SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG: what you pay and what you get

Every payslip shows three deductions besides tax. They're not just costs: each one gives you benefits you should know how to use.

Think of them as three safety nets: SSS for income when you can't work, PhilHealth for hospital bills, and Pag-IBIG for savings and housing. Your employer adds its own share on top of yours, which makes them one of the best deals in your pay. The catch: benefits depend on your contributions being posted, so it pays to check your records.

SSS

Social Security System covers sickness, maternity, disability, unemployment, retirement pension and death benefits, plus salary and calamity loans. The contribution is a percentage of your Monthly Salary Credit, shared with your employer.

• Contribution: 15% of your Monthly Salary Credit (MSC) in 2025. If employed, you pay 5% and your employer pays 10%.
• MSC range: ₱5,000 to ₱35,000 in 2025; your MSC is based on your monthly pay bracket.
• Maternity benefit: 105 days of paid leave for live birth under the Expanded Maternity Leave Law, if you have enough contributions.
• Retirement pension: generally from age 60, with at least 120 monthly contributions for a lifetime pension.
• Unemployment benefit: cash help if you lose your job involuntarily, for qualified members.
• Salary loan: a one- or two-month salary loan once you have enough posted contributions.

PhilHealth

National health insurance that helps pay hospital and some outpatient bills. Premiums are a percentage of your basic salary, split equally with your employer.

• Premium: 5% of your basic monthly salary in 2024–2025, with a floor of ₱10,000 and a ceiling of ₱100,000 salary. Employed members pay half; the employer pays the other half.
• Coverage works through case rates: a fixed amount per illness or procedure deducted from your hospital bill.
• Primary care: register with an accredited primary care provider for check-ups and some lab tests and medicines.
• Dependents like a spouse, young children and senior parents can be covered under your membership.

Tip: at the hospital, tell the billing section you're a PhilHealth member before you're discharged, and bring a valid ID. The deduction happens at billing, not after.

Pag-IBIG (HDMF)

A savings fund that also unlocks housing, multi-purpose and calamity loans. Your regular savings earn dividends, and you can save more through the voluntary MP2 program.

• Contribution: 2% of your monthly pay from you and 2% from your employer, based on a maximum fund salary of ₱10,000 (up to ₱200 each) since 2024.
• Your savings plus dividends come back to you when membership matures (after 20 years of contributions) or at retirement.
• Multi-purpose loan: borrow a percentage of your total savings, often for tuition, repairs or emergencies.
• Housing loan: one of the lowest-rate home loans available, with long terms.
• MP2: optional extra savings with tax-free dividends and a 5-year term.

Self-employed, freelancer or OFW?

You can still contribute voluntarily and keep your benefits. Contributions are usually paid through the agencies' online portals, e-wallets, or payment centers.

Self-employed and voluntary members pay the full rate themselves (for SSS, the full 15%), so it's worth choosing a salary credit you can sustain. Gaps matter: many benefits need a minimum number of posted contributions, often within a recent period. If you switch from employment to freelancing, register the change and keep paying so you don't lose eligibility.

Check your records every few months

• Create accounts on My.SSS, the PhilHealth member portal and Virtual Pag-IBIG.
• Compare the posted contributions with your payslips.
• If your employer deducted but didn't remit, raise it with HR first, then with the agency.

Remember this

SSS protects your income, PhilHealth your hospital bills, Pag-IBIG your savings and home. Keep all three active and check they're posted.

Do this today

Log in to your SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG accounts and check that your contributions are posted.