Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
______________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by HON. GUS S. TAMBUNTING 
______________________________________________________________________ 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING INDIGENT JOB APPLICANTS, A TWENTY PERCENT (20%) 
DISCOUNT IN THE PAYMENT OF FEES AND CHARGES FOR CERTAIN 
CERTIFICATES AND CLEARANCES ISSUED BY GOVERNMENT AGENCIES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The 1987 Constitution provides under Article II Section 9 that, "The State shall promote 
a just and dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity and independence of the 
nation and free the people from poverty through policies that provide adequate social 
services, promote full employment, a rising standard of living, and an improved quality of 
life for all." 
Although there are laws that help Filipinos get a job, however, that is not enough. The 
unemployment rate is still high which is at 5.3 percent in August 2022. In a press 
conference, PSA chief and national statistician Undersecretary Dennis Mapa said this 
means 2.68 million Filipinos in the labor force do not have jobs. The underemployment 
rate is at 14.7 percent in August 2022.  
A lot of these job applicants are indigents. This bill aims to make a level playing field for 
indigent and non-indigent applicants.  All Filipinos should have a chance to have good 
employment. All of them should be able to provide for our families. That is what our laws 
ai form. However, there are still millions that do not have a job. We must do whatever it 
takes to reduce unemployment and underemployment rates.  
On behalf of the people of Parañaque City’s Second District, and for the common good 
of the Filipino people, the approval of the said measure is earnestly sought. 
REP. GUS S. TAMBUNTING 
2nd District, Parañaque City 
November 7, 2022
8:10 am
5792


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
______________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by HON. GUS S. TAMBUNTING 
______________________________________________________________________ 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING INDIGENT JOB APPLICANTS, A TWENTY PERCENT (20%) 
DISCOUNT IN THE PAYMENT OF FEES AND CHARGES FOR CERTAIN 
CERTIFICATES AND CLEARANCES ISSUED BY GOVERNMENT AGENCIES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "'Indigent Job Applicants 
Discount Act." 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to promote a just 
and dynamic order that will ensure the prosperity and independence of the nation and 
free the people from poverty through policies that provide adequate social services, 
promote full employment, a rising standard of living, and improved quality of life 
for all. 
Further, the State shall strive for a more equitable distribution of opportunities, 
Income and wealth; a sustained increase in the number of goods and services 
produced by the nation for the benefit of the people, and an expanding productivity 
to raise the quality of life for all, especially the underprivileged. To this end, the 
The state shall provide a twenty percent (20%) discount for indigent job applicants in the 
payments of fees for certain certificates and clearances Issued by 
government agencies. 
Sec. 3. Provision of Twenty Percent (20%) Discount. - Indigent job applicants, 
5792


whether here or abroad, shall be granted a twenty percent (20%) discount in the 
payment of fees for the following clearances and certificates requisite for 
pre-employment applications: 
a) Clearance from the barangay where the applicant resides; 
b) Clearance from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI); 
c) Clearance from the Philippine National Police (PNP); 
d) medical certificate for local employment from any government hospital 
licensed by the Department of Health (DOH); 
e) Certificate of marriage from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA); 
f) Certificate of live birth from the PSA; 
g) Transcript of Records and authenticated copy of diploma from the state 
universities and colleges (SUCs) of the applicant; 
h) Certificate of good moral character from the SUCs of the applicant; 
i) Certificate of Civil Service Eligibility from the Civil Service Commission (CSC); 
j) National Certificate (NC) and Certificate of Competency (COC) issued by the 
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA); 
k) other documentary requirements issued by the government that may be 
required by employers from Indigent job applicants. 
The poor job applicant may avail of the privileges under this Act only once every 
six (6) months from each government agency. 
Sec. 4. Identification of Beneficiaries. - As used in this Act, a poor job applicant 
refers to a person who is seeking gainful employment and has no visible means of 
income or whose income falls below the official poverty threshold, as identified and 
certified by the PSA based on the criteria set under the Community-Based Monitoring 
System (CBMS) as established under Republic Act No. 11315, otherwise known as the 
"Community-Based Monitoring System Act." 
Members of the households of the "Pantawld Pamllyang Pilipino Program" (4Ps) 
shall be automatically considered "poor" and are eligible to avail of the privileges 


under this Act. 
Social welfare officers of the local government units and barangay officials are 
hereby authorized to issue certification, using the abovementioned criteria and 
established guidelines, for this purpose as proof of eligibility for job applicants in 
availing the privileges provided for under this Act. Such certification shall be free of 
charge. 
Sec. 5. Penalties. - 
a) Any public officer or employee who refused or fails to provide the benefit 
granted to the poor job applicant in violation of Section 3 of this Act shall, upon 
conviction, be subject to a fine of not less than five thousand pesos (P5,000.00) but 
not more than twenty thousand pesos (P20,000.00). 
Prosecution for an offense outlined in this Act shall be without prejudice to 
any liability for violation of any other existing laws, including civil service law, rules 
and regulations. 
b) A job applicant who misrepresents or falsified any document to avail of 
benefits provided under this Act or abuses the privileges granted herein shall be 
prosecuted and punished by the pertinent provisions of Act No. 3815, 
as amended, otherwise known as "The Revised Penal Code", and shall suffer perpetual 
disqualification in availing of the privileges under this Act. 
Sec. 6. Interagency Coordinating and Monitoring Committee. - An interagency 
coordinating and monitoring committee hereinafter referred to as the Committee, 
shall be established to coordinate and monitor the implementation of this Act. 
The Committee shall be composed of the following: 
a) Secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) or the 
the authorized representative, as Chairperson; 
b) National Statistician and Civil Registrar General of the PSA or the authorized 
representative, as Vice Chairperson; 
c) Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) 


or the authorized representative, as Member; 
d) Secretary of the Department of Justice (DOJ) or the authorized 
representative, as Member; 
e) Chief of the PNP or the authorized representative, as Member; 
f) Director of the NBI or the authorized representative, as Member; 
g) Secretary of the DOH or the authorized representative, as Member; 
h) Lead Convenor of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) or the 
the authorized representative, as Member; 
i) Commissioner of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). 
The Committee shall have the following functions: 
a) To coordinate, monitor, and evaluate the implementation of this Act; 
b) To make recommendations for concerned agencies to ensure the effective 
and efficient delivery of benefits to poor job applicants under this Act. 
Sec. 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations, - The DOLE, in consultation with 
the PSA, DILG, NBI, PNP, DOJ, DOH, NAPC, and the CHED shall issue the necessary 
rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act within six (6) months 
after the effectivity of this Act. i > 
Sec. 8. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision or part not otherwise 
affected shall remain valid and subsisting. 
Sec. 9. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or Issuance, or executive 
orders, letters of Instruction, administrative orders, rules, or regulations contrary to or 
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, modified, or amended 
accordingly. 
Sec. 10. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publications in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved,