Banana Farm Workers’ Preference of an Access to Health Care and Education: A Conjoint Analysis

In lieu of a concrete living wage calculation for Kapatagan Banana Growers Cooperative (A Cavendish banana grower in Barangay Kapatagan, Digos City) in their conformance to the Rainforest Alliance Standard certification program, this study determined the farm workers’ preference of an access to health care and education program. Conjoint analysis was used in determining the highly preferable attributes among 259 respondents. Through literature and farm records review, the four attributes are formulated- (1) frequency of medical mission, (2) health awareness topics, (3) provision of annual school supplies, and (4) educational information drives. The results revealed that the educational information drive has the highest utility value in which respondents prefer topics on climate change, carbon footprints reduction and waste management. The second variable with the highest utility value is the frequency of medical mission wherein respondents prefer to have it in a semi-annual basis. School supplies came out to be the third in rank (provision of writing materials and books) and the attribute on health awareness value (topics on AIDS/HIV, Tuberculosis and Hepatitis prevention) came out with the lowest utility. Based on the result, the study recommends that the issue on living wage shall not be taken by cooperatives or employers into something that is within the liability concept but rather a responsibility which involves continuous communication and immersion to come up with more appropriate services’ attributes.