Stories of Resilience: Challenges and Triumphs of School Canteen Vendors at Aurora,

Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur

1
 INTRODUCTION

School Canteen Vendors are individuals or groups of people who offers available and

affordable foods and beverages for students, teachers or even in their co-vendors. They are also

responsible for preparing, processing, selling and providing service to their consumers. They are

the people who run a business in order to support their daily needs, survival and to enhance or

improve their livelihood (Licudan & Caballes, 2023).

In spite of important role of school canteen vendors in providing accessible and

affordable foods and beverages to their consumers, they also face numerous challenges that

prevent their operations. These include financial constraints, tight adherence to food safety

standards, unstable prices of ingredients, and competition from external sources of food. Other

vendors also face limited facilities, limited training in managing businesses, and challenges in

responding to school policies that control food options (Fabre & Pacpaco, 2020). These problems

confirm the necessity to conduct more studies to examine their resilience and adaptation in the

wake of these hardships.

Many previous studies have examined the contributions and challenges faced by school

canteen vendors. For instance, Lucan et al. (2019) highlight that while school canteens are

pivotal in promoting students' health by offering nutritious meals, some vendors prioritize profit

over quality, leading to concerns about food safety and compliance with health standards.

Conversely, Pilz et al. (2015) emphasize that despite these challenges, many vendors positively

affect the school environment by fostering student engagement and creating economic

opportunities. However, negative aspects such as the sale of unhealthy snacks and poor sanitary

conditions remain concerns that schools and authorities must address.

2
 This research seeks to inspect the challenges and successes of school canteen vendors in

Aurora, Prosperidad, Agusan Del Sur. Through a qualitative approach, the study will examine

their experiences, business strategies, and coping mechanisms in addressing financial, regulatory,

and operational challenges. The findings will offer useful insights into enhancing policies,

vendor support systems, and sustainable business practices to maximize their contribution to

school communities.

3
2.1 Related Literature

Rikolto partnerships with local organization and government initiate a program

promoting the consumption of children with healthy and nutritious foods across Indonesia. This

program-established school canteen provides nutritious meals implemented in 14 elementary and

junior schools across Surakarta, Bandung, and Denpasar (Kaban, 2024).

Canteens are the food haven of the students in every schools especially during hunger

strike after exams. School canteen tends to sell unhealthy foods by increasing sugar, salt, and

fatty products. This makes difficult for vendors to promote healthier eating habits in the school

since the students usually want this (CFG, 2024). This was address by the government through

implementing initiatives to integrate traditional and school-grown fruits and vegetables planted

in the garden of the schools by the students. Despite of these efforts, the school food

environment remains a difficult problem. These problems about unhealthy foods around the

schools continue to undermine initiatives promoting healthier eating habits (SMC, 2024).

In the book of Perginon et al. (2023) highlights the pivotal role of in promoting

sustainable food systems by providing nutritious meals and educating students about healthy

eating habits. In US, food service directors are raising the bar for students’ meals to provide

nutritious food locally sourced options. However, many problems arose and struggled with

limited resources and lack of trained staff or equipment to prepare and store fresh meals. In

addition, there is a lack of consistent demand with student showing preference for unhealthy

processed foods. The book offered solutions to these problems by collaboration to develop

nutrition policies and guide for food offerings, ensuring healthier options with low cost.
4
 School vendors faced many challenges like providing healthy food within budget and

fulfilling nutritional requirements. Canteens in the majority of cases faced challenges like

providing fresh ingredients for healthier food but at a higher cost compared to processed food

(Harvard Chan, 2023). Demand for unhealthy food by students such as junk foods, fried snacks

and sweet beverages, deterred vendors from providing healthier food. However, school canteen

vendors making available but healthier ingredients for products as alternatives. This is an

indication of resiliency against the faced challenges. These healthier and affordable products

comply with nutritional requirements. Vendors are providing healthier beverages like water or

less sugar beverages like milk (HAH, 2022).

