BACKGROUND: PhilHealth, a government owned and controlled corporation which runs the country's social health insurance program, has given conflicting impressions of its financial position in various public forums. This study aims to describe the financial position of PhilHealth up to 2010 based on COA audit reports.

METHODS: Financial statements from Commision on Audit (COA) Annual Audit Reports on PhilHealth from the years 1999-2010 were reviewed to describe PhilHealth's financial position.

RESULTS: Up to 2010, based on COA audited reports, PhilHealth was financially solvent. Its net financial worth has steadily increased to P106.9B in 2010. PhilHealth's sources of revenues were mainly from premiums (82.7%) and interest income (17.0%). From 2007-2010, 88.5% of PhilHealth's premiums came from paying members. Premiums of the informal sector made up only 4.7% of toal premiums. Expenses were made up of benefit payments and administrative expenditures. PhilHealth exceeded its allowed administrative expenses for the years 2004, 2008 and 2009. PhilHealth's stated reserve fund has steadily increased and had rearched P90.7B in 2010. Several questions, outside of the scope of an analysis of the COA audit reports and involving reimbursements and adminstrative expenses need further investigation.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: At its level of purchasing up to 2010, PhilHealth was indeed sustainable. But as one of the three pillars of Kalusugan Pangkalahatan (KP), PhilHealth has to dramatically increase its share in the country's Total Health Expenditure. PhilHealth's financial position has to be continuously monitored as KP is being implemented.

Health Expenditures ; Financial Statements ; Informal Sector ; Insurance, Health ; Social Security ; Income ; Solvents

OBJECTIVE. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and incidence of occupational injuries in the Philippines.

METHODS. Data were collected from various agencies, namely, Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics (BLES) of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Labor Force Survey of National Statistics Office, Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC), National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) under Department of Health (DOH), Overseas Employment Statistics (OES) of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), and International Labor Organization (ILO). Hospital-based data and surveys were also used in this study.

RESULTS. The study revealed about 358,000 fatal and 337 million non-fatal occupational accidents occurring around the world. In the Philippines, there were 22,65 cases of occupational injury in 2003 and 47,235 cases in 2007. The manufacturing industries registered the highest number of cases. The reported cases of occupational injury resulted in 178 deaths in 2000 and 116 deaths in 2007. As for the frequency rate of injury, it was estimated to occur at six injury cases per 500 full-time workers. In the following years, the frequency rate of injury declined to 4.07 in 2003, and further declined to 2.79 in 2007. Superficial injuries and open wounds were the most common type of injury in 2000, 2003 and 2007. Acute poisoning and infections rapidly increased by 2.39 times from 2003 to 2007. Other serious injuries reported were burns, corrosions, scalds, and frostbites, with 2,065 cases reported in 2007. In 2007, 1839 cases of fracture were reported. Based on hospital records, a total of 9,521 injury cases were reported in 2007. In 2007, 1,839 cases of fracture were reported. Based on hospital records, a total of 9,521 injury cases were reported for the first quarter of 2010 at 77 government and private hospitals in the country. Most injuries were sustained on the road (44.4%) and work-related injuries were reported at 7.8%.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION. The data showed that occupational injury is prevalent and presents a problem in the country. It is suggested that data collection on occupational injuries be performed on a national scale, and3not merely through the random collection of data for small, medium and large industries. Data on occupational safety and health should also include the agricultural sector, the informal sector, and small enterprises.

Human ; Male ; Female ; Occupational Injuries ; Accidents, Occupational ; Incidence ; Occupational Health ; Prevalence ; Corrosion ; Philippines ; Informal Sector ; Polyoxyethyleneamine ; Hospital Records ; Trauma Centers ; Industry ; Burns ; Frostbite ; Manufacturing Industry ; Employment ; Hospitals, Private

OBJECTIVES: To (1) draft a comprehensive health program relevant to workers in the informal sector; (2) develop specific guidelines for the establishment of appropriate health services for informal workers, including recommended surveillance systems; and (3) formulate a mechanism for the full coverage of health insurance for informal workers integrated through the National Health Insurance system.

METHODS: Document reviews, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), informal surveys were conducted. The various agencies were involved from the study proposal to the final review through consultative meetings.

RESULTS: The health program for the informal sector (IS) is inadequate. Currently, the various health services of the government and its regulatory functions are not integrated to address the needs of the IS.

CONCLUSION: Hazard identification, evaluation and control with the appropriate IEC campaign aimed at behavioral modification for the informal sector and national health/social insurance service providers are the recommended steps. Tracking, monitoring and surveillance systems need to be established through local government units (LGUs), with the support of the workers' associations/cooperatives.

Social Security ; Informal Sector ; Local Government ; Focus Groups ; Aarskog Syndrome ; Dwarfism ; Insurance, Health ; Hand Deformities, Congenital ; Face ; Genitalia, Male ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Genetic Diseases, X-linked ; National Health Programs