Includes appendix and curriculum vitae.

As public utility drivers struggle on their lives, they need to maintain shields to keep them strong in fighting for those challenges. This simply means that individual's health should be given immediate attention. Through this, the study answered the following questions: [1] What is the average hour of driving per route in Indang-Baclaran, Indang-Olivarez Tagaytay and to Indang proper-Indang Barrios; [2] The average numbers of drivers who are smoking and drinking; :: [3] What are the different common illnesses of the public utility drivers based on route, hours of driving and vices; [4] How do the following factors influence the cases of the common illnesses among public utility driver's age, route, hours of driving and vices. Descriptive research was used in the study. The population of the study was 60. Simple random sampling was used in this research. The researchers limited the study to the public utility drivers from Cavite with the route of Indang-Baclaran, Indang proper-Indang barrios and to Indang Olivarez-Olivarez Tagaytay. The study used self-made questionnaire. Data revealed that the majority of tricycle drivers were driving 6 - 10 hrs had the highest frequency of 13 or 65% followed by 11 15hrs of driving that had a 4 frequency or 20%, 1-5 driving hours are in third with the frequency of 3 or 15% and lastly, 16-20 hrs of driving which is 0 or 0%. Jeepney drivers who were driving 11 - 15 hrs had the highest frequency of 10 or 50% followed by 6 - 10hrs of driving that had a 5 frequency or 25%, 1-5 driving hours are in third| with the frequency of 3 or 15% and lastly, 16-20 hrs of driving had 2 frequency or 10% Bus drivers who were driving 16 – 20 hrs had the highest frequency of 8 or 45%|| followed by 11 - 15hrs of driving that had a 6 frequency or 30%, 6-10 driving hours are in third with the frequency of 4 or 20% and lastly, 1 - 5 hrs of driving which had a frequency of 2 or 10% Data revealed that 35 % of tricycle drivers who are smokers and 65% of them are non smokers. 80 % of jeepney drivers who are smokers and 20% of them are non-smokers. 80 % bus drivers who are smokers and 20% of them are non-smokers. Data revealed that there are, 60 % tricycle drivers who are drinkers and 40% of them are non - drinkers. 70% jeep drivers who are drinkers and 30% of them are non-drinkers. 85 % bus drivers who are drinkers and 15% of them are non – drinkers. Based on the finding of this research it is stressed out that the common leading illness of public utility driver is “Sakit ng katawan" based on the result gathered, it is important to take note of the factors which affects the public utility drivers illness, like the drivers vices, the route of driving and the hours of driving. Based on the conclusions, the following recommendations were suggested by the researchers. Some of this were: to inform them to used protective measures to prevent further complications to occur and combat work stressed among public utility drivers. Therefore, proper health teaching was recommended to provide accurate information and prevention to minimize the occurrence such as illnesses and to develop awareness of them. Methodology: Descriptive research was used for this study. A total of 60 public utility drivers were purposively selected as respondents for this study. Descriptive statistics was used for this study. Best (2002) defines descriptive research that investigates describe and interprets
Findings of the study: The researchers distinguished the following outcome: 1. Data revealed that the majority of: a) Tricycle drivers driving 6 – 10 hrs had the highest frequency of 13 or 65% followed by 11 - 15hrs of driving with frequency of 4 or 20%. Drivers driving 1 - 5 hours was third with the frequency of 3 or 15% and lastly, 16 – 20 hrs of driving had o frequency or 0%. b) Jeepney drivers driving 11 - 15 hrs had the highest frequency of 10 or 50%. This was followed by 6 - 10hrs of driving that had frequency of 5 or 25%, 1-5 driving hours was in third with the frequency of 3 or 15%. Lastly, 16 – 20 hrs of driving had frequency of 2 or 10% c) Bus drivers driving 16 - 20 hrs had the highest frequency of 8 or 45%. This was followed by 11 - 15hrs of driving with a frequency of 6 or 30%, 6-10 driving hours was in third with the frequency of 4 or 20%. Lastly, 1 - 5 hrs of driving which had a frequency of 2 or 10% 2. Data revealed that: a) 35 % of tricycle drivers were smokers and 65% of them were non-smokers. b) 80 % of jeepney drivers were smokers and 20% of them were non-smokers. c) 80 % bus drivers were smokers and 20% of them were non-smokers. > Data revealed that: d) 60 % tricycle drivers were drinkers and 40% of them were non-drinkers. e) 70% jeep drivers were drinkers and 30% of them were non-drinkers. f) 85 % bus drivers were drinkers and 15% of them were non-drinkers. 