as they adapted to their situation. This

research study is based on the interest of the researchers as a result of the

perceptions of illegitimate curbside vendors of adapting such practices as a source

of income. The researchers also wish to gain insights from them on the struggles,

which may raise public awareness in Butuan City, potentially becoming a cause for

support systems.

Theoretical/Conceptual Framework
 According to (Solidum, 2023), most vendors in the Philippines have inefficient

income ranging from ₱500 or less on a daily basis. This financial struggle is truly

evident for them, especially to the ones that has a family of 4-6 members or more to

support.

It is heavily suggested that most of the street sellers often lack the skills and

training necessary for formal sector jobs, pushing them to take the risk of

submerging themselves in informal street vending. While this problems are already

an area for concern, there are still issues such as unavailability of legal spaces to

rent, scarcity of necessities like clean source of water, high prices for goods but less

returns/earnings, troubles in having a license, and many more.

Base on the said theories, the researchers came up with the idea to determine

what the underlying factors, struggles, coping strategies and situations does the said

vendors undergo throughout their experiences in the informal trade. The purpose is

to examine their hardships and encounters, as they continue to pursue a living.

Statement of the Problem

This research aims to explore the experiences of curbside illegal vendors at

Langihan Public Market and understand the challenges they face in making a living.

It also seeks to raise awareness among citizens and lawmakers.

We aim to provide insights/solution and to specifically answer these questions:

1. What are the factors that drove the vendors to live in such a way?

2. How do law enforcement deal with empathy for the street sellers, knowing that

their duty to enforce the law comes first?

3. How did they earn a living even though they're constantly chased by the

authorized personnels?

4. What are their perspectives on the continuity of having an illegal source of

income?

5. What are the viewpoints of these vendors regarding on their way of adapting

to unpredictable instances?

Significance Of The Study

 This study is significant as it unravels the experiences of illegal Curbside

Vendors, catching a glimpse on their daily challenges, motivations, and strategies to

cope up with everyday's [Link] findings will benefit the following groups:

Students

This study will benefit those individuals that are studying business, economics,

or social sciences, as it provides valuable insights into the informal economy,

entrepreneurship, social and economic struggles of small-scale unlicensed vendors.

Product Consumers

This study will emphasize the advantages and risks of purchasing goods from

Illegal Curbside Vendors, including ts affordablity accessibility, potential health and

safety concerns.

Non-Permitted Vendors

This study will help these merchants to expand their understandings about the related

issue, it will also give them a voice to express their challenges, motivations,

and coping mechanisms in order to keep up with constant hurdles.

Policymakers/Authorities

This study will aid in providing valuable data for policymakers, in order to

understand socioeconomic challenges faced by llegal Curbside Vendors, enforcing

them to suggest and create laws or policies that gives balance to economic growth,

public safety, and ethical principles. It may also help them to design a support

system to assist vendors in shifting to the formal way of generating income.

Future Researchers

This study will serve as a reference for future researchers studying curbside

commerce, informal market, and urban economics. It will tackle alternative

approaches, vendor contributions, socioeconomic dynamics, and comparative

research across places, enhancing their knowledge and visions towards informal

trade industries.

Scope And Delimitation Of The Study

This study focuses on the Real-life Experiences of Curbside legal Vendors,

delving through their constant struggles to stretch resources and investigating

everyday's encounter with adversities.

This study is limited to selected Unauthorized Curbside Vendors at Langihan

Public Market, properly licenced vendors are not included regardless of whether they

sel products in sidewalks. The research is encapsulated to qualitative methods,

specifically direct interviews and real-time observations, meaning that the findings

will be based on the respective vendors' personal narratives rather than complex and

broad statistical data. It does not intend to criticize the way of life these Non-

Permitted Vendors are living. Alternatively, it aims to provide insights into how these

sellers manage to keep up with day-to-day operations, fostering a benefiting

approach that may potentially help these merchants get through with everyday's

struggles.
Definition of terms

Illegal Curbside Vendors

In this study, the term "Illegal Curbside Vendors" are usually being referred to

individuals who are selling goods or services in unauthorized public spaces, such as

roadsides, sidewalks, establishment gates, or other areas not designated for

commercial activities. These vendors mainly operates without permits, driven to risk

being chased by law enforcement just to earn a livelihood amidst economic

restraints. The term points out the socio-legal challenges these individuals face,

including fines, evictions, and public stigmatization, while highlighting their

contributions to the trade industry such as lower priced goods, flexibility and

convenience of introducing products, so on and so forth.

