Social Security System (SSS) could add four to five million new pensioners this year as new member registration rose 165% from the 923,000 new members recorded in the same period last year.
In a statement, the SSS said the agency registered 2.4 million new members as of July, surpassing the agency's two million target for this year.
"Halfway through the year, we already hit our year's target. But SSS won't stop there. We remain steadfast in our mission to further broaden our membership base and cover all Filipinos in the workforce," Macasaet said.
"SSS will sustain this growth trajectory in the coming months as we aim for a historic peak in new member registrations."
Data showed that Luzon recorded the highest number of new members, with more than 882,000.
The National Capital Region (NCR) came in second with over 693,000 new enrollees.
Mindanao and Visayas followed with 436,000 and 417,000, respectively.
More than 10,000 new members came from international operations.
Macasaet said that in previous years, the SSS usually averaged around 1 million new members annually.
He said the increase this year reflects the SSS's commitment to expanding its membership and reaching all working Filipinos.
"The implications of this record membership are profound because it means more Filipinos will have access to a comprehensive set of social security benefits from SSS. The social security protection offered by SSS can help safeguard the financial well-being of Filipino families, particularly during times of uncertainty," Macasaet said.
SSS Executive Vice President for Branch Operations Sector Voltaire Agas said the highest number of new members came from prior registrants, which reached 1.2 million.
Prior registrants already have SS numbers but have yet to be reported as covered employees or self-employed members.
"We observed a significant increase in new self-employed members, which surged by 273 percent—from 112,000 in 2023 to 419,000 in 2024. Additionally, the number of new OFW members more than doubled, rising to 10,300 in 2024 from just over 5,000 last year," Agas said.
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