SSS, PhilHealth & Pag-IBIG Employer Registration in the Philippines

Every Philippine company that employs people must register with three national social-insurance agencies: the Social Security System (SSS), PhilHealth (Philippine Health Insurance Corporation), and the Pag-IBIG Fund (Home Development Mutual Fund, or HDMF). Registration is mandatory under Republic Acts 11199 (SSS Law), 11223 (Universal Health Care Act), and 9679 (Pag-IBIG Fund Law) respectively.

There are no registration fees for employer accounts at any of the three agencies. Only monthly contribution remittances apply.

Social Security System (SSS)

SSS provides social insurance, retirement, disability, sickness, maternity, and death benefits to private-sector employees.

Register SSS first — both PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG reference your SSS employer number during their own registration processes.

Requirements for new employer registration:

• Completed SS Form R-1 (Employer Registration)
• SEC Certificate of Registration and articles of incorporation
• BIR Certificate of Registration (COR)
• Valid government-issued ID of the authorised signatory

Registration can be submitted online via the My.SSS employer portal or in person at any SSS servicing branch. Once registered, enrol each new employee using SS Form R-1A before the end of their first month of employment.

Contribution rates and monthly salary credit bands are adjusted periodically by the SSS Board. Employers and employees share the total monthly contribution, with the employer’s share forming the majority.

PhilHealth

PhilHealth administers the National Health Insurance Program. The contribution rate is a fixed percentage of the employee’s basic monthly salary, split equally between employer and employee, up to an income ceiling set annually by PhilHealth.

Registration requirements:

• Employer Data Record (ER1 form)
• SEC Certificate of Registration
• BIR Certificate of Registration
• Report on Employee-Members (ER2 form) to list existing staff

Submit online via the PhilHealth employer portal or at a PhilHealth Local Health Insurance Office. Monthly contributions are remitted using the Premium Remittance Form (PRF).

Pag-IBIG Fund (HDMF)

Pag-IBIG provides a government-administered savings programme and housing loan facility for Filipino workers. Employee membership is mandatory for all private-sector employees earning at least ₱1,000 per month.

Registration requirements:

• Employer’s Registration Form (EDF)
• BIR Certificate of Registration
• SEC Certificate of Registration and articles of incorporation
• Valid IDs of authorised signatories

Submit the completed EDF at any Pag-IBIG branch or via the Virtual Pag-IBIG online portal. Monthly contributions — employer and employee shares combined — are remitted by the 10th or 15th of the following month, depending on your assigned employer reference number.

Practical Sequence for New Companies

The full statutory employer registration stack runs in this order:

1. SEC — incorporate the company
2. BIR — obtain Certificate of Registration (COR) and authority to print receipts
3. SSS — register as employer (first, because it feeds the next two)
4. PhilHealth — register as employer
5. Pag-IBIG — register as employer
6. LGU — barangay clearance and mayor’s permit

Since January 2021, the Philippine Business Hub (Central Business Portal) allows simultaneous registration with SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG in a single session, reducing what used to be three separate in-person visits.

How Chamberlain Helps

Chamberlain handles the complete employer registration sequence — SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG — as part of our company registration service. See our transparent pricing for the fixed fee covering all filings, or book a consultation to discuss your headcount and timeline.

For ongoing compliance obligations after setup, see corporate compliance.