Development is linked to retaining participants.

- Participating in voluntary social insurance is a long journey, requiring perseverance and faith in social security policies. Therefore, along with promoting new developments, the provincial Social Insurance agency has been focusing on maintaining and retaining participants.

Provincial social insurance officials are promoting and encouraging people to participate in voluntary social insurance.

After four years of participating in voluntary social insurance, at the end of 2024, Mr. Chu Manh Nam, 47 years old, residing in Na Noong village, Trang Dinh commune, had to stop paying contributions due to family financial difficulties. He and his wife are farmers, their income mainly depending on a few acres of rice fields and a flock of chickens and ducks. When the harvest was good and livestock farming was stable, setting aside money for social insurance contributions wasn't too burdensome. However, at the end of 2024, their chickens and ducks died due to disease, leaving almost no income, while their child was attending university and needed money for various expenses. Faced with these immediate financial concerns, Mr. Nam had to temporarily stop paying voluntary social insurance contributions.

Mr. Nam shared: "At that time, my family was facing financial difficulties, so I had to stop contributing. Later, after receiving guidance and explanations from social insurance officials and collection staff, I understood that voluntary social insurance is a way to accumulate funds for old age. If I quit halfway through, I would be at a disadvantage later. Therefore, by May 2026, I will try to arrange to continue participating, hoping that after retirement I will have a monthly pension and a health insurance card for greater peace of mind."

Mr. Nam is one of many self-employed individuals who have interrupted their participation in voluntary social insurance. Because voluntary social insurance is not a priority or mandatory expense (like electricity, water, or tuition fees), but rather an investment in the future, people are more likely to choose to stop participating when facing financial difficulties. Therefore, to ensure people understand voluntary social insurance correctly and fully, and to maintain participation, the provincial Social Insurance agency has recently coordinated with departments, agencies, socio- political organizations, commune and ward People's Committees, and collection service organizations to intensify propaganda through various forms. The content of the propaganda focuses on the benefits of participating in voluntary social insurance, especially retirement and death benefits, and the issuance of health insurance cards upon receiving pensions.

From the beginning of 2026 to the present, the provincial and local Social Insurance agencies have posted more than 650 articles on Zalo, Facebook, and YouTube, reaching over 20,000 followers; and organized 23 conferences to disseminate information and hold policy dialogues with nearly 3,000 participants. Various forms of communication, including local radio and television broadcasts, leaflets, brochures, and social media, have also been maintained, contributing to bringing voluntary social insurance policies to the people. In addition, many workers who have left their jobs and wish to withdraw their social insurance contributions in a lump sum have been encouraged by Social Insurance officials to choose a suitable contribution level to maintain their participation in social insurance.

At the same time, staff from organizations supporting the development of social insurance participation are actively monitoring the local area and choosing appropriate methods for propaganda and mobilization. Ms. Hoang Thi Ngoc Huyen, a social insurance and health insurance collection officer (Na Sam Post Office ), said: "When mobilizing people to participate in voluntary social insurance, we don't just talk about the contribution amount; we can't just hand out leaflets or read documents. We have to explain to people with relatable stories such as what they will live on after retirement, who will support them when they are sick, and what a pension means when they no longer have a regular income. For those with unstable incomes, we advise on suitable contribution levels and flexible payment methods so that they don't feel pressured."

As a result, from the beginning of 2026 to the present, the entire province has seen an additional 1,812 people participate in voluntary social insurance (an increase of 686 people compared to the same period in 2025), bringing the total number of voluntary social insurance participants to 31,533 people, accounting for 9.25% of the working-age labor force. Among them, 984 people had temporarily suspended their contributions and were encouraged to rejoin.

Mr. Ha Dinh Hai, Deputy Director of the Provincial Social Insurance Department, said: In the coming time, the Social Insurance sector will continue to coordinate with communes, wards, and organizations to review potential participants; at the same time, it will focus on disseminating information and encouraging those who have stopped contributing to rejoin. The goal is not only to increase the number of new participants but also to help people maintain their commitment to the voluntary social insurance policy.

Thanks to the efforts of the Social Insurance agency, the voluntary social insurance policy has become more accessible and closely associated with the people, especially workers in the informal sector. In the context of an aging population, preserving another social insurance booklet provides an additional sustainable social security support for workers, their families, and society.

Source: https://baolangson.vn/giu-luong-huu-bang-niem-tin-dai-han-5094133.html