How much is the average retirement pension of senior citizen in Philippines?

Retirement is an exciting time for many people. After years of hard work and dedication, it’s finally time to relax and enjoy life.

But for the elderly in the Philippines, retirement can be a difficult transition as they often lack the necessary funds to support themselves. This is why the government has created various pension plans for retired senior citizens to help them maintain a comfortable lifestyle during their twilight years.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the average retirement pension of senior citizens in the Philippines and how you can access these benefits if you’re planning on retiring in this beautiful country.

What Pension Plans Does The Philippine Government Offer?

The Philippine government offers several different pension plans that are designed to help seniors maintain their financial independence during retirement. These include:

SSS Pension Plan

This plan provides monthly payments to qualified members who are at least 60 years old, have contributed to Social Security System (SSS) for at least 10 years, and who meet certain other qualifications.

Calculate your pension amount with our SSS Pension Calculator.

GSIS Pension Plan

This plan is available only to members of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS). It provides monthly payments to retirees 65 years old or older with at least 20 years of contributions.

Pag-IBIG Fund Retirement Benefit

This plan is available for members of Pag-IBIG (Home Development Mutual Fund). It grants pensions to those who have reached age 60 or 65 with at least five years of contributions and other qualifying criteria.

PhilHealth Senior Citizen Benefits Program

This program provides comprehensive health coverage for eligible seniors 55 years old or older with five continuous years of premium payments under PhilHealth or any private health insurance provider accredited by PhilHealth.

It also covers hospitalization expenses up to P100,000 per year plus additional preventive care such as laboratory tests, medical consultations and diagnostic exams like X-rays and CT scans.

What Is The Average Retirement Pension Of Senior Citizens In The Philippines?

The average retirement pension of senior citizens in the Philippines depends on several factors such as total contributions made over their lifetime and their current age. For example;

• SSS pensioners aged 60-64 receive a maximum monthly benefit of P6,000 while those aged 65-69 get P10,000 per month, senior citizens aged 70-79 receive P15,000, and those aged 80+ receive P20,000 per month.
• Similarly, GSIS retirees aged 60-74 get a maximum monthly benefit payment ranging from P4,500-P16,500 depending on their total contributions made over their lifetime.
• Pag-IBIG Fund retirees aged 60-64 receive a maximum monthly benefit payment ranging from P1,800-P6,400 depending on how much they contributed throughout their working lives.
• PhilHealth beneficiaries aged 55+ can receive up to P100 thousand per year in hospitalization benefits plus preventive care services such as laboratory tests and doctor consultations.

How Can a Senior Citizen Access the Retirement Benefits?

You need to visit your nearest SSS/GSIS/Pag-IBIG/PhilHealth office where you can submit your application form along with copies of applicable documents such as ID cards or birth certificates.

Moreover, you may also be required to present additional supporting documents depending on which type of pension plan you’re applying for.

After all the requirements are met, your application will then be processed within 15-30 days. Finally, depending on which type of pension plan you applied for, you will either receive a lump sum payment, an annuity payout, or both.

Is There Anything Else I Should Consider Before Applying For A Retirement Pension?

Yes. Before applying for any type of retirement pension, make sure that you understand all its terms and conditions so that there won’t be any surprises down the road.

Additionally, if you’re planning on relocating overseas after your retirement, make sure that your chosen country allows foreign nationals to access local pension funds since some may not recognize international benefits.

Finally, keep track of changes in laws concerning retiree benefits since these can vary from time to time .

Is the Senior Citizen pension amount enough to live comfortably?

The amount received from your SSS pension may not be enough for you to live comfortably in an expensive city such as Manila but it should still provide some degree of financial security for your daily needs.

With proper budgeting and lifestyle adjustments like minimizing unnecessary expenses and avoiding debt traps like credit card bills, retirees should be able to make their money last longer.

Other helpful tips include exploring different sources of income such as private investments or online businesses, taking advantage of government programs like the Senior Citizen Pension Program, joining cooperatives and community organizations, among others will be helpful.

Conclusion

Retiring in the Philippines doesn’t have be intimidating, there are plenty of ways that senior citizens can ensure financial security after leaving the workforce through various retirement pensions offered by the government.

Depending on which type you qualify for such as SSS Pension Plan, GSIS Pension Plan, Pag IBIG Fund Retirement Benefit, or PhilHealth Senior Citizen Benefits Program, you could receive anywhere from Php 4500- Php 20,000 per month along with other added benefits like preventive care programs.

Just remember to always read up on each program’s terms carefully before submitting an application form so that there won’t be any surprises down the road.