3. As to the ranking of the common illnesses of the public utility drivers: a) “Sakit ng katawan" was the most common illness among tricycle drivers with all weighted mean of 3.8 and verbal interpretation of “madalas”. “Ubo and sipon” were tied as the least common illness with a weighted mean of 2.45 and verbal interpretation of bihira. b) “Sakit ng katawan" was the most common illness among jeepney drivers with a weighted mean of 4.5 and verbal interpretation of "palagi". The least common was "lagnat" with a weighted mean of 2.2 and verbal interpretation of “bihira” c) “Sakit ng katawan" was the most common illness among bus drivers with a weighted mean of 3.2 and verbal interpretation of “minsan”. The least common was “lagnat" with a weighted mean of 1.8 and verbal interpretation of “hindi”. 4. Factors that influence the cases of the common illnesses among public utility drivers: a) “Weather" was the most common factor that influence the cases of common illnesses among tricycle drivers with a weighted mean of 4.55 and verbal interpretation of "palagi”. The least common was "smoking“ with a weighted mean of 3.25 and verbal interpretation of “madalas”. b) “Weather” was the most common factor that influence the cases of common illnesses among jeepney drivers with a weighted mean of 4.8 and verbal interpretation of “palagi”. The least common was “stress" with a weighted mean of 2.15 and verbal interpretation of "bihira”. c) It shows that "Pag-liban sa pagkain” was the most common factor that influence the cases of common illnesses among bus drivers with a weighted mean of 4.05 and|| verbal interpretation of “madalas”. The least common was “stress” with a weighted mean of 3.35 and verbal interpretation of “ininsan". 100%)
CONCLUSIONS Based on the findings of this research, the following conclusions were drawn: . 1. The highest average hours as bus drivers from Indang - Baclaran was 16 - 20 hrs, Jeepney drivers who are driving from the route of Indang - Olivarez-Tagaytay was 11| - 15 hrs and tricycle drivers who are driving from the route of Indang proper – Indang| barrios was 6 – 10hrs. 2. The average tricycle drivers who smoke was 35% and the non-smokers driver was! : 65%. For jeepney drivers, the average of smokers was 80% and non-smokers was 20%. For bus drivers, there were 80% smokers and 20% non-smokers. There were 60% tricycle drivers who were drinking alcohol and 65% of them were not drinking alcohol. 3. The route from Indang - Baclaran, Indang – Olivarez-Tagaytay, Indang proper Indang barrios had an average hours of driving from 16 – 20 hrs in buses, 11 - 15 hrs in jeepney and tricycle driving from 6 - 10hrs. There was an 80% smoker of bus driver, 80% jeep drivers and 45% tricycle drivers. Eighty-five percent of bus drivers drink alcohol, 70% for jeepney drivers, and for 60% tricycle drivers. The common illness of public utility drivers is "sakit ng katawan”. 4. Based from the results gathered, 60% percent of bus drivers said that the illness that they experience affect them. 75% said that they cannot work or drive, 70% said that they are easily irritated during driving and 65% of them said that they are prone to accidents. One hundred percent of jeepney drivers said that the illnesses they experience affect them, 80% said that they cannot work or drive, 70% said that they are easily irritated during driving hours. Seventy percent of the respondents said that| they are prone to accidents, 65% tricycle driver said that the illnesses they experience affect them, 50% said that they cannot work or drive, 40% said that they are easily irritated during driving hours and 45% of them said that they are prone to accidents
Recommendations Based on the conclusion of this study, the following recommendations are offered by the researchers: 1. Since the majority of the drivers are complaining body pains, it is but necessary to advice them to put soft pillow on their back while driving so the body pain will be lessened and it will also help them to relax while in driving hours. 2. With the identified illness that they experience because of bad lifestyle habits likel smoking and drinking alcohol, they should lessen or totally prevent smoking and drinking for them not to be able to experience other complications. 3. They should use face mask to lessen more health hazards because of the pollution they encounter in their work.