EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
Second Regular Session 
)
SENATE 
S. No. 2090
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Introduced by Senator Manuel "Lito" M. Lapld
AN ACT
AMENDING SECTION 4 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11261, OTHERWISE KNOWN 
AS THE "FIRST TIME JOBSEEKERS ASSISTANCE ACT" THEREBY 
EXTENDING THE WAIVER OF FEES AND CHARGES TO JOBSEEKERS WHO 
HAVE LOST THEIR EMPLOYMENT DURING THE CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 
(COVID-19) PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY
EXPLANATORY NOTE
In the wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the deleterious effect to society 
is nowhere more severe than in the labor sector. Based on the October 2020 Labor 
Force Survey, underemployment and unemployment rates stood at 14.4% and 8.7%, 
respectively1. Albeit relatively more benign than the figures during April 2020 (18.9% 
and 17.6%), these rates are far from the numbers of the previous time period of 
October 2019 where underemployment only amounted to 12.8% and unemployment 
at 4.6%2. At the regional level, three regions reported double-digit unemployment 
rates, namely: National Capital Region (12.4%), Ilocos Region (11.5%), and 
CALABAR20N (11%)3. According to the same survey, 12.7% of workers who are 
forced or are limited to work less than 40 hours per week (or on a part-time basis) 
cite the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), lockdown or the COVID-19 pandemic 
as the cause for such; while 38.2% of those who have jobs but are not at work cite 
the ECQ/Lockdown/COVID-19 as the reason4. Furthermore, 8.6% and 3.2%,
1 httDs://psa.gov.ph/content/emnlovment-situation-october-2020
2 Id.
3 Id.
4 https://psa.gov.ph/svstem/fiIes/TABLE%20C%20-
%20Reasons%20for%20Working%20Less%20Than%2040%20Hours%2C%20Working%20


respectively, of the latter demographic said that they are out of work because of poor 
business condition or reduction In clients/work5.
COVID-lS's economic toll on our workers and the households that depend on 
them cannot be more emphasized than the stories of the jobless waiting for cash aid 
just to tide over hunger, PUV drivers gathering in streets to ask for donations, and 
employees receiving either notices of work stoppages or worse, termination. At the 
moment, the community quarantines and lockdowns have eased and businesses have 
slowly re-opened, but a critical task remains at hand - providing relief and assistance 
to the recently unemployed or underemployed for them to be able to resume gainful 
employment at the soonest time possible.
This proposed measure seeks to contribute to this mission by extending the 
benefits of Republic Act No. 11261 or the "First Time Jobseekers Assistance Act" to 
the pandemic-induced unemployed individuals. Under this bill, the benefit of waived 
fees and charges for government-issued pre-employment documents such as proofs 
of identification, clearances, and certifications will apply to jobseekers who have lost 
their employment during the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic Public Health 
Emergency as a result of authorized causes such as Installation of labor-saving 
devices, redundancy, retrenchment, closure or cessation of business operations, or 
disease. To substantiate their status to qualify for the benefit, the jobseeker must 
submit a duly Issued certificate of employment or notice of termination, or in the 
absence thereof, a barangay certification which shall be Issued free of charge.
The rationale behind this measure is that the government must exert its best 
efforts to assist our jobless so that they may get back on their feet and recover 
financially from the pandemic. Removing barriers to immediate re-employment and 
re-hiring is one form of assistance. Significantly bringing down the unemployment rate 
is definitely one of the factors that will. propel our country out of the economic 
doldrums of COVID-19.
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In view of this, early passage of this bill is sought.
M/moEL "LUO" M. LAPP
Senator


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ); 
Second Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S. No. 2090
March
DATE
TtME¥
Introduced by Senator Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid
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AN ACT
AMENDING SECTION 4 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11261, OTHERWISE KNOWN 
AS THE "FIRST TIME JOBSEEKERS ASSISTANCE ACT", THEREBY 
EXTENDING THE WAIVER OF FEES AND CHARGES TO JOBSEEKERS WHO 
HAVE LOST THEIR EMPLOYMENT DURING THE CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 
(COVID-19) PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled:
Section 1. Section 3 of Republic Act No. 11261, or the "First Time Jobseekers 
Assistance Act" is hereby amended to read as follows;
Section 3. Waiver of Fees and Charges. - Subject to
exceptions provided in Section 8 of this Act, ali
government agencies and instrumentalities, including
government-owned and -controlled corporations
(GOCCs), local government units (LGUs), and 
' * • * , . • • - 
government hospitals shall not collect fees or charges
from a first time jobseeker: Provided, That such fee or
charge Is paid in connection with the application for
and the granting of licenses, proofs of identification.


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clearances, certificates or other documents usually 
required in the course of employment locally or abroad:
Provided, further. That the benefit provided under this 
Act shall only be availed of once.
THE BENEFIT PROVIDED UNDER THIS SECTION 
SHALL EXTEND TO JOBSEEKERS WHO HAVE 
LOST THEIR EMPLOYMENT DURING THE 
CORONAVIRUS DISEASE (COVID-19) PUBLIC 
HEALTH EMERGENCY AS A RESULT OF 
, AUTHORIZED CAUSES SUCH AS INSTALLATION 
OF LABOR-SAVING DEVICES, REDUNDANCY, 
RETRENCHMENT, CLOSURE OR CESSATION OF 
BUSINESS OPERATIONS, OR DISEASE, AS 
SUBSTANTIATED BY A DULY ISSUED 
CERTIFICATE OF EMPLOYMENT OR NOTICE OF 
TERMINATION, OR IN THE ABSENCE THEREOF,
A BARANGAY CERTIFICATION, WHICH SHALL 
BE ISSUED FREE OF CHARGE, STATING THE 
FACT OF THE JOBSEEKER'S UNEMPLOYMENT,
THE CAUSE THEREOF, AND THAT HIS/HER 
PREVIOUS EMPLOYER FAILED OR REFUSED TO 
ISSUE A CERTIFICATE OF EMPLOYMENT OR 
NOnCE OF TERMINATION.
Section 2. Repealing Clause. — All laws, presidential decrees, executive 
orders, proclamations, rules and regulations, or any part thereof, which are 
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified 
accordingly.


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Section 3. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part of this Act, or the 
appiication thereof to any person or circumstance, is held unconstitutionai or invaiid, 
the remainder of this Act shall not be affected thereby.
Section 4. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
from its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general 
circulation.
Approved/