Pag-IBIG Self-Employed contribution: Guide for Filipino freelancers

The Pag-IBIG Fund¹ is also referred to as the Home Development Mutual Fund. The fund helps members with services including housing loans, health loans and emergency loans, while members must contribute on a monthly basis to the fund, based on their income.

The way that Pag-IBIG self employed contributions work is a little different to the contribution process for employed members. This is important to understand if you’re a freelancer or a self-employed worker in the Philippines. Read our full guide to the Pag-IBIG monthly contribution process for self-employed people to find out all you need to know, and learn more about Wise - a great way to get paid from abroad.

What is Pag-IBIG?

Pag-IBIG is a fund which is designed to help Filipinos save, and access funds for housing, emergency use and in the case of facing issues such as a natural disaster. For some people, membership of the fund is mandatory, with payments being made on a monthly basis into a mandatory savings fund. You can also choose to pay in more if you want to save a higher amount than the minimum requirement. The scheme is government backed and pays high dividends which can make it an attractive option if you’re saving for the future and want to access loans and other financial services.

We’ll look at how to check Pag-IBIG contributions online a little later.

Bear in mind that Pag-IBIG rates, options and rules can change from time to time and it’s important to check all the latest details before you make a payment. If you’re unsure of what needs to be paid in your particular case, seek professional advice.

Difference between self-employed vs voluntary Pag-IBIG contribution

For many people, Pag-IBIG membership is mandatory. As a broad outline, it’s mandatory to be a member if you're usually covered by the Social Security System. However, you can also pay into the fund on a voluntary basis if you would like to.

Generally, self-employed people are required to pay into the Pag-IBIG fund. However, the way you pay and the amounts can vary depending on the situation and the type of work you do. If you’re not earning for a while but want to continue paying into the fund to retain your benefits you can also choose to do so on a voluntary basis.

How much is Pag-IBIG contribution for self-employed individuals?

If you are self-employed, membership to Pag-IBIG may be mandatory, and you may need to pay both the rate for the employee and for the employer. In effect, you're considered to be both the employee and the employer as a self employed person, which means some members must pay both sections of this charge.

The self-employed Pag-IBIG contribution rate for 2025 for self-employed business owners and professionals is set at 4%, capped at 400 PHP. This represents both the employee and employer payments which would apply if you were employed by a private company².

The payments might work a little differently if you’re considered to be self employed but not a business owner or professional. This applies for people who might be informal sector workers, market vendors, tourist guides and so on.

Here’s the Self-employed Pag-IBIG Contribution Table for 2025 for Self Employed (other earning groups):

You can pay your Pag-IBIG contributions over the counter, online or through a remittance service. Over the counter payments are available through banks, non-bank partners and the Pag-IBIG branch network. You can pay online or through apps, with your debit or credit card, by bank transfer, or with a wallet like PayMaya or GCash. There are also various options to pay from overseas using a remittance service.

Pag-IBIG requirements for self-employed individuals

The rules about joining Pag-IBIG as a self employed person vary depending on your line of work and your salary. If you’re considered a professional or business owner, and self employed the chances are that you must pay into the fund as both employee and employer, but in some freelance or self employed positions, the payments are lower.

If you’re unsure which membership type will apply based on your personal situation you can get advice online through the Pag-IBIG website, or give them a call to learn more.

Pag-IBIG online registration

To use Pag-IBIG online you must register with Virtual Pag-IBIG. Here’s how to create your Virtual Pag-IBIG account by signing up online⁴:

1. Visit Virtual Pag-IBIG and tap Create and Activate Online
2. Follow the prompts to enter your personal information and phone number
3. Input the One-Time Pin (OTP) sent to your mobile phone and follow prompts to set your security questions
4. Upload a photo of your passport or two alternative ID documents
5. Upload a selfie picture while holding your passport or your ID documents
6. You’ll receive an SMS confirming that you have successfully created your Virtual Pag-IBIG Account

How to check Pag-IBIG MID (Membership number)?

You can easily check your Pag-IBIG online using the tools available on the Pag-IBIG website⁵.

Can I withdraw my Pag-IBIG contributions?

You can withdraw your Pag-IBIG contributions subject to meeting eligibility requirements. The eligibility rules may change over time and may depend on the length of time you've paid in, your age and other factors. At the time of writing, you can withdraw your funds if you have paid in for 10 years, so a total of 120 contributions in most cases. Some scheme members may need to pay in for longer - or may have the option of making an earlier withdrawal. You might also be able to withdraw your money if you retire, have health conditions or move abroad. If a member dies, the contributions they made in their lifetime would be passed to beneficiaries.

It’s important to note that the rules here can be a little complicated if you've not got a continuous employment history. If you’re a freelancer or self-employed person and have not made your full 120 contributions you may not be able to withdraw until you do so, or until you meet other eligibility requirements. It’s also not possible to withdraw if you have active loans from Pag-IBIG - before you make any decisions about what to do with your money make sure you get personal advice from the fund or from an appropriate professional.

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✍️ Gumawa ng libreng account

1. Pag-IBIG
2. Pag-IBIG mandatory savings
3. Virtual Pag-IBIG
4. Check Pag-IBIG MID
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