Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No._2973

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES RALPH WENDEL P. TULFO
AND JOCELYN P. TULFO

AN ACT
PROVIDING INDIGENT JOB SEEKERS, DISCOUNTED OR WAIVED FEES
AND CHARGES IN THE ISSUANCE OF CERTAIN PRE-EMPLOYMENT
DOCUMENTS ISSUED BY GOVERNMENT AGENCIES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Republic Act No. 11291, otherwise known as the Magna Carta of the Poor, provides
that it is the policy of the State to "uplift the standard of living and quality of life of
the poor and provide them with sustained opportunities for growth and
development" and to invest in "anti-poverty programs to enable the poor to fully
participate in the country’s growth and development."

In 2023, 15.5 percent of the country’s population is considered poor according to the
Philippine Statistics Authority. Thus, it is paramount that governmental aid is
provided to these individuals to assist them in uplifting their standard of living.
Towards these goals, this bill seeks to level the playing field and ease any financial
hurdles for the poor to seek gainful employment and contribute in the economic
development of the country. After all, the strength of a nation relies on a strong, and
robust workforce.

By extending financial assistance to qualified poor job applicants in relation to
government clearances and certificates, they are given the opportunity to reallocate
their resources to other expenses such as transportation, clothing, documentation, and
other basic needs.

In view of the foregoing, the urgent passing of this bill is earnestly sought.

RALPH WENDEL P. TULFO \ safe ap

Representative Representative
2h! District of Quezon City ACT-CIS Partylist


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 2573

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES RALPH WENDEL P. TULFO
AND JOCELYN P. TULFO

AN ACT
PROVIDING INDIGENT JOB SEEKERS, DISCOUNTED OR WAIVED FEES
AND CHARGES IN THE ISSUANCE OF CERTAIN PRE-EMPLOYMENT
DOCUMENTS 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 “Kabalikat sa
Hanapbuhay 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
serviees, promote full employment, a rising standard of living, and an improved
quality of life for all.

Further, the state shall strive for a more equitable distribution of opportunities,
decent jobs, income, and wealth; a sustained increase in the amount of goods and
services produced by the nation for the benefit of the people, and an expanding
productivity as the key to raising the quality of life for all, especially the
underprivileged. To this end, the State shall provide indigent job seekers a twenty
percent (20%) discount in the payment of fees and charges or waived fees for certain
certificates and clearances issued by government agencies.

SEC. 3. Identification of Beneficiaries. - As used in this Act, an indigent job
seeker refers to a person who is seeking gainful employment and has no visible means
of income er whose income falls below the official poverty threshold, as identified by
the National Economic and Development Authority and/or cannot afford in a
sustained manner to provide their minimum basic needs of food, health, education,
housing and other essential amenities of life.


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”, shall validate the list of indigent
households in the Listahan of the Department of Social Welfare Development Officer
(LSWDO) of the city/municipality or any equivalent unit of the municipality where
the indigent job seeker resides is authorized to issue a Certificate of Indigency based
on the latest CBMS data, abovementioned criteria and established guidelines, as proof
of eligibility of job seekers in availing the privileges provided for under this Act. Such
certification shall be used in the future.

For purposes of identifying indigent job seekers, any other unified targeting
system duly agreed upon by the Inter-Agency Coordinating and Monitoring
Committee may be used in the future.

An indigent job seeker whose household is enrolled under the seven-year
period “Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps)". Shall be automatically considered
as “indigent” and eligible to avail of the privileges under this Act.

First time job seekers who avail of waived government fees and charges in the
issuance of pre-employment documents under Republic Act No. 11261, otherwise
known as the “First Time Jobseekers Assistance Act” are not by this Act.

SEC. 4. Twenty Percent (20%) Discount on Fees Charges for Clearance and
Certificates. - Indigent job seekers, whether here or abroad, shalll be granted a twenty
percent (20%) discount in the payment of fees and charges for the following clearances
and certificates requisite for pre-employment application:

(a) Clearance from the barangay where the job seeker resides;

(b) Clearance from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI);

(©) National Police Clearance from the Philippine National Police (PNP);

(d) Medical certificate for local employment from any government hospital
licensed by the Department of Health (DOH), and medical certificate for
foreign employment from any DOH-accredited medical facility for overseas
workers and seafarers;

(e) Certificate of marriage from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA);

(£) Certificate of live birth from the PSA;

(g) National Certificate and Certificate of Competency (COC) from the
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)

(h) Certificate of Civil Service Eligibility from the Civil Service Commission
(CSC); and

(i) Other documentary requirements issued by the government that may be
required by employers from indigent job seekers, as determined and
approved by the Inter-Agency Coordinating and Monitoring Committee
established in Section 6 of this Act.