Furthermore, canteens provide a pace where students can access safe, healthy, and

nutritious meals that support their academic performance and overall well-being. Yet, vendors

are struggling with many problems include inadequate space and resources. Moreover, lack of

training and hygiene in which compromise food safety and quality. Despite of these challenges,

canteen vendors put much effort to meat health standard, improve food quality, and provide

education on nutrition. Effective management practices, proper hygiene training, and community

partnerships have been essential in overcoming these problems (Februhartanty et al., 2022).

Healthy school canteen menus should be appropriate for the students. Hygiene in the

canteen, from the cooking equipment to the condition of the establishment, should be improved

by the school (Schoonhoven, 2020).

Urban-based vendors also typically confront the problems of poor infrastructure, lack of

support, and the risk of ever-present eviction. Due to these issues, they acquire a range of coping

strategies such as collective action through associations, flexibility in business practice, sharing

5
of resources in informal networks, negotiation with relevant authorities, and diversification of

sources of income. These tactics not only demonstrate their resilience but also necessitate greater

recognition and support from urban governments to ensure a stable and supportive environment

for business (Recio , 2019).

2.2 Related Study

The food vendors in Tanzania experienced socio-economic challenges with the

consequence of less income. The vendors employed cost-saving measures reducing economic

pressures and lowering cost ingredients. Vendors borrowed raw materials to keep their business

running. Moreover, they reuse materials such as cooking oil and low grade-materials. They

resorted lowering price of their product to retain customers. In these ways, they keep their

business within high income, boosting capital for new ventures, and securing business premises

to alleviate the risk of evictions (Lyatuu, 2025).

In Benin, universal primary education is at risk, particularly in rural areas where poverty

constrains enrollment and attendance. While the government eliminated school fees, families are

still coping with expenses for uniforms and materials, and girls will probably remain home to

assist with household chores. The school canteen program has progressed considerably; reforms

and USD 79 million of investment increased canteen access from 30% to 75%, aiming for 100%

by 2023. The program positively influences student retention and performance, with parents

indicating greater motivation, particularly among girls. Studies indicate that canteens reduce

girls' dropout rates significantly, and canteen schools have higher pass rates than non-canteen

schools (Akpoli et al., 2024).

6
 The study on street vendors in downtown Tacloban City highlights the incredible

resilience and adaptability of these people in the midst of economic deprivation, unfavorable

weather, and limited resources. Driven by the need to survive economically, these vendors rely

on unofficial financial support from friends and family, as well as government support, in order

to carry on their business. Their ability to adapt through efficient financial management and

creative practices enables them to continue their livelihoods. The findings highlight the

importance of street vending in the local economy and call for policymakers to provide support

to these vendors through increased access to financial resources, simplification of regulatory

environments, and the promotion of innovation and adaptability. Such support would empower

vendors, which would enhance their well-being and economic stability (Carel et al., 2024).

School canteens have significant part in the society by boosting healthy food and a

culture of nutritious diet. It is an excellent location to promote good nutrition to children.

Students visit the canteen regularly to buy foods. The food purchased significantly adds to their

overall food consumption, favorite, routine, and diet (Hadi, et al., 2022). Recently, research of

Pajantoy and Ubane (2022) indicates the canteens play an important role in the school.

Nevertheless, availability of healthy and safe food and control of selling unhealthy food are

moderately practiced in Catarman central schools. Important concerns are poor facilities and

food quality, whereas management, service and policy-related issues are less common. The

research revealed that the foods in canteen are of high quality and encouraging healthy food

habits.

In the study of De Jesus and Terres (2021) stresses out the significance of school canteen

vendors providing students with accessible and nutritious meals directly affecting their health

and academic performance. Researchers utilized descriptive research design and survey to assess

7
the quality management of canteens in Barangay Atate, Palayan City, Nueva Ecija. The vendors

meet challenges such as proper sanitation and hygiene, acquisition of raw materials, season

variations, and regulatory compliance. These problems can be addressed through targeted

intervention to improve quality and reliability of school canteens.

Many vendors are utilizing the involvement of price of their product as coping

mechanisms since it is very significant to their business. Some of coping are the product, venue

of business, and promotion. Vendors ensuring their products are in high quality while the place

of business should give convenience to their customers. They administered different strategies to

promote their product and persuade many customers. Usually, they employed social media and

other forms of medium just to channel the information about their product. The study reveals that

although product quality and price are most critical during crisis, the suppliers must focus on

increasing their application of promotional practices and increasing exposure to digital sources to

be sustainable in the long term (Dusaran et al., 2021).

