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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by CIBAC Party-List Representative 
HON. EDUARDO “BRO. EDDIE” C. VILLANUEVA 
AN ACT  
EXEMPTING QUALIFIED INDIGENTS FROM THE PAYMENT OF 
PROFESSIONAL EXAMINATION FEES AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Education and self-development are the cornerstones of progress 
for the country. The 1987 Philippine Constitution affirms this as it clearly 
states that “the State shall give priority to education, science and 
technology, arts, culture, and sports to foster patriotism and nationalism, 
accelerate social progress, and promote total human liberation and 
development ” (Article II, Sec. 17).  
Laws like Republic Act No. 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality 
Education Act are admirable governmental efforts to recognize the 
importance of education for the less privileged and institutionalizes free 
tuition and exemption from other fees in state universities and colleges 
and local universities and colleges. In 2019, we also passed Republic Act 
No. 11261 or the First Time Jobseekers Act to give fee waivers for first 
time jobseekers when they apply for government documents that are 
usually required for first time job applicants.  
However, aside from the financial burden in applying for a job, some 
graduates must still undergo professional examinations, which also 
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places additional burden on graduates, especially indigent ones. For 
instance, the fee for the coming 2022 Philippine Bar exams is 
Php10,000.00.1 This is on top of the many other expenses these barristers 
have to shoulder during the review months before the exam.  
 
This bill seeks to provide the missing link in terms of assistance in 
facilitating the employment of graduates. In addition to free tertiary 
education and waivers of fees for applicable government documents, this 
bill grants qualified indigents free fees for professional examinations, upon 
presenting a certification of indigence from the Department of Social 
Welfare and Development (DSWD). In recognizing that poverty should not 
be a hindrance to self-development and achieving one’s goal of having a 
better life for themselves and their family, this bill seeks to give a boost to 
indigent students by not having to worry about paying the examination 
fees anymore. 
 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is 
earnestly sought.  
 
 
 
HON. EDUARDO “BRO. EDDIE” C. VILLANUEVA 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1  March 31, 2022. 2022 Bar: Applications to start on June 13; sched back to November. PhilStar. Retrieved from: 
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/05/31/2185058/2022-bar-applications-start-june-13-sched-back-november (date last 
accessed: September 6, 2022) 


