Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
1* Regular Session

House Bill No. 1515

Introduced by Representatives ERIC GO YAP and EDVIC G. YAP

EXPLANATORY NOTE

According to the data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the
unemployment rate in the country jumped to 8.9% in September 2021, which is
equivalent to 4.25 million jobless Filipinos. As the economy continues to reopen with
the decline of the recorded COVID-19 cases, employment figures are also expected to
improve in the coming months. In preparation of the country’s economic rebound,

implementation of the programs in support of the unemployed becomes crucial.

Prior to employment, job applicants are required by prospective employers to submit
copies of certain certifications and clearances to verify their identity and track
record, among others. Unfortunately, for individuals with low to no income, these
requirements serve as iniquitous challenges as acquiring these certifications and

clearance comes with a cost.

This bill seeks to provide pre-employment assistance to indigents by implementing a
scheme for charging of required certifications and clearances by mandating the free
issuances of such pre-employment certifications and clearances at the first instance
and granting a 20% discount on fees thereafter from government agencies. By
providing this charging scheme for the processing of these requirements, herein
proponents fervently hope that the financial burden of our indigent kababayans
seeking employment will further be alleviated.


In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly soughD)

————

HON. ERIC GO YAP HON}EDVIC G. YAP


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
1" Regular Session

House Bill No._1515
ee
Introduced by Representatives ERIC GO YAP and EDVIC G. YAP

AN ACT
PROVIDING PRE-EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE TO INDIGENTS BY
IMPLEMENTING A SCHEME FOR CHARGING AND GRANTING DISCOUNT
ON FEES IN SECURING PRE-EMPLOYMENT CERTIFICATIONS AND
CLEARANCES FROM GOVERNMENT AGENCIES

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 “Indigents
Pre-Employment Assistance Act.”

SEC 2. Declaration of Policy. It is the policy of the State to 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 improved quality
of life for all. Towards this end, the State shall provide a charging scheme and grant
indigent job applicants a discount on fees when they secure pre-employment
certificates and clearances from government agencies.

SEC 3. Indigent Pre-employment Assistance. An indigent job applicant shall
not be charged for any processing or application fee for pre-employment certificates
and clearances from government agencies needed as a requirement for the purpose
of applying for employment, whether domestically or abroad. After the initial free
issuance of pre-employment certifications and clearance, thereafter, the indigent job
applicant shall be entitled to a twenty percent (20%) discount on fees charged by
government agencies in processing the pre-employment certifications and
clearances. These shall include but shall not be limited to the following documents,
which shall be strictly issued solely for employment purposes only:

a. Clearance from the barangay where the applicant resides;

b. Clearance from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI);

c. Clearance from the Regional Philippine National Police (PNP) offices or units;

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); and

f. Certificate of live birth of the indigent job applicant and one (1) dependent
from the PSA.

The free issuance and corresponding discount thereafter may be availed of by
only one indigent job applicant and one dependent per household, to be counted
every calendar year from each government agency.

SEC 4. Identification of Beneficiaries. For purposes of this Act, an indigent
job applicant refers to a person who is seeking gainful employment and has no
visible means of income or whose income is insufficient to the subsistence of the
applicant's family, as identified and certified by the Department of Social Welfare
and Development (DSWD) based on the criteria set under the National Household
Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR).

SEC 5. Penalties.

a. A public officer or employee, including the head of the government
agency, who refuses or fails to provide the benefits granted to the indigent
job applicant in violation of this Act shall suffer the penalty of
imprisonment of not less than six (6) months but not more than one (1)
year, or a fine of not less than Ten Thousand Pesos (PAP 10,000.00) but not
more than Fifty Thousand Pesos (PAP 50,000.00), or both, at the discretion
of the court;

b. A job applicant or a dependent who misrepresents the status or falsifies
any document to avail of benefits provided under this Act or abuses the
assistance granted herein shall be punished with imprisonment of not less
than six (6) months but not more than one (1) year, or a fine of not less
than Five Thousand Pesos (PhP 5,000.00) but not more than Ten Thousand
Pesos (PhP 10,000.00), or both, at the discretion of the court;

c. Prosecution of a public officer or employee under this Act is without
prejudice to any liability under other existing laws, civil service rules or
regulations.

SEC 6. Inter-Agency Coordinating and Monitoring Committee. - An
inter-agency coordinating and monitoring committee, herein after 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, Lead Convenor of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) as
chairperson;

b. Secretary of Labor and Employment as vice chairperson;


c. Secretary of Social Welfare and Development or authorized representative;

d. Secretary of the Interior and Local Government or authorized
representative;

e. Secretary of Justice or authorized representative;
f. Chief of the PNP or authorized representative;
g. Secretary of Health or authorized representative; and the

h. National Statistician and Civil Registrar-General of the PSA or authorized
representative,

The Committee shall submit an annual report to Congress on the
implementation of this Act.

SEC 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. Within six (6) months from the
effectivity of this Act, the Lead Convenor of NAPG, in consultation and coordination
with the Secretaries of DOLE, DOH, DILG, DOJ, and DSWD, the National
Statistician and Civil Registrar-General of the PSA, and the Chief of PNP shall
promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of
this Act.

SEC 7. Separability Clause. If any provision or part of this Act is held invalid
or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected shall remain in
full force and effect.

SEC 8. 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 9. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its

complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of
general circulation.

Approved,