Illegal Vending

In this study, the term is directed to the unauthorized selling of goods or

offering services in public and private spaces without proper licenses, permits, or

compliance to local regulations. This term emphasizes the informal economic

activities conducted by individuals or groups to sustain and survive through

everyday's life, which also often associated with challenges such as regulatory

enforcement, socioeconomic marginalization, and limited access to formal

employment opportunities.

Phenomenological Study

In this research, this usually refers to a qualitative research approach mainly

focusing on exploring and understanding the lived experiences of individuals

regarding a specific phenomenon that involves their very own encounters. It is

interconnected with the need of this study to evaluate and investigate the personal

encounters of illegal curbside vendors. Defined in the philosophy of Edmund

Husserl, phenomenology seeks to uncover the essence and meaning of these

experiences by setting aside researchers' biases and assumptions known as

"bracketing", providing deeper insights and ideas towards human behavior and their

emotions.

Relentless Pursuance

In this study, "Relentless Pursuance" refers to the unbreakable

determination and persistence demonstrated by individuals in the pursuit of

achieving their goals or sustaining their livelihoods, despite obstacles that come into

their way. Within the context of this study, it showcases the resolve of vendors to

continue pursuing their economic activities amidst the adverse conditions like strict

regulatory enforcement, marginalization, public scrutiny and many more.

Law enforcement

In this study, "law enforcement" is being referred to as the the enforcement of

legal rules and ordinances by government authorities to ensure public order and

adherence to laws. In the context of this research, law enforcement is the act that

involves addressing unauthorized vending through monitoring, penalties, and

operations, balancing instances that relates to legal compliance with vendors'

socioeconomic struggles.

Chapter II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter highlights, explores and presents related studies and literature,

proven to be relevant to the study. It offers a dynamic relation between existent

researches, enabling for a more comprehensive way of analyzing the importance

and connection of factors within this corresponding topic.

Poverty in the Philippines is a pressing issue that is being talked about

countless times, it cannot be denied that it deeply impacts people's lives, especially

in remote areas where access to essential services and sustainable products is

limited. Families struggle to make ends meet, facing harsh conditions where it affects

their well-being, opportunities, and future aspirations.

According to the (Philippine Statistics Authority, 2024), the national poverty

rate declined from 18.1% in 2021 to 15.5% in 2023, with around 2.4 million people

rising above the poverty line. Despite this improvement, poverty remains a

challenge, particularly in urban areas with high living costs and limited employment

opportunities. Many individuals who do not benefit directly from government

assistance programs turn to street vending to sustain their daily needs. This

suggests that while poverty rates have decreased, a portion of the population still

struggles, leading them to resort to illegal vending activities.

A study by (Shah & Tallah, 2023) on poverty measurement using machine

learning methods found that many poor individuals in the Philippines rely on informal

work due to the unpredictability of job availability in the formal sector. The research

revealed that traditional methods of measuring poverty often overlook individuals

engaged in informal economic activities, including street vending. The findings

suggest that vending provides an immediate source of income for individuals who

cannot secure regular employment, reinforcing the idea that poverty forces people
into informal economic activities, despite legal risks.

Street vending, or street selling, can be defined as a clear expression of the

informal trade industry, revolving around the sell of goods and services among

people, right exactly at public areas. According to a study conducted by (Recchi,

2021), street vending is primarily affiliated with developing countries. It is widely

studied in those areas of concern, but now it has reached certain developed

countries, attracting attention as it progresses through.

Street vending, with its informal nature, offers people to make a living in a

more accessible and adaptable way. This is very important for individuals who are

both struggling to balance financial approach and face various socio-economic

challenges at the same time. In a study conducted by (Carel et al., 2024) in the

downtowns of Tacloban, participants highlights the importance of street vending in

supporting their respective families, especially in ensuring the education of their

children, pointing out its significance in guaranteeing the families' financial future.

Economic necessity also arose as one of the major reasons that drives the need for

street vending, showcasing its important role in providing income to vendors, in order

to cover basic necessities and provide for their corresponding households.

(Lora and Butron, 2022) examines the challenges faced by street vendors in

Panabo City during the pandemic recovery period, highlighting their struggles in

obtaining permits, coping with financial pressures, and managing health risks linked

to informal selling. Despite these difficulties, the study emphasizes their resilience

and adaptability as they work to sustain their livelihoods.

