Mitigating the Impact of Fuel Price Hike on Microenterprises: Strategies and Solutions

Abstract

This research aimed to investigate the effects of fuel price hikes on microenterprises located in Bad-as, Placer, Surigao del Norte, Philippines. The study focused on three dependent variables: Transportation, Inflation, and Consumer Expenditure. The scope of the research was limited to microenterprise owners situated in the specified area. The study adopted a quantitative approach, utilizing a descriptive survey technique and employing a convenience sampling method. A total of 102 out of 111 participants responded to the researcher-made questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using various descriptive statistical tools, including Frequency Count and Percentage Distribution, Mean and Standard Deviation, and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The findings indicate a significant impact of fuel price hike on microenterprises, particularly in terms of consumer expenditure, which obtained the highest average mean score of 3.35. Additionally, transportation and inflation also experienced a notable effect with average mean scores of 3.19 and 3.10, respectively. When participants were grouped based on their profiles, a significant difference was observed concerning inflation when grouped according to working capital. However, no significant differences were found in transportation, inflation, and consumer expenditure when grouped based on the number of employees, average monthly sales, and number of years in operation