Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
Introduced by  
REPRESENTATIVE FRANZ S. PUMAREN 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Education is an important socioeconomic driver that allows people to break the cycle of 
poverty. It empowers people to fight against inequalities in society and allows them to live a more 
sustainable life. One of our great heroes, Jose Rizal, strongly believed in the power of education 
in transforming not just the individual but the society in general, when he wrote in his article in 
La Solidaridad that “[w]ithout education and liberty, which are the soil and sun of man, no reform 
is possible, no measure can give the result desired.” 
The passage of crucial education-related laws such as Republic Act No. 10533 or the 
“Enhanced Basic Education Act” and Republic Act No. 10931 or the “Universal Access to Quality 
Tertiary Education Act” is a testament to the State’s commitment to providing quality education 
to the people. By extension, the State must also pave way for all degree holders, especially 
indigents, who would want to take their respective professional licensure examinations to become 
teachers, doctors, nurses, accountants, architects, engineers, and lawyers, among others. To 
allow this, fees that come with professional examinations must be removed to grant all future 
degree holders coming from low-income households the ability to take the professional 
examination in their field of choice. 
Given the foregoing, the passage of this measure is earnestly sought. 
FRANZ S. PUMAREN 
    3rd District, Quezon City 
July 22, 2022
11:28 am
2255


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
Introduced by  
REPRESENTATIVE FRANZ S. PUMAREN 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR FREE PROFESSIONAL EXAMINATIONS 
TO QUALIFIED INDIGENTS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Free Professional Examinations Act.” 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is declared the policy of the State to promote full 
employment and to provide equal opportunities for employment for all. 
Corollary to this is the concomitant responsibility of the State to ensure that there are no inroads 
that may effectively hinder the professional growth of the citizens. Furthermore, it is the policy 
of the State to promote a just and dynamic social order that will free the people from poverty 
through policies and programs that provide adequate social services, and improve the quality of 
life for all. In this regard, efforts should be initiated so as we may afford the poor access to 
mechanisms that may expand opportunities for better employment. 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. – As provided for in this Act: 
2255


a. “Professional Examinations” shall refer to the licensure examination conducted by the 
Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) leading to the issuance of a professional 
license. It shall also include examinations conducted by the Civil Service Commission 
(CSC) leading to eligibility for employment to the government as a civil service 
professional or sub-professionals and the Bar Examinations conducted by the Supreme 
Court of the Philippines. 
 
b. “Qualified Indigents” refers to a person who has no visible means of income or 
support, or whose income may not be sufficient for the subsistence or basic needs of 
his family, as may be determined by the Department of Social Welfare and 
Development (DSWD). 
 
SECTION 4. Requirements for Availment. – For purposes of availing of the benefits of this Act, 
an examinee shall secure a certification as a qualified indigent from the DSWD. Such certification 
shall be presented to the Professional Regulations Commission (PRC), the Civil Service 
Commission (CSC) or the Supreme Court of the Philippines, as the case may be, in lieu of the 
payment of examination fees. 
 
No other fee shall be charged against the qualified indigent for purposes of the professional 
examination. 
 
SECTION 5. Limitations on Availment. – Benefits of this Act may be availed of by a qualified 
indigent only once for every year. 
 
SECTION 6. Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) Campaign. – The DSWD, PRC, 
CSC, and the Supreme Court of the Philippines, in cooperation with the Philippine Information 
Agency (PIA), is hereby mandated to conduct an annual IEC campaign in order to inform the 
people of the procedures and guidelines in availing the benefits of this Act. 
 
SECTION 7. Reportorial Requirement. – For purposes of determining the effectiveness and social 
impact of the provisions of this Act, the DSWD, PRC, SCS, and the Supreme Court of the 


Philippines shall submit an annual report to both House of Congress indicating therewith the 
number of parties who benefited from this Act. 
 
SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. – All other laws, decrees, executive orders, proclamations, other 
issuances, rules, and regulations, or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are 
hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
 
SECTION 9. Separability Clause. – If any provision or part of this Act is declared invalid or 
unconstitutional, other provisions not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect. 
 
SECTION 10. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from its publications in the 
Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
 
 
Approved,