SEC. 5, Waiver of Fees and Charges for Pre-Employment Documents. - The fees
and charges required to acquire the following pre-employment documents and cards
shall be waived:

(a) Tax Identification Number from the Bureau of Internal Revenue; and

(b) Transcript of Records, Transfer Credentials, Authenticated Copy of
Diploma, and Certificate of Good Moral Character from the State
Universities and Colleges, and local Universities and Colleges of the Job
seeker.

The indigent job seeker may avail of the privileges of waived or discounted fees
under this Act only once every six (6) months from each government agency

SEC. 6. Prohibited Acts and Penalties. - (a) Any public officer or employee
who refuses or fails to issue a Certificate of Indigency, or to provide the benefit
granted to the indigent job seeker in violation of Sections 4 and 5 of this Act shall,
upon conviction, be subject to a fine of not less than Five thousand pesos (P5,000) but
not more than twenty thousand pesos (P20,000). The penalty of temporary
disqualification to hold public office for a period of five (5) vears shall also be imposed.

(b) A job seeker who misrepresents or falsifies any document to avail of benefits
provided under this Act or abuses the privilege granted herein shall be prosecuted
and punished in accordance with the pertinent provisions of Republic Act No. 3815,
as disqualification in availing the privileges under this Act.

Administrative sanctions shall be imposed without prejudice to prosecution as
provided for in this Act.

Prosecution for an offense set forth in this Act shall be without prejudice to any
liability for violation of any other existing laws, including civil service law, rules and
regulations.

SEC. 7. Indigent Job Seekers Database. - The Public Employment Service Office
in coordination with the LSWDO shall establish and maintain a database system
containing an updated roster of all indigent job seekers who availed of the benefits
under this Act.

The PhilJobnet platform of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)
shall serve as the monitoring mechanism to record, monitor, and report the availment
of the benefits granted to indigent job seekers.

SEC. 8. Non-Authority to Charge Fees. - Other government agencies that do
not charge fees in relation to the discharge of their functions cannot use this law to
impose fees if no such authority is granted under their respective charter or other
relevant laws.


SEC. 9. 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 Secretary of the Labor and
Employment or the authorized representatives, as Chairperson; Secretary of Interior
and Local Government or his authorized representatives, as Vice Chairperson; and
the following as members: Secretary of Migrant Workers or his authorized
representatives; National Statistician and Civil Registrar General of the PSA or his
authorized representative; Chief of PNP or his authorized representative; Director of
NBI or his authorized representative; Secretary of DOH or his authorized
representative; Chairperson of the Commission on Civil Service (CSC) or his
authorized representative; Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education
(CHED) or his authorized representative; Director-General of TESDA or his
authorized representative; Presidents of the Liga ng mga Barangay, League of
Municipalities of the Philippines, and League of Cities of the Philippines or their
authorized representative; Lead Governor of the National Anti-Poverty Commission
(NAPC) or his authorized representative; and Chairperson of the National
Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) or his authorized representative.

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 services in providing the benefits for indigent job
seekers under this Act;

(0) To identify and approve other pre-employment certificates and clearances;

(d) To invite other agencies to be member of the Committee;

(e) To review, evaluate, and amend accordingly the clearances and certificates
covered under this Act; and

(f To submit an annual report to Congress on the implementation of this Act.

SEC. 10. Joint Congressional Oversight Committee. - Upon the effectivity of
this Act, a Joint Congressional Oversight Committee is hereby constituted. The JCOC
shall set the overall framework to review the implementation of this Act. It shall
likewise recommend necessary remedial legislation, for a period not exceeding three
(3) years.

The JCOC shall be composed of fourteen (14) members with the chairpersons
of the Committee on Poverty Alleviation of the House of Representatives, and of the
Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development of the Senate as Co-
Chairpersons, and six (6) members from each House, to be designated by the Speaker
of the House of Representatives, and the Senate President, respectively.


The Secretariat of the JCOC shall be drawn from the existing personnel of the
Committee on Poverty Alleviation of the House Representatives, and the Committee
on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development of the Senate.

SEC. 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within six (6) months after the
effectivity of this Act, the DOLE shall, in consultation with the Department of the
Interior and Local Government, Department of Migrant Workers, PSA, PNP, NBI,
DOH, CSC, CHED, TESDA, Leagues of Barangay, Municipalities, and Cities, NAPC
and NCIP, promulgate the rules and regulations to implement this Act.

SEC. 12. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part of this Act is held
invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions hereof, not otherwise
affected, shall remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 13. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance,
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary
to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, amended or
modified accordingly.

SEC. 14. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.