 As backed up also by (Cruz & Santos, 2021), in their research about Status

and Problems of the Street, they assess the socio-economic conditions and legal

challenges faced by street vendors, focusing on the lack of legal recognition that

makes them vulnerable to harassment by authorities and unstable business

conditions. The study underscores the urgent need for local government policies to

support and regulate street vending, ensuring the protection of vendors' rights and

economic stability.

Stated also by (Romero et al., 2024), Street vendors is heavily reliant on

public spaces to make a living and provide necessities to support their families. They

face various challenges, such as being thrown away and having their goods seized,

dealing with high-interest loans and taxes, unstable income, and long working hours.

Financial struggles also add difficulty in their existing situations, often leading to

never-ending debt and little chances to earn and save money. Despite these

problems, vendors persevere by counting on community associations and

occasionally receiving help from the barangay.

High and low-earning street or curbside vendors also mainly experience

workplace-related problems to such varying extents. According to (Solidum, 2023)

investigations revealed that street sellers with high incomes minimally mention

workplace-related problems in comparison to the ones that has lower gains in

relation to their earnings. This suggest that high-earning street vendors are

immovable or have a fixed and stable place to stay. High-earning vendors could

afford to have permit, pay taxes regularly and rent permanent spaces, many of which

have portable water sources, and are away from traffic.

 According also to (Respicio, 2024) For vendors, getting the required licenses

to run a sari-sari store in the Philippines can be difficult in a lot ways. Obtaining a

number of permits is necessary for the procedure, including a barangay clearance,

registration with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), a mayor's permit, a fire

safety inspection certificate, a sanitary permit, and a Bureau of Internal Revenue

(BIR) registration. For small-scale vendors, each of these permits has particular

costs and compliance requirements that can be costly and time-consuming. Many

vendors choose not to formalize their operations due to the bureaucratic process's

intricacy and the associated expenses, which forces many to operate without the

licenses they need to make a living.

In relation to that (Tus, 2023) conducted a study where it accentuates the

unique experiences of elderly street vendors in Bulacan, reviewing their struggles

with financial instability, health risks, and the absence of formal protections. Despite

these challenges, the study emphasizes their determination to continue their trade. It

offers a detailed insight into how these vendors navigate uncertain circumstances

and their views on the sustainability of their informal livelihoods.

References

Arif, T. (2023, July 24). Street Vendors and their Challenges in Business. Research

Gate.
[Link]

378260223_Street_Vendors_and_their_Challenges_in_Business

Curran, V. P., et al. (2024). Lived experiences of street food vendors amidst the

phase of pandemic recovery. The Research Probe, 4(1), 50-55.

[Link]

Jornales, J. C., Hoylar, C. O., & Vicera, C. R. (2024). The Role of Informal Street

Vending in Philippine Economic Development. [Link]

National Economic and Development Authority. (2024, July 22). PH MAKES

SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN POVERTY REDUCTION, SINGLE-DIGIT POVERTY

RATE ACHIEVABLE BY 2028—NEDA. National Economic and Development

Authority.

[Link]

overty-rate-achievable-by-2028-neda/

Respicio, H. (2024, December 22). RESPICIO & CO. RESPICIO & CO.

[Link]

business-permit-for-a-small-sari-sari-store-in-the-philippines

Reuters. (2024, August 15). Philippines poverty rate at 15.5% in 2023, statistics

agency says. Reuters.

[Link]

s-agency-says-2024-08-15/

Romero, D., & Nyhan, B. (2024). The challenges of combating online misinformation.

SSRN. Available at SSRN:

[Link]

Shah, O., & Tallam, K. (2023). Novel Machine Learning Approach for Predicting

Poverty using Temperature and Remote Sensing Data in Ethiopia. [Link].

[Link]

Solidum, G. (2023). STATUS AND PROBLEMS OF THE STREET VENDORS:

INPUTS FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT PLANNING. Sprin Journal of Arts,

Humanities and Social Sciences, 2(04), 51–62.

[Link]

Tus, J. (2023). The quality of life, lived experiences, and challenges faced by senior

citizen street vendors. ResearchGate.

[Link]

y_of_Life_Lived_Experiences_and_Challenges_Faced_by_Senior_Citizen_Street_V

endors/links/63d6738764fc860638f89c06/The-Quality-of-Life-Lived-Experiences-and

-[Link]
 Chapter III

DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the overall approach and rationale of the present

study, site and population selection and sampling strategies, access, role,

reciprocity,

trust, rapport, ethical and political considerations, data collection methods, data

analysis procedures, procedures to address trustworthiness and credibility.