While, many central school canteens in Ilocos Sur division are subsidized and managed

by school themselves. Teachers in terms of managerial and financial sometimes support

canteens. However, canteens usually encountered challenges such as inadequate facilities and

food quality. The study found that food quality is a higher standard, making easier to adopt

healthy habits. Nevertheless, the availability of healthy and safe food and4 the control of

unhealthy food promotion are only moderately met, indicating a need for continued support in

these areas (Fabre & Pacpaco, 2020).

The research conducted by Djuwita et al. (2020) brings to light the significant

contribution of school canteen vendors in supplying food and nutrition to the students, with the

canteen being their primary source of food. The vendors experience some limitations, including a

8
lack of formal food safety training, which increases the risk of foodborne illness. In addition, the

majority of them experience poor facilities, which hinder them from attaining the desired

standards. To examine the determinants of vendors' and students' waste management and

attitudes, the researchers employed a descriptive research design alongside the Theory of

Planned Behavior. They employed both qualitative and quantitative methods, employing surveys

and semi-structured interviews with the students and canteen vendors. The findings revealed that

students must comply with campus regulations and vendors as well.

9
Synthesis

Literature reviewed emphasizes the pivotal function of school canteens in encouraging

healthier food habits for children, as well as the difficulties vendors face in offering healthy meal

options. Most school canteens are currently engaged in encouraging healthier foods in their

menus, usually in partnership with local government agencies and organizations. These

initiatives involve the procurement of fresh fruits and vegetables from school gardens or nearby

suppliers and the provision of healthier alternatives to fast foods. Despite this, issues like student

choice of unhealthy foods, funding limitations, insufficient facilities, and inadequate trained staff

remain to undermine the success of these initiatives. Strenuous as these remain, vendors show

resilience by implementing cost-reduction strategies, embracing strategic pricing strategies, and

improving the quality of their offerings. In addition, vendors are working hard to meet nutritional

requirements by providing healthier beverage and meal alternatives, even where there remains a

premium on them over processed counterparts.

The barriers to successful implementation of operational school canteen programs,

including lack of appropriate infrastructure, low capacity spaces, and lack of appropriate hygiene

training are widespread. Such factors are likely to compromise food safety and overall quality,

thus affecting the health and academic performance of the students. In the same way, many

vendors face financial and regulatory challenges, including lack of formal food safety training

and limited access to essential resources. Success programs, however, are likely to rely on

community partnerships, good management practices, and favorable policies in order to

overcome such challenges.

10
 The need for conducting this study stems from the current insufficiencies in offering

quality access to healthy, safe, resiliency and coping mechanism in the times of problem, and

nutritious food in school canteens. In spite of efforts made towards the inclusion of healthier

food and the improvement of food quality, the continuation of unhealthy food and poor

infrastructure indicates the need for continued support and intervention. This study is essential in

identifying loopholes in current practice and in making recommendations that can further

develop policies in nutritional value of school meals, food safety standards, and health and

performance of students. Also, will provide vendors support system for coping mechanism and

maximize business contribution to the vendors.

11
 REFERENCES

Akpoli, M., Behanzin, G., Chabi, C., & Sezan, A. (2024). Impact of School Canteens on School Retention
and Academic Performance in the Atlantic Department (Benin). Scientific Research Publishing,
869-879. doi:https://doi.org/10.4236/fns.2024.159055

Carel, S. M., Maraya, F. B., & Torreros, M. (2024). A Phenomenological Study of Street Vending in
Downtown Area, Tacloban City. International Journal of Social Science and Human Research,
7428-7446. doi:https://doi.org/10.47191/ijsshr/v7-i10-11

CFG. (2024). Unhealthy food preferences. Retrieved from Child Feeding Guide:
https://www.childfeedingguide.co.uk/tips/common-feeding-pitfalls/unhealthy-food-preferences/

De Jesus, F. S., & Torres, R. M. (2021). Quality Management of Canteen and the Vendors in Atate,
Palayan, Nueva Ecija: Problems and Recommendations. Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary
Research & Review, 376-410. Retrieved from
https://thelawbrigade.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/AJMRR_Fhrizz-De-Jesus-Rino-
Torres.pdf