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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by CIBAC Party-List Representative 
HON. EDUARDO “BRO. EDDIE” C. VILLANUEVA 
AN ACT  
EXEMPTING QUALIFIED INDIGENTS FROM THE PAYMENT OF 
PROFESSIONAL EXAMINATION FEES AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
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Philippines in Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the "Free 
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Professional Examinations Act."  
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SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is the declared policy of the 
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State to promote full employment and to provide equal employment 
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opportunities for all. It is likewise the policy of the State to promote a just 
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and dynamic social order that will free the people from poverty through 
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policies and programs that provide adequate social services and improve 
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the quality of life for all. Pursuant to this, efforts should be made to ease 
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the financial burden of aspiring professionals in the payment of 
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professional and other examination fees.  
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SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. – For purposes of this Act, the 
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following words shall mean:  
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a)
Professional Examination refers to the licensure examination
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conducted by Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) and other
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certifying bodies of the government as a prerequisite to the issuance
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of a license to engage in a profession. It shall also include the 
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examination administered by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to 
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qualify certain persons for government service; and 
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b) 
Qualified Indigent refers to a person who has no visible means of 
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income or support, or whose income is insufficient for the subsistence 
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or basic needs of his/her family, as may be determined by the 
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Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).  
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SEC. 4. Requirements for Availment. – For purposes of availing 
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the benefits of this Act, an examinee shall secure a certification from the 
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DSWD that he/she is a qualified indigent. Such certification shall be 
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presented to the PRC, CSC or other certifying body, as the case may be, 
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in lieu of the payment of examination fees; Provided, that a first time 
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applicant may be entitled to 100% of the examination fees; Provided, 
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further, that in the event that the examinee needs to retake the 
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professional examination, he/she shall only be entitled to assistance 
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equivalent to 50% of the examination fee for the second take, and no other 
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subsidy shall be given for further retake.  
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In the implementation of this Act, the DSWD shall also enter into an 
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appropriate memorandum of agreement and coordinate with the Supreme 
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Court and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) for the proper 
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implementation of this Act. For this purpose, the DSWD, the Supreme 
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Court and the IBP shall issue the implementing rules and regulations to 
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carry out the purposes of this Act.  
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SEC. 5. Reportorial Requirements. – For purposes of determining 
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the effectiveness and social impact of the provisions of this Act, an Inter-
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Agency Committee (Committee) is hereby created with the Secretary of 
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the DSWD as Chairperson and the heads of the PRC, CSC and other 
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relevant agencies, the participation of which is deemed necessary by the 
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Committee. The Committee shall submit an annual report, not later than 
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June 30 of each year, to the President of the Philippines and to the 
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appropriate committees of both Houses of Congress, on the status of 
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implementation of this Act, including the challenges encountered in the 
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process of its implementation. Such report shall also include, as much as 
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possible, the number of applicant-beneficiaries who took the Bar 
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examinations administered by the Supreme Court. 
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The committee shall monitor the compliance of the concerned 
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government agencies and may recommend to the proper authorities the 
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filing of an administrative complaint against any person who refuses to 
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comply with the provisions of this Act. 
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SEC. 6. Interpretation in Favor of the Applicant. – In all cases, 
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any ambiguity in the interpretation of the provisions of this Act shall be in 
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favor of the applicant. No agency shall issue unduly restrictive regulations 
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which will render nugatory the benefits provided under this Act. Such shall 
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constitute an administrative offense punishable under the Administrative 
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Code and other pertinent laws. 
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SEC. 7. Information, Education and Communication (IEC) 
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Campaign. – The Committee, in coordination with the Philippine 
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Information Agency (PIA) and the IBP, shall conduct regular information, 
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education and communication (IEC) campaigns in order to inform 
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potential beneficiaries of the procedures and guidelines in availing the 
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benefits of this Act. As far as practicable, such IEC campaigns shall be 
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made available in print, television, radio broadcast and online platforms, 
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with appropriate translation into regional languages.  
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SEC. 8. Non-Duplication of Benefits. – Examinees who are 
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already receiving similar benefits under other laws and programs of the 
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government shall not be entitled to the benefits of this Act. However, 
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nothing herein shall diminish or decrease the benefits being received by 
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the beneficiaries under pertinent laws, rules and regulations.  
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SEC. 9. Exceptions. – The waiver of fees under this Act shall not 
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include those collected in connection with an application to take other 
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examinations, such as specialization examinations administered by 
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professional organizations, and the fees relating to the application for a 
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driver’s license.  
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SEC. 10. Non-Authority to Charge Fees. – This Act shall not be 
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construed as an implied authority for government agencies to impose or 
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collect charges and fees in the discharge of their functions with regard the 
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administration of professional examinations, if no such authority is already 
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granted under their respective charters or other relevant laws. 
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SEC. 11. Appropriations. – An amount necessary for the initial 
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implementation of this Act shall be charged against the respective 
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budgetary allocations of the concerned government agencies, subject to 
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the usual budgeting, accounting and auditing rules and regulations. 
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Thereafter, an amount necessary for the proper implementation of this Act 
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shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.  
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SEC. 12. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). – In 
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addition to the rules to be formulated as provided under Section 4 of this 
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Act, the Committee, upon proper consultation with relevant stakeholders, 
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shall also formulate the rules and regulations for the effective 
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implementation of this Act, within ninety (90) days from its effectivity. 
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SEC. 13. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act is 
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declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions not affected by 
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such declaration shall remain in full force and effect.  
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SEC. 14. Repealing Clause. – Any law, decree, ordinance or 
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administrative circular not consistent with any provision of this Act is 
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hereby amended, repealed or modified accordingly.  
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SEC. 15. Effectivity Clause. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) 
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days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) 
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newspapers of general circulation.  
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Approved, 
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