MANILA, Philippines — Pensioners under the Social Security System (SSS) will begin receiving increased monthly payouts starting September, with annual hikes set through 2027 as part of a landmark pension reform program.
The state-run social insurer announced on Thursday, July 31, a three-year pension increase for all its pensioners.
The move follows the Social Security Commission’s approval of Resolution 340 on July 11, paving the way for a reform program that the state-run insurer says responds to “long-standing calls for higher pensions while ensuring the fund’s long-term viability.”
SSS said the reform program will benefit over 3.8 million pensioners, where 2.6 million are retirement and disability pensioners and 1.2 million are survivor pensioners.
So how much will pensioners receive starting September?
The SSS explained that the pension increase will be implemented in three annual tranches every September, beginning this year until 2027.
Each year, the monthly pensions will increase by:
- 10% for retirement and disability pensioners
- 5% for death or survivor pensioners
To qualify for the yearly increase, pensioners must be active as of August 31 of the corresponding year. That means those receiving pensions as of Aug. 31, 2025, will be eligible for the 2025 increase, and so on through 2027.
By September 2027, retirement and disability pensioners will have received a total 33% increase from their current pension, while death or survivor pensioners will have benefited from a 16% hike.
Here’s an example of how compounding increases would work.
| Type of SSS Pensioner | Current Pension | Resulting Pension Due to Increase under the SSS Pension Reform Program | Increase from Current Pension to Sep 2027 Pension | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 2025 | Sep 2025 | Sep 2026 | Sep 2027 | Amount | Percent | |
| Retirement | 2,200.00 | 2,420.00 | 2,662.00 | 2,928.20 | 728.20 | 33.1% |
| Disability | 2,000.00 | 2,200.00 | 2,420.00 | 2,662.00 | 662.00 | 33.1% |
| Survivorship | 2,000.00 | 2,100.00 | 2,205.00 | 2,315.25 | 315.25 | 15.8% |
| Retirement | 5,120.20 | 5,632.22 | 6,195.44 | 6,814.99 | 1,694.79 | 33.1% |
| Disability | 4,963.70 | 5,460.07 | 6,006.08 | 6,606.68 | 1,642.98 | 33.1% |
| Survivorship | 4,170.97 | 4,379.52 | 4,598.49 | 4,828.42 | 657.45 | 15.8% |
| Retirement | 22,137.25 | 24,350.98 | 26,786.07 | 29,464.68 | 7,327.43 | 33.1% |
| Disability | 18,058.00 | 19,863.80 | 21,850.18 | 24,035.20 | 5,977.20 | 33.1% |
| Survivorship | 20,200.00 | 21,210.00 | 22,270.50 | 23,384.03 | 3,184.03 | 15.8% |
- A pensioner receiving P2,200 monthly would see their pension grow to P2,420 in September 2025, which is a P220 or 10% increase.
- The following year, the 10% increase will be applied to the new P2,420 base, raising it to P2,662. This compounding continues until 2027, meaning the actual peso increase grows each year even though the percentage remains constant.
By 2027, pensioners would be receiving P728.20 more than their original 2025 amount before any increases took effect.
Behind the move
The state-run social insurer said the reform program is backed by actuarial studies assessing the risks and long-term sustainability of the adjustments. It also marks the first multi-year pension increase in the agency’s 68-year history.
“We’ve heard the clamor for higher pensions loud and clear,” SSS President and CEO Robert Joseph De Claro said in a statement.
“With the guidance of Finance Secretary and SSC Chairperson Ralph G. Recto, and after actuarial review, we are rolling our a rational and sustainable pension increase that uplifts all pensioners without compromising the fund’s actuarial soundness,” he added.
The program seeks to uplift pensioners, help Filipinos recover from inflation-driven erosion of purchasing power, and “promote the value of working, saving, investing, and prospering.”
The SSS estimated P92.8 billion to flow into the economy between 2025 and 2027 under the reform.
The agency also clarified that the increase will not require higher contributions to keep the fund financially stable — unlike the across-the-board P1,000 pension hike in 2017, which led to increased contribution rates.
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