PSA: Workplace injuries near 600 in Cordillera
BAGUIO CITY—Nearly 600 workplace accidents—14 of them fatal—were recorded across the Cordillera in 2023, although more than 80 percent of upland firms were better prepared after enforcing occupational safety protocols, according to the latest labor health survey by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) that was disclosed on Wednesday.
A total of 585 accidents were recorded in 70 establishments with at least 10 employees, said Aldrin Federico Bahit Jr., PSA chief statistician for the Cordillera, as he discussed results of the 2023–2024 Integrated Survey on Labor and Employment and the 2024 Occupational Wages Survey recently completed by the agency.
Details specific to the Cordillera were not released during the briefing because PSA was still processing the data for regional and provincial policymakers, the Inquirer was told. For the national tally, however, the industries with the highest occupational injuries were manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, and accommodation and food services, Bahit said.
He said the average number of workdays lost “for each case of occupational injury resulting in temporary incapacity” was roughly eight days (7.3) in the Cordillera, higher than the national average of six days (5.56).
He also reported that the region accounted for 1.8 percent (1,369 cases) of the country’s 76,052 occupational diseases in 2023—ailments attributed to workplace exposure to chemicals and other harmful substances.
Health complaints
The top health complaints of Cordillera workers included back pain (530 cases or 39.1 percent), deafness (380 or 28 percent), and occupational dermatitis linked to chemical exposure (225 or 16.6 percent), Bahit said. No information was provided on the types of industries where these conditions were most prevalent.
The survey showed that 1,241 establishments—85.7 percent of Cordillera companies surveyed—“conducted preventive and control measures or activities,” such as hiring or assigning safety officers, installing safety protocol signage in accessible areas, and regularly maintaining equipment, Bahit said.
It also found that 1,204 firms (83.1 percent) “implemented occupational safety and health policies and programs,” with 935 designating safety and health personnel.
As of 2024, Cordillera firms with at least 10 employees collectively employed 96,409 workers, or 1.1 percent of the national workforce of 6.14 million.
The survey also noted an average monthly basic pay and allowance of P17,000 for a labor force composed of 97.1 percent young workers age 15–30 (25,798 workers) and 2.9 percent elderly workers age 60–65 (784 workers).
Nationwide, industries such as mining, energy and agriculture recorded the lowest compliance rates with occupational health and safety standards in 2023.
Safer operations
At this year’s Annual Mine Safety and Environment Conference held in Baguio last month, mining leaders called for a shift toward technologies that make operations safer and more efficient.
Members of the Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Association, for example, entered into a collaboration with the Swedish government to help develop “smart mines.”
During a business forum on Nov. 18, Luciano Benitez, senior project manager and Asia-Pacific mining leader of Business Sweden, signed a memorandum of understanding with Luis Sarmiento, Apex Mining Co. president, to transform the gold producer into a model of digital mining technology that other firms could adopt.
Business Sweden—a state-owned agency promoting access to Swedish technologies—will design automation systems and equipment suited to Philippine mining conditions, including underground tracking systems “to make sure miners are healthy,” Benitez said.
Sarmiento added that the safety and technological output of this partnership would also support new mines planning to build renewable energy facilities to power their digital operations.
