Your Payslip Isn't a Protection Plan: 4 Questions Every Employee Should Ask

Look at your latest payslip. SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, tax: a chunk of your pay is already going to "protection." So is your family covered?

Not necessarily. These contributions are mandatory, but how they apply to your situation depends on the program's rules and on your own records. Here is a simple way to check, using a sample salary.

A sample payslip, in pesos

Say you earn ₱40,000 a month. Based on the rates published by payroll guides for 2025–2026 (see sources below):

• SSS: the total rate is 15% of the Monthly Salary Credit, split 10% employer and 5% employee, with the credit capped at ₱35,000. On ₱40,000 pay, that is about ₱1,750 from you and ₱3,500 from your employer, excluding the small employees' compensation premium.
• PhilHealth: 5% of monthly pay, shared equally, on a base between ₱10,000 and ₱100,000. On ₱40,000 pay, that is ₱2,000 in total: ₱1,000 each.

These are illustrations, not a computation of your actual deductions. Your payslip and the official tables control.

1. What do my contributions actually give me?

Contributions fund government programs with their own eligibility rules, benefit schedules and filing requirements. Having a deduction on your payslip is not the same as knowing what you or your family could receive.

Ask: Which benefits can I claim, under what conditions, and what documents are needed? Check the official SSS and PhilHealth channels rather than relying on hearsay.

2. What does my employer's HMO or group insurance really include?

If your company offers an HMO or group coverage, get the benefit summary in writing. Compare:

• Annual limits, per-illness limits and room-and-board limits
• Pre-existing condition and waiting-period rules
• Accredited hospitals and clinics
• Whether dependents are covered, and who pays for them

Do not assume an HMO works like insurance, or that group life, accident and health benefits are interchangeable. They are different contracts with different conditions.

3. What happens if I resign, get laid off or change jobs?

Employer-sponsored benefits are usually tied to employment. Ask HR: When does my coverage end, and is there any way to continue or convert it?

If the answer is "it ends on my last day," then your family's protection has a gap whenever you are between jobs. Plan for that before it happens, not after.

4. What is still unprotected?

List the needs that group benefits and government contributions may not address on their own:

• Income for your dependents if you could no longer work
• Out-of-pocket costs above your HMO limits
• Critical illness expenses and recovery time
• Emergency cash while you wait for claims to be processed

You do not have to buy anything to do this exercise. Writing the list is the first step. Then check which items an existing benefit already addresses, and which remain open.

A useful next step this week

Ask HR for the written benefit summary of your HMO or group plan. Then mark each item on your list as covered, partly covered or not yet addressed.

General education only. This article is not a quotation, confirmation of coverage or financial, legal or tax advice. Government rates and rules can change, and employer plans vary by contract. Always verify against the official issuance or your plan documents.

Sources

1. Forvis Mazars Philippines — SSS contribution rates increased to 15% starting January 1, 2025. Accessed October 18, 2026.
2. PhilHealth Advisory PA2025-0002 — Premium Contribution for All Direct Contributors for CY 2025. Official source for the 5% rate with a ₱10,000 income floor and ₱100,000 ceiling for 2025. Accessed October 18, 2026.
3. Supertutor — PhilHealth Contribution Table 2026. Third-party summary indicating the same rate and base for 2026. Not an official source; check the latest PhilHealth issuance.