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Senate
NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE 
S. No. 1793
of tin.' & t
23 JAN 30 A10S3
RITEIVtOBV.
Introduced by SENATOR RAMON BONG REVILLA, JR.
AN ACT
EXEMPTING QUALIFIED INDIGENT FILIPINOS FROM PAYMENT OF 
PROFESSIONAL EXAMINATION FEES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Article II, Section 9 of the 1987 Constitution states that "[t]he 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."
Social mobility remains to be largely determined by education and self­
development initiatives. The proposed measure complements Republic Act No. 10931, 
or the" Universal Access to Quality Education Act", and Republic Act No. 11261, or the 
"First Time Jobseekers Act", in ensuring access to quality education and employment 
by removing possible hindrances brought about by any prohibitive cost. Passing a 
licensure and professional examinations is the penultimate stage prior to legal practice 
of one's profession.
The measure aims to provide a mechanism to make these examinations 
available to individuals who may have difficulty with paying the required fees.
In view of making government administered licensure examinations more 
accessible to qualified indigent, the early passage of this bill is earnestly requested.
ramon/b6ng revilla, 3R^


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NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
Senate
o( tin' 5*‘
23 JAN 30 A10S3
SENATE
Introduced by SENATOR RAMON BONG REVILLA, JR.
AN ACT
EXEMPTING QUALIFIED INDIGENT FILIPINOS FROM PAYMENT OF 
PROFESSIONAL EXAMINATION FEES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
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 "Free Professional 
Examinations Act of2023'.
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the declared policy of the State to promote 
full employment and to provide equal opportunities for employment for all. Corollary 
to this, the State shall 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 exerted to provide 
the qualified indigent Filipinos access to government certifications which will recognize 
their potential as professionals and partners to nation-building.
Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. - As provided for in this Act;
a. "ProfessionalExaminatiod' shall refer to the licensure examinations conducted 
by the Professional Regulations Commission leading to the issuance of a 
professional license, and the examinations conducted by the Civil Service 
Commission leading to eligibility for employment to the government as a civil 
service professional or sub-professionals.
b. "Qualified Indigent' refers to a person who has no visible means of income or 
support, or whose income is insufficient for the subsistence or basic needs of


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his family, as may be determined by the Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD).
Sec. 4. Requirements for Availment - For purposes of availing the benefits of 
this Act, an examinee shall secure a certification from the DSWD that said examinee 
is a qualified indigent. Such certification shall be presented to the Professional 
Regulations Commission (PRC), or the Civil Service Commission (CSC), 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.
Sec. 5. Limitations on Avaiiment- Benefits of this Act may be availed of only by 
a qualified indigent once.
Sec. 6. Information, Education and Communication (iEC) Campaign. - The 
DSWD, PRC, and CSC, and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), 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.
Sec. 7. Reportoriai Requirement. - For purposes of determining the impact of 
the provisions of this Act, the DSWD, PRC, CSC and CHED shall submit an annual 
report to the Senate Committee on Civil Service, Government Reorganization and 
Professional Regulation and House Committee on Civil Service and Professional 
Regulation. The said report shall indicate the detail, among others, geographic 
distribution, demographic characteristics and socioeconomic profile of the beneficiaries 
of this Act.
Sec. 8. Non-Dupiication of Benefits. - Examinees who are already covered with 
similar benefits under other laws and programs of the government shall not be entitled 
to the benefits of this Act.
Sec. 9. Harmonization with the CHED - Unified Student Financiai Assistance 
System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) - The implementation of this Act shall be 
harmonized with the the implementation of the Tertiary Education Subsidy under 
Section 7 of Republic Act 10931, otherwise known as, '' Universei Access to Quality 
Tertiary Education Act"


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Sec. 10. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). - Within ninety (90) days 
from the date of effectivity of this Act, the DSWD, PRC, CSC and CHED shall formulate 
the IRR for the proper and effective implementation of the provisions of this Act.
Sec. 11. Appropriations. - An amount necessary for the implementation of this 
Act shall be charged against the respective budgetary allocations of the concerned 
government agencies. Thereafter, an amount necessary for the proper implementation 
of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
Sec. 12. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared invalid or 
unconstitutional, other provisions hereof which are not affected thereby shall remain 
in full force and effect.
Sec. 13. Repealing Clause. - All laws, orders, decrees, rules and regulations, 
and other parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
repealed, amended or modified accordingly.
Sec. 14. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication either in the Official Gazette ox in two (2) newspapers of general circulation 
in the Philippines.
Approved,