Overall Approach And Rationale

The approach used in this study is a phenomenological approach, because it

focuses on getting detailed descriptions of the difficulties, motivations, and everyday

struggles of curbside illegal vendors. This study seeks to uncover the lived

experiences and personal narrative of individuals engaging in illegal ways to earn a

living.

Site Population Selection and Sampling Strategies

This study was conducted in the outskirts and insides of Langihan Public

Market, where a lot of curbside illegal vendors usually sell their goods. This area was

chosen because it’s easy to access, and it’s known for having many vendors working

illegally to earn a living.

The population of this study includes curbside illegal vendors operating along

sidewalks, or bus stations. They were chosen because they have real-life

experiences that can help answer the study’s research questions.

 The study used purposive sampling, which is a type of sampling where

participants are chosen on purpose because they have the experiences that the

researcher wants to learn about. This method was chosen to make sure the

participants really have experiences related to illegal vending.

Access, Role, Reciprocity, Trust, and Rapport

For easy access of the participants, the researchers purposively and

conventionally choose their participant vendors.

The researcher’s role is to approach these vendors with sensitivity,

explaining the purpose of "The Relentless Pursuance of One's Livelihood: A

Qualitative Study Understanding the Real-life Hardships and Experiences of

Curbside Illegal Vendors." Their participation will be entirely voluntary, with the

freedom to share as much or as little as they feel comfortable.

Reciprocity will be upheld by prioritizing confidentiality and making it clear

that their identities will not be revealed.

To gain trust and good rapport, the researchers will create a safe space

where they can express their experiences without fear of consequences, the

researchers will also provide an approval letter from the respective research adviser

and letter consent signed by the corresponding school principal. It will be presented

to ensure the assurance and confidentiality that gave comfort to the participants

throughout the whole conduct of the study.

Ethical And Political Considerations

This study will uphold ethical responsibility by prioritizing the dignity, safety,

and privacy of all participants. No vendor will be pressured to participate, and their

consent will be fully informed, ensuring they understand the study’s purpose and

their rights.

Honesty and transparency will guide the research, ensuring no findings are

misrepresented or biased. The researchers will remain deeply respectful of the

vendors' lived experiences, ensuring their hardships are documented accurately and

sensitively while safeguarding their anonymity.

Data Collection Methods

The researchers will initiate a face-to-face interview with the identified

participants, having the prepared research questions as their guide. The prepared

questions will focus on the struggles of the illegal Curbside Vendors primarily in

Langihan Public Market, that they are currently facing, experiences, encounter and

how they manage to overcome or cope up with it. An interview will be spontaneously

scheduled, it also depends if the participant vendor will allow such interview directly

at the moment or at his/her convenience like coming back whenever time he/she

pleases to. The materials to be used during the interview will be a prepared

questionnaire that contain specific questions that will serve as the researchers guide

for consistency, a record pad and pen for taking notes, a voice recorder to ensure

the validity of the answers of the participants that will not be missed by the
researchers, and a cellphone camera for documentation purposes, so that the

researchers will have a monitoring of the interview without compromising the identity

of the interviewee.

After the interview, a snack and simple token of gratitude will be given to the

participants as a sign of heartfelt thanks and appreciation.

Data Analysis Procedures

After gathering the important information from the participants, the

researchers will review the answers of the participants through revisiting and

rereading what they have taken note then listening to the voice recording and will

compare its validity and consistency.

The data will then be transcribed for transcriptions and translations purposes.

The participant's answers in local language will be translated into English language.

The researcher will then consolidate and summarize the data and encode

and review it [Link] researchers will then get the factors from the main idea of

the questions and the common responses from the participant's bases for a theme

formulation. The formulated theme will then be analyzed for results and discussion

presentations to complete the study.

Procedures To Address Trustworthiness And Credibility

Once the research adviser has given their approval, the researchers will

request clearance from the the Agusan National High School principal to carry out

the investigation and conduct their research study in accordance with the legal

processes and procedure. The researchers will assure that the participants will be
protected in any form of discrimination and any risk during and after the study. Thus,

the participants has the right to withdraw from the study at any stage if they wish to

do so and will not be penalized. For transparency and complete understanding of the

study's primary goal, participants give their agreement before the interview is

conducted, allowing them to choose whether or not to participate.

According to the principle of informed consent, researchers must give

participants enough information and assurance about participating so they can

comprehend the consequences of doing so and make an informed, thoughtful, and

voluntary decision about whether or not to participate without being under any

coercion. This research study will be conducted in with honesty and transparency.