NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

"No, 2033

HOUSE BILL No.

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVES LANI MERCADO-REVILLA,
BRYAN B. REVILLA AND RAMON JOLO B. REVILLA Il

AN ACT
GIVING DISCOUNT OR WAIVED FEES AND CHARGES IN THE ISSUANCE OF
PRE-EMPLOYMENT DOCUMENTS TO QUALIFIED INDIGENT JOB APPLICANTS
AND GRANTING THEM ONE-TIME MONETARY AID

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The State is responsible for empowering its citizens. It has a social obligation
to free its people from poverty through policies that provide adequate social services,
promote full employment, raise the standard of living and improve the quality of life
(The 1987 Constitution, Article Il, Section 9).

Measures that are geared towards creating employment opportunities and
labor productivity are needed in order to reduce the brunt of economic inequality on
indigent Filipinos and alleviate them from poverty.

However, jobs are scarce. And even when there are employment
opportunities available, many Filipinos are unable to apply because they find the cost
of acquiring pre-employment documents prohibitive.

In order to provide assistance to indigent job seekers and make them active
members of the labor force, this bill seeks to waive or reduce the fees involved in
acquiring pre-employment documents and by providing monetary aid. By easing the
financial burden of indigent job applicants, we are encouraging them to look for jobs


that will help them improve the quality of their lives and eventually make them self-
reliant.

Immediate approval of this measure is earnestly sought.

REP. LANI ‘CADO-REVILLA Rl
Representative
2™ District of Cavite

YAN B. REVILLA
Representative
AGIMAT Partylist

REP. RAMON#‘JOLO” REVILLA III
Representative
1 District of Cavite


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

HOUSE BILL No. 2533

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVES LANI MERCADO-REVILLA,
BRYAN B., REVILLA AND RAMON JOLO B. REVILLA II

AN ACT
GIVING DISCOUNT OR WAIVED FEES AND CHARGES IN THE ISSUANCE OF
PRE-EMPLOYMENT DOCUMENTS TO QUALIFIED INDIGENT JOB APPLICANTS
AND GRANTING THEM ONE-TIME MONETARY AID

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 Abot-
Kamay na Pagsisimula 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 an 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 amount 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.

Sec. 3. Provision of Financial Assistance. - A one-time monetary support
amounting to Three Thousand Pesos (Php3,000.00) may be availed of by qualified


indigent job applicants from the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) in the city
or municipality where the applicant resides.

Sec. 4. Availment of Free Documents. - The following pre-employment
documents may be availed of for free by qualified indigent job applicants:

a) Clearance from the barangay where the applicant resides;

b) Medical certificate for local employment from any government hospital
licensed by the Department of Health (DOH);

c) Transcript of Records and authenticated copy of diploma from the state
universities and colleges (SUCs) of the applicant;

d) Certificate of good moral character from the SUCs of the applicant;

e) National Certificate (NC) and Certificate of Competency (COC) issued by
the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA);

Sec. 5. Provision of Twenty Percent (20%) Discount. - The following pre-
employment documents may be availed of by indigent job applicants with a twenty
percent (20%) discount:

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

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

c) Medical certificate for local employment from any private hospital
licensed by the Department of Health (DOH);

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

e) Certificate of live birth from the PSA;

f) Transcript of Records and authenticated copy of diploma from private
higher education institutions (HEIs) of the applicant;

9) Certificate of good moral character from private HEIs of the applicant;

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

i) Certificates of Competency (COC) issued by TESDA-accredited
technical vocational institutions;

j) Other documentary requirements issued by the government that may
be required by employers from indigent job applicants.


The indigent job applicant may avail of the privileges under this Act only once
every six (6) months from each government agency.

Sec. 6. 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 “Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program”
(4Ps) shall be automatically considered as “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 of job applicants in
availing the privileges provided for under this Act. Such certification shall be free of
charge.

Sec. 7. 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 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.

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 in accordance with the pertinent provisions of Act No.
3815, as amended, otherwise known as “The Revised Penal Code”, and shall suffer
perpetual disqualification in availing the privileges under this Act.


Sec. 8, 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)

b)

c)

1)

e)

9)
h)

Secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) or the
authorized representative, as Chairperson;

National Statistician and Civil Registrar General of the PSA or the
authorized representative, as Vice Chairperson;

Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)
or the authorized representative, as Member;

Secretary of the Department of Justice (DOJ) or the authorized
representative, as Member;

Chief of the PNP or the authorized representative, as Member;

Director of the NBI or the authorized representative, as Member;

Secretary of the DOH or the authorized representative, as Member;

Lead Convenor of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) or the
authorized representative, as Member;

Commissioner of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

The Committee shall have the following functions:

a)
b)

To coordinate, monitor, and evaluate the implementation of this Act;
To make recommendations for concerned agencies to ensure the effective
and efficient delivery of benefits to poor job applicants under this Act.

Sec. 9. 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.

Sec. 10. 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. 11. 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 are hereby repealed, modified, or
amended accordingly.

Sec. 12. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,