Philippines (PH)
The Philippines is a Southeast Asian archipelago of 7,641 islands, the third-largest English-speaking country in the world, and one of the most welcoming destinations for expats.
2026 Annual Changes — Philippines
Updated thresholds, benefits, and regulatory changes effective this year.
Key 2026 updates for the Philippines: SSS rate 15% with MSC ceiling at ₱35,000 (from Jan 2026); PhilHealth remains 5%; NCR minimum wage at ₱695/day (Jul 2025 Wage Order); CREATE MORE Act (RA 12066, 2024) enhances PEZA/BOI incentives; TRAIN Law personal income tax brackets stable; SIM registration enforcement active; Pag-IBIG housing loan ceiling raised to ₱10,000,000 (May 2026).
Key Changes for 2026
| Category | 2026 Value | Previous | Effective Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal Income Tax TRAIN Law tax brackets — final tier stable since January 2023 | 0% on ≤₱250k; 15% on ₱250k–₱400k; 20% on ₱400k–₱800k; 25% on ₱800k–₱2M; 30% on ₱2M–₱8M; 35% above ₱8M. 8% flat tax option for self-employed/professionals below ₱3M threshold. | Same as 2025 — 2023 rates remain the final TRAIN Law schedule | 2026-01-01 |
| SSS Contributions SSS Maximum Monthly Salary Credit (MSC) at ₱30,000; total rate 14% | Employee share: 5% of MSC. Employer share: 10% of MSC. Maximum MSC: ₱35,000 (maximum employee contribution: ₱1,750; maximum employer contribution: ₱3,500). Minimum MSC: ₱5,000. | Employee 4.5%, employer 9.5%, MSC ceiling ₱30,000, min MSC ₱4,000 | 2026-01-01 |
| PhilHealth Contributions PhilHealth premium rate remains 5% — income ceiling ₱100,000/month | 5% of basic monthly salary (employee 2.5% + employer 2.5%). Maximum monthly total: ₱5,000 (₱2,500 each). Floor: ₱10,000 income → ₱500 total contribution. | Same 5% rate and ₱100,000 ceiling as 2024–2025 | 2026-01-01 |
| Minimum Wage NCR minimum wage at ₱645/day for non-agricultural workers | ₱695/day in Metro Manila (NCR) effective July 18, 2025. Non-agricultural: ₱695; agricultural, small retail and small manufacturing: ₱658/day in NCR. Regional rates vary: Central Visayas ~₱500–₱530/day; Davao ~₱480–₱510/day. 13th Month Pay mandatory under PD 851. | ₱645/day NCR (prior Wage Order) | 2026-01-01 |
| Corporate Tax CREATE MORE Act (RA 12066) enhanced investment incentives for PEZA/BOI firms | Regular corporate income tax: 25% (large corporations); 20% for domestic corporations with ≤₱5M taxable income and ≤₱100M total assets. PEZA/BOI registered RBEs: extended Income Tax Holiday (ITH) + 5% Special Corporate Income Tax (SCIT) on gross income during incentive period. | CREATE Law (RA 11534, 2021) incentive tiers without CREATE MORE enhancements | 2024-08-15 |
| Housing Finance Pag-IBIG Fund maximum housing loan raised to ₱6,500,000 | Maximum housing loan: ₱10,000,000 (effective May 2026). Interest rates: 5.375%–10.5% depending on repayment period (1–30 years). Multi-Purpose Loan (MPL): up to ₱6,000,000 at 10.5% p.a. | ₱6,500,000 maximum (January 2026); ₱6,000,000 in 2024 | 2026-01-01 |
| Immigration ACR I-Card biometric renewal ongoing; SIM card registration enforcement active | ACR I-Card fee: ₱2,620 + ₱500 initial; annual renewal required. Expired ACR I-Card fine: ₱50,000. SIM Registration Act (RA 11934): all SIMs must be registered with passport ID; unregistered SIMs deactivated. | ACR I-Card biometric format rolled out from 2023 | 2026-01-01 |
| Environment EPR Act plastic recovery target at 80% for covered enterprises in 2026 | RA 11898 (EPR Act) covered enterprises (>₱10M revenue or 1,000kg+ plastic output) must recover 80% of plastic packaging placed on market. DENR enforcement active. Styrofoam food bans enforced in BGC, Makati, Quezon City LGUs. | 60% recovery target in 2025 | 2026-01-01 |
| Transport Jeepney modernisation Phase 3 — non-compliant franchise renewal stopped | LTFRB PUVMP Phase 3: traditional jeepneys without modernisation compliance lose franchise renewal. Modern PUJ (Public Utility Jeepney) fleets expanding with Euro 4 engines, GPS, cashless payment via Beep Card. E-jeepneys piloted in BGC, Commonwealth, and selected provincial routes. | Phase 2 deadlines previously extended; Phase 3 now enforced | 2026-01-01 |
| Digital Services PhilSys National ID delivery catching up — 80M+ registrations processed | PSA has registered 80M+ Filipinos. Physical card delivery ongoing. ePhilID (printed QR code version) accepted as valid government ID at banks, government offices, and major establishments. Foreigners with ACR I-Card: not eligible for PhilSys ID. | Physical card delivery significantly backlogged in 2024 | 2026-01-01 |
January Checklist
Actions to take each January when new rates take effect.
- 1
Pay BIR annual registration fee of ₱500 (BIR Form 0605) — deadline January 31
- 2
Renew business permit (Mayor's Permit) with your LGU — deadline varies (January 20–31 in most LGUs)
- 3
Verify latest SSS MSC ceiling and contribution tables at sss.gov.ph
- 4
Check PhilHealth premium circular for current year at philhealth.gov.ph
- 5
Verify ACR I-Card expiry date — renew if expiring within 3 months
- 6
Check NCR minimum wage order at nwpc.dole.gov.ph for updates
- 7
Renew Pag-IBIG Fund voluntary contribution schedule if self-employed
- 8
Update BIR taxpayer registration (Form 1905) for any address or status changes
- 9
File annual inventory of goods (if registered trader) with BIR
- 10
Review Philippine passport or foreign passport validity — renew if less than 6 months remaining
Where to Track Annual Changes
-
BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue): bir.gov.ph — tax rates, revenue regulations, annual registration requirements
-
SSS (Social Security System): sss.gov.ph — contribution schedules, MSC ceiling updates, benefit changes
-
PhilHealth: philhealth.gov.ph — premium rate circulars and benefit case rates
-
Pag-IBIG Fund (HDMF): pagibigfund.gov.ph — housing loan rates, MP2 dividend announcements
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NWPC (National Wages and Productivity Commission): nwpc.dole.gov.ph — regional minimum wage orders
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Bureau of Immigration: immigration.gov.ph — visa fees, ACR I-Card procedures
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PEZA: peza.gov.ph and BOI: boi.gov.ph — investment incentive announcements
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BSP (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas): bsp.gov.ph — PDIC coverage, banking regulations
Tax deadlines remain unchanged under TRAIN Law. BIR Revenue Regulations and Revenue Memorandum Circulars (RMCs) are published at bir.gov.ph — subscribe to BIR email alerts or check the official Gazette for regulatory updates throughout the year.
Annual Changes
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