Implementation of Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) of Restaurants and Hotels in Nueva Ecija

Many cases of sexual and drug abuse, depression, and aggression among Filipinos were triggered by habitual intoxication with alcohol. The study described the the level of awareness on responsible beverage service, reflection on responsible beverage service as a server/manager, and level of priority on responsible beverage service strategies. This study used the descriptive method designed for the researchers to gather information. Likertscale questionnaires were used to determine perception or view of the respondents regarding this topic and analyze the gathered data through mean and weighted mean. Based on the findings, most of the servers and managers were somewhat and slightly aware of the legal basis and laws on alcoholic beverages. It is recommended that the establishment provide a training or orientation regarding it. In reflection, most of the servers and managers were employing responsible beverage practices. It is recommended to further improve the practices currently employed by the servers and managers of hotels and restaurants. Finally, most of the servers and managers categorized strategies that may prevent consumption of alcoholic beverages as of Low Priority (LP). It is recommended to focus on preventive strategies in compliant with the rules and regulations of governing laws on alcoholic beverages. Keywords— Responsible Beverage Service, RBS, Alcoholic Beverages, Alcoholism.


INTRODUCTION
Many cases of sexual and drug abuse, depression, and aggression among Filipinos were triggered by habitual intoxication with alcohol. Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) is a licensed premises intervention aimed at reducing alcohol to minors and preventing the alcoholic beverage service to people who are obviously intoxicated (Rossow & Baklien, 2010). RBS training not only educates owners managers bartenders and servers on the duty of dram stores, but also provides ways to detect fake IDs and stop serving underage patrons (Scherer et al., 2015). Public involvement and enforcement is linked to higher levels of refusal of beverage service to intoxicated and underage customers and a significant reduction in violent crime (Danaher et al., 2012).If the host community is hostile or otherwise unsupportive, even with a well-drafted liquor act with ample harm minimization provisions backed up by a well-organized regulatory system may be inadequate (Stockwell, 2001). If large establishments change their practices in alcohol service, the impact of violence on the frequency rate may be greater than if smaller establishments change their drinking environment (Wallin et al., 2003).Thus, in order to bring legal action against a manager or server in an on-site establishment, both illegal beverage service (e.g. service to an intoxicated patron) and harm to someone as a result of this illegal service must have occurred (Rammohan et al, 2011). In view of the different perspectives, the researchers assessed the implementation of the responsible beverage service (RBS) of restaurants and hotels in Nueva Ecija.

II.
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK Despite the support from the county authorities, the lack of knowledge and understanding of the various parts of the RBS program appeared in several municipalities, which most likely negatively affected the implementation (Haggard et al., 2015). It suggests that when bar managers and owners become aware of the RBS and its compliance, and servers are properly trained in responsible beverage service fewer trends become highly intoxicated (i.e., over-served), and some effort is made to deny service to obviously intoxicated customers (Fell et al., 2017). Evaluation and feedback showed significant correlation with the implementation of the RBS program as a whole, as well as with the two main RBS training and supervision components of the program (Trolldal et al., 2013).

III. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The study describedthe the level of awareness on responsible beverage service, reflection on responsible beverage service as a server/manager, and level of priority on responsible beverage service strategies.

IV.
METHODOLOGY This study used the descriptive method designed for the researchers to gather information about presenting existing conditions and to describe the nature of the situation as it exists at the time of the study and to explore the causes of particular phenomena (Camic et al., 2003). A total of 79 respondents composed of 26 managers and 53 servers were surveyed in the study. The researchers used likert-scale questionnaires to determine perception or view of the respondents regarding this topic with responses (Vagias, 2006) and analyze the gathered data through mean, and weighted mean.  Table 2 shows the reflection on Responsible Beverage Service practices as a server/manager with an average weighted mean of 3.52 interpreted as True of me (TM). The servers/managers reflected Very True of me (VTM) in recognizing patrons that are under legal age which garnered a weighted mean of 4.29. The servers/managers reflected Untrue of me (UM) in maintaining written records on incidents of sales to obviously intoxicated person and persons under legal age which garnered a weighted mean of 2.58. Not a Priority (NP) Table 3 shows the level of priority on Responsible Beverage Service strategies is of Medium Priority (MP) with an average weighted mean of 3.05. The servers/managers categorized strategies such as offering drinking water, snacks and soft drinks at regular intervals and posting responsible alcoholic drinking messages in the establishment as High Priority (HP) which garnered a weighted mean of 4.11 and 3.65, respectively. The servers/managers categorized strategies such as promotion of non-alcoholic or low-alcohol drinks than high-alcohol drinks, prevention of serving strong alcoholic beverages during late nights and wait for the patrons to order than top up alcoholic beverages as Low Priority (LP) which garnered a weighted mean of 2.35, 2.49 and 2.55, respectively.

VI.
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Based on the findings, most of the servers and managers were somewhat and slightly aware of the legal basis and laws on alcoholic beverages. It is recommended that the establishment provide a training or orientation regarding it.
In reflection, most of the servers and managers were employing responsible beverage practices. It is recommended to further improve the practices currently employed by the servers and managers of hotels and restaurants. Finally, most of the servers and managers categorized strategies that may prevent consumption of alcoholic beverages as of Low Priority (LP). It is recommended to focus on preventive strategies in compliant with the rules and regulations of governing laws on alcoholic beverages.