Djuwita, R., Affifah, A., & Wulandari, C. (2020). Do students and canteen vendors think differently
about food segregatoin? E3S Web of Conferences. The 1st JESSD Symposium 2020.
doi:https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202021103013

Dusaran, D. M., Pagador, B. P., Concepcion, J. N., & De Lima, M. (2021). Coping Mechanisms Among
Nasipit Port Vendors. SMCC Business Administration Journal, 31-51. Retrieved from
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7957-1014

Fabre, D. A., & Pacpaco, E. R. (2020). Management and Operations of School Canteens: Basis for an
Enhanced Canteen Development Program. Asian Journal of Education and Human Development,
1(1), 88-96. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.27140.30081

Februhartanty, J., Ermayani, G. M., Ermayani, E., Meiyetriani, E., Pramesthi, I., & Astuti, R. (2022).
Healthy School Canteen Development. Practical Guidelines, pp. 7-106. Retrieved from
https://www.seameo-recfon.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Practical-Guidelines-Healthy-
School-Canteen-Development.pdf

Hadi, H., Triastanti, R., Anggraeni, D., Nurwanti, E., Lewis, E. C., Ramos, U. C., . . . Gittelsohn, J.
(2022). The role of the school food environment in improving the healthiness of school canteens
and the readiness to reopen post COVID-19 pandemic: A study conducted in Indonesia. Journal
of Public Health Research, 11, 2287-2293. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.4081/jphr.2021.2287

HAH. (2022). School canteens, tuckshops and lunch orders: choosing healthy food. Retrieved from
raisingchildren.net.au: https://raisingchildren.net.au/pre-teens/healthy-lifestyle/healthy-eating-
habits/school-canteen

Harvard T.H. Chan. (2023). Processed Foods and Health. Retrieved from The Nutrition Source:

12
 https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/processed-foods/

Kaban, N. (2025). Healthy School Canteens: Promoting the Consumption of Healthy, Diverse, and
Nutritious Food for Children. Retrieved from Rikolto:
https://southeastasia.rikolto.org/projects/healthy-school-canteens-promoting-the-consumption-of-
healthy-diverse-and-nutritious-food-for-children
Licudan, R. L., & Caballes, D. G. (2023). Students’ Satisfaction on the School Canteen Operation of
Pililla National High School. Psychology and Education: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 421-428.
doi:10.5281/zenodo.8115365

Lyatuu, P. (2025). Coping Strategies and Income of Food Vendors within Bus Stands in Dar es Salaam,
Tanzania. Eastern African Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 4(1), 184-194.
doi:https://doi.org/10.58721/eajhss.v4i1.961

Pajantoy, A. C., & Ubane, S. C. (2022). Assessment on the Canteen Services in All Central Schools of
Catarman: Basis in the Design of a Model Canteen. Journal of Positive School Psychloogy, 6(7),
930-953. Retrieved from http://journalppw.com/

Perignon, M., Lepiller, O., Intoppa, B., Valette, E., Roudelle, O., & Wood , A. (2023). The role of school
canteens in building more sustainable food systems. In E. Vallette, A. B. Palmer, B. Intoppa, A.
Di Battista, O. Roudelle, & D. Chaboud, Innovations, Evaluating Sustainable Food System.
Routledge. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781003285441-5

Recio , R. (2019). Street vendors’ self-help strategies highlight cities’ neglect of how the other half
survive. Retrieved from The Conversation: https://theconversation.com/street-vendors-self-help-
strategies-highlight-cities-neglect-of-how-the-other-half-survive-110283

Schoonhoven, M. (2020). School canteens in Solo aim for healthy food for every child. Retrieved from
Rikolto: https://southeastasia.rikolto.org/stories/school-canteens-in-solo-aim-for-healthy-food-
for-every-child

SMC. (2024). Nourishing Futures: the Philippines promote native foods in school meals. Retrieved from
School Meals Coalition: https://schoolmealscoalition.org/stories/nourishing-futures-philippines-
promote-native-foods-school-meals

13