Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Brit No. 1389 __

Introduced by: Hon. Iris Marie D. Montes

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

Article XIII, Section 3 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution states that “The
State shail afford full protection to labor, loca! and overseas, organized and
unorganized, and promote full employment and equality of employment
opportunities for all.”

Article II, Section 9 provides 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.”

It also enshrines in Section 10 the promotion of social justice in all phases of
national development.

Republic Act No. 11261, otherwise known as the "First Time Jobseekers
Assistance Act", was passed into law to promote full employment and equality of
gainful work and opportunities for its citizens as well as to expand accessibility to
government services and provide incentives to improve a first time jobseeker’s
access to employment.

The law, which was approved in 2019, benefited many first time jobseekers
who cannot afford the costs of various documents and certificates required for
employment such as preemployment documents, barangay certificates, clearances,
certificates of proficiency, and birth certificates.

In line with the aforesaid Constitutional mandates and RA 11261's vision of
expanding accessibility to government services and providing incentives to improve
first time jobseeker’s access to employment, this bill seeks to provide indigent
jobseekers a twenty percent (20%) discount or waived fees and charges in the
issuance of preemployment documents issued by government agencies.

In doing so, equal opportunities for employment and improved quality of life
will be provided to those who are disadvantaged and marginalized.

This proposal is important in the face of the steep prices of goods and
services today. The Birth Certificate and Marriage Certificate issued by the
Philippine Statistics Authority both costs P330.00 per copy; and the National Bureau
of Investigation Clearance costs P155.00 both for new and renewal issuances.


The bill targets the poor households that were identified in "Listahanan 3" by
the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) National Household
Targeting Office (NHTO).

According to the data, 2 out of 5 individuals are living in poverty where out of
the 67,011,704 individuals assessed during the third nationwide household
assessment, 45% or 30,397,224 are residing in a poor household.

A huge percentage of poor women in working-age group are unemployed.
Four in every ten assessed women are poor. Of the 14.7 million women identified
as poor nationwide, 8,027,574 are in economically productive age group. Ironically,
78.6% of them have no reported occupation.

It also shows that 54.8% of the total poor individuals are in working-age and
are supporting the other half (45.2%) who are either young or old dependents.

Out of the 30.4 million individuals identified as poor nationwide, majority or
16.7 million belonged in economically productive age or working age group (15 to
64 years old). 45.2% are poor individuals in dependent age group (under age 15
and over age 64): 94.8% young age group (0 to 14 years old); and 5.2% old age
group (65 years old and above).

The Listahanan 3 project was implemented in 81 provinces, 145 cities, and
1,489 municipalities, covering a total of 42,045 barangays nationwide.

Despite the many challenges faced during its implementation, including the
declaration of national public emergency brought by the pandemic, natural
calamities, among many others, the project has successfully assessed a total of
15,487,655 households through house-to-house interviews. Of this figure, 36% or
5,599,091 households were identified as poor.

Through this measure, it is hoped that indigent job seekers will be provided
the needed assistance in accessing preemployment requirements and thereby ease
their financial burden in complying with the submission of these documents.

In view thereof, approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

rare Mako Mantes

Kababaihan Kabalikatan para sa Kapakanan
‘at Kaunlaran ng Bayan (4K) Party-list

d.gov.ph/listahanan3/ Accessed on 25 July 2025



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House srt no.:_1389

Introduced by: Hon. Iris Marie D. Montes

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

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 "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
frees 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,
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 or 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 Listahanan of the Department of Social Welfare and Development
identify indigent individuals. The Local 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 free of charge.

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 Pifipino 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 covered by this Act.

SEC. 4. Twenty Percent (20%) Discount on Fees and Charges for Clearances and
Certificates. - Indigent job seekers, whether here or abroad, shall 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);
(c) 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);

(f) Certificate of live birth from the PSA;

(g) Nationa! 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) years 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 amended, otherwise known as the "Revised Penal Code", and shall suffer
perpetual 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 compose of the Secretary of the Labor and
Employment or the authorized representative, as Chairperson; Secretary of Interior
and Local Government or his authorized representative, as Vice Chairperson; and
the following as members: Secretary of Migrant Workers or his authorized
representative; National Statistician and Civil Registrar General of the PSA or his
authorized representative; Chief of the PNP or his authorized representative;
Director of the 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 representatives; Lead Convenor 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;

(c) To identity and approve other pre-employment certificates and clearances;

(d) To invite other agencies to be members 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 of 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, TESOA, 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